Talk 81: How to Overcome Doubt or Unbelief When Reading the Lives of the Saints

When reading the lives of the saints, Orthodox Christians can encounter several temptations. One of these is doubt or unbelief, especially concerning events that happened many centuries ago. In the lives of saints we encounter supernatural wonders such as their endurance during martyrdom, their miracles, and their great ascetic achievements, and some find them hard to believe. The question arises: how does one overcome the temptation of doubt or unbelief when reading these marvellous lives?

In this talk, Father Kosmas explains that doubt or unbelief occurs because the faith of present-day Christians has become “weak and dried up.” He then uses the advice of saints and elders to show how to overcome the temptation of doubt or unbelief when reading the lives of the saints, and refers to the examples of ancient and contemporary saints.

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