Didymus Didymus

Early Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction

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  • Courses
    • Courses (overview)
    • Survey Courses
      • Survey Courses (overview)
      • Historical Theology I: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Early Church
        • Historical Theology I: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Early Church (overview)
        • Historical Theology I Lectures
          • Historical Theology I Lectures (overview)
          • Lectures 1-10
            • Lectures 1-10 (overview)
            • Conversion and Baptism in the Early Church
            • Church and Church Order in Early Christian Teaching
            • Women and Ministry in the Early Church
            • Differentiation from Judaism
            • Toward Uniformity: Charismatic and Institutional Authority in the Early Church
            • Whose Orthodoxy? Docetism, Encratism, Gnosticism
            • The Development of the New Testament Canon
            • Greco-Roman Religion and the Early Christian Apologists
            • Early Christians and Military Service
          • Lectures 11-20
            • Lectures 11-20 (overview)
            • Martyrdom-Reading the Stories of the Martyrs
            • Persecution Apostasy and the Controversy Over Restoring the Lapsed
            • Early Christian Biblical Interpretation: Typology and Allegory
            • The Roots of Christology
            • Athanasius on the Incarnation
            • The Arian Crisis
            • The Divinity of the Holy Spirit
            • Athanasius and the Cappadocians on the Holy Spirit
            • Synopsis of Basil on the Holy Spirit
            • The Rise of Asceticism
            • Writing the Life of a Saint: Spiritual Biographies and the Life of Pachomius
            • Augustine and the Manichaeans on Evil
        • Historical Theology I Syllabus
        • Historical Theology I Final Exam
      • Historical Theology II: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Medieval Church
        • Historical Theology II: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Medieval Church (overview)
        • Historical Theology II Lectures 1-10
          • Historical Theology II Lectures 1-10 (overview)
          • Intro to European Society in the Middle Ages
          • Augustine on Faith Hope and Love
          • Augustine and Pelagius on Freedom and Grace
          • The Rule of St. Benedict
          • Prayer and Lectio Divina in the Benedictine Tradition
          • Confession and Repentance: An Introduction
          • Confession and Penance: From the Early Church to the Middle Ages
          • Prayer and Pastoral Care in Gregory the Great's Pastoral Rule
          • Bernard of Clairvaux's Life and Works
          • Bernard of Clairvaux on Loving God
        • Historical Theology Lectures 11-20
          • Historical Theology Lectures 11-20 (overview)
          • Faith and Reason in Anselm's Proslogion
          • Synopsis of Anselm Why God Became Man
          • Late Medieval Mystical Traditions
          • Walter Hilton's Scale of Perfection
          • The Cloud of Unknowing
          • Julian of Norwich
          • Jean Gerson on Mystical Theology
          • Jean Gerson on Spiritual Discernment (Discernment of Spirits)
          • Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways
          • Thomas Aquinas on the Atonement
          • Thomas Aquinas on Transubstantiation
        • Historical Theology II Syllabus
        • Historical Theology II Final Exam
        • Historical Theology II Final Exam Study Guide
      • Historical Theology III: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Reformation
        • Historical Theology III: Doctrine and Spirituality of the Reformation (overview)
        • Historical Theology III Lectures 1-6
          • Historical Theology III Lectures 1-6 (overview)
          • Later Middle Ages and Renaissance
          • Luther on Justification
          • Penance, Indulgences and Beginning of the Reformation
          • Luther's Theology of the Cross
          • Luther on Trials (Anfechtungen) and the Temptation to Despair
          • Luther on Suffering and Spiritual Warfare
        • Historical Theology III Lectures 7-11
          • Historical Theology III Lectures 7-11 (overview)
          • Luther on Baptism
          • Luther on the Lord's Supper
          • Luther on the Pastoral Office and Confession
          • Johann Arndt as a Precursor of Lutheran Pietism
          • Johann Arndt's True Christianity
        • Historical Theology III Lectures 12-16
          • Historical Theology III Lectures 12-16 (overview)
          • Johann Gerhard and Lutheran Devotional Literature
          • Johann Gerhard's Devotional Works
          • Life of John Calvin
          • Calvin on Church and Baptism
          • Calvin on the Lord's Supper
        • Historical Theology Lectures 17-20
          • Historical Theology Lectures 17-20 (overview)
          • The English Reformation
          • George Herbert: Poet and Pastor--The Country Parson
          • Puritan Conceptions of the Church
          • Richard Baxter on Self Examination and Christian Marriage
        • Historical Theology III Syllabus
        • Historical Theology III Final Exam
        • Historical Theology III Final Exam Review Sheet
      • Historical Theology IV: Secularization, Spirituality and Ministry in the Modern Period
        • Historical Theology IV: Secularization, Spirituality and Ministry in the Modern Period (overview)
        • Historical Theology IV Lectures 1-6
          • Historical Theology IV Lectures 1-6 (overview)
          • The Transition from Scholasticism to Rationalism
          • Puritanism and Social and Religious Fragmentation
          • Spener Francke and Lutheran Pietism
          • Radical Pietism: Gerhard Tersteegen and Gottfried Arnold
          • Zinzendorf and the Moravians
          • John and Charles Wesley
        • Historical Theology IV Lectures 7-11
          • Historical Theology IV Lectures 7-11 (overview)
          • John Locke on Toleration
          • David Hume's Criticism of Miracles and Natural Religion
          • J.S Mill On Liberty and Toleration
          • Further Development of the Liberal Political Tradition
          • Ludwig Feuerbach and Sigmund Freud on Projection
          • Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Confessional Theology
        • Lectures 12-15
          • Lectures 12-15 (overview)
          • Summary of Steve Bruce on Secularization
          • Secularization and Its Implications for the Ministry of the Church
          • Secuarlization and Evangelical Christian Response
          • Religious Disaffiliation: The Rise of the Nones
          • New Age Religion and Secularization
        • Historical Theology IV Syllabus
    • Advanced Seminars
      • Advanced Seminars (overview)
      • Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church: Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care in the Greek Fathers
        • Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church: Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Care in the Greek Fathers (overview)
        • Prayer and Spirituality in the Early Church Syllabus
        • Prayer and Spirituality Lectures 1-5
          • Prayer and Spirituality Lectures 1-5 (overview)
          • Spiritual Gifts New Testament passages
          • Prayer in the Early Church
          • Tertullian and Cyprian on the Lord's Prayer
          • Origen on Prayer
          • Cyril of Jerusalem & Gregory of Nyssa on the Lord's Prayer
          • Apophthegmata Patrum: The Desert Fathers on Prayer, Compunction and Spiritual Direction
        • Prayer and Spirituality Lectures 6-21
          • Prayer and Spirituality Lectures 6-21 (overview)
          • Evagrius Life and Summary of Eight Evil Reasonings
          • Evagrius on the Psychology of Action
          • Evagrius on Pride
          • Evagrius on Vainglory
          • Evagrius on Anger
          • Evagrius on Anger Discussion of Principal Texts
          • Evagrius on Acedia (Akedia)
          • Evagrius on Sadness as a Deadly Sin
          • Evagrius on Avarice (Covetousness)
          • Evagrius on Gluttony
          • Evagrius on Lust and Fornication
          • Evagrius on Seeing God
          • Evagrius on Evil and Preexistence: The Origin and Fall of Rational Beings
          • John Cassian
          • Abbah Isaiah of Scetis and Barsanuphius and John
          • Dorotheos of Gaza
        • Prayer and Spirituality Final Exam 2011
        • Review for Prayer and Spirituality Final Exam 2011
        • Final Exam for Prayer and Spirituality 2018
        • Review for Prayer and Spirituality Final Exam 2018
      • Augustine's Moral and Pastoral Theology
        • Augustine's Moral and Pastoral Theology (overview)
        • Augustine Seminar Lectures 1-5
          • Augustine Seminar Lectures 1-5 (overview)
          • Intro to Augustine's Life and Works
          • Augustine Confessions I-V
          • Augustine Confessions VI-VII
          • Augustine Confessions VIII-XIII
          • Augustine on Faith Hope and Love
          • Background of the Pelagian Controversy
          • Augustine and Pelagius on Human Freedom Sin and Grace
          • Augustine and the Donatists on the Purity of the Church
        • Augustine Lectures 6-9
          • Augustine Lectures 6-9 (overview)
          • Augustine on Pastoral Ministry
          • Augustine On the Trinity
          • Augustine on Lying
          • Augustine on Suicide
        • Augustine Syllabus
    • Introduction to Sahidic Coptic
      • Introduction to Sahidic Coptic (overview)
      • Introduction to Sahidic Coptic Syllabus
  • Themes in Christian Spirituality
    • Themes in Christian Spirituality (overview)
    • Advent
    • Self-Examination (The Examen)
    • Repentance
    • Baptism
      • Baptism (overview)
      • Baptism in the New Testament
      • Romans 6: Baptism into the Death of Christ
      • Holy Baptism: A Brief Introduction
      • The Baptism of Children in the Early Church
    • The Lord's Supper
    • Spiritual Discernment
      • Spiritual Discernment (overview)
      • Rules for the Discerning of Spirits
      • Vocational Discernment: Testing a Call from God
      • Discerning a Call to Ministry
    • Fasting
    • Meditating on the Psalms
      • Meditating on the Psalms (overview)
      • Speaking Peace: Meditating on Ps 122
      • Seeking Peace: Biblical Teaching on Peace
    • How to Plan a Spiritual Retreat
    • Praying for Sanctification and Greater Love of God
    • Abandonment to the Will of God
      • Abandonment to the Will of God (overview)
      • Le Cantique spirituel de Jean-Joseph Surin
    • What It Means to Be a Seminary Professor
    • Pastoral Competences in the Anglican Tradition
    • Training the Next Generation of Spiritual Directors
      • Training the Next Generation of Spiritual Directors (overview)
      • Training Spiritual Directors: Content and Competencies
      • Bibliography of Readings for Use in the Training of Spiritual Directors
  • Pastoral Ethics
    • Pastoral Ethics (overview)
    • Moral Issues Lectures
      • Moral Issues Lectures (overview)
      • The Nature and Challenges of Pastoral Ministry
      • A Short History of Pastoral Ethics
      • Telling the Truth
      • Confidentiality and Mandatory Disclosure
      • Review of Repentance and Confidentiality
      • The Morality of Forgiveness
      • Friendship Morality and the Spiritual Life
      • Responding to Conflict in the Church
      • Abuse of Power in Ministry
      • Forced Exits
      • Stress and Burnout in Pastoral Ministry
        • Stress and Burnout in Pastoral Ministry (overview)
        • Stress in Pastoral Ministry
        • Factors Involved in Clergy Burnout
        • Taking a Closer Look At Personal Stressors: The Pie Plate Chart
        • Summary of Clergy Health and Clergy Stress Research
      • Clergy Sexual Misconduct
        • Clergy Sexual Misconduct (overview)
        • Factors Contributing to the Compulsive Use of Pornography
        • Sexual Misconduct in Pastoral Ministry
        • Sexual Misconduct in Ministry Supplemental Handout
        • The Effects of Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Perspectives from the Abused
      • Marriage Divorce and Remarriage
        • Marriage Divorce and Remarriage (overview)
        • Marriage Divorce and Remarriage Lecture
        • Marriage and Divorce Summary Outline
      • Marital Infidelity: Risk Factors and Rebuilding the Marriage
      • Divorce and Remarriage in Mark 10
    • Moral Issues Syllabus
    • Pastoral Ethics Case Studies
      • Pastoral Ethics Case Studies (overview)
      • Case Study on Telling the Truth and Deception
      • Case Study on Confidentiality and Disclosure
      • Case Studies on Conflict in the Church
      • Case Study on Pastoral Sexual Misconduct
    • Moral Issues Final Exam
      • Moral Issues Final Exam (overview)
      • Moral Issues Final Exam
      • Moral Issues Final Exam Review Sheet
  • Legal Issues
    • Legal Issues (overview)
    • Legal Issues: Invasion of Privacy and Defamation
    • Undue Influence and Legal Responsibility for Employees
    • Moral and Legal Issues in Spiritual Direction
      • Moral and Legal Issues in Spiritual Direction (overview)
      • Moral and Legal Issues in Spiritual Direction Bibliography
  • The Seven Deadly Sins
    • The Seven Deadly Sins (overview)
    • The Heart Chart: How We Respond to Temptation
    • Pride
    • Vainglory
    • Envy
    • Anger: The Deadliest Sin?
    • Falling Out of Love: Acedia (Akedia) and Spiritual Apathy
    • Covetousness: When Having Things Is the Most Important Thing
    • Lust and the Healing of Disordered Desire
    • Case Studies on the Seven Deadly Sins
      • Case Studies on the Seven Deadly Sins (overview)
      • Case Study on Pride and Vainglory
  • The Lord's Prayer
    • The Lord's Prayer (overview)
    • Prayer in the Early Church
    • Lord's Prayer Summary
    • Our Father: What Fatherhood Really Means
    • Hallowed Be Your Name
    • Your Kingdom Come Your Will Be Done
    • Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread
    • Forgive Us Our Debts
    • Lead Us Not Into Temptation But Deliver Us From Evil
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Spiritual Discernment

In This Section

  • Rules for the Discerning of Spirits
  • Vocational Discernment: Testing a Call from God
  • Discerning a Call to Ministry