By Harry Boosalis
St. Silouan the Athonite is especially relevant today because of the significance of his teaching for contemporary man. His writings were made available to the world at a most appropriate time. He was born in Russia in 1866, he arrived on Mount Athos in 1892 and entered the Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon. He fell asleep in the Lord in 1938 and was canonized a saint in 1988. His writings were first published in 1952 by his disciple Archimandrite Sophrony.
The present study is an attempt at a systematic presentation of the teaching of St. Silouan on Orthodox spiritual life. The goal is to illustrate his importance for today. His teaching is compared with the writings of the Church Fathers, showing how it is based on traditional patristic sources, as well as presenting its more original attributes. Special attention is given to his teaching on the acquistion of the grace of the Holy Spirit, spritiual warfare, the significance of suffering, humility, love for all mankind and prayer fo the salvation of the entire world.
Harry Boosalis completed his doctoral degree in theology at the University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
