John Main Seminar 2002 - Kallistos Ware

"Countless Christians over the centuries have found a way of entry through practicing the invocation of the Holy Name: in the West often through the repetition of the name 'Jesus' on its own; in the East more commonly through a longer phrase, such as 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.'

"This is a prayer in words; but, because the words are so few and so simple, they reach beyond the words into silence; more eaxctly, they enable us to discover the silence that is hidden in the heart of the words themselves.

"In the Seminar Bishop Kallistos explored the distant origins of the Jesus Prayer among the Desert Fathers and Mothers of Egypt. Participants saw how in Sinai and Mount Athos the invocation of the Name came to be accompanied by a physical technique, involving a positive use of the body. They learned also how, in the experience of the saints, the Jesus Prayer brought them to the vision of the Divine Light of Tabor.

"The Jesus Prayer is a prayer that all can use, requiring as it does no special knowledge or elaborate preparation; yet it is a prayer that leads to the deepest mysteries of contemplation. It is being practiced today more than ever in the past, and is especially suited to our present age of anxiety. Because it is rooted in the traditions of both the Christian East and the Christian West, it can serve as a powerful instrument in our shared quest for unity. The practice of the Jesus Prayer is akin to the teaching of Christian Meditation and other forms of the rich tradition of Christian contemplative prayer."

Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia

The Seminar was preceded by a silent retreat 'The New Holiness: Meditation and Insight into Unprecedented Aspects of our Times'. The silent retreat was led by Dom Laurence Freeman during August 19 - 22, 2002.

Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia (Timothy Ware) will led the John Main Seminar 2002. He is a member of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, Patmos, Greece and one of the Assistant Bishops of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople).

Since 1966, Bishop Kallistos has taught in the Faculty of Theology at Oxford University and is a past chairman of the board of the theology department in Oxford. Active in work for Christian unity, among his many charisms, Bishop Kallistos also speaks French. His books include 'The Orthodox Church' and 'The Orthodox Way', and he is co-translator of 'The Philokalia'. His latest book is "The Inner Kingdom", published in 2000.

To Order Seminar Cassette Tapes | CD's

Seminar Retreat:

Why Meditation Breaks the Cycle of Violence CD's
Laurence Freeman

Meditation is a way of peace because it exposes the root of violence in us, and reveals the nature of violence.

In this series of talks given at the retreat preceding The 2002 John Main Seminar, Fr. Laurence Freeman explores the role we can play as meditators in this increasingly violent modern world. Is there any way that our sincere practice of pure prayer can make the world a less violent place?

To Order Retreat Cassette Tapes | CD's

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