Class 01 - 12 Rules for Studying Theology

An introduction in which I review the outline of our class, how it will be structured, and the twelve "rules" or prerequisites for studying theology and doctrine.

HOMEWORK:
Read a chapter a day from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. We'll meet once a week to discuss the readings.

A SUMMARY OF THE 12 RULES (PREREQUISITES) FOR STUDYING THEOLOGY:
1. Destroy the idols (distractions) that keep you from spending time with God. Nothing is more important than getting your life right with God. Nothing.
2. Read a chapter a day from the Gospels. Consider taking notes to help you engage with the text more deeply. Don’t read on a full stomach.
3. Pray! If you want to survive spiritually and eternally, you’ll need to set aside time for prayer every day. Prayer is communion with God. You’ll need a prayer book and lots of determination to not get derailed by the devil.
4. Spend time in silence. Every day, we should set aside a ten minute window in which we do the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”) in mental silence (no images, music, noise, distractions).
5. Go to church. We can’t go it alone; we need each other. Part of our spiritual healing involves standing through the church services and receiving a little bit of God’s grace – even when we’re tired or busy.
6. No discussing religion, spirituality, doctrine, or politics online.
7. Learn to talk less and listen more. Give your opinion only when it’s asked for, and even then, do so with hesitancy.
8. Reorient your attitude toward food. Avoid gluttony (eating until you’re full); lose weight if needed, and eat healthy meals. St. Seraphim of Sarov wrote, “One should not think about the doings of God when one’s stomach is full; on a full stomach there can be no vision of the Divine mysteries.”
9. Follow the fasts. Typically means eating vegan on Wednesdays and Fridays. Also, the first two weeks of August (our current month) are fast days.
10. No sex except to your married spouse. No fornicating, pornography, or anything else the Church doesn’t bless. Married people should try to refrain during fasting seasons.
11. Disconnect from electronics as much as you can. Get rid of social media, especially on your phone. Be deliberate, make a plan about how you’re going to spend less time scrolling and more time with God.
12. Do things for others. Give others your time, attention, compassion, money, kind words and encouragement. Look for ways to edify others. Also, help out around the church and at home when things need to be cleaned or set up. Focusing on others can help us when we’re feeling weak or emotionally low.

FURTHER RESOURCES:
• The Commentaries on Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Blessed Theophylact)
• Unseen Warfare (Saints Nicodemus and Theophan the Recluse)
• Spiritual Struggle (St. Paisios the Athonite)
• Discourses and Sayings (St. Dorotheos of Gaza)
• The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It (St. Theophan)
• The Arena (St. Ignatius Brianchininov)

VIDEO QUALITY:
My apologies for the poor presentation. It was my first time hosting a meeting in Zoom and trying to record it, so I had (and still have) some things to learn. I blurred out the names of the other participants for their privacy - but that took me a while to figure out as well. That's why this video has been uploaded out of order from the others.