The Reverend Dr John Chryssavgis was born in Australia, where he matriculated from The Scots College (1975). He received his degree in Theology from the University of Athens (1980), a diploma in Byzantine Music from the Greek Conservatory of Music (1979), and completed his doctoral studies in Patristics at the University of Oxford (1983). After several months in silent retreat on Mt Athos, he served as Personal Assistant to the Greek Orthodox Primate in Australia (1984-94) and was co-founder of St Andrew’s Theological College in Sydney (1985), where he was Sub-Dean and taught Patristics and Church History (1986-95). He was also Lecturer in the Divinity School (1986-90) and the School of Studies in Religion (1990-95) at the University of Sydney. In 1995, he moved to Boston, where he was appointed Professor of Theology at Holy Cross School of Theology and directed the Religious Studies Program at Hellenic College until 2002.

Currently, he serves as theological advisor to the Ecumenical Patriarch on environmental issues.

The author of several books and numerous articles in several languages on the Church Fathers and Orthodox Spirituality, Fr. John’s most recent publications include Soul Mending: The Art of Spiritual Direction (Holy Cross Press, 2000), Letters from the Desert: A Selection from Barsanuphius and John (St. Vladimir’s Press, 2003), Cosmic Grace, Humble Prayer: The Ecological Vision of the Green Patriarch (Eerdmans, 2003), Light Through Darkness: the Orthodox tradition (Orbis Books, 2004), John Climacus: From the Egyptian Desert to the Sinaite Mountain (Ashgate, 2004), The Ecumenical Patriarchate: A Brief Guide (Ecumenical Patriarchate, 2005), and Beyond the Shattered Image: Insights into an Orthodox Christian Ecological Worldview (Light and Life, 2nd ed. 2007), In the Heart of the Desert: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers (World Wisdom Books, 2nd ed. 2008). He lives with his family in Bath, Maine.

Rev Dr. John Chryssavgis Discography