What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him?

Lecture Series
May 15 - June 26, 2021 on Saturdays beginning at 4:30 pm.

To view lecture notes, click on the title below:

1. The Creation of Human Beings & Life in Paradise
2. The Fall and Composition of Humanity
3. Our Re-creation through & in Christ
4. Does God Care about Sex(uality)?
5. The Nations - Israel and Gentiles or: What do we Have to do with Race?
6. Are Humans Fluid or Solid? Or: What is Human Nature?
7. Cultivating the Soul & Growth in Christ: Our Recompostiion & Life towards Paradise

What is Man? - BIBLIOGRAPHY

LINKS TO AUDIO RECORDINGS ARE BELOW.

There are many competing beliefs about what it means to be a flourishing human being taught by the world. In this lecture series Fr. Symeon will address the big questions we face today about human life, and how we as Christians may understand and respond to the ever-changing social fabric as little Christs. We will ask the question of God and of ourselves, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him?"

Each lecture will build on the last, especially as we go through the commentary from the Fathers on the first three chapters of Genesis to the end of May. These help us learn what our Church teaches about humanity and who we are called to be as human beings. The thought and perspective of the Fathers that God willing will come into our lives in the first weeks will become the lenses we use to look at and evaluate the perspectives brought up and addressed in the final half of the lectures about human identity and flourishing. These are important topics that are in contention in today's world and require an informed Orthodox Christian response. We must train ourselves up in the mind of the Church first to gain certain and crucial knowledge to answer these questions for ourselves and others. The later lecture topics will make the greatest sense only in the light of the previous lectures.