Spiritual conversations of Maslennikov. Sergey Maslennikov: School of Repentance

The Russian Orthodox Church has revoked the stamp on Sergei Maslennikov’s books and prohibits their distribution. Acting comments on the situation. Head of the Secretariat of Scientific and Theological Review and Expert Evaluation O.V. Kostishak.

— Oleg Vasilyevich, the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church has revoked the stamp on Sergei Maslennikov’s books and prohibits their distribution. What prompted this measure?

— The Publishing Council actually reviewed the works of S.M. Maslennikov for several years and some of them were given a church vulture. However, in the course of familiarization with the latest works, in which the author ignored the previously indicated comments, a serious danger to the reader and listener was discovered. I would like to emphasize that the decision to revoke the stamps assigned to the works of S.M. Maslennikov, was caused not by his individual erroneous opinions or inaccuracies that the author expresses, but by the generally incorrect, one might say, system of his views on Christian life.

— What kind of person is Sergei Maslennikov? Where does he serve?

— According to data available in open sources, Sergei Mikhailovich is a layman, lives in Yekaterinburg, and received the sacrament of Baptism at a mature age. He is not a clergyman and has no theological education. The path of his spiritual knowledge is very doubtful. Carrying obedience in one of the Ekaterinburg parishes, he actively carried out catechetical activities that went far beyond the boundaries of the parish. S.M. has a strong emphasis in his catechetical and writing activities. Maslennikov focuses on the teaching of repentance - as he understands it. He called the catechist courses themselves “School of Repentance.” All his works are devoted to the author’s unique understanding of repentance to one degree or another.

— What is the spiritual harm of Sergei Maslennikov’s books?

— In his works (I think, not out of malice, but out of spiritual illiteracy) S.M. Maslennikov tries to explain everything clearly and simply where it is accessible and simply cannot be explained, tries to detail what does not need detail, tries to speak cataphatically where only apophaticism is possible. Spiritual practice recommended by S.M. Maslennikov, is not healthy and, as a result, can lead a person to a terrible spiritual impasse. It is worth saying that Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov himself, actively quoted by S.M. Maslennikov, wrote about the danger of the form of spiritual life proposed by the author and directly connected it with the passion of pride. It is very important for us to remember that Christianity is not a set of rules, and the Bible and the books of the fathers are not quotation books. Christ is a Person, and Christianity (and asceticism, and repentance, and everything else necessary in spiritual life) is love for Christ and the desire to communicate with Him.

— Tell us more about the inaccuracies in the presentation of Orthodox teaching in the books of Sergei Maslennikov.

- CM. Maslennikov often undertakes to assert something with great confidence when there is no and cannot be a direct answer (which is often the case in Orthodox theology). The author's idea of ​​the passions and virtues consists of a mechanical and formal comparison of the sayings of the holy fathers, while the Holy Scriptures, liturgical texts and the works of the holy fathers require a long and organic understanding. Claims to the works of S.M. Maslennikov, as mentioned above, relate primarily to his system of views, which in some places leads the author to serious mistakes. Figuratively, we can say that from the phrase of St. Silouan of Athos “Keep your mind in hell and do not despair” S.M. Maslennikov left only the first part of it. In all his works, the author places special emphasis on how sinful and sinful man is, how unworthy he is of God’s love, how much he must repent, etc. A clear illustration of this approach, in my opinion, is compiled by S.M. Maslennikov and his everywhere propagated “Diary of a Penitent”. In this “Diary” sins are classified into “mortal”, “everyday” and “forgivable” (although, as is known, the difference between mortal and non-mortal sin is more than conditional), detailed and set out point by point. In particular, the author defines it as a sin even if someone woke up at night from hunger and took food; It is also considered a sin if parents praise their child.

I emphasize that “The Diary of a Penitent” is offered by the author to everyone, without exception, preparing for confession. It should be said that confession is a very living matter and only in the most general form lends itself to any kind of structuring. The general rule of how to confess can be said to be the words of St. Ambrose of Optina: “Do not hide anything, speak directly, do not round off,” and how and with what words this will be done is a matter of conscience, sensitivity and spiritual sobriety of the confessor and the confessor.

You asked about inaccuracies in the works of S.M. Maslennikova. I can say that sometimes his thoughts take on an even more tangible form. For example, the following excerpt from an audio recording of his lecture can be cited: “Who can say of himself that he is humble? This is a sign of vanity and hypocrisy! Question from the listener: “And if in prayer one encounters: “...a humble, sinful and unworthy servant...”?” Answer by S. M. Maslennikov: Omit this word! If it bothers you, let it out! The meaning of prayer is not distorted or distorted, but for us it becomes more understandable and accessible.” There is hardly any need for comment at this point. Of course, it is wrong if we do not adjust ourselves, corrupted by sin, to Church teaching, but try to adapt Church teaching to our understanding - even when this adaptation takes the most “pious” forms.

— I know that there are reviews from the clergy of the Valaam Monastery, Optina Monastery and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra about the books of Sergei Maslennikov. What points do they draw the attention of Orthodox believers to?

— Yes, indeed, the Publishing Council asked for the opinion of the inhabitants of the authoritative monasteries you named. In general, the confessors who sent their reviews were unanimous in their negative assessment of his works. In reviews, the monks expressed the opinion that “The Diary of a Penitent” (which was primarily discussed) is an attempt to structure a spiritual penitential life in unacceptable detail. “One gets the impression,” says one review, “that for him [the author] the answer to the Last Judgment is something like an audit of the financial statements. On the other hand, the detailing of the “levels” of the same sin brings to mind the formulations of the criminal code... Only thanks to some lexical turns, the publication of “The Diary of a Penitent” has something similar to Christianity. Otherwise, in its jurisprudence, it could well be compared with the Old Testament requirements.” It was also a common point in the reviews that such a “template” approach would make the living and grace-filled development of personality in repentance impossible. An attempt to love God without asceticism and repentance will degenerate into a kind of spiritual hedonism, and asceticism for the sake of asceticism and repentance for the sake of repentance will degenerate into dark sectarianism. A grace-filled life in the Church of Christ, correct spiritual guidance, reading Scripture and the fathers will educate—cannot fail to educate—a correct view of spiritual life, so long as we are able to listen to the Lord God, Who will certainly answer the questioner, reveal to the interpreter, and find those who seek Him.

— There is also video content of Sergei Maslennikov’s speeches on the Internet—isn’t it worth watching and listening to?

— Everything that has been said about the books of S.M. Maslennikov can also be attributed to his performances. His repeated appeals - not only to the decisions of the Publishing Council, but also to the reviews of the inhabitants of the monasteries - showed that he was rooted in his opinion and was not going to change it. I do not rule out that for someone at some stage of spiritual life the works of S.M. Maslennikov were helpful. However, if you look at his work as a whole, they are hardly worth recommending.

— What to do with books that are already sold in church shops? Will they be withdrawn from sale?

— Of course, it will be necessary to stop the distribution of S.M.’s works. Maslennikov through the church book network.

— Is the reaction of the publishing houses that publish Sergei Maslennikov’s books known? Were they understanding?

— The decision to recall the vultures from the works of S.M. Maslennikov was adopted recently, and the reaction of the publishing houses that publish it is not yet known to me. I really hope for understanding on the part of publishers and distributors, since concern for the souls of people is the main thing that we must keep in mind in such cases.

Priest Georgy Shinkarenko

Priest Georgy Shinkarenko, cleric of the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ in Alexandrov, head of the information department of the Alexandrovsk diocese of the Vladimir Metropolis, answers questions about the disks and books of Sergei Maslennikov.

Should I enjoy life?

- Father George! Once on the Soyuz TV channel I saw a speech by Sergei Maslennikov, who was named the catechist of one of the churches in Yekaterinburg. The program was called attractively - “Asceticism for the laity.” But what I heard shocked me. Sergei Maslennikov told how he exposed the vanity of a boy he knew. “You feel good when you wash the dishes!” - he asked him. "Yes, sure", - answered the boy. “So - this is vanity itself!!!” - concluded the catechist. Obviously, you should teach your child to wash dishes not with joy, but with disgust or even hatred? What can you say about such installations?

- Firstly, it must be said that from all audio discs and books by S.M. Maslennikov’s stamp was revoked by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. The archive of his speeches was also removed from the Soyuz TV channel. That is, now these works cannot be distributed in churches and church shops; listening and reading them is not useful for a Christian. We will return to the reasons for this decision later.

But since people who have immersed themselves in this man’s lectures come to me, as a priest, with questions, I want to comment on some of his misconceptions.

I had to delve into the “Diary of a Penitent,” which everyone who studied at the “School of Repentance,” headed by Maslennikov, was required to keep. From the first lines one gets the feeling of an inept or well-planned, sectarian retelling of the work of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). Inexperienced missionaries use this kind of speech in conversations with people who are completely unchurched. And sometimes it’s a game of pseudo-simplicity in order to gain trust and pass for “one of our own, a simple guy.” I was simply shocked by such a free interpretation of the article by St. Ignatius "Preparation for the Sacrament of Confession":

“...The first people Adam and Eve violated God’s commandment, thereby losing Eternal Life - God - and allowing death into themselves, selling himself and all his descendants(that is, you and me) into slavery to the devil“,” “we are in constant sorrow, suffering and illness, serving the devil with our sins, being at enmity with our Creator...” How can one say about the soul that "She was killed sin, was unfit for communion with God, for Paradise, for Eternal Life,” that immortal « soul died» , call us all “voluntary victims of hell”?

What follows is a list of sins, divided into groups and categories according to severity. It seems to me that this convention is very far-fetched. First of all, we must remember that "God is love", and if so, then, as the saints say, there is no unforgivable sin, except unrepentant sin.

All students of the “School of Repentance” were required to follow the following rule when filling out the “Diary”:

"Analysis of passions with examples of their manifestation for the entire past life (8-10 lessons) on the “Diary of a Penitent.”

“Analysis of the sins that are recurring today - lifestyle adjustments».
"Determining the frequency of repetition of sins."

« Meeting with the teacher before every Communion to analyze sins and check the quality of prayer».

I don’t know how an experienced confessor can allow you to fill out such a diary, with sins that are disgusting to read, much less list them out loud later? Total control over the state of the soul by a person who is also not a priest cannot end in anything good! As a priest, I will say that even a detailed listing of such sins is a huge temptation both for the priest and for the one who confesses. And where is the line between what is possible and what is not allowed in the closeness of family people and in life in general? Why do we take upon ourselves the authority of God to say: "God will punish or judge"(which cannot happen in principle, based on the doctrine of the properties of God) for an apple picked in an abandoned garden or a bucket of carrots collected from a field after harvesting, left there to freeze? By confessing sins in such a distorted way, a person drives himself into rigid boundaries: every step is a sin. How to live? How to escape? Orthodoxy becomes not a religion of love, but a religion of fear and punishment. Every sinner in Maslennikov’s works is called an enemy of God, and the person is told that he is friends with Satan. And this is what we are supposed to teach children?!

In the false image of God the overseer, God the punisher, which is imposed with this approach, there is not an ounce of love and mercy, although there is an abyss of quotes taken out of context.

Horror of a sin, sometimes not yet committed, can lead a person to despondency, depression and sometimes suicide or madness. And this is confirmed by numerous reviews on the Internet. One of the victims, Elena, who listened to the audio conversations, wrote this: “I was surprised that everything seems to be said correctly, But... There was some kind of dead end ahead... I began to understand that I would not be able to escape, since no matter what I did, there would still be an infinite number of sins. Many people despair of this.”

Is this what the fruits of repentance should be like?!

Maslennikov’s fanaticism and religious exaltation, frivolous interpretation of the holy fathers can be very dangerous for many people who are not yet mature in spiritual life. Having heard references to the authority of the holy fathers, many may think that this is an interpretation of their teaching. But in fact, there is a forgery going on: the teachings of the Orthodox Church are presented through Maslennikov’s personal spiritual experiences. And, unfortunately, the result is a distortion of the understanding of the path of salvation.

A very important assessment was given on the website of the Center for Religious Studies in the name of the Hieromartyr Irenaeus of Lyons in the conclusion of the Russian Association of Centers for the Study of Religions and Sects (RACIRS) “Activities of the “School of Repentance” by S.M. Maslennikov is banned by the Ekaterinburg diocese,” published on January 13, 2015 [:

“People often contact our Center about the “School of Repentance” by S.M. Maslennikova. As we are informed, a group of admirers of this self-proclaimed teacher operates in several churches in Yekaterinburg. Maslennikov’s books and CDs were widely sold in church shops in the diocese’s churches. Maslennikov and his followers taught in Sunday schools. Currently, Metropolitan Kirill of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye has responded to numerous complaints from believers in the Ural capital regarding Maslennikov’s activities. Of course, Maslennikov’s group, its methods and distinctive features, as well as his close connection with some clergy of the diocese, require serious study. Nevertheless, based on the materials of Maslennikov’s lectures, his book “The Diary of a Penitent,” as well as the stories of people who encountered the activities of this pseudo-Orthodox guru, the following destructive signs can be identified in his organization and the literature distributed:

- Maslennikov’s group divides people into “true” Christians (“correctly repentant” - in fact, followers of Maslennikov) and “untrue” ones, who, according to Maslennikov, will not be saved.

- Without having holy orders, Maslennikov personally excommunicates people from Communion.

- Maslennikov believes that the spirit of St. resides in him. Ignatius (Brianchaninova), and sees himself, in fact, as the only correct interpreter of his teaching. Followers and admirers of Maslennikov go even further and see their teacher as the new Ignatius Brianchaninov. Some of them even see in Maslennikov a physical resemblance to St. Ignatius and openly talk about the special spiritual succession of the Yekaterinburg preacher from the saint.

- Maslennikov’s “School of Repentance” takes a rigidly fundamentalist position on most issues, denying any oikonomia and perceiving the world in a black-and-white spectrum: for example, it is argued that only church-going Orthodox Christians can be recorded in health records. The practice of most parishes, taking into account the consequences of decades of atheistic persecution and condescending to human weaknesses, allows you to submit notes about “lost” family members, i.e. unchurched but baptized people who do not consciously take an anti-church position. Such an “ideologically based” rejection of general church practice, of course, “confirmed” by pre-selected quotes, for such groups plays an extremely important role in opposing themselves to the entire church, which “does not pass the test” for the title of true Christians and faithful followers of the holy fathers.

- Very similar to sectarian practice is the fact that the teachers of the “School of Repentance”, having neither holy orders nor the blessing of the clergy, considering themselves experienced leaders in spiritual life, look through a special “diary of a penitent” (as they say, “preparing for confession in order to relieve the priests"), often dictating to a person what exactly he needs to repent of. Since each “novice” is forced to keep a diary, without guaranteeing the secrecy of confession, there is a danger that the free access of the organization’s leaders to the personal information of the members of the “School of Repentance” subordinate to them can lead to abuse, pressure, and blackmail. Unfortunately, at the moment there are already complaints from victims indicating the presence of similar violations in the community.

We are happy to note that the Ekaterinburg diocese stopped these and other gross abuses and the activities of Maslennikov’s organization, as well as the distribution of his literature, were prohibited.”

On the spiritual harm of books and speeches by Sergei Maslennikov

The Patriarchate website published an interview with the acting Head of the Secretariat of Scientific and Theological Review and Expert Evaluation of the Publishing Council O.V. Kostishak “On the spiritual harm of the books and speeches of Sergei Maslennikov.” There are many important points there. I think it will be useful for readers to get acquainted with this interview.

Oleg Vasilyevich, the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church has withdrawn the stamp from Sergei Maslennikov’s books and prohibits their distribution. What prompted this measure?

The Publishing Council actually reviewed the works of S.M. Maslennikov for several years and some of them were given a church vulture. However, in the course of familiarization with the latest works, in which the author ignored the previously indicated comments, a serious danger to the reader and listener was discovered. I would like to emphasize that the decision to revoke the stamps assigned to the works of S.M. Maslennikov, was caused not by his individual erroneous opinions or inaccuracies that the author expresses, but by the generally incorrect, one might say, system of his views on Christian life.

- What kind of person is Sergei Maslennikov? Where does he serve?

According to data available in open sources, Sergei Mikhailovich is a layman, lives in Yekaterinburg, and received the Sacrament of Baptism at a mature age. He is not a clergyman and has no theological education. The path of his spiritual knowledge is very doubtful. Carrying obedience in one of the Ekaterinburg parishes, he actively carried out catechetical activities that went far beyond the boundaries of the parish. S.M. has a strong emphasis in his catechetical and writing activities. Maslennikov focuses on the teaching of repentance - as he understands it. He called the catechist courses themselves “School of Repentance.” All his works are devoted to the author’s unique understanding of repentance to one degree or another.

- What is the spiritual harm of Sergei Maslennikov’s books?

In his works (I think, not out of malice, but out of spiritual illiteracy) S.M. Maslennikov tries to explain everything clearly and simply where it is accessible and simply cannot be explained, tries to detail what does not need detail, tries to speak cataphatically where only apophaticism is possible. Spiritual practice recommended by S.M. Maslennikov, is unhealthy and can ultimately lead a person to a terrible spiritual impasse. It is worth saying that Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) himself, actively quoted by S.M. Maslennikov, wrote about the danger of the form of spiritual life proposed by the author and directly connected it with the passion of pride. It is very important for us to remember that Christianity is not a set of rules, and the Bible and the books of the fathers are not quotation books. Christ is a Person, and Christianity (and asceticism, and repentance, and everything else necessary in spiritual life) is love for Christ and the desire to communicate with Him.

- Tell us more about the inaccuracies in the presentation of Orthodox teaching in the books of Sergei Maslennikov.

CM. Maslennikov often undertakes to assert something with great confidence when there is no and cannot be a direct answer (which is often the case in Orthodox theology). The author's idea of ​​the passions and virtues consists of a mechanical and formal comparison of the sayings of the holy fathers, while the Holy Scriptures, liturgical texts and the works of the holy fathers require a long and organic understanding. Claims to the works of S.M. Maslennikov, as mentioned above, relate, first of all, to his system of views, which in some places leads the author to serious mistakes. Figuratively, we can say that from the phrase of St. Silouan of Athos “Keep your mind in hell and do not despair” S.M. Maslennikov left only the first part of it. In all his works, the author places special emphasis on how sinful and sinful man is, how unworthy he is of God’s love, how much he must repent, etc. A clear illustration of this approach, in my opinion, is compiled by S.M. Maslennikov and his everywhere propagated “Diary of a Penitent”. In this “Diary” sins are classified into “mortal”, “everyday” and “forgivable” (although, as is known, the difference between mortal and non-mortal sin is more than conditional), detailed in great detail and set out point by point. In particular, the author defines it as a sin even if someone woke up at night from hunger and took food; It is also considered a sin if parents praise their child.

I emphasize that “The Diary of a Penitent” is offered by the author to everyone, without exception, preparing for confession. It should be said that confession is a very living matter and only in the most general form lends itself to any kind of structuring. The general rule of how to confess can be said to be the words of St. Ambrose of Optina: “Do not hide anything, speak directly, do not round off” - and how and with what words this will be done is a matter of conscience, sensitivity and spiritual sobriety of the confessor and the confessor.

You asked about inaccuracies in the works of S.M. Maslennikova. I can say that sometimes his thoughts take on an even more tangible form. For example, we can cite the following excerpt from an audio recording of his lecture: “Who can say about himself that he is humble? This is a sign of vanity and hypocrisy!” Question from a listener: “And if in prayer one encounters: “...a humble, sinful and unworthy servant...”?” Reply S.M. Maslennikova: “Leave this word out! If it confuses you, let it out! The meaning of the prayer is not distorted or distorted, but for us it becomes more understandable and accessible.” There is hardly any need for comment at this point. Of course, it is wrong if we do not adjust ourselves, corrupted by sin, to Church teaching, but try to adapt Church teaching to our understanding - even when this adaptation takes the most “pious” forms.

I know that there are reviews from the clergy of the Valaam Monastery, Optina Monastery and the Trinity-Sergius Lavra about the books of Sergei Maslennikov. What points do they draw the attention of Orthodox believers to?

Yes, indeed, the Publishing Council asked for the opinion of the inhabitants of the authoritative monasteries you named. In general, the confessors who sent their reviews were unanimous in their negative assessment of his works. In the reviews, the monks expressed the opinion that “The Diary of a Penitent” (they were talking about him, first of all) is an attempt to structure the spiritual penitential life in unacceptable detail. “One gets the impression,” says one of the reviews, “that for him [the author] the answer to the Last Judgment is something like an audit of the financial statements. On the other hand, the detailing of the “levels” of the same sin brings to mind the formulations of the criminal code... Only thanks to some lexical turns, the publication of “The Diary of a Penitent” has something similar to Christianity. Otherwise, in its jurisprudence, it could well be compared with the Old Testament requirements.” It was also a common point in the reviews that such a “template” approach would make the living and grace-filled development of personality in repentance impossible. An attempt to love God without asceticism and repentance will degenerate into a kind of spiritual hedonism, and asceticism for the sake of asceticism and repentance for the sake of repentance will degenerate into dark sectarianism. A grace-filled life in the Church of Christ, correct spiritual guidance, reading Scripture and the fathers will educate—cannot fail to educate—a correct view of spiritual life, so long as we are able to listen to the Lord God, Who will certainly answer the questioner, reveal to the interpreter, and find those who seek Him.

- There is also video content of Sergei Maslennikov’s speeches on the Internet - is it not worth watching and listening to?

Everything that has been said about the books of S.M. Maslennikov can also be attributed to his performances. His repeated appeals - not only to the decisions of the Publishing Council, but also to the reviews of the inhabitants of the monasteries - showed that he was rooted in his opinion and was not going to change it. I do not rule out that for someone at some stage of spiritual life the works of S.M. Maslennikov were helpful. However, if you look at his work as a whole, then they are hardly worth recommending.

- What to do with books that are already sold in church shops? Will they be withdrawn from sale?

Of course, it will be necessary to stop the distribution of S.M.’s works. Maslennikov through the church book network.

"People's Theologian"

- Father George! Experience shows that it is unlikely that these books and CDs will disappear from church shelves so quickly. I have seen sets of discs in many temples and monasteries. You have already said that the activities of the “School of Repentance” are prohibited. I will quote a few lines from the order for the Yekaterinburg diocese No. r-37 dated July 7, 2014, signed by Metropolitan Kirill: “S.M. Maslennikov should not be allowed to hold any lectures or meetings within the framework of the catechetical work of the Yekaterinburg diocese.” Despite this, Sergei Mikhailovich is eager to teach and arranges “tours” to many cities in Russia. He himself and his fans are very determined, sharply criticize the decision of the Publishing Council, monitor critical reviews of his lectures and books on the Internet and begin to angrily fight with those who disagree. Just one expression: “The publishing department and website of the Patriarchate is not the voice of the entire Church,” suggests that the concept of obedience to the Church is alien to such people. What is this statement worth: “Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov is a truly outstanding “national theologian” revealed to us by the Lord in recent times”? I also came across a daring comparison of their “teacher” with Christ: “In the person of Maslennikov, preaching the teachings of Christ, Christ Himself is once again persecuted...” What are the reasons for this phenomenon?

The statement you cited only means that these Orthodox Christians (if that is what they really are) fell into the grave sin of idolatry and created an idol out of Maslennikov, a kind of “guru” that is not subject to any criticism. And the reasons are our ignorance, our reluctance to constantly and seriously work on ourselves. I also saw the following argument: they say, in the “Diary of a Penitent” and in the audio lectures everything is simple and clear. But “simplicity” can be worse than theft if it is an attempt (and a very crooked one!) to forcefully squeeze the life of a modern family man into the monastic ascetic deeds of the first centuries of Christianity. And instead of being enlightened by reading the holy fathers, struggling with sins within themselves, they are looking for someone who will “simply” explain the most complex things to them, and they clutch at this “teaching” like a straw!

I think not everyone understands what exactly S.M. Maslennikov actually advocates. It will be useful to get acquainted with the opinions of authoritative priests and theologians.

Here is what Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov, Chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Family Issues and Protection of Motherhood, answered to the question about the “School of Repentance”:

“Is everyone banned from confession and Communion for one year? This is nonsense with the aim of gaining influence over people, over their soul. This is not a school of repentance, but a school of killing people!”

And that’s exactly what happened. The person was deprived not only of the grace-filled power of Communion, but was not even allowed to confess for a whole year. By what right?

Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy A.I. Osipov sharply criticizes this practice, when a person who is not only a catechumen, but has already been baptized, is required to make a general confession and is not allowed to confess and receive communion for a year: “For a whole year a person must reveal his soul to a layman - a teacher from the “School of Repentance”! And if he is not ready to open his soul completely to this layman, with all his sins for each of the sinful passions, then he is considered to have failed the lesson. And until he has such a readiness to open up to the teacher... he is considered not to have graduated from the “School of Repentance”, he is not allowed to confess to the priest and receive Communion... There is simply real despotism here... To prepare for a year, and even call it the “School of Repentance”?! My God! What are you doing?.. You are turning people away from the Church in general. You are depriving him of communion..." [

Orthodox psychotherapist Vyacheslav Borovskikh, who has headed the Orthodox rehabilitation center “Ascetic” for more than 14 years, answered the question about the “School of Repentance” on his website:

"Parishioners (baptized people) excommunicated from confession(!) in the form of penance until they undergo a full course of brainwashing.” “There they force people to artificially induce a feeling of repentance in themselves by repeatedly repeating certain verbal formulas.” “This course is classical neuro-linguistic programming...” “Parishioners are required to attend this school, otherwise they will not be allowed to participate in church sacraments.” “Refusal from school or transfer to another temple is interpreted as a grave sin with dire consequences.” “As a result, people’s will is suppressed, they show complete obedience to Maslennikov...” ]

After this and after the decision of the Publishing Council, it is difficult to add anything.

- But CM. Maslennikov is distinguished by the fact that he reacts extremely painfully to the slightest criticism. In response to even a small remark, he bursts into angry tirades and accusations of his opponents.

Those who believe that audio lectures and books of an uneducated person strictly follow the holy fathers, let them think about why in a book compiled CM. Maslennikov, “Pride. Selected passages from the works of the Holy Fathers,” the compiler’s “interpretations” occupy almost half of the book (from 223 to 397 pages), why the emphasis is on personal opinion, and not on the patristic heritage, why the Holy Fathers are freely and biasedly interpreted in relation to the life of the modern Orthodox layman?

It is amazing that after reasonable warnings from an experienced psychologist, Maslennikov writes an angry article “Psychic attack of psychotherapist V.V. Borovsky to the “School of Repentance,” accusing the psychotherapist of organizing persecution against him.

Alas, Maslennikov himself, being sure that those around him are opposed to him and are fighting the truth that he represents, allows himself to speak about those who criticize his methods:

“So that in future those who want to peck or throw dirt from around the corner will be discouraged...” “And these slanderers are believed by FSB employees... The opinions of those who, by their malice and incorrigibility left the parish or were suspended from classes for incorrigibility» . [

"If he[Human] cannot accept the concept of sins, like this, which is suggested in the diary, he will never accept the concept of faith, dogmas of faith, commandments, he will never accept the Gospel" .

He calls the repentance of people who did not go through his school “ ugly and crooked, meaningless, useless repentance which cannot save a person."

He, apparently, considers himself so successful that he does not hesitate to “theologize” publicly. Just look at the title of his article, “Refuting the excuses of Professor A.I. Osipova!

Such destructive conceit is very dangerous and contagious for others. Here are the statements of one of Maslennikov’s ardent supporters who went through the “School of Repentance”: “Dignitary opponents”, “Orthodox loafers”(this is how they derogatorily characterize their own parishioners!) , “hirelings against Maslennikov”, “Servants of lies”, “obedient hypocrites”, “superstitious”, “adversaries”. Is it really possible to take these labels seriously as the statements of an Orthodox person in the spirit of the Holy Fathers?

It seems that it is difficult to come up with a more vivid self-characterization of the “fruits” of Maslennikov’s “school”.

At one of the forums in Yekaterinburg they talked about a woman, how she “she repented, took communion, but suddenly she realized that there was peace in the family, and peace in her soul, and so she felt good... Ha! It turns out that this terrible condition when it's good, - must be bad. She had to ring all the bells, ask for help - after all, she stopped crying about her sins!! And then two weeks later... something happened to her, she realized her terrible mistake and again began to “cry” about her sins!”

Is this the kind of “fruit” we want? May God grant everyone who finds themselves in this meat grinder to receive spiritual insight and get rid of the sectarian spirit in faith. And to those who may encounter something similar, as a priest I say: be extremely sober, so that no one deceives you.

Dear fathers, brothers and sisters! During the days of Holy Great Lent, we are pleased to begin publishing the valuable author’s works of S. M. Maslennikov “School of Repentance. On the path to salvation" and "Asceticism for the laity." From listener feedback: “What I heard in Sunday school made an amazing impression on me. I've been looking for this for so long! What the teacher said spread like a balm through my soul, I couldn’t believe what I heard, everything was so close to me, so necessary, I looked around, saw ordinary women around, probably not understanding their happiness.”

about the author

Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov is the author of a series of conversations “On the Path to Salvation”, as well as a series of books “Passion - Diseases of the Soul” and “Christian Virtues”.

Sergei Mikhailovich was born on July 26, 1961 in the city of Tchaikovsky, Perm Region. In 1978 he graduated from high school with a gold medal. In 1983 he graduated from the electrical engineering department of the Ural Electro-Mechanical Institute of Railway Transport Engineers. He has been married since 1982 and has two children.

From 1983 to 1986, he worked in his specialty at the Tobolsk signaling and communications department as an electrician, senior electrician and section manager. In 1986 he returned to Yekaterinburg (then Sverdlovsk) and until 1994 he worked at a fish gastronomy plant as head of the electrical department, chairman of the trade union committee, deputy director for trade, and acting director.

In 1994 he received Baptism. At this time, he developed an interest in studying spiritual literature, and in 1996, leaving all worldly affairs at once, he devoted almost three years to studying the works of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) and the interpretations of the Holy Fathers on the Holy Scriptures. In 1999, he worked for some time in one of the monasteries in Yekaterinburg. In the same year, he was offered to head the Sales Department of the Yekaterinburg diocese. Continuing to study the works of the holy fathers, Sergei Mikhailovich simultaneously conducted “Moral Lessons” for students from 1st to 11th grade at secondary school No. 129 in Yekaterinburg.

Since 2002, he worked in the church in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Seven Keys in Yekaterinburg, where he served as an altar boy, reader and singer. At the same time, he conducted catechumens and Sunday school for adults. The latter required a repeated, more scrupulous and thorough reading and study of the works of St. Ignatius. During this period (2003 – 2008), about 200 hours of audio lectures in the “School of Repentance” series appeared.

Since 2005, he was appointed teacher and then senior teacher of the School of Repentance created by the rector of the parish with the blessing of the ruling bishop. While occupying this position, he collected and processed the School’s educational materials, developed the program, worked with students (parishioners), and trained teachers. Thanks to the School, the parish almost quadrupled in a short time, and the number of communicants on Sundays is about 300 people.

Since 2010, he began working on compiling books in the series “Passion - Diseases of the Soul” and “Christian Virtues” (a total of 8 books with a total circulation of about 300,000 copies) and conducting lectures “Asceticism for the laity.”

In January 2015 for his book « Reconciliation with Christ » awarded the title of laureate of the All-Russian Literary Prize in honor of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in the category “Theology for the People” and was awarded the medal of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.

About the award ceremony.

I first met Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov about 10 years ago in the church in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Yekaterinburg, he then helped the priest at the altar services; After the service, he came out of the altar, people surrounded him, and he answered questions. This picture can probably be seen in many temples. Somehow I was immediately impressed by the expression on his face, somehow especially calm, deeply attentive. I then thought that it was probably the priest.

Then I went to Sunday school for the first time, these are exactly the conversations that you can now hear on discs called “School of Repentance: On the Path to Salvation.” What I heard in Sunday school made an amazing impression on me. I've been looking for this for so long! What the teacher said spread like a balm through my soul, I couldn’t believe what I heard, everything was so close to me, so necessary, I looked around, saw ordinary women around me, probably not understanding their happiness. Sometimes I wondered why they needed all this, it was about asceticism, I then mistakenly thought that this was the lot of some chosen people. My soul triumphed over what I heard: the man spoke the truth, and my soul responded to these words with triumph! My soul was tormented, it needed the true word and now it has found it.

Sergei Mikhailovich’s path to the temple passed by my house, and I, waiting for him on this path, accompanied him to the temple; Of course, our conversation often lasted half an hour or more. Then during the day I came to the temple and spent some more time talking with him, the communication did not end there, I met him from work, accompanied him home, and we talked until he had the strength. My soul was richly nourished by the conversations of this spiritual man. I was lucky, at that time none of the parishioners particularly needed Sergei Mikhailovich, which sincerely surprised me, but I made good use of it. Later, when the School of Repentance was formed, it became much more difficult to get through to him. We talked with him about a very important topic - about how to live by faith, about how to learn this Heavenly, Divine science - Orthodoxy. He always had time for me. In general, all the people who communicate with him have the impression that you are special to him and that you have some kind of special relationship with him. I never saw him irritable or in a bad mood. He is always in some special mood, probably this is the state of a praying person. For me, Sergei Mikhailovich is an example of special selflessness and humility; Probably, only such unearthly qualities can attract Christians, the understanding that they have something special, attractive, unearthly, as if a special, eternal life flows from a powerful inner source.

Brothers and sisters, I assure you and hope for your Christian understanding that in no case do I want to make or present Sergei Mikhailovich as a saint or a miracle worker, or anything else like that. I've never seen anything like it! I think that this is alien to true humility. Sergei Mikhailovich considers himself a disciple of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov); He himself says about this that he was brought up on the works of this great saint of our time, from his creations he received everything necessary for his spiritual experiences. I think that some of his inherited qualities also play a significant role here: many people read St. Ignatius, but as if missing the most important thing or reaping a fruit that was not as abundant as Sergei Mikhailovich reaped. This is truly a student! Let us listen to his conversations and he who truly has a thirst will quench it.

It is also worth adding, I think, an important detail - Sergei Mikhailovich almost did not prepare for the conversations, he simply did not have time. I planned a topic that needed to be considered for the benefit of those listening, and with God’s help, I conducted an hour and a half conversation. Therefore, one can probably judge a person’s spiritual state, understanding that such a thing cannot be accomplished without God’s help. Sergei Mikhailovich does not consider conversations “his own”, he considers them the property of Christians. In recent years, I have had numerous meetings with different people who, from their conversations, experienced feelings similar to mine.

Brothers and sisters, it was not at all easy for me to write these lines, I did it for the first time, I read my brother’s question above and decided to tell my impression of meeting this person. Maybe someone will tell about it in a completely different way. The most important thing, perhaps, is that I did it sincerely. Of course, I am very grateful to God for bringing me together with this man. Many thanks to Sergei Mikhailovich for his long-suffering towards me, for those countless spiritual advice that helped and still help me to carry out my earthly path with the hope that it will happen successfully for me. Amen.

Vladimir, parishioner of the temple
in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Without a doubt, we are sure that many visitors to our site are already familiar with the soulful works of Sergei Mikhailovich. For those who, for one reason or another, have not yet turned their attention and ears to them, we invite you to join us and carefully listen and comprehend some of them.

So, today we invite you to familiarize yourself with a series of lectures by Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov under the general title “Asceticism for the Lay,” may your heart not be confused by such a strict name.

Asceticism for the laity. Part 1.

Asceticism for the laity. Part 2.

Asceticism for the laity. Part 3. Asceticism for the laity. Part 4.

DSNMP: A little hint: since some videos are quite long in time and it is not always possible to watch them at one time, you can use a program, for example FormatFactory, to convert the video file into MP3 audio format, which, in turn, using a program, for example, MP3cut, cut into several short files, say 15-20 minutes each. Then burn it all onto a CD or USB drive and listen to it on your player at home or in your chariot (car).

Content

2. Announcement.



2.4. The rescue...

The conversations were held in the church in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Seven Keys, Yekaterinburg.
Sunday school teacher Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov.
Content
1. Preface: “They didn’t tell us about this”
2. Announcement.
2.1. Are all religions equal; danger of superstitions; the danger of coding, treatment by psychics, sorcerers, attendants, etc.; the fallacy of the concept “God in me”; purpose of baptism; responsibility of godparents and parents.
2.2. The concept of God; the meaning of sorrows; concept of evil; creation of the world; properties of angels; where did Satan come from; the creation of man, his stay in Paradise, the purpose of man, the purpose of woman, family; Fall, expulsion from Paradise; Why did God plant the tree of good and evil.
2.3. The human condition is natural and unnatural; hell, an example of hellish torment; instructions for preparing for confession; why children suffer for the sins of their parents; the confusion of good and evil in man, slavery to the devil, examples of the action of passions.
2.4. Salvation of the human race; the eternal council of the Holy Trinity; incarnation of the Son of God; Immaculate Conception; virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary; the mystery of the Cross of Christ; Resurrection of Christ.
2.5. Ascension of Christ; the descent of the Holy Spirit; sacraments: baptism, confirmation, confession; recording of sins, their grouping; venial sins.
3. Answers to questions (about Heaven and hell, about sadness and the memory of death, about mental and spiritual joy; when Communion is prohibited, do I believe correctly; the danger of venial sins; the danger of spiritual joy).
Word-Test Questions
The interviews were conducted in 2003-2008.
Total playing time 10 hours 10 minutes.

A series of public conversations by S.M. Maslennikov, teacher of the Sunday school of the church in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Ekaterinburg). The conversations will be useful for both beginners and churchgoers.

“Repentance is possible only with accurate, even simple, knowledge of the Orthodox Christian faith”
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

The announcement or teaching of the Orthodox Christian faith is the basis for correct Christian life after Baptism. It is impossible to build a house without a foundation, just as it is impossible to build the house of your soul and your salvation without having the correct concepts and ideas about the Orthodox faith. Without knowledge of the dogmas and foundations of Christian morality, which are based on the Gospel commandments, it is impossible for a person to resist sin, the world and its temptations. Such a person, even if baptized, will not be able to achieve salvation.
Therefore, no matter what rank and position a person is in, as St. Simeon the New Theologian, he must undergo the catechumenate, otherwise he cannot have hope of salvation.
Many of us were baptized, but were not taught the faith and Christian life. Thanks to these conversations, it is possible to fill this gap, which prevents us from taking the path of salvation, and not just formally arriving within the church fence.

Part 1. Why and who needs to be disclosed
Lecture 1. Why and who needs to be disclosed

Part 2. About the Creator and creation
Lecture 2. What we need to know about God
Lecture 3. Creation of angels, the world and man
Lecture 4. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Commandment. The purpose of a wife. Family

Part 3. The Fall.
Lecture 5. The Fall of Angels and Man
Lecture 6. The meaning and significance of the Fall for man from the point of view of asceticism
Lecture 7. The cardinal difference between human states before and after the Fall
Lecture 8. What the Holy Scriptures say about the consequences of the Fall
Lecture 9. Leather vestments. Expulsion from Paradise

Part 4. Evidence of the presence of eternal death in every person.
Lecture 10. You need to know not only the theory of Faith, but also the practice of Christian life. Passions are deadly diseases of the soul. Gluttony. Fornication. Love of money
Lecture 11. Passions are fatal diseases of the soul. Anger. Sadness. Dejection
Lecture 12. Vanity
Lecture 13. Pride

Lecture 14: The Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity. Incarnation of the Son of God.
Lecture 15: The deification of the human nature of the Son of God at the Incarnation. Immaculate Passions
Lecture 16: Christ suffered voluntarily or forcedly
Lecture 17: The Mystery of the Immaculate Conception and the Birth of the Son of God from the Virgin Mary. About the Most Holy Theotokos.
Lecture 18: Explaining the Meaning of Christ's Atoning Sacrifice

Venerable Simeon the New Theologian on the sentence of eternal death and its abolition
Lecture 20: Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection

Part 1. Why and who needs to be disclosed?

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A person cannot live according to the Faith if he has not studied the basic concepts of the Faith, just as one cannot drive a car without studying the rules of the road and without having the practical skill of driving a car. If we understand that it is desirable to carry out any task, even everyday work, thoroughly and with preparation, then why do we treat the work of our salvation so carelessly and indifferently?
The gift of Baptism, received without the correct theoretical and practical preparation, cannot be preserved intact, and the same thing happens to us as with the bright shining sun, when it is covered with gloomy black clouds and becomes completely invisible. Likewise, Epiphany grace, although indestructible, is covered in a person by the filth of mortal sins and passions. How can we account to God for a great gift that we never used? What will we hear from the Righteous Judge?
For those who have not yet undergone the Annunciation, although they were baptized many years ago, it is useful to hear about its necessity in order to avoid the fair sentence: “I never knew you; Depart from Me, you who practice iniquity" ().
It is necessary to know this in order not to naively assume that the sacrament of Baptism is a guaranteed pass to heaven. You also need the right Faith, which you need to hear about, and the deeds of Faith, which you need to learn.

Lecture 1: Why and who needs to be disclosed (video)

Part 2. About the Creator and creation.

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What do we need to know about God? The limited human mind cannot fully comprehend the infinite Creator, but it is necessary to know what God Himself reveals to us about Himself. The need for correct knowledge is determined by the fact that any arbitrary concepts will be blasphemy against God, that is, an insult to God. How can we receive mercy from the Lord if we offend Him? How will our many sins be forgiven if we have the sin of blasphemy and do not worry about it? After all, in human society everyone knows that before you receive help from someone, you must first stop insulting him. And the prophet David says: “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling” (). If we have arbitrary one-sided concepts about God, then we will begin to fulfill His commandments not for the sake of forgiveness of our sins, but as if He needs our services, which will entail not repentance, but self-satisfaction and conceit, or we will begin to rejoice in Him as we rejoice in something - something earthly and transitory, without trembling and pious fear of God, not understanding that the Lord is the Almighty Creator, Savior and Righteous Judge.

Lecture 2: What we need to know about God (video)

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Some modern Christians recognize the existence of God, but cannot agree that He is the Creator. Sometimes they agree that God created the world, but cannot accept that God also created man. Why does such opposition to the Truth arise? Why is it so difficult to recognize oneself as a creation? This self, hiding inside the heart, does not want to recognize itself as a “creature”, does not want to give up its imaginary self-existence. From such resistance it is clearly visible how accustomed we are to fulfilling our sinful will, how much we do not want to remember that we will have to give an account to the Creator for how we lived on earth, that the Judgment of God awaits us all, that there is not only paradise, but also hell.
It is very important for us to have correct concepts about God’s creations: about angels, about the world and about man, because they are the foundation for all subsequent knowledge about the salvation of man.

Lecture 3. Creation of angels, the world and man (video).

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Why did the Lord plant the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in paradise? Is it really for harming people? Of course not! This cannot happen, because God does not create evil! God is pure and perfect Good! Then why? And this question is sometimes a stumbling block in the faith of some people. The commandment given by God to the first people in paradise is connected precisely with this tree. What is the spiritual meaning of this commandment? Why was the manifestation of human free will required? This is necessary to know in order to deeply understand the tragedy of the Fall.
Since the Holy Scriptures provide important details about the creation of the wife and define her purpose, the course of the Catechumen briefly examines the conditions under which a family can be strong and prosperous, which largely depends on the wife fulfilling her purpose established by God.

Lecture 4: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Commandment.
The purpose of a wife. Family (video)

Part 3. The Fall.

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People often ask: if God is perfect good and did not create evil, then where did it come from in the world? The reason for the emergence of evil is the misuse of the gift of freedom. Dennitsa, one of the highest archangels, decided that he no longer needed the Creator, that he could now, on his own, be equal to God. By this renunciation of the Creator, he lost Divine grace and became Satan - an opponent of God, became the bearer and source of evil. Inflamed by hatred of the Creator, but unable to harm Him in any way, Satan seduced the first people into violating God’s commandments. How this tragedy happened is described in detail in the next lessons.

Lecture 5: The Fall of Angels and Man (video)

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The brevity of the Bible's story about the violation of God's commandment by the first people, prohibiting eating the fruits of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, inclines many modern Christians to treat this as something fabulous and unreal. Consequently, the consequences of the Fall of the first people are not perceived as a great tragedy, which entailed not only the death of Adam and Eve, but also all their descendants, that is, the entire human race. But a correct understanding of the meaning of original sin clearly reveals a person’s voluntary renunciation of eternal blissful life given by the Creator and entry into a state of eternal death brought into man by the devil. From the moment of the Fall, all humanity acquires the likeness of Satan, and the result of a short earthly life spent in sorrow, suffering, illness and labor is hell. For more information about the signs of eternal life and eternal death, see the lecture “The meaning and significance of the Fall for man.”

Lecture 6: The meaning and significance of the Fall for man from the point of view of asceticism (video)

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Why are so many modern Christians careless? Why are they not worried about their future eternal destiny? Why do they spend their short earthly life as if they were not going to die and answer before God?
The reason for this partly lies in a lack of understanding of the tragedy of original sin, as a result of which the human condition radically changed. Let us compare what man was like before the Fall and what he became after. The voluntary renunciation of obedience to God by the first people brought upon all humanity the curse of eternal death: the law “you will die by death” entered human nature and became an eternal law. Having lost God, people have lost all His gifts: bliss, goodness, the possibility of deification, freedom, immortality, security, absence of suffering and hard work. Having come into conflict with God, they acquired for themselves: despair and fear, passions - illnesses of the soul, slavery to Satan and his likeness, illness and death, various dangers and suffering, including the need for exhausting labor.
Having seen the profound difference, let us remember that we are all born in a state of original damage. Only when we realize this personal tragedy can we begin to look for a way out of it.

Lecture 7: The radical difference between human states before and after the Fall (video)

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The Holy Scriptures reveal in detail the spiritual meaning of the Fall and accurately describe the new state of the first people. The actions that Adam and Eve took after committing sin clearly show their deepest damage. God invites them to repent, but the darkened mind deviates into justifying itself and blaming God. The sentence “you will die” comes into force. Each accomplice in this tragedy receives his own punishment: first the devil, then the wife and then Adam. Why does the wife receive special tribulations? The punishment imposed on the first people is also characteristic of all of us - their descendants. Spiritual death is the main consequence that carries souls to eternal torment in hell - this happens until the Redemptive Sacrifice of Christ. What is hell like? Is the torment of hell final?

Lecture 8: What the Holy Scriptures say about the consequences of the Fall (video).

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What should be understood by leather vestments? What is their spiritual meaning? How do leather vestments protect us from evil spirits? Why is it impossible to communicate with holy angels in the state of the Fall? What danger awaits a person if he strives to penetrate the world of spirits? What is the meaning of the Lord’s words: “Adam became like one of Us”? It was impossible for the first people to continue to stay in paradise after the Fall. About the connection between inner paradise (the blissful state of man) and external splendor. When the first people were expelled, a fiery cherub with a reversing sword was placed at the gates of heaven. Where is heaven now? And who is now this cherub who prevents us from returning to spiritual paradise?

Lecture 9: Leather vestments. Expulsion from Paradise (video)

Part 4. Evidence of the presence of eternal death in every person

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It is necessary to include information about the passions in the “Catechetical Conversations”, because their seeds were sown into man during original sin. Knowledge about passions should not be abstract and theoretical, but have practical application. That is, let each person being announced check himself for the presence of these deadly diseases using examples of their manifestation, then a clear understanding of the signs of eternal death will appear. Only then can the first spiritual state of contrition of heart be born, only then will we need a Savior. In the painful struggle with these passions - mortal diseases of the soul - poverty of spirit can appear as the first stage of the beatitudes of the Gospel. Introducing all 8 passions and examples of their manifestation in the next 4 lectures. Let us be attentive to see what ails each of us personally. Examples of personal sins for each passion are evidence of similarity to Satan, but whoever is like someone else during life will be like him in eternity.

Lecture 10: You need to know not only the theory of Faith, but also the practice of Christian life.
Passions are deadly diseases of the soul. Gluttony. Fornication. Love of money (video)
Lecture 11: Passions are fatal diseases of the soul. Anger. Sadness. Dejection (video)
Lecture 12: Vanity (video)
Lecture 13: Pride (video)
A brief summary of the previous parts.

Part 5. Salvation of the human race.

Lecture 14: The Eternal Council of the Holy Trinity. Incarnation of the Son of God. (video)
Lecture 15: The deification of the human nature of the Son of God at the Incarnation. Immaculate Passions (video)
Lecture 16: Did Christ suffer voluntarily or forcedly (video)
Lecture 17: The Mystery of the Immaculate Conception and the Birth of the Son of God from the Virgin Mary. About the Most Holy Theotokos. (video)
Lecture 18: Explaining the Meaning of Christ's Redemptive Sacrifice (video)
Lecture 19: The sacrifice of Christ abolishes the law of eternal death.
Venerable Simeon the New Theologian on the sentence of eternal death and its abolition (video)
Lecture 20: Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection (video)
Lecture 21: The meaning and spiritual meaning of the sacrament of Baptism
What benefits does Baptism provide? A simple example explaining the meaning of Baptism (video)

The author is Sergei Mikhailovich Maslennikov, author of the series of conversations “School of Repentance. On the path to salvation”, “Asceticism for the laity”, author of the series of books “Passion - Diseases of the Soul”, “Christian Virtues”. Laureate of the All-Russian Prize in honor of the Holy Blessed Alexander Nevsky, established by the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in the category “Theology for the People”, for the book “Reconciliation with Christ”, 2015.
Author’s personal page: www.uralzvon.site
You can order this video series of Public Conversations on the website: