Difference between revisions of "Damascene (Christensen)"

From OrthodoxWiki
Jump to: navigation, search
(Biographical notes)
Line 3: Line 3:
  
 
==Biographical notes==
 
==Biographical notes==
Born in 1961 in family with scandinavian roots. Raised as a nominal Christian.
+
Born in 1961 in family with scandinavian roots.
  
Came to believe that personal deities were a less enlightened truth than trans-personal experience (a la Buddhism).
+
Raised as a nominal Protestant Christian. By the time he began college, however, he believed that the highest spiritual reality was not a personal deity or God, but rather a transpersonal reality (a la Buddhism).
  
Practised Zen Buddhism, with some spiritual experiences.
+
He considered himself a [[Buddhim|buddhist]], specifically, in the Zen tradition, and he had various experiences, which he writes, included darkness, infinite nothingness, existing outside of space and time, where everything is now, and time has no meaning. Despite these experiences, there was still something missing in the soul.
  
Studied at University of California Santa Cruz.
+
While in college at U.C. Santa Cruz, John Christensen met Eastern Orthodox Christian students and was invited by them to a lecture by an American priest and monk, who had also been a serious student of Eastern philosophy and Buddhism. It was through this lecture that Father Damascene met the man through whose influence his life would be radically altered. This man was [[Seraphim Rose]], spiritual seeker, Eastern Religious scholar, Orthodox monk and priest. It was through this meeting, his ongoing studies, and many pilgrimages to the monastery Father Seraphim founded in the secluded woods of Northern California, that John Christensen came to discover that truth was not just an abstract idea, sought and known by the mind, but something personal, even a person, sought and loved by the heart.  
  
c. 1980: Met Fr [[Seraphim (Rose)]], who gave a lecture at UCSC. Developed a dialogue with Fr Seraphim, who taught him that Truth was personal and Person (rather than abstract concept).  Met Christ through this.
+
Developed a dialogue with Fr Seraphim, who taught him that Truth was personal and Person (rather than abstract concept).  Met Christ through this.
  
 
Eventually, Fr Seraphim became his spiritual father.  Less than two years later, he was at Fr Seraphim's bedside at his repose.
 
Eventually, Fr Seraphim became his spiritual father.  Less than two years later, he was at Fr Seraphim's bedside at his repose.

Revision as of 11:57, June 10, 2013

This article forms part of the series
Orthodoxy in America
Orthodox us.gif
History
American Orthodox Timeline
American Orthodox Bibliography
Byzantines on OCA autocephaly
Ligonier Meeting
ROCOR and OCA
People
Saints - Bishops - Writers
Jurisdictions
Antiochian - Bulgarian
OCA - Romanian - Moscow
ROCOR - Serbian

Ecumenical Patriarchate:
Albanian - Carpatho-Russian
Greek - Ukrainian
Palestinian/Jordanian

Monasteries
Seminaries
Christ the Saviour
Holy Cross
Holy Trinity
St. Herman's
St. Tikhon's
St. Sava's
St. Sophia's
St. Vladimir's
Organizations
Assembly of Bishops
AOI - EOCS - IOCC - OCEC
OCF - OCL - OCMC - OCPM - OCLife
OISM - OTSA - SCOBA - SOCHA
Groups
Amer. Orthodox Catholic Church
Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black
Evangelical Orthodox Church
Holy Order of MANS/CSB
Society of Clerks Secular of St. Basil
Edit this box

Hieromonk Damascene (secular name John Christensen; 1961) is hieromonk of Serbian Orthodox Church, and deputy abbot of St Herman of Alaska Monastery, Platina, California.

Biographical notes

Born in 1961 in family with scandinavian roots.

Raised as a nominal Protestant Christian. By the time he began college, however, he believed that the highest spiritual reality was not a personal deity or God, but rather a transpersonal reality (a la Buddhism).

He considered himself a buddhist, specifically, in the Zen tradition, and he had various experiences, which he writes, included darkness, infinite nothingness, existing outside of space and time, where everything is now, and time has no meaning. Despite these experiences, there was still something missing in the soul.

While in college at U.C. Santa Cruz, John Christensen met Eastern Orthodox Christian students and was invited by them to a lecture by an American priest and monk, who had also been a serious student of Eastern philosophy and Buddhism. It was through this lecture that Father Damascene met the man through whose influence his life would be radically altered. This man was Seraphim Rose, spiritual seeker, Eastern Religious scholar, Orthodox monk and priest. It was through this meeting, his ongoing studies, and many pilgrimages to the monastery Father Seraphim founded in the secluded woods of Northern California, that John Christensen came to discover that truth was not just an abstract idea, sought and known by the mind, but something personal, even a person, sought and loved by the heart.

Developed a dialogue with Fr Seraphim, who taught him that Truth was personal and Person (rather than abstract concept). Met Christ through this.

Eventually, Fr Seraphim became his spiritual father. Less than two years later, he was at Fr Seraphim's bedside at his repose.

Fr Damascene joined St Herman of Alaska Monastery, where he has lived for over 25 years.

Bibliography