Nathan Duffy

“Just think—we must give an account of every idle word!8 How much more serious will be our account for the word of God, preached with vainglory and at the instigation of vainglory!”
― Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Arena: Guidelines for Spiritual and Monastic Life

“the easiest way of practicing unceasing prayer is to pray the Jesus Prayer, a beginner should apply himself to the Jesus Prayer as often as possible. Do you happen to have a moment free? Do not waste it in idleness! Do not waste it by using it for some impracticable and fatuous castle-building, or for some vain and trivial employment! Use it for the practice of the Jesus Prayer.”
― Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Arena: Guidelines for Spiritual and Monastic Life

“In the renunciation of one’s own will to follow the will of God consists the self-renunciation commanded by the Savior, which is an indispensable condition of salvation and Christian perfection. In fact, this is so indispensable that unless this condition is satisfied, salvation is impossible, and Christian perfection even more impossible.”
― Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Arena: Guidelines for Spiritual and Monastic Life

“The purpose of theology is to safeguard against misunderstandings that frustrate a Christian life of prayer.”
― Andrew Louth, Maximus the Confessor