5 comments about Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective.

1. Daniel B. Clendenin has done his research. Not only does he have the credentials (Ph.D. in Theological and Religious Studies, Drew University) but he has also spent some years teaching religion at the Moscow State University (right after the communist soviet union collapsed in '91) right in the heart of Slavic Orthodoxy - (Moscow has also the nickname of the 3rd Rome, in christian history).
   
   Considering that Clendenin has been and still is a Presbyterian, it is very assuring to read this book and realize how non-polemical and theologically un-biased it is. A great companion for this read is Clendenin's other book "Eastern Orthodox Theology - A Contemporary Reader."
   
   This book is written from a Protestant and Western perspective. Basically Clendenin tries to explain Eastern Orthodoxy to the average Western man and woman or your average Protestant churchgoer. A lot of this introduction has to do with the cultural and mystery/mystic-driven aspect of Orthodoxy.
   
   He starts the book with two chapters on church history, a great foundation necessary to understand the early development, isolation, and ethos of Orthodoxy.
   
   The following four chapters are discussions and explanations of four important aspects of the Orthodox faith and theology:
   3) Apophatic theology and the mystery of God,
   4) Christ's image and the use and meaning of icons in Orthodoxy,
   5) On the authority of Scripture and Christian Tradition, and
   6) Theosis - a very Orthodox term and concept.
   
   The last chapter (#7 - "Hermeneutics of Love") presents balanced analysis and questions challenging the Orthodox believer as well as the Protestant Christian. This chapter is the one where I had the most to learn from.
   
   As a result of reading this book and the companion I have a much better understanding of Orthodoxy (as a Protestant Christian) and have things to talk about with my Orthodox fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Other books I would recommend on the topic of Orthodoxy are Timothy (or Kallistos) Ware - "Orthodox Church" and especially "Orthodox Way."



2. I think the author did a lot of work on this book and it is helpful but it really reads like a book written by someone trying to convert Protestants to Orthodoxy. The mystery is why Clendenin is still Protestant. The book does not make, as I recall, one criticism of the theology or practice of Orthodoxy. For Protestants who would like to examine Orthodoxy biblically (e.g., evaluate the biblical underpinnings of icons, pro and con) this would not be a good choice. I would recommend "The Three Great Churches" (Rials) or "the Gospel According to Rome" (McCarthy). Even though the latter is about Catholicism, many of the issues are the same for Orthodoxy. All that said, this book and its companion (the reader) are very helpful and illuminating for those wanting to understand Orthodoxy from a theologian's perspective. The graphics are very good and it is very well documented.



3. Orthodox Christianity is little known to mainstream Americans, be they Christian or otherwise. It seems an exotic import from Russia, Greece, and the Balkans, and as foreign to American Protestantism or even American Roman Catholicism as Tibetan Buddhism. Moreover, there's a great deal of skepticism and even outright rancor directed at Orthodoxy by many Protestants and Roman Catholics. The former see it as unbiblical (whatever that charge means) and the latter see it as a challenge. Finally, too many Orthodox in this country take such an exclusivistic position when it comes to salvation (only the Orthodox Church is the one true church) that they only encourage wariness or dislike by non-Orthodox. (Each of these positions is reflected, by the way, in earlier amazon.com reviews of this book.)
   
   Daniel Clendenin's _Eastern Orthodox Christianity_ has the great merit of introducing the "fourth major religion" to Americans in a reader-friendly and remarkably accurate (for an outsider) way. Other introductions to Orthodoxy are just as good (e.g., Timothy Ware's _The Orthodox Church_), but they're written by insiders. Clendenin is an evangelical Protestant who spent some years teaching in Moscow and absorbing the doctrines and liturgy of Orthodoxy. He writes with a great deal of sensitivity and sympathy.
   
   Clendenin begins with a short history of the Eastern Orthodox Church and its break with the Western Latin Church. Then he focuses on its doctrine, dealing chapter-by-chapter with its understanding of God, the importance of icons and incarnationism, pneumatology, and theological anthropology. He concludes with a couple of chapters that spell out his reservations about Orthodoxy, and his reasons for remaining a Protestant, in spite of his agreement with many aspects of Orthodoxy. (An earlier reviewer who criticized Clendenin's "uncritical approach" apparently skipped these chapters.)
   
   Clendenin is particularly good in his discussion of apophasis, and his analysis of Orthodoxy's skepticism of rational "worded" theology and its embrace and celebration of mystery. His chapter on anthropology, in which he focuses on theosis--a much neglected Christian fundamental here in the West--is also masterful.
   
   The chapter on icons isn't as well thought-through. A Protestant confused about the significance of icons for Orthodox Christians isn't likely to get a great deal of clarification here. Clendenin also occasionally cites Patristic quotations already cited by secondary authors, rather than going to the original texts themselves, and this is a bit troubling. But it must also be pointed out that one of the remarkably refreshing features of his book is his generous quotations of early Greek Fathers who aren't often studied in the West.
   
   All in all, Clendenin's book is an invaluable resource for outsiders interested in the "fourth major religion" in this country. Highly recommended, particularly when read along the accompanying anthology _Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader_.



4. I am very grateful for Clendenin for assembling his collection of essays by prominent Orthodox theologians and historians, since many are out of print in their original publications. See here for that useful collection: Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader.
   
   However, this book I found to be rather curious and misleading at the end. It is always tricky to critique someone else's religious tradition (although I attempt it all the time), and I am not sure that the author has been completely successful in representing the views of eastern Christianity with accuracy, which then leads to me to wonder which version of Orthodoxy he rejects.
   
   He leaves aside discussions of the saints, Mary and the sacraments (mysteries) as the subject of discussion after one has already examined the nature of tradition, scripture, deification, icons and negative theology (Apophaticism). This makes some sense since they are the distinctive doctrines that most Protestants, especially Evangelicals, have very little exposure to via their Roman Catholic friends (or, more likely, based upon the wild Romaphobic stereotypes adrift in the evangelical subculture). On the whole he is presents a very sympathetic view of Orthodoxy, agreeing that a sense of wonder and mystery should accompany the more analytical, logical theological structure of his own tradition. On the whole I think he is fair.
   
   My only questions would surround the following point. He mentions that the dividing difference between Orthodox and Evangelicals is ecclesiological, but, unless I missed it, he never goes into that point in the previous chapters, leaving me a little lost to the point. If it is so important, why was it overlooked? Perhaps he means that since Orthodox reject the branch theory of Church history (what I would see as "Bride of Frankenstein" ecclesiology, with everyone have a body part of the bride), Orthodox somehow deny the work of God in the lives of non-Orthodox Christians, Catholic or Protestant. But Orthodoxy does not teach that. It surprises me that he would make such a claim, especially since he was the editor of the above-mentioned collection of essays. I would assume he actually read the authors to make the editorial decisions involved. So while Orthodox indeed claim to be the only and true Bride of Christ, it does not follow that the Holy Spirit is limited to the boundaries of that Church. The Spirit blows where it will. Or, as Bishop Kallistos Ware has said, "We are bound by the sacraments. God is not bound by them."
   
   Buy this book, but also take the time to read other works on the subject, including these helpful resources: Common Ground: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity for the American Christian, The Orthodox Way, How Are We Saved?: The Understanding of Salvation in the Orthodox Tradition, Discovering the Rich Heritage of Orthodoxy.
   
   Regarding his statement that the quality of Muslim treatment toward Orthodox is "a matter of some debate" is more than off the wall. Please refer to The Dhimmi: Jews & Christians Under Islam.
   
   My other review often are about ecumenical topics, so they also may be useful.
   
   May all be one.



5. I picked up this book for cheap and had a free weekend so I figured I would give it a read. I think the author does a good job of finding common ground and explaining some of the theology of the Orthodox church. Which in all fairness was his goal . . . But he sticks with the things that we can easily share common ground on and makes it look like the divisions are simply semantics. I thought it convenient that he left out all he other stuff that makes peoples heads spin. I mean when you get to the end of the book you are kinda thinking well why don't we all just hold hands and sing a chorus or two. Thats not even close to the reality of things I am afraid.
   
   So while I wasn't so impressed it was an OK read. His perspective was interesting. And it provides a good book for me to give to my in-laws when trying to explain to them that I really haven't gone off the deep end by joining the Orthodox church "See mom . . we really are just the same . . . .just different decorations . . . " and that I am thankful for. it helps that it is written by a protestant. However if you want real church history and a real overview of the church and her theology I am going to have to concur with everyone else that "The Orthodox Church" by T.K. Ware is far and away a much better source.

1 comments about One People? Tradition, Modernity, and Jewish Unity (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization).

1. In this book, Sacks (the Chief Rabbi of Great Britian] focuses on how Orthodox Jews should relate to Reform Judaism (and to a lesser extent, other liberal Jewish movements; Sacks focuses on Reform because it is the oldest non-Orthodox denomination, and because it differs more sharply from Orthodoxy than does Conservative or Reconstructionist Judaism).

   Sacks sketches out three options: exclusivism (that is, treating non-Orthodox Jews as if they were Christians), pluralism (treating other Jewish movements as equally valid), and what he calls "inclusivism"- treating rival Jewish movements as partially but not completely valid.

   Sacks endorses the latter, middle, course, asserting that pluralism is impractical because Reform (and to a lesser extent, other Jewish denominations) reject the binding character of traditional Jewish law, and thus create unbridgeable gaps between Orthodoxy and its rivals.

   Sacks also explains the differences among Orthodox Jews, focusing on the concept of "aggadic pluralism." Sacks explains that even though Orthodox Jews may abide by the same day-to-day religious law (or halacha) there is no uniform Orthodox position on matters outside halacha - for example, what the stories in Genesis mean, or the theological implications (if any) of the Holocaust. I thought his discussion of this issue was valuable for both non-Orthodox and Orthodox Jews (both of whom occasionally mistake the position of one or two rabbis or intellectuals with the "Orthodox position").

   I think this book is an excellent guide to the differences among Jews, and would recommend it to anyone mystified by 20th-century Judaism.

5 comments about The Great Church in Captivity: A Study of the Patriarchate of Constantinople from the Eve of the Turkish Conquest to the Greek War of Independence (Cambridge Paperback Library).

1. This excellent monograph from the most objective world leader on the subject, is without parallel. A must read for all those interested in the bad but not-that-bad fate of the Orthodox Church under the Ottoman Turks.



2. It is rare to find a work of excellent scholarship that is also very readable. Runciman has once again achieved this result.



3. I'll be honest with you.The only reason I bought this book, was because I'd already read all of Runciman's "real" history books and just wanted to complete my collection.Church history and theology aren't exactly my cup of tea.So, I thought I'd open it, start reading and fall asleep after page....ix.But I was wrong of course.I underestimated Runciman's ability to make even a debate about the role of Epiklesis in Transubstantiation appear interesting.No,really,I'm being serious.This is a well-written and interesting book that provides an answer, from a unique perspective, to the question everyone has after reading the "Fall of Constantinople": "Well,what happened next?"
   We also get a deeper insight on Runciman's own ideas about religion and theology that we only catch a glimpse of, in his most ...ermm, "secular" works.
   This book also piqued my interest on a more personal level as well, being (nominally) Orthodox.For anyone who has read his books, it's not a secret where Runciman' s sympathies lay - and he certainly tries to explain and excuse many "unfortunate" acts and decisions on behalf of the Orthodox Church.But be warned - this isn't a rose-tinted hagiography - the story of the "Great Church" in "captivity" becomes literally nauseating at times, and it doesn't lack in cynicism and petty squabling.It certainly didn't make me want to get rid of that pesky "nominally" in front of my religion....



4. Runciman is probably the ranking master of Eastern Orthodox history, and his insights shed light on all religious traditions of the world. As the Eastern churches passed under many political masters, Runciman traces how they adjusted and survived. Often they were treated as subject communities, under threat of collective punishments for any disobedience from groups or individuals in their midst. For example, under Ottoman rule Greek Orthodox Patriarch Gregory V felt constrained, both by his Turkish rulers and his own religious tradition, to condemn the rising movement for Greek national freedom. In his "Paternal Exhortation" of 1790, Gregory called Greek Christians to remember that God had placed them under the Ottoman Sultan. Therefore their cry for political freedom was "an enticement of the Devil and a murderous poison destined to push the people into disorder and destruction". Later, Patriarch Gregory threatened to excommunicate any local priests who aided or sheltered Greek freedom-fighters. No doubt the patriarch knew his own life depended on giving such orders, and on his church obeying them. The Ottoman rulers had already killed, enslaved, or exiled seven Orthodox patriarchs for failing to control their subordinates. And when Gregory failed to halt the movement for Greek independence, the Ottomans killed him too.
   
   These accounts highlight the injustice of collective punishment as we still see it in the modern world. And the whole book gives tremendously valuable background on the whole cultural life of modern East Europe.
   
   --author of "Different Visions of Love"



5. Wonderful British historian Steven Runciman here renders a most valuable service to the student of history, for he elucidates the fate of Orthodoxy under the Ottoman Empire and the impact that this had on modern history. But perhaps the most significant aspect of Runciman's narrative is that which he merely suggests and does not elaborate on: the role of British imperialism, what another noted British historian, Dame Frances Yates, styles as a "British Israel mystique" on the fate of the Balkans and Asia Minor. For here we see the Orthodox Church under Turkish rule being as much usurped by the money power as by the political authority of the Turks. And behind that money power lurked, of course, the guiding influence of British and International Freemasonry.
   
   Runciman makes several essential points in this very important work. One that particularly struck this reader was the following insightful observation:
   
   "If there was no Reformation in Eastern Christendom, nor even any hertical movement as powerful as that of the Cathars of the medieval West, it was because the Church never lost touch with the people."
   
   We also must note the incredible importance of Runciman's chapter on Constantinople and Moscow. Here we see the great truth that Constantinople under the Turks, and influenced by the Protestant West, gave up her role of leadership of Orthodoxy to Holy Russia. Then, without a doubt, Moscow became the Third Rome, replacing Constantinople, the Second Rome, which had, in turn, replaced old, imperial Rome so many centuries previous. This chapter alone is worth the price of the entire excellent book.

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!

1 comments about The Year of Grace of the Lord: A Scriptural and Liturgical Commentary on the Calendar of the Orthodox Church.

1. The author explains in an almost poetic way, the meaning of the liturgical cycle of the Orthodox Church. Unlike many books which make the attempt, this author succeeds in his task of drawing the reader into the prayers and feasts of the New Testament Church. A book which can be read time and again with fresh insights at each reading.

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 St. Gregory Palamas and Orthodox Spirituality.

1. This short introduction by John Meyendorff surveys the development of Eastern Orthodox spirituality, which culminates in the work of St. Gregory Palamas (14th century). It contains a number of illustrations: icons, photographs (black and white), and manuscript artwork. The basic thesis is that Eastern Othorodox spirituality - what some would call "mysticism" - begins with primitive monasticism and culminates with Palamas in the 14th century (although there are a few slight developments in Russia, such as St. Seraphim of Sarov). The basic practice that culminates with Palamas has come to be known as "Hesychasm", which means "inner stillness" or "inner peace".

   Meyendorff's writing is easy to read and comprehend; it is nice that he pretty much gets to the heart of each thinker he discusses (Evagrius, the pseudo-Macarian homilies, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Maximus the Confessor, and others) rather than discussing superfluous detail (the point of the book, afterall, is the *spirituality* of the Eastern Orthodox church). The bigger picture of doctrines like true prayer and deification/theosis (union with God, a concept largely abandoned in the West) are touched upon along with their developments in the thoughts of the above thinkers. It is a wonderful touch that Meyendorff includes a fair number of quotes from the primary sources.

   The focus of the book is St. Gregory Palamas and Meyendorff offers a good synopsis of his life and times before going into the controversy surrounding Palamas and a monk named Barlaam. In short, Palamas' great victory was teaching that because God has become human, humans can experience God in a living way (this recalls the teachings of St. Athanasius who, oddly enough, is not touched upon in this book). It is interesting to note that although this book is almost 45 years old, Meyendorff touches upon the tolerance of the Turkish Muslims that captured a ship Palamas was on and the dialogue that went on between the Muslims and Hesychasts in the 14th century.

   The book is clearly biased in Palamas' favor, and Meyendorff does seem to have the motive of showing how the traditions of the Eastern Orthodox church have remained faithful to their original heritage, a common claim made by Eastern Orthodox thinkers and writers as a way of distinguishing them from what they perceive to be distortions in the West. (I, for one, am staying out of the debate.) Although Meyendorff's bias isn't too terrible of a thing, the reader should know this going into the book; those that read carefully will probably pick this up pretty quickly.

   The book seriously suffers, however, from the absence of any type of bibliography (which is always nice to have, so that the reader can do some of his or her own research). Although the book is an introduction, topics are often touched upon so lightly that the reader wants more. It's hard to get more without a bibliography! The book also suffers from its print and binding jobs, which are rather poor.

   It would be great if someone would take this book and look up the original sources that Meyendorff used and repackage it without typos and with a better binding. The material itself is great - and for this I recommend the book - but for more serious students it is of limited use.




2. This book is an excellent introduction to St. Gregory Palamas and Hesychasm. It explains to the reader why this Christian belief and practice is so important to us today. Also recommended is The Moutain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides.



3. This volume provides a solid introduction to the Eastern monastic/hermitic (hesychasic) tradition. The first, and best section, covers Evagrius, Macarius, Gregory of Nyssa, Maximus and Symeon the New Theologian. It emphasizes the Jesus Prayer and the fundamental unity of body and soul. This section includes numerous quotations from original source; they are well chosen and develop Meyendorff's thesis.
   
   The second section, which covers Gregory Palamas, presents his theology of energies vs. essence in an easy to understand way. It relates his theology to the theological, political and philosophical issues of his day. However, this expansion of focus beyond the monastic tradition has not had a firm foundation laid. Thus much of this section requires significant outside knowledge to be meaningful.
   
   The third section covers hesychasm after Palamas - in very broad strokes. It emphasizes two developments best known to the West - the Philokalia and the Russian Way of the Pilgrim.
   
   The book provides a solid, readable introduction. However, it has flaws. Trivial production flaws includes typographical errors, lack of a bibliography, extensive illustrations without textual tie-ins ... On the latter, the illustrations do relate to the text but what they are intended to add to the text is unclear.
   
   The book is also written in a defensive tone - brief comments against Islamic (Sufi) influence, Hindu nirvana, and, more extensively, Western humanism add nothing to the history of the Eastern tradition. Nor are they explored sufficiently to serve as a meaningful sidebar. (Also note that "nirvana" is usually associated with Buddhism and "samadhi" with Hinduism.) Unfortunately, this defensiveness, creates for me a lack of trust in the reliability of the author, an author whom I respect highly based on other works.



4. The 14th century Byzantine saint Gregory Palamas isn't well known by western Christians, but he ought to be. He was the most influential critic of the arid and Aristotelian scholasticism that had overtaken the Latin church (under the influence of figures such as Thomas Aquinas) and that was threatening to infiltrate the Greek church (under the influence of Barlaam, a convert to Orthodoxy). In criticizing the new Scholasticism, Palamas reaffirmed the ancient tradition of hesychasm and heart-mysticism characteristic of eastern Christianity--a tradition, sadly, that's utterly foreign to contemporary Protestantism, and under-developed in Roman Catholicism.
   
   Meyendorff provides a pretty good overview of this ancient tradition, Palamas' 14th-century defense of it, and its later expressions, particularly in Russian Orthodoxy. Curiously, given the book's title, the section devoted explicitly to Palamas is both the shortest and the least informative. Over half the book is devoted to the spiritual tradition of hesychasm as practiced and advocated by the early desert hermits, Evagrios Pontikos, Makarios, Symeon, Maximos, and Gregory Nyssa. Although the paucity of information on Palamas is a bit disappointing, this section on his precursors by itself makes the book well worth reading. In addition, the entire text is beautifully illustrated.
   
   In addition to discussing the remembrance of God aimed for by the hesychast tradition's advocacy of silence, ceaseless prayer, and virtue, Meyerdorff also touches on the doctrine of theosis (the tragically-neglected in the west doctrine of deification) as well as the debate between Palamas and Barlaam. This dispute is really important, although at first sight it appears rather esoteric. The debate centered around whether it's ever possible to 'know' God. Barlaam, following Scholastic neo-Aristotelianism, insisted that all knowledge necessarily originates with the senses. Since God is nonmaterial, any putative 'mystical' encounter with God must be subjective. Palamas defended the Orthodox (and, I would add, scriptural) position that although God's essence is unknowable, God's energy is not. The distinction between essence and energy is essential for salvaging the darkness of the Creator on the one hand and the God-revealing Incarnation on the other.
   
   I agree with earlier critics that the book could've been better proofread, that the binding is weak, and that the want of a bibliography is troublesome. But in this day and age of 'google,' bibliographical references can easily be traced, and wonderful translations of all the authors quoted by Meyendorff are available.

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.

5 comments about The Mountain of Silence: A Search for Orthodox Spirituality.

1. Forget these reviews, this book is a fluff-piece. New Age, politically correct, shallow. The writer is a gullible sociologist who has attempted anthropology. Don't waste your time or money, find another book!



2. great book for those interested in orthodox spirituality. for more look for "the way of the pilgrim"



3. I am an Orthodox catechumen and recently had the privledge of hearing the author give a guest lecture in my church after services one Sunday. The Church bookstore was selling copies of this book and right after his slide-show and talk, I grabbed one and could barely put it down from beginning to end and will probably re-read it at some point.
   
   This book is a breath of fresh air and is a real treasure to read about a modern day perspective on elders, spirituality and some good day-to-day advice.
   
   My love for my Faith and Christ has only become stronger with this book and set my feet on the path to reading works by Orthodox elders and Saints.



4. I purchased this book at a time when the spiritual encouragement this book contains had special meaning to me. I have passed it on to a friend who called to say that this book is truly meaningful in the best sense. My thanks to the author and those he writes about for the spiritual lessons. Magnificent



5. Mountain of Silence is a wonderful read. For spiritual seekers of any shade, this book reveals the great depths of the Orthodox tradition, demonstrating that Orthodox Christianity has everything seekers often look for in Far Eastern mystical traditions... and more, in my opinion. It demonstrates to Christians that they need not abandon Christianity altogether, if they deem much of it empty or superficial, but may turn to Orthodoxy for a deep, experiential, practical Christianity. For the merely curious, or the armchair traveler, it tells a good story and takes one to an exotic landscape every bit as interesting and other-worldly as Tibet or India. For the Orthodox Christian, it is packed with wisdom, insights, and in a way that is approachable - not dry and academic - clarifies much about various aspects of the Orthodox spiritual life. For the Orthodox Christian, this book will become, after its first read, more a much-visited reference book than a mere story.
   
   I hope to share this book with people who think that practical, mystical and transpersonal spirituality belongs only to the Orient, or to those who think that Christianity has been emptied of mystery, transformative ascetic practice, and intelligence. This book makes Orthodoxy accessible to non-Orthodox people because of its engaging, narrative style. I hope to share it with many people.

1 comments about Rise up with a Listening Heart: Reflecting and Meditating with the Monks of New Skete.

1. The photos accompanying each reflection are beautiful. The reflections themselves are short and meaningful. Each provides wonderful material for a period of silence and thoughtfulness. I find that spending time reflecting on a single passage before starting my day is an incredible way to stay more awake and conscious throughout the day.