The Real Thing

There have been many ways the church has used to accomplish the blessing of the anawim: celibacy, surrender of possessions, missionary work, fasting, martyrdom, self-torture, intentional poverty—but all of these are pointless without using these tools to accomplish the benefit of others.

Church Leadership

“The church leaders seek avidly to dominate the masses… They are seen to appear as brilliant and pure but their souls are worse than mud and dirt, worse even than any kind of deadly poison, these evil and perverse men!” -Symeon the New Theologian

Repentance and Fasting

The professional repenter gains no reward unless they truly look at the sin in reality instead of in general.

Fasting is good. Being able to do God’s will with bright eyes is better.

Resurrection

Those who are resurrected are those whose lives have been so miserable for God’s sake that they deserve a second chance.