Episode 17: The Fear of God
Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden
Do you have a question for Bishop Varden? Submit your question to Bishop Varden for our upcoming Q&A episode. You can submit your question here. 🏜️ Welcome to Desert Fathers in a Year, Episode 17: The Fear of God. In this episode of Desert Fathers in a Year, we explore the profound teaching of Abba Peter on the "fear of God." Far from nervous anxiety, this fear is a reverent awe of God’s divine majesty, as Abba Isaiah’s wisdom explains that true fear of God arises from trusting Him alone. Drawing from Isaiah’s vision of God’s glory and the refining fire of faith, we unpack how trusting God in hardship—illness, loss, or betrayal—leads to redemptive purity. Discover how the Desert Fathers guide us to balance childlike trust with worshipful reverence. Key Topics Covered: * Abba Peter’s definition of the fear of God as trust in God alone * Isaiah’s vision of divine glory and its transformative impact * The refining fire of faith: Trusting God amidst life’s trials * Balancing reverence and trust in the Christian spiritual journey * Lessons from the Desert Fathers on awe and worship Why Listen? This episode offers deep insights into the fear of God as reverent trust, perfect for those seeking spiritual growth, Christian wisdom, or understanding early Church teachings. Join us to explore how faith transforms fear into awe. Keywords: Fear of God, Abba Peter, Desert Fathers, Christian spirituality, trust in God, reverence, Isaiah’s vision, faith in hardship, early Christianity, worship Available On: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts Please visit DesertFathers.com to subscribe to our email newsletter and to download a free PDF of Athanasius's Life of Antony. We owe a special thanks to our partners. Desert Fathers in a Year is... • 🦉...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog. • 🎥 ...produced by EWTN • 🧡...and brought to you by Exodus 90, download the Exodus 90 app today
About Podcast
Guided by Bishop Erik Varden, this year-long series—beginning January 1, 2025—invites listeners to encounter the profound wisdom of the Desert Fathers. Drawing from their timeless Sayings, Bishop Varden illuminates the lives of figures like St. Anthony of Egypt, exploring themes such as purity, humility, self-mastery, and repentance. Through their struggles in the wilderness, these early Christians uncovered the transformative power of God’s grace—lessons as relevant today as they were in their time.
Though few of us are called to the monastic life, the spiritual combat of the Desert Fathers resonates with all who seek to follow Christ. As Jesus Himself entered the desert to confront temptation, their wisdom offers guidance for our own battles with distraction and despair, helping us find strength in prayer and discipline.
Bishop Erik Varden, a Cistercian monk and Bishop of Trondheim, Norway, is one of today’s leading Catholic voices. A convert to Catholicism during his studies at Cambridge, he was drawn to the monastic life, ultimately joining Mount St. Bernard Abbey in England, where he eventually became abbot. Through his writing and teaching, Bishop Varden speaks compellingly to a secular world, using the language of beauty to reveal the centrality of our search for God—even when we wander astray.
Join us as we step into the desert together, guided by the wisdom of the ancients, to rediscover the love of Christ that conquers all obstacles. Visit DesertFathers.com to learn more.
We owe a special thanks to our partners. The Desert Fathers with Bishop Erik Varden...
...written by Bishop Erik Varden. You can follow Bishop Varden on his blog, CoramFratribus.com
...produced by EWTN Global Catholic Network
...and brought to you by Exodus 90. Download the Exodus 90 app today and experience uncommon freedom in Jesus Christ with men from around the world.