This site began in about 1997 as a text file where I began putting together references in scripture to the topics of baptism, washing, water, regeneration, new birth, and so on. It was interesting to me that in scripture the action of water and rebirth were so often associated. About the same time, I encountered the writings of the earliest Christian preachers, and a history of Christianity written about 375AD, and realized my religion and the religion of the early Christians were different things.

Over the next year or two, my baptism text file grew into a folder of ancient Christian writings that all pointed to a rich, common Faith that I had never learned about in Bible college. At that time Orthodoxy was barely present on the Internet, so I published philthompson.net — what would later be called a Web log, or “blog” if you will.

In 1999 I was received into the Orthodox Church, and gained Saint Silouan of Mt Athos as a new patron. Enough people started calling me Silouan that about 2008 I eventually relaunched the blog as silouanthompson.net, repurposing philthompson.net for my online marketing business.

Meanwhile for most of the last ten years I lived in the Philippines, planting Orthodox churches and building the mission that has since grown into the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam. When Covid struck in 2020, the border was closed and I had to return to the US – but by God’s mercy Filipino clergy have carried on and the Church continues to advance. 

I am now associate priest at Saint Silouan Orthodox Church, and you can follow news and opportunities in the Philippines at philippine-mission.org.