The Way of Spiritual Transformation

By Hieromonk Damascene
Source

Hieromonk Damascene - St Herman of Alaska Brotherhood


A talk given at the Parish Life Conference of the Antiochian Orthodox
Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America, Sioux City, Iowa, June 9, 2005

Contents:
1. Transformation, Salvation, Deification
2. Living Sacrifices
3. Not Conformity but Transformation
4. The Renewal of the Mind
5. Watchfulness and Prayer
6. The Primary Mark of Spiritual Transformation
7. On Getting Out of Ruts
8. On Not Measuring One’s Progress


1. Transformation, Salvation, Deification
The Theme of this conference - "Be not conformed to this world but be
transformed by the renewal of your mind" - is a rather daunting theme
to talk about, because it is so vast and all-encompassing. It touches
on the whole purpose of our lives as Orthodox Christians. Our Lord
Jesus Christ said: I have chosen you out of the world (John 15:19).
We have been called out of this world in order to become citizens of 
another world: the Kingdom of God. That Kingdom begins now, in
this life, continues after we leave this world, and will reach its
consummation at the Second Coming of our Savior. In order to dwell
in that Kingdom, to be its citizens, we must be transformed.

Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of
your mind (Rom. 12:2). These words from the Epistle of the Holy
Apostle Paul to the Romans help to introduce a Divinely inspired
teaching on spiritual transformation. In this talk, I will speak first about
the theological meaning of transformation in the Orthodox Church.
Then I will provide a commentary from the Holy Fathers concerning
St Paul's teaching on transformation. Next, I will offer some practical
suggestions concerning the way to transformation, with an emphasis
on watchfulness and prayer. Finally, I will speak of authentic love as 
the primary mark of genuine spiritual transformation.

As I said, the theme of transformation points to the purpose of our
life. That purpose is unending union with God - deification, theosis.
But deification is not a static condition: it is a never ending growth,
a process, an ascent toward God. We do not reach the end in this
life, nor even in the life to come. St Symeon the New Theologian,
who attained what might be called the highest possible degree of
union with God in this life, said: "Over the ages the progress will
be endless, for a cessation of this growing toward the end without
ending would be nothing but a grasping at the ungraspable."

Our union with God is a continual transformation into the likeness
of God, which is the likeness of Christ.


For the rest of this talk, please go here.