BENGALURU: HG Dr Abraham Mar Seraphim, Bangalore Diocese Metropolitan, released a book on ‘Divinisation: Experiencing God in the Orthodox Faith’ on February 1 during the Bangalore Orthodox Convention, ‘Meltho 2019.’
The book containing 312 pages is authored by Varghese Daniel and explains Orthodox spirituality under various contexts. Fr Varghese P Idichandy, Vicar/President of St Gregorios Orthodox Church, Mathikere, is the publisher of the book.
The first edition will have about 1,000 copies in print.
Varghese Daniel says, “Reading the book provides for a transformative experience as it is concise and introductory in its content.”
Varghese who heads the Theophany Study Forum (earlier Patristics Group) of the Bengaluru Diocese, explains that the Indian Orthodox Church is unique among Christian denominations as it lays emphasises on a mystical, divine union between the worshiper and Christ.
“This is not simply confined to certain rituals, or the mere observance of the sacraments but at the same time, rituals and sacraments are also meaningful. The faith and spirituality is focused on experiencing God personally, beyond mere reasoning or by human logic,” he explains.
The book makes clear about the profound theological differences between Orthodox Christianity and the Christianity of the West, namely Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
The nearly two-year-old Theophany Study Forum was formed under the spiritual guidance and direction of Metropolitan Mar Seraphim and Fr Idichandy.
The study forum is a group of like-minded individuals who have been engaging in a mutually informative discussion and study.
The meeting place is usually on second Saturday mornings at the Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Bengaluru Diocese Bishop’s House, No 1 Malankara Veedhi, Dodda Gubbi, Post, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
