On Tuesday, 23rd January 2018 at 7.30 p.m., the Parish of St Elizabeth the New Martyr in Wallasey, near Liverpool, will welcome His Grace Bishop Irenei to lead a discussion group on the theme ‘The Jesus Prayer and the Life of the Orthodox Christian’. Following His Grace’s talk on the topic, all will be welcome to ask practical as well as broader questions, about how the Jesus Prayer is to form a part of the spiritual practice of Orthodox Christians, how it relates to our liturgical life and other prayers, and connected themes.
From Bishop Irenei: “Our modern world is filled with so many books about the Jesus Prayer, many of which are extremely popular but present an approach to the prayer developed in a strange estrangement from Church life. More often than not, people read such books (often including excerpts or even whole texts from the Holy Fathers), and thereby think they have discovered a familiarity with this tradition of prayer, which they then try to incorporate into their lives. But this approach to ascetical life — of ‘reading one’s way into’ a life of prayer — is far indeed from the practice of the Church. In our time together in Wallasey, we will look at the Jesus Prayer concretely, practically, from the point of view of actual Orthodox life as our Church has handed it down to us. In what ways can we incorporate it into our at-home prayer Rule? What practices are accepted, and what are forbidden? How do we avoid the overly-intellectualised approach to prayer that is hidden within the seemingly ‘simple’ and pious books that are available today?”
The talk will follow a bring-and-share supper at 6.30 p.m., and will take place in the parish house at 58 Shrewsbury Road, Prenton, CH43 2HY. For further details, please contact the parish rector, Archpriest Paul Elliott.
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