Source: View original Google Doc Converted: 2026-04-22
Overview
Adult English Meeting — Series Overview
A 13-session series running April 19 – July 12, 2026, exploring the lives and teachings of the Church Fathers who received and transmitted the Apostolic faith.
Series Schedule
| Session | Date | Father / Topic | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 19, 2026 | St. Mark the Evangelist — The Apostolic Foundation of Alexandria | ||
| 2 | April 26, 2026 | Origen of Alexandria — Scripture, Allegory, and Spiritual Theology | ||
| 3 | May 3, 2026 | St. Athanasius the Apostolic — The Defense of the Incarnation 2026-05-10-athanasius-a-faith-rooted-before-the-fire | ||
| 4 | May 17, 2026 | St. Basil the Great — Monastic Life and the Holy Spirit 2026-05-17-basil-the-great-the-shepherd-who-built-a-city-for-the-poor | ||
| 5 | May 24, 2026 | St. Gregory the Theologian (Nazianzus) — The Three Theological Orations 2026-05-24-gregory-the-theologian-the-reluctant-voice-of-the-trinity | ||
| 6 | May 31, 2026 | St. Gregory of Nyssa — Mystical Theology and the Life of Moses 2026-05-31-gregory-of-nyssa-the-soul-that-never-stops-climbing | ||
| 7 | June 7, 2026 | St. Cyril of Alexandria — The Theotokos and the One Christ 2026-06-07-cyril-of-alexandria-the-theotokos-and-the-one-christ | ||
| 8 | June 14, 2026 | St. John Chrysostom — Preacher, Pastor, and Prophet 2026-06-14-john-chrysostom-preacher-pastor-and-prophet | ||
| 9 | June 21, 2026 | St. Ephrem the Syrian — Theology in Hymn and Poetry 2026-06-21-ephrem-the-syrian-theology-in-hymn-and-poetry | ||
| 10 | June 28, 2026 | Pope Dioscorus — Defender of Alexandria’s Faith | ||
| 11 | July 5, 2026 | The Desert Fathers — The Wisdom of the Wilderness 2026-07-05-the-desert-fathers-when-the-gospel-became-a-life (series finale) | ||
| 12 | July 12, 2026 | |||
| 13 | July 19, 2026 |
Series conclusion: The series concluded with Session 11, The Desert Fathers: When the Gospel Became a Life. Sessions 12–13 are preserved above as part of the original plan but were not delivered in this series.
Series Goals
- Introduce the Church Fathers as living witnesses, not historical relics
- Show how each Father responded to the theological and spiritual crises of his age
- Draw practical applications from their lives for modern Orthodox Christians
- Demonstrate the continuity of the Apostolic faith from the Apostles to today
What Does “Heirs of the Apostles” Mean?
The Church Fathers did not invent new theology. They received the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3) and defended, articulated, and handed it on. They are heirs — not innovators.
“The tradition of the Apostles has been made manifest in the whole world, and it is possible for every person who wishes to see the truth to contemplate the tradition of the Apostles clearly, in every church throughout the whole world.” — St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies III.3
How to Engage This Series
- Come prepared to read a short primary text each week
- Ask: What crisis did this Father face? How does it mirror our age?
- Identify one practical lesson from each Father’s life
- Pray for the intercession of each Father before the session