Catholicism – Wellsprings

I first encountered the Early Church Fathers while in Catholic graduate school writing my thesis, and they opened up a whole new world to me. I was amazed at their brilliance, deep spirituality, permeation with scripture, profound beauty – and so prolific! Beautiful teaching, some of which I’d never heard before. And, to my surprise, certain things that appeared to contradict certain things in Catholicism, raising questions in my mind. They were a revelation.

This post is the fourth and final in a short series. Click here to read the introduction.

If I were to choose just one thing that really stands out to me in Orthodox Christianity, which is also the thing that brought me to it, it is reading and studying the Early Church Fathers.

I first became curious about them after becoming Catholic, as the Catholic Church teaches that it is based on scripture and tradition. Tradition meaning the Early Church Fathers, the teachers and defenders of the faith who followed in the footsteps of the Apostles.

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Having been involved in New Age alternative spirituality before becoming Christian, I had learned from experience there is spiritual deception in this world, was concerned not to fall into it again while embarking on the Christian prayer life. I found no help in the Evangelical world, but I did find help in the Catholic world, in ways I later found are consistent with Orthodox teaching, something I have carried with me and am grateful for.

This post is third in a short occasional series. Click here to read the introduction.

There were many good things I received in Catholicism, and I am grateful to have been Catholic for as long as I was. There is one thing I’d like to write about here, something that has kept me safe in all my spiritual endeavors since, found in the older Catholic prayer tradition (and thus closer to Orthodoxy). Something I think all kinds of Christians can benefit from, regardless of what part of the Christian world you’re in.

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Tag: Catholicism

The Illuminating Grace of the Early Church Fathers

On Prayer: A Safe Harbor in the Catholic Tradition