No comments about Introduction to Eastern Christian Spirituality: The Syriac Tradition.

No comments about Meditations on a Theme: A Spiritual Journey.

2 comments about The Sacrament of Love: The Nuptial Mystery in the Light of the Orthodox Tradition.

1. This is a great and perhaps life-changing book for many marriages. Unfortunately, the language is intensely theological. Those familiar with basic theological terms within the Orthodox Christian tradition have an incredible tool in their hands. This is one of the few English works on the theology of the masculine and feminine - the roots of their being and differences, their special charisms, the impact of the fall on cross-gender relations and the recapitulation of those relations in Christ through the mystery of marriage. If you can follow the language in this review, you can follow the language in the book. I wouldn't be without this read. It has a way of reworking modern thought from two people constantly butting heads in a marriage to the realization of an important interplay between masculine and feminine differences and how they can serve to achieve not only a better whole, but salvation for those two as well.



2. I received the book that had no way of being damaged with the way it was wrapped. It was a gift and it looked good when I gave it. I would also recommend this book to all who desire relationship with those you love. It is divine and it is real!

5 comments about A Place of Healing for the Soul: Patmos.

1. Peter France has shown a total lack of respect for factual accuracy as well as for the Greek people in his book about Patmos. He has apparently spent no time checking any of his facts, and one wonders if he has actually been to Greece at all. His lack of respect for the Greek people is typical of the British traveler, and his lack of respect for truth is perhaps typical of the British journalist (perhaps of most journalists today). But one might expect the publisher to show some principles. Mr. France can't even get the difference between ouzo and tsipouro clear, let alone the origin of the phalanx. He presents the Greek people as if they had just emerged from the Stone Age, when in fact, this is a culture which was enjoying epic poetry, lyrical poetry, and narrative fiction while his ancestors were still shivering in caves. Perhaps Mr. France should stick to his own cave, religion, where no factual accuracy is required.



2. We met Peter France on Patmos and read several of his books. Having retired here, we know the people, places and religious
   experiences he wrote about. Without being pedantic, he wrote about his baptism to Greek Orthodoxy after years of study and introspection. We were impressed by the meticulous attention he's given to the smallest details and nuances of life
   on Patmos. We chuckled as he described some individuals with his
   unique wry humor, and quietly reflected upon many of his more serious, thought-provoking comments. In a very relaxed manner he
   has you focus on many meaningful aspects and some amusing incidents one experiences while being on this tiny, remote island. I would venture to say that he has broadened and deepend our appreciation of this place we now call "home".
   As to the reviews offered by Mr. Ashley Black and Mr. Aleko:
   "Gentlemen, I believe we have not read the same book, nor can
   I believe you've ever lived on Patmos".
   After reading "A Place Of Healing For The Soul: Patmos" you will
   find that one is both entertained and stimulated to think more
   about one's every-day life. You may even develope an "itch" to
   visit this place. Thank you, Peter, for this lovely book.



3. This candid, informative and funny book is an engaging account of how France came to know the living Christ.
   
   Before he arrived on Patmos France had endeavoured for years to discover and share in the Orthodox Christian faith of his beloved wife. He had read widely and, on the cerebral level, understood much, but the certainties he must have continued to elude him. Then, after he had made the island his home and had become immersed in its culture - both ancient and `modern' - he began to perceive for the first time "that Christian truth is not an objective series of propositions that can be understood by anybody. It is accessible only to those who have undergone ... a complete change of perspective". France agreed to be baptised whilst still officially an agnostic but once he had been received into the Orthodox Church he came - over a period of time - to experience for himself the reality of grace, which hitherto he had felt to be shrouded in the colourful imagery of myth. "It had come in the form of an increase not in conviction, but in awareness, in receptivity".
   
   `Healing for the Soul' could equally serve as a potted history and/or a geographical guide (in which case the provision of a map and an index would make it a much easier read), but far more important is that it bears witness to an understanding: that Orthodox Christianity is the means whereby a man's heart may be educated.



4. I'm not in the mood to write a thoughtful review, so I'll keep it short. When I read a book I can almost never read it twice, no matter how much I enjoy it. This one has been the exception with C.S. Lewis and Solzhenitsyn. The book just made me feel good, that is the only reason I am taking this time to thank Mr. France. Also I love his wife's cover design. John Burleson, Jacksonville, North Carolina



5. I should preface my review with the confession that I began reading this book in the hopes of finding some noteworthy insights into the Orthodox Faith. The back cover's references to Orthodoxy, St. John and the Book of Revelation, and hermits, ascetics, monks, and nuns made me wonder if this book might be a good gift to a Westerner interesting in Orthodoxy, especially as, amid all of these references, Peter France is described as "a hardened skeptic." The reality is that, besides a few gems of insight and one incredibly disappointing chapter which attempts to speak of Orthodoxy directly, I spent most of this book wondering what possessed him to write it; at what point did he think, "I'll be people would like to read about this time in my life..."?
   
   I do believe that there is a point in all that he wrote, though I don't think that it is worth the time to discover the few good pages; if anything, approach this book with an expectation of a light, leisurely read and be surprised by the insights rather than beginning with a hope of an interesting story of Orthodox discovery while being bored by the 80 pages between the insights.
   
   Basically, the book reads like this: Peter France discusses his initial travels - then move - with his wife to and around the island of Patmos. His long discourses on the people, attitudes, and scenery potray an almost romantic, though very foreign lifestyle (which is not, as a previous reviewer implies, anti-Greek). He describes the different ways of thinking and doing things as unusual and foreign but not in a negative way. He even appears to be fascinated by much of it, as he seems to expect the reader to be, as well. However, one begins to wonder (as I did) why so many pages need to be written on such things as how he and his wife managed to get electricity to their home or how long it took for the previous owners of a home to retrieve their livestock.
   
   As stated above, I suspect there is a reason, and I think that it is this: France wants to portray, through examples, the attitudes and way of life of the people of Patmos so as to alter the reader's worldview - even if only for a short period - so that he or she can understand his growing acceptence and, more so, understanding of Orthodoxy. However, after literally 80 pages of learning this mindset with just a few small interesting observations of the Faith, I was more than ready for the first truly profound point of the book which came from a conversation between the author and an archimandrite, Fr. Amphilochios. I don't remember how many more pages I had to wait for another one. Again, there were simply points when I wondered when, in all of these experiences, the author decided that people would want to read about them.
   
   Thus far, I would give the book a 3 out of 5 stars, but it loses another star mainly for chapter 11 entitled "Differences" in which the author attempts to describe the differences between Western and Eastern Christianity. He states that, if not interested, the reader should skip this chapter; I suggest that, even if one is interested, he should look elsewhere (such as Khomiakov, Met. Anthony Khrapovistky, Fr. Alexey Young, and others). This chapter is not only not a good comparison of the two, it is downright false in some of its statements. For instance, when speaking of the Scriptural passage "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock...," France states that it is "clear and obvious" that Christ is referring to Peter and subsequently the later bishops of Rome when He says "rock." He then states that Church history appears to support this interpretation. However, the vast majority of Church Fathers - and thus the Orthodox Church - says that the rock is the confession of Jesus as "Christ, Son of the living God," not the person of Peter. Also, Church history provides evidence of the second understanding (read, for instance, Michael Whelton's "Two Paths"), not the former; France's understanding did not come for hundreds of years after Christ. His lack of understanding and knowledge of Orthodoxy is amplified in other ways (even his English spelling of Greek words), though this is just an example.
   
   Overall, then, I suggest that, if one wants to read this book, expect to read about a part of Peter France's life on the island of Patmos while, on the side, gaining a few insights into Orthodoxy but being wary of some of his facts concerning the Faith.

2 comments about Raising Lazarus: Integral Healing in Orthodox Christianity.

1. As a pastor in a local congregation, I am always looking for current writing on the subjects of counseling and pastoral care. Raising Lazarus is a wonderful addition to my personal library. As a Southern Baptist pastor, I was grateful for a new approach to pastoral care as outlined in the "orthodox" model. Each chapter in the book helped me to understand the importance of building and maintaining close relationships with my congregants.
   
   I especially appreciated the emphasis of Trinitarian thought throughout the book. The role of God as Father, Son, and Spirit was integral to the care of persons seeking help. I am certain to refer to this book often as I minister to the members of our congregation. I highly receommend this book to all who have an interest in the spirituality of pastoral care.



2. There is much work to be done at the intersection of psychology and spiritual healing. At issue is the simple but profound question: What is health?
   
   _Raizing Lazarus_ delves deeply into this question and offers challenging answers and thought provoking angles from which to continue questioning.
   
   I benefited a great deal from this meaningful book, and, on the whole, I would recommend it to anyone interested in pyschologically informed spiritual healing and/or spiritually informed psychological healing.

No comments about The Orthodox Church And Civil Society in Russia (Eugenia and Hugh M. Stewart '26 Series on Eastern Europe).

5 comments about Great Lent: Journey to Pascha.

1. Fr. Alexander's exposition of the mindset of Lent is indispensable. He demonstrates clearly how Lent is more than following rules and giving up "the good stuff" until we can indulge oursleves at Pascha. Lent is, rather, a time to rediscover who we are and why we are here. I recommend any serious Christian reread this book every year when Lent approaches.



2. This is the book you want to give your Protestant and Catholic friends. It will detail for them just what Lenten Liturgical Worship is? (page 86, 87) and Looking for the Spiritual behind the formal (page 88) What Lent is & how it works? (Page 88) Along with What Christian Fasting is and is not, How to fast and the different kinds of fasting? (Pages 97, 98, 99)



3. I read this book as a catechumen making my first journey through Orthodox Lent, and found it a wonderful guide and aid in making sense of the sights, sounds, smells, prayers, prostrations, liturgies, etc etc that set this season apart from others in the Christian year.
   
   That said, Schmemann wrote in a far more engaging style and tone in his extremely popular "For the Life of the World." "Great Lent", in contrast, is drier (for Schmemann) and seems to drag a bit at times. That's not to detract from the value of the book in its essential purpose: to educate and enlighten Orthodox Christians, catechumens and inquirers about the theology behind, and inspired by, Church practices in Lent. It serves that purpose well, and gets 4 stars for it. However, I wish to reserve the five stars for some of his other books, which are truly outstanding both in content and style, whereas the style in this particular book felt weaker than his other works.
   
   The chapter on the presanctified liturgy, describing the two views of the Church (both in waiting and in fulfillment) was masterful and, to me, showed some of that same Schmemann spark that makes one get all giddy to get back in Church and live this stuff out.
   
   I HIGHLY recommend this book for any curious about educating themselves about Orthodox Lent and the Church's views on it.



4. Sadly Fr. Schmemann passed away 25 years ago, but his impact as the greatest modern Orthodox theologian lives on. This book is a seriously written theological work, but it's easily understood by the ordinary lay person as well as the theologian. Fr. Schmemann explains clearly and carefully the place and purpose of Great Lent and dispels the myth that it's merely another period of observances and self-denials as Roman Catholics practise. To Orthodox Catholics it's part of a complete attitude and way of life, and the relationship of Great Lent to Pascha and the rest of the year and to the life of the Church is well explained in this book. After reading it cover to cover I was left awestruck. Other than the Bible itself, if you never read another book, read this one. It will change your whole attitude toward life, I guarantee it.



5. This is easily one of the best books that I've read on Lent, but more to the point, on liturgy in general. That being said it is important to note that Fr. Schmemann himself warns against the tendency to make the liturgy `sentimental' or, as is the case in Lutheranism, to rationalize it. While I am passionate about liturgics, it is difficult to find books that treat the subject intelligently--that is, without writing paragraph after paragraph using nothing but adjectives and superlatives. The liturgy is that which outfits us for Kingdom life; not the Kingdom of Christ, but rather the Kingdom in Christ. Fr. Schmemann is more than aware of this. I would urge anyone interested in the liturgy of their confession to read this book.

5 comments about Byzantium: The Early Centuries.

1. The English history and travel writer John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich has long had a thing for the East. With Reresby Sitwell he wrote an introduction to the world of Mount Athos and subsequently, over three large volumes, produced a large history of Byzantium for popular audiences. BYZANTIUM: The Early Centuries is the first volume, going from the rise of St Constantine the Great in the early fourth century to the end of the Empress Irene's era in 802. I had mixed reactions to it.
   
   When it comes to political history, i.e. who reigned when and who fought who, Norwich's history is quite detailed. Many palace intrigues are spicily recounted, and various hypotheses for some of the more mysterious turns of fate are collected. However, beyond the political history there is no real coverage of Byzantium culture. As other reviews have already pointed out, the goings-on of the elite are usually quite distant from the day to day life of the masses. There's no discussion of the developments of the arts or the flux of the economy. Some discussion of Byzantine culture can be had from Joan Mervyn Hussey's The Byzantine World, but she tries to pack an entire millennium in just a few pages.
   
   While Norwich enjoys the culture of Eastern Christianity, he clearly is not faithful to the Eastern Orthodox Church. Quite often he questions the actions of rulers that the Church has glorified as saints, suggests that the outcome of the Ecumenical Councils was random, and insinuates that certain relics are fakes. I should think that Orthodox Christians are a fairly large market for a popular history of Byzantium, but they regrettably still await a book that sticks to Church teaching.
   
   Since three full volumes of just political history is quite tedious, I'd recommend reading Norwich's abridgement A Short History of Byzantium instead.



2. If I'd never read a page of John Julius Norwich's work, I would have saved a lot of money. This isn't a complaint, merely a fact.
   
   Granted, as a history buff who has caught the travel bug, I might have eventually wended my way to Istanbul. But Norwich's "Byzantium" trilogy--especially this first volume--made it clear that Istanbul/Constantinople, was a city with a fascinating, beguiling past, the capital of an empire lasting over a thousand years whose greatest achievements in art and architecture were still very much on display and rivalled their counterparts anywhere. Norwich certainly pushed me to prioritize Istanbul as a destination. It now reigns as my favorite city in the world, and I wonder how much I owe Norwich's work for raising my appreciation of the city's richness. Probably a bunch.
   
   Of course, this wasn't written as a guidebook and won't serve you well as such, at least not by itself. But within a narrative history that manages to be witty whilst galloping at breakneck pace, "The Early Centuries" also provides enough background on people and events to give readers a sense of how the Byzantime Empire functioned at the highest level (often bloodily), and of the centrality of Orthodox Christianity to the culture.
   
   The entire trilogy is open to the charge that it tends to be focused on emperors and courts rather than the "little people." This seems a bit like complaining that this isn't a different book with different goals. The poor author already has to cover more than one year per page. And if many emperors' reigns seem to fly by in an indistinguishable flurry, Norwich is a master of the quick character sketch, offering a telling charcter quirk or deed (or death) for even the least memorable emperors.
   
   Arguably, Norwich's focus on courts and palaces is a boon to the potential tourist because it means a focus largely on Constantinople. This gives readers the "deep background" that provides a wonderful context for any trip to Istanbul. It may be one thing to see the city walls reading only the guidebook descriptions, and another to be aware of the many sieges they repulsed over a thousand years--until the world-changing night they were finally breached (this event not covered til volume 3 of course). It may be one thing to appreciate Aya Sofia as the miracle of architecture it is, and another to know of the riots that led to the burning of its predecessor church on the site (and subesquent massacre of some 30,000 souls in the nearby Hippodrome), thus clearing the way for the construction of what was arguably the grandest place of worship in the world for a thousand years.
   
   This is interesting stuff. After all, this is the empire that was at the height of its riches whilst most of Europe sufferred through "The Dark Ages." Norwich handles this wealth of material adroitly. His prose is simply a pleasure to read. You'll seldom be more engaged by a history full of people and events you haven't heard of before. Unless you proceed to the following volumes of Norwich's trilogy, or give his comparably accomplished (and travel-inducing/enriching) "A History of Venice" a spin, but that's another story.
   
   By the way, the book that those who criticize Norwich's "Emperor-centric" perspective want is Cyril Mango's "Byzantium: The Empire of the New Rome," apparently out of print but readibly available used:
   
   Byzantium: The Empire of the New Rome
   
   With it's emphasis on economic and population trends, Mango's short, incisive work isn't a narrative and presumes some knowledge of Byzantine history--just the sort of info that Norwich provides.



3. This is the sort of book that brings history back to what it ought to be; a rattling good tale backed-up but not swamped by detail. There are many excellent books on Byzantine history but this is one of the few that unashamedly sets out to tell it primarily through its personalities. More Carlyle than Spengler. Character sketches that personalise some the great figures of the Roman Empire in the east as it continued on after the Fall of the West. A much needed book, the first of a trilogy, outlining what is undeniably a much neglected area of history. Despite its struggles, internal as well as external, if it had not existed, it's fair to say every aspect of our existence would be radically different today. Written in a conscious imitation of the great Gibbon, like him it's the little vignettes that bring the characters to life; Constantine the Great, Heraclius, the first Crusader, Basil the Bulgar-Slayer, Constantine Copronymus (`the S**t'), Justinian Rhinotmetus (the runny-nosed). I don't think it would hurt to repeat the quote from the back of the paperback edition..."The reader is conveyed in comfort, as it were in a very superior hovercraft, which glides over all the unevenness of the ground, to the regular melodious sound of the author's prose".
   Buy it and tell everyone that Rome did not fall in 475 A.D.



4. Eminently readable for the general history buff, this is an excellent overview of the byzantine history of the Byzantine Empire. Highly recommended for those who know nothing about Byzantium as well as for those who think they know it all. Don't let the size of the series discourage you - all three volumes are very entertaining and engrossing.
   
   My favorite book(s) on the subject.



5. The book does an amazing job detailing military ventures in the Byzantine Empire and gives a clear picture of the Imperial Families. However, Norwich really fails to give a clear idea of anyone in the Empire or in Constantinople besides royalty and some military commanders. The culture of Byzantium seems hidden behind descriptions of military ventures and Imperial missteps.

5 comments about A Tiny Step Away From Deepest Faith: A Teenager's Search For Meaning.

1. Marjorie Corbman has given us a beautifully written, thoughtful account of a young woman's search for spirituality. Her story enlightens without proselytizing. Adult readers will want to share this book with their children. Youthful readers will want to share it with their parents.



2. Corban's book is a stunning portrait of a teenager's search for spirituality and meaning. As a teenager myself, I consider her book to be a treasure, assisting me in my own growth and helping me to realize the universality of the teenage struggle. I have saved a copy of Corban's book so that someday, when I have children of my own, I might have a glimps into their lives, be able to see the world as they see it. EVERYONE must read this book.



3. Meet Marjorie Corbman, a now seventeen year old freshman at College of the Holy Cross, a recently baptized member of the Orthodox Church, the daughter of secular Jews, a young woman whose spiritual quest brought her through Judaism, Wicca, Paganism, and the writitngs of numerous philosophers and mystics into ancient Christianity. It's not often that you meet a poised, thoughtful, eloquent fifteen year old who's writing a book that's about to be published. It's even more rare to find one whose heartfelt love of Truth and seeking after God bring her a depth of insight and wisdom into the contemporary youth culture that rivals that of any of the many self-proclaimed "experts." Yet in her newly released book, this one teenager will challenge your preconcieved notions of pop culture.
   
   Written without a typical plot, this book is not your usual run-of-the-mill story about someone's journey into Orthodoxy. Rather, Corbman offers the reader brief glimpses or snapshots into her life at various points on her faith journey. Each one illumines her wrestling with the divine, her individual struggle to understand life and find ultimate meaning. An excellent read for today's teenagers or a good education for today's parents of teenagers, it also reaches out to the rest of us because of her love affair with Truth.



4. It's worth it. Well worth it.
   I'm in my mid-twenties and will be using this book for a study among other 20-something friends.
   Yes, one of our obstacles to this decision was the age of the author. Corbman was a teenager when she wrote "A Tiny Step," and a careful reader can tell. However her intelligence, wisdom, education, and insight shine through; the issues she addresses are right on and speak directly to the human condition.
   But it is not in spite of her age that I recommend this book, rather because of her age! Corbman speaks a wakeup call into the ears of anyone who thinks the "big questions" are only for "big people." No, they are the questions we all live and die by, no matter our age or stage in life. So I welcome the voice of my younger sister in Christ.
   It is true that, in a certain light, this book can at points seem repetitive. But some things bear repeating! By and large Corbman hits these dead on and brings us back to them-- what is life really about? Please tell me again for I often forget. There's a lot to distract us, and perhaps not enough repetition of what we need to focus on.
   My only regret is the author's seeming hesitation to reveal the particular details of her path, and of her personal history. I wished for a clearer look at just what she believed and who she was before letting Christ in. Nevertheless this occasional vagueness helps to universalize her story, and brings us in to her struggles as we each recall our own journey alongside the author.
   Do not overlook this tiny book; it is too easy for older readers to ignore or dismiss the voices of a teenaged generation. Instead I'm glad to have humbled myself that I could receive what Corbman has to offer. I am grateful for this one teenager's look at life, death, and faith. Her voice counts, and I recommend we all listen.



5. ...if you're looking for something that details a pilgrimage from unbelief to faith, this is not it. While Ms. Corbmam has all the makings of a talented writer, this book did not strike me in quite the fashion it appears to have other reviewers. The author really does not detail her pilgrimage into the Orthodox faith in any kind of depth or systematic fashion. There is no "story" here, but rather 10 brief pericopes of her observations and perceptions of her life and faith journey. Yes, you get brief bits and pieces of her life, little glimpses into the ephiphanies that pushed her pilgrimage forward, but no thread really ties these pericopes together.
   
   What you get most (and best) in this book is a glimpse into the feelings of a post-modern adolescent raised in North-Eastern liberalism. While modern teens are quite sophisticated in many ways, and Ms. Corbmam certainly is well read, there is still that underlying naivete that is a product of simply too little life experience to properly place all her experiences in context.
   
   Perhaps it was my expectations, but while enjoying this book I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping for a more coherent story of a young girl's journey into the ancient Orthodox faith. What I got was something a few steps above a MySpace introspective analysis of the author's feelings regarding life and faith. Not a bad thing, just not what I thought it would be.

4 comments about The Dwelling of the Light: Praying With Icons of Christ.

1. `The Dwelling of the Light: Praying with Icons of Christ' is a companion volume to 'Ponder These Things: Praying with Icons of the Virgin', a recent book by Rowan Williams, now Archbishop of Canterbury after a distinguished career as an academic and cleric in the Churches of England and Wales (Anglican Church). Williams has a great affinity for the wider breadth of Christian experience, drawing influences and inspiration from Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox practices across the centuries. In this book, Williams continues to explore ways in which meditation and prayer can be strengthened and enhanced with incorporation of iconographic images, this time with icons of Christ.

   Protestants particularly have lost the tradition of the use of art work as representative objects for worship. However, the debate over the appropriateness of icons and other imagery is almost as old as Christianity itself. There was a time when icons of Christ were banned because Jesus, being of divine nature, wasn't suitable for depiction. That Jesus could be depicted without violation of the 'no graven images' commandment took a long time to be decided, and finally was deemed permissible because of Jesus' human nature. Rare the depiction of God or God the Father as anything more than a cloud, a hand, or some other vague symbol meant to characterise, more than anything else, the mystery involved rather than an actual physical likeness. Michaelangelo's depictions on the Sistine Chapel ceiling are remarkable not simply from their aesthetic quality, but also in that the image of God is very direct and distinctly human in form. Williams devotes many pages of the introduction to looking at precisely the issue of the theology behind the depiction of Jesus.

   However, icons are a special form of art. They are not simple paintings, however elegant, but take the form, from their origination to their veneration, as a form of prayer in and of themselves in very real ways. Christian art was a long time in developing (indeed, the earliest Christians were sometimes thought to be atheists since they had no visible evidence of gods around).

   This is a small book. It has a mere 85 pages or so of text, and thus could be read fairly quickly. However, to do so would be to deny oneself the richness of the experience. One can glance at an icon, generally a fairly small object, and think one has seen it. However, the true experience of an icon, and the true experience of this book, comes from re-reading, stopping, meditating, and slowly working through each detail. The book is generously illustrated in word and graphic art. Each of the icons is presented in full colour, with details highlighted in larger size at appropriate points in the text.

   Through all the meditations, we are looking for God, and hopefully come to realise that God also looks for us. As Williams said in the previous volume, we find the God who has taken up residence in the heart of our humanity, who prays when we are not looking, not trying, who is at work when we are silent or helpless, and who can never be pinned down to a here or there in our individual lives or in the Church at large.

   The icons presented here are depictions of the Transfiguration, the Resurrection, the Hospitality of Abraham, and the Pantocrator. The Transfiguration shows a Jesus in white with a holy representation around him; Moses and Elijah join him as the three disciples sleep in the foreground. Just as Jesus was himself changed, looking at Jesus changes things for us, and the icon drives this home. Ironically, the gospel of John is the gospel which has no Transfiguration story; however, looking at this icon gives the impression that the whole of John's gospel is a story of Transfiguration, so the depiction of Jesus as the Christ is always present in the reading.

   The Resurrection is, of course, the pivotal event in the Christian story. The fifteenth century icon shows the risen Christ at the open door, but not of the tomb, but rather the gates of hell. The Resurrection is a point of liberation, and this icon shows the redemption of Adam and Eve (among others), symbolising in a very dramatic way the redemption offered to all humankind. The Resurrection is new birth and new creation, and a bridging of divisions created by sin. All these can be seen in the iconographic image.

   The fifteenth century icon by Andrei Rublev of the portrayal of the Hospitality of Abraham may seem like a strange departure in icons about the life and figure of Christ, but in fact in much of Christian thinking, the visitors to Abraham are a prefigured Trinity. The three angels who visit Abraham at the oaks at Mamre represent for later Trinitarian Christians the idea of the Christ who always was, and is, and is to come. There are only three figures - the depiction of Abraham, whose hospitality is highlighted, is missing. The three angelic figures are all human in form, which makes it an impossible literal rendering of the Trinity. As with most icons, the gaze and hand gestures reveal the story, and the icon depicts a proto-trinity very much in Orthodox creedal fashion.

   The final icon, Pantocrator, is one of the most familiar of icons of the twentieth century, depicting Christ in the most familiar of roles - that of judge and ruler of the world. The icon shows a benevolent Christ, and unlike many icons, has words to reinforce the meaning - `Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.' Christ is a humble person still mighty in power; not depicted as a royal (no crown) or militant, there is simple truth here.

   The power of icons resides in their continuing ability to draw forth new meaning from sustained meditations. This book helps to reinforce this power, and, with the earlier volume, opens up for all, Orthodox or not, one of the true glories of Orthodox Christianity's contribution to the spiritual life of the world.




2. This small, very pretty, and interesting book in the sense that it has a lot to say in a short period of text (as if text had time in it), is certainly something to meditate on and think about. Just about a few days reading, Rowan Williams has managed to meditate and so interpret in a theological way, these icons: The Transfiguration, The Resurrection, Christ as one of the eternal Trinity, Christ as judge of the world and ruler of all.
   
   When I say that this book by its text seems to be about time, I mean in a way that is stretched, that this book takes imagination and thought to follow, expresses some deep beliefs and some insightful ways of becoming more with the spirit of Jesus Christ, and of gaining inspiration to go on with a life in the spirit. That is a mouthful. But afterall, if you are looking for a how-to book, this is not really it--though appreciation and the way of entering into the spirit and substance of the icons is there.
   
   The book did begin as a series of meditations, so there it is also valuable to some who are of a more religious bent since it is by a religious man, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Here is one way we are led to a more inspired way of worship and living in the spirit: "Looking at Jesus seriously changes things; if we do not want to be changed, it is better not to look hard or too long. The apostles in the icon are shielding their eyes, because what they see is not easily manageable in their existing world." From the icon "Transfiguration" about the transfiguration, a depiction.
   
   For repeating myself, this pretty book makes a nice gift. I have given in to a friend who is a minister, and he said he and his wife enjoyed the small book, that it is a keeper. There is a good recommendation for it. How nice to have someone receive a gift and like it very much, to want to keep it. So this is a satisfying book one can go back to and read, and also look at the icons.
   
   Rowan Williams is a thinking mind, a very good theologian (so his reputation admits), and something of an intellectual (kind of a mild kudo for one of so fine a mind). This is an easy way to enter into his writings, and to enjoy his thoughts. If one wants to have a thoughtful book that reflects on the Trinity and also that wonderful icon of three angels called "The Hospitality of Abraham" by Rubrev, and so on some other key biblical themes in the Christian faith, this is a good place to enjoy such things.
   
   "While we can accept all the proper cautions about not treating the figures as simle depictions of the trinitarian persons, there is certainly a convention which understands that the icon is to be 'read' from left to right pointing to the father, the son and the spirit..." My reason for using this quote is to give the reader of this review a taste of the tone of the book. There is something consistently civil and formed about the tone of the book that is part of the hallmark of style about which the book is extant. I say "extant" because there is a spirit about the book that is partially the product of the tone, and the presence that is brought to bear by the writer and the designers of this gift book. That is something that people who like writing and to read will find both enjoyable and interesting about this title.
   
   No doubt about it, the writer Archbishop Rowan Williams is a man of faith who has the gospel in mind, and can be relied on to bring some of the many dimensions of Christ and his light to a reader. Here he speaks of Christ: "In all these meditations on icons of Christ, we find outselves looking at far more than just the representation of human beings of long ago. We are brought into the presence of one who contains everything, who makes everything hang together, who gives us the power to see all things freshly." It is an impressive thing when someone who is sincere and a believer can make his beliefs come to life and meaning to others who are not so advanced in their spiritual lives as he.
   
   The author has managed to write a series of meditations on icons, four of them, and to let the reader know about this God (Trinitarian) who acts in history both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. A small, pretty book, this title makes a good gift for a religious or Church going friend who has an interest in art or finding ways to enter into the spirit through other dimensions, including the appreciation of icons, especially.
   
   --Peter Menkin, Obl Cam OSB (Mill Valley, CA USA)



3. This little book gives insight into the use and purpose of praying with (NOT TO) Icons
   of Christ and the LIfe of Christ.



4. Rowen Williams takes you on a uniquely spiritual journey with this prayerful book. Highly reccomended as a gift or as an addition to enhance your prayer life and learn something about traditional worship of Iconography without sin.