PODCAST · religion
Maronite Meditations
by Joseph Azize
Maronite Meditations is a regular podcast harvesting the wealth of the legacy and contemplative tradition of the Maronite, Syriac, Catholic Church, an ancient Eastern church, with the Apostolic succession, which traces its faith back to our Lord himself.
Episodes
-
Maronite Meditation 93: Bernier, Rethinking the Dates of the NT
This is a short and selective review of Jonathan Bernier’s 2022 volume, Rethinking the Dates of the New Testament. His fundamental conclusion is that the dates of the New Testament documents are earlier than is usually thought. He states that it is a sort of successor to Robinson’s 1976 study...
-
Maronite Meditation 92: What does it mean to say "Only-Begotten Son"?
I examine the question of the “Only-Begotten Son of God,” from a Syriac perspective. I am going to suggest that there is an ambiguity in the English phrase the “Only-Begotten Son of the Father” to speak of Christ. Further, there is a richness in the Syriac concept of the yee.Hee.dō.yō which is…
more -
Maronite Meditation 91: Gossip, Detraction, and Calumny
We examine the sins of gossip, detraction, and calumny. What are they? Why are they wrong? How can we make our consciences more sensitive to these sins?
-
Maronite Meditation 90: Spiritual Dimensions of Talking
A very good rule of life is to not talk about, to not even mention, other people, unless we have a good reason. This rule follows from basic moral principles of Christianity, and from psychological considerations. It is particularly well-suited totoday’s world, and includes not only use of the...
-
Maronite Meditation 89: Aphrahat on Pure Prayer
We are going to work through some of Sebastian Brock’s invaluable book The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and theSpiritual Life. It is an anthology of materials from Syriac writers,beginning at the very start with Aphrahat, although not including the Odes of Solomon . Little is known of Aphrahat, “the...
-
Maronite Meditations 88: Blosius and the Wonder of Life
We now consider the significance of what Blosius has to say about life, and how that melds into what he wrote about the oneness of God, and how that unfolds in the world.
-
Maronite Meditation 87: Simple Meditation on Breathing
We do a simple breathing meditation based on this statement by Blosius: "When he is occupied with conversation and business, if he is unable to attend freely to God, he must yet beware of entirely leaving the inner chamber of his heart, thus going away from God Himself, but he must continue...
-
Maronite Meditation 86: All in God Is One (Blosius)
Blosius says that we can divide our attention when working in the world: we are aware of what we are doing and “must yet beware of entirely leaving the inner chamber of (our) heart.” Yet we must return to contemplation of eternal light, which we cannot unless we are free of attachment to…
more -
Maronite Meditation 85: Blosius' Prayers for Illumination and for Union
Blosius said that even when we are occupied with conversation and business, we are able to attend to God, not entirely leaving the inner chamber of our hearts. He suggested two prayers or aspirations. First, one suited to the Illuminative Way: “…Grant me to dwell with Thee in the sanctuary of my...
-
Maronite Meditation 84: Intellect, Memory and Will in the Spiritual Life
Blosius said that just as the three Persons of God work together in inseparable union, so do those three powers of the mind. The memory recalls nothing without the intellect and the will ; the intellect does not understand or know anything without the memory and the will ; and the will desires...
-
Maronite Meditation 83: The Mysteries of Meditation and Love
The editor of Blosius' book distinguishes ordinary andextraordinary contemplation. He wrote: “…ordinary contemplation means a close union with God in intellect and will, which is the result of faithful correspondence to the grace he bestows according to the ordinary laws of his providence in the...
-
Maronite Meditation 82
We meditate upon the teachings of contemplative teachings of Blosius: Francois-Louis de Blois, Blosius the Venerable, was born in October 1506. He has been called “the Doctor of the presence of God.” It is said that “Union with God was the theme of his life … he knew that such was to be obtained...
-
Maronite Meditation 81: Contemplation, Meditation, and Mysticism
Meditation, contemplation, and mysticism are conceptsthe meaning of which is forever changing. They have meant different things in different religions throughout the world. Even within one faith in one place and at one time, practitioners may be engaged in very different types of meditation and...
-
Maronite Meditations 80: More on the Q Hypothesis
I critique the notion that we can use the Q hypothesis to reconstruct the distinctive theology of Ss Matthew and Luke.
-
Maronite Meditation 79: What is the Q hypothesis in NT studies?
The arguments given for the Q hypothesis (that Ss Matthew and Luke used a document which St Mark probably did not have) is not so firmly grounded as assumed. Certainly, I would say, the case for Q has to be made out with strong arguments as to why Matthew or Luke cannot have had the other’s…
more -
Maronite Meditation 78: Are the Gospels "Anonymous" documents?
Many academics assert that the names of the Gospels are not originals, and the evangelists were anonymous. I suggest this goes far beyond the evidence. The Gospels were produced in a specific historical context: the early Church. They are the documents of the early Church, in a very real sense. I...
-
Maronite Meditations 77: Ehrman on NT communities
Prof Bart Ehrman dogmatically states as a fact that the books of the New Testament were written “to different communities …” We have recently seen that some, at least, of the evidence presented for this theory could be described as “quiteweak.” But many of the epistles were anciently known as the...
-
Maronite Meditations 76: The "Johannine Community" Part 2
We continue last week's critique of Ashton's argument that there was a "Johannine community" for which the Gospel was written (as opposed to for all Christians." We explore, along the way, the "fallacy of the fatal possibility," the invalid argument that a thesis must be wrong because another...
-
Maronite Meditation: Episode 75, Was there a "Johannine Community"?
We consider a question which most people may not realise is contentious: the assertion that the Gospel of St John was theproduct of a so-called “Johannine Community.” I consider what the late John Ashton said about it in the second edition of his Understanding the Fourth Gospel, because there he...
-
Maronite Meditation 74: Internal Evidence of the Authorship of the Fourth Gospel
For the lecture notes: https://www.fryuhanna.com/2026/05/05/maronite-meditation-74-internal-evidence-for-the-authorship-of-the-gospel-according-to-st-john/ We continue with our examination of how the late George Beasley-Murray handled the authorship of the Gospel of St John. Last week we saw what...
-
Maronite Meditation 73: External Evidence that St John Wrote his Gospel
For the lecture notes: https://www.fryuhanna.com/2026/04/29/maronite-meditation-73-did-st-john-write-his-gospel-external-evidence/ We shall begin to examine the evidence around the authorship of the Gospel of St John. We now take one manageable portion, an argument made by George Beasley-Murray,...
-
Maronite Meditation 72: Do We Know what the Earliest Book in the New Testament Is?
The lecture notes are at: https://www.fryuhanna.com/2026/04/22/maronite-meditation-72-the-date-of-the-epistle-of-st-jude/ It is often asserted that the very earliest Books of the New Testament are the letters of Saint Paul, and in particular either his first Epistle to the Thessalonians or his...
-
Maronite Meditation 71: Reading the Bible
See fryuhanna.com for the text https://www.fryuhanna.com/2026/04/15/maronite-meditation-71-contemporary-scholars-on-luke-2/ We are going to commence by clearing the ground. We will look at how Scripture is read according to what I call the “Bible studies establishment,” that is, the method taught...
-
Episode 70: The Significance of the Letters of 517-520
Had the monks of the monastery of St Maroun beensupporting Patriarch Acacius against the Pope as some suggest? That may be the impression which Pope Hormisdas had. One would think that he could not have been utterly unjustified, but the fact that the monks were attacked by Monophysites indicates...
-
Episode 69: A Further Three Letters of 517-520
We examine the further three letters of 517-520: first, from Pope Hormisdas to the Monks of St Maroun, from those monks and others to the bishops of Syria, and from the priests of Antioch and the monastery of St Maroun to the Patriarch John II. They give us a firm foundation for Maronite history...
-
Episode 68: The Letter of 517A.D. to Pope Hormisdas
We study the letter which the Monks of St Maroun and other monks wrote to Pope Hormisdas in 517, subsequent to the massacre of about 350 monks by Monophysite s(anti-Chalcedonians). It shows that the Maronite monks were well and truly prominent within 70 years of the foundation of their monastery....
-
Episode 67: The Rise and Fall of the Monastery of St Maroun
We go more deeply into the history of the monastery of St Maroun. It is interesting to examine what we can know about it, and how we know. In the end, we see that it must have been founded in 452 as a bulwark teaching the doctrine of the Council of Chalcedon, and destroyed by the year 956.
-
Episode 66: Where was the Monastery of St Maroun?
We examine the evidence of Procopius, and Abu l-Fida, which taken together, show that it was almost certainly on the Orontes River, near Emesa and Hama. But we also examine some of the other ideas floating around, and critique them where appropriate. I forgot to mention that the Monastery of St...
-
Episode 65: St Simeon the Stylite and the Maronites
We examine the evidence for St Simeon's relation with the Maronites, and close with a summary of Maronite history so far.
-
Episode 64: What Did Theodoret Mean about St Maroun?
We examine a critique of Theodoret's brief biography of St Maroun, and commence a related enquiry into the life of St Symeon (Simon) the Stylite.
-
Episode 63: "No distance can weaken the look of love." St John Chrysostom to St Maroun
We examine the letter of St John Chrysostom to St Maroun: a short but beautiful letter with its statement: "No distance can weaken the look of love." We also deal with Moosa's assertions that this letter was not addressed to St Maroun, patron of the Maronite Church.
-
Episode 62: The Life of St Maroun
We study what is known of St Maroun, his actions, age at death, and the significance of the similarity of his life, as reported, to that of St Anthony of Egypt.
-
Episode 61: St Maroun
We study the basic texts about early and medieval Maronite history, and of his life.
-
Episode 60: Christian Life in Antioch
We look at Christian Life in Antioch, not least how Scripture was read, i.e. using typology.
-
Episode 59: The Divine Liturgy in Antioch
We examine what is known of the Divine Liturgy in Antioch at the time when St Maroun is living.
-
Episode 58: St John Chrysostom
We examine the life of St John Chrysostom, and explore his book "On the Priesthood." We note his letter to St Maroun, but we explore that in the forthcoming programme on the life of St Maroun.
-
Episode 57: Antioch, bishops and monks before St John Chrysostom
The fact that the bishops were successors to the apostles explains why the episcopate did not develop to its fullest inJerusalem. Although St James the Apostle was what we would consider bishop of Jerusalem, St Peter was possibly still alive in the year 66 when the Jewish rebellion broke out....
-
Episode 54: St Ignatius
We study the great saint's Epistle to the Ephesians.
-
Episode 56: St Theophilus of Antioch
We examine the deep work of St Theophilus of Antioch, its bishop from about 169 until perhaps 188. He was the first known to have used the term "Trinity". He defended the faith in the only surviving work, a rich volume in three books which shows the profundity of the faith, and the development of...
-
Episode 55: St Ignatius of Antioch on Unity
The Christian search for oneness with God is, I believe, at the basis of all which St Ignatius wrote, for what is ONE in heaven, is MANY in this world; but the many do not have to be utterly separated from God. Rather, they can be brought into relation through a hierarchy, a holy rule or state of...
-
Episode 53: The Epistles of St Ignatius of Antioch
We examine, in a general manner, the seven epistles of St Ignatius of Antioch. These remarkable testaments to the faith were written within 80 to 90 years from the death of the Lord. The last of the apostles, St John, had probably died, but there were people still living who had known them. These...
-
Episode 52: Christian Identity in Antioch
It was Antioch where we were first called "Christians." Prior to this, we had been known as followers of "The Way of God" and "The Way of the Lord," showing Jesus (the Lord) was understood as God. Why? What can we draw from this? Finally, we note the critical of St Peter in ancient Antiochian...
-
Episode 51: The Background of the Maronites - Ancient Antioch
In this, our first podcast on Maronite History, we look at the city of Antioch, and why it was so central to the first Christian missionaries.
-
Episode 50: St J.H. Newman, "Loss and Gain," Pt 4, final
We complete our review of "Loss and Gain," noting the brilliance and fairness of St Newman's arguments for an against conversion, the poignancy of leaving Oxford, becoming a stranger where he had hoped to find a home, and losing the friends of his childhood and youth. We close with a summary of…
more -
Episode 49: "Loss and Gain" Part 3
We examine St Newman's treatment of how a soul moves, slowly but surely, from one state of belief to another which is different and more satisfying. We open with his discussion of how scents and sounds affect our actions without any logic or argument, and what this means for the way we move from...
-
Episode 48: Loss and Gain, Part 2
We begin studying the story of Loss and Gain. We see how it begins by making some insightful observations on how people develop in character and in spirit. We follow Charles Reding through childhood to Oxford, and meet the various personalities who present him with a range of current ideas; all…
more -
Episode 47: St J.H. Newman, "Loss and Gain," Part 1
We present an overview of St J.H. Newman's first novel, "Loss and Gain," 1848. We see how Charles Reding, a young man with a desire to live life consciously in the presence of God, moves - in both mind and heart - to Catholicism, and the peace he thereby finds. This under-appreciated novel...
-
Maronite Meditations: 46, St J.H. Newman, "The Tamworth Reading Room," Final
It might seem at first sight paradoxical that The Tamworth Reading Room is itself a logical argument. Logic can be quite useful in showing the weakness of arguments, and where they cannot look to philosophy for vindication. But St Newman never said that logic had no legitimate place, no critical...
-
Episode 45: The Tamworth Reading Room, Pt II
In this section look at The Tamworth Reading Room, we see how St J.H. Newman explains that faith is the basis of action, and is more fundamental even than knowledge (to the extent that knowledge does not fall within faith). It is faith, not secular knowledge, which we need.
-
Episode 44: St J.H. Newman, "The Tamworth Reading Room: Part One"
In the first part of our analysis of St JHN's "Tamworth Reading Room," we see what he says about the need for something higher than science and intellectual knowledge to bring order to the internal chaos of man, and to teach virtue. True moral achievement comes from active self-conquest, not...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Maronite Meditations is a regular podcast harvesting the wealth of the legacy and contemplative tradition of the Maronite, Syriac, Catholic Church, an ancient Eastern church, with the Apostolic succession, which traces its faith back to our Lord himself.
HOSTED BY
Joseph Azize
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Maronite Meditations have?
Maronite Meditations currently has 93 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Maronite Meditations about?
Maronite Meditations is a regular podcast harvesting the wealth of the legacy and contemplative tradition of the Maronite, Syriac, Catholic Church, an ancient Eastern church, with the Apostolic succession, which traces its faith back to our Lord himself.
How often does Maronite Meditations release new episodes?
Maronite Meditations has 93 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Maronite Meditations?
You can listen to Maronite Meditations on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Maronite Meditations?
Maronite Meditations is created and hosted by Joseph Azize.
URL copied to clipboard!