Categories: orthodox-life, spiritual-writings
Date: 09 August 2006 05:24:07
I was all set to start reading Hebrews, but then I received a fine selection of books and a CD series of talks through my membership of the St Vladimir's Seminary Press Club. The CD series is on the The Apocalypse: The Book of Revelation in Orthodox Christian Tradition.
Many years back, when I was in another church, I led a series of Bible studies on the book of Revelation. A very slow and intense series on the book of Revelation. A month or so was spent on each chapter. I didn't intend for it to be so intense, it just turned out that way. As it happened, due to personal circumstances I stopped leading the Bible study towards the end, and I left that church soon after.
I've only listened to one and-a-bit CDs, out of four, so far, I keep re-listening to them as there is a lot covered, but a whole new perspective on the book of Revelation has been opened up to me. Despite the intense study of the Bible study mentioned above, I am receiving wholly new revelations, if you'll excuse the pun. Fr Hopko -- who I have heard before via other talks, and I have greatly enjoyed those talks: he is a truly dynamic speaker, knows his topics very well, and has a most wonderful sense of humour -- points out that the symbolism and imagery of the book has inspired Orthodox Divine Liturgy [the Eucharistic service in Orthodoxy], and that the Divine Liturgy also inspired the symbolism and imagery of Revelation.
As I said, I have only listened to some of the talks, but Fr Hopko has drawn attention to the image of heavenly worship in chapters 1, 4 and 5 and how it reflects the Divine Liturgy: the "Holy, Holy..." which forms part of most liturgical churchs' Eucharistic canon; the repetitions of "Worthy" and "Grace / Peace to you"; the elders dressed in white [referring to the alb] and more. Also interesting was seeing how the various references in the letters to the churches in chapters 2 and 3, and how they apply to Christians now: the saving from the second death, signifying our first death [baptism] and the fact we are dead to the world; the hidden manna, the bread from heaven, which is the Body of Christ we partake of at the Eucharist; to name but two.
A true blessing to find new meaning in this controversial book. And a great blessing to see how it applies now to my life as a Christian and my life in the Orthodox Church.
On the topic of Orthodox talks, I've discovered quite a few of late. David Bryan pointed us to these talks from Fr Hopko from the 2006 Diocese of the South Diocesan Assembly and while browsing the SVS Press website I came across a variety of free downloads on the audio page of talks delivered at the 2006 St Vladimir's Seminary Summer Liturgical Institute.
Plenty of listening ahead.