Creatio Ex Nihilo Praeter Deum

Creatio ex nihilo praeter deum is not a formulation that can be traced—or not at least one I have traced—to a specific traditional source. I use that phrase in my theology class as a way of expressing, elliptically no doubt, at least something of what C....

Attention Alone

I’m gratified to hear that you’ve been able to extract from your academic studies some useful spiritual guidance. What’s the point otherwise of a religion major? You should be thankful that there are professors at your university who, even if they do...

A Subtler and Larger Reality

I would reassure you first that you’re not alone. I receive messages with some frequency from Orthodox, both clergy and laity, who are deeply interested in the perennialist school but who feel they can’t really talk about it with their priests or...

Have Mercy on Us

What’s the preferred form of the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me” or “… have mercy on us”? As you know, both forms are found in the tradition, and clearly both have their value. It depends in part on one’s...

Figments of the Divine Imagination

To say the personal God is not fully real is not to say He is unreal. You seem to be thinking of a strict black-or-white dichotomy: either real or not, either completely true or completely false. The key here is to remember the idea of a “great chain of...