Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and who currently serves as priest to the nuns at the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA, gave a talk for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship at the University at Buffalo at the beginning of this past Lent discussing how we can come to know God. In it, Fr Hopko highlights a few prominent points in the Eastern Christian ascetic practice and theological method. In the West, especially with the rise of Scholasticism, theological method and prolegomena became bogged down in the study of philosophy, history, languages, etc, so that one could either produce logically deduced statements about God or exegete, by means of various historical-grammatical methods, the Holy Scriptures.

In the East, theology has always been a matter of direct experience of God and so is rooted especially in prayer, as Evagrius Ponticus famously put it: ‘If you are a theologian, you will truly pray; and if you pray truly, you are a theologian.’ Theological method and prolegomena was less concerned, therefore, with the philosophical, the historical and the philological as means of bridging the cultural, temporal and linguistic gap that existed between the theologian and the writers of Scripture, but more concerned with cleansing the interior person, the mind, the heart, the nous, from any thing, namely sin and its roots in the fallen passions, that would blind and numb it to the reality of God. With this corrosion removed, the person could clearly and directly experience the reality of God, even if it remained beyond his ability to formulate into syllogism or reasoned statement.

It is this vision of theology, of knowing God, not merely knowing facts about or how to talk about God, that Fr Thomas has attempted to convey and the means by which such could be achieved. He has attempted to sum up the teaching of the Holy Fathers on this matter and make it simple enough to be accessible to all, though he does pretend that it is an easy path to follow. Also, there is an Orthodox audience assumed in the delivery of this talk – I imagine any who might read this from different Church backgrounds will be able to take his advice without accusing him of ecclesiastical chauvinism.

With that, I offer you Fr Thomas Hopko’s talk on ‘How to know God?’ If you like what you read, you might check out his podcast, Speaking the Truth in Love, on Ancient Faith Radio. In fact, Fr Thomas recently gave a similar talk to a conference of Eastern Rite Catholics in Ottawa which has been recorded and posted as three podcasts under the title 'Teaching Doctrine in the World We Live in Today'. Happy reading and may God draw us all into His life and love and to a vision of His uncreated beauty.

How can I know God as God really is?

How can I know Christ as the way, the truth and the life of God and humanity, the light of the world?

How can I know the Orthodox Church as ‘the household of God’ and ‘the pillar and bulwark of the truth’ – God’s kingdom on earth?

If you want to find answers for yourself to these questions, Orthodox Christian saints and spiritual teachers would ask you to do the following things as faithfully and honestly as you can, and to see for yours what happens.

1. Be ready to do whatever it takes to know. Humbly and courageously do what you are told without questioning it in any way. Vow to follow what you come to know, whatever the cost.

2. Pray for enlightenment, even if your is ‘to whom it may concern.’ Pray something like this: ‘God, if you exist, reveal yourself to me.’ If you already believe in God somehow, then pray ‘God, reveal yourself to me as you really are.’ As you pray, do not look for anything. Let whatever happens, happen.

3. While praying this way, read through the New Testament very slowly at least three times. Take several months to do this. Do not be bothered about what you do not understand, but try to put into practice what you do understand.

4. During this time, go to Orthodox Church services if you can. Just stand or sit there and listen. Do not just people are there in any way. Do not be bother about what you do not understand. If you are a confused and troubled member of the Orthodox Church, do not serve at the altar, or read or sing in the choir during this period.

5. During this time do not lie about anything, do not consciously harm anyone, try to be kind and good to everyone you meet, without exception. If possible do some good work for others, even if just for an hour or two a week, as secretly as possible. Also if possible, give away some money secretly to those in need.

6. During this time if you are not married, do not engage in any sexual acts at all, of any kind, even with yourself alone. If you fail in this, forget it immediately and start over.

7. During this time do not get drunk. Do not eat too much. Do not eat unhealthy foods. And try to eat and drink less than normal a couple of days a week, e.g. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

8. During this time, sit in total silence at least 10 to 15 minutes a day, or even up to 30 minutes a day if you can, watching the thoughts that come to your mind and letting them go with a prayer: ‘God [if you are there] enlighten my mind. God [if you are there] help me with this. God [if you are there] help these people who come to mind.’

9. During this time try to speak as little as possible without irritating others. Do not try to make your opinions known or accepted in conversations, unless asked. Listen to others. Be attentive to their presence and their needs. Do not argue with anyone about anything.

10. During this time find someone that you fully trust and share with they your thoughts, feelings, dreams, hang-ups, compulsions, etc. in detail. Do not however, go into detail about sexual things, or about other people. Discuss in detail your family of origin and your childhood experiences, good and bad. Focus on what memories distress and sadden you, and what memories bring you joy.

11. During this time do a ‘check list’ of possible food, alcohol, drug and sex addictions, and other addictions that you may think that you have, like, e.g. rage, gambling or shopping. If you see that you are addicted in some way, enter a treatment program.

12. During this time do your work or your studies to the best of your ability; carefully, responsibly, conscientiously and devotedly. Live a day, even part of the day, at a time. Focus fully on what you are doing at the given moment.