On Saturday 16 October, within the 2021 Seminar Series hosted by the Greek Orthodox Christian Society on the theme. “O God, You are my protector, Your mercy shall go before me” (Psalm 58: 10-11), His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope, Archepiscopal Vicar of South Australia, gave a seminar on the ‘Inner Spiritual Life’ with a focus on the life and teachings on St Nektarios of Pentapolis. Before the commencement of the seminar, those in attendance were able to hear from representatives of Bishop Silouan’s flock in Adelaide, who reported on the recent success of the city’s inaugural Orthodox Sunday School Camp which boasted the attendance of 55 children.
Following songs and hymns by the combined Virtual Choirs of the Greek Orthodox Christian Society and Orthodox Ladies Fellowship being heard, His Grace, Bishop Silouan began with a brief biography of St Nektarios of Pentapolis whose life he observed to be “a continual doxology”, marked by patient suffering. His Grace went on to point out some of the pitfalls that one might encounter in building their spiritual life on their own will or imagination. He declared that “the basis of all thought must be divine revelation” and that this is what drives the faithful Christian. He emphasised that the Inner Spiritual Life is cultivated in knowing oneself and that those who do not obtain self-knowledge, do not in fact know God.