Counsels on the Spiritual Life


Book Description

The spiritual counsels of Mark, a fifth century monk in Asia Minor, are equally rich in theological insight and historical interest. His writings were deeply valued by Byzantine ascetics, were circulated during the Reformation, and were read by Lutheran divines and Roman theologians. The general level of interest in his works during the first half of the second millennium is eloquently reported in a fourteenth century manuscript, as a slogan often repeated by monastics and ascetics: ⿿Sell everything and buy Mark.⿿ His words on taking responsibility for one another out of love, his practical advice on the need for repentance, and his strident emphasis on the kind of unity evident in Christ directly relate to modern Christians and may provide a useful point of departure for ecumenical dialogue.




Living Without Hypocrisy


Book Description

Now in its second printing, this modest work is an anthology of spiritual advice given by various of the nineteenth-century teachers of Optina Monastery in central Russia, organized thematically under headings such as spiritual warfare, the love of neighbor, faith, the will of God, the education of children, the commandments of God, the path of salvation, etc. Each piece of advice varies in length from a single sentence to a full paragraph. Pithy, immediately accessible, and universally applicable, these counsels resemble the sayings of the ancient Desert Fathers. Appropriate both for prolonged study and for daily devotional reading.




Counsels from the Holy Mountain


Book Description

This treasury of personal counsels and homilies given by Elder Ephraim clearly delineates the Patristic path to sanctification. In "Counsels from the Holy Mountain" he gives advise on every aspect of the spiritual struggle with insight acquired from his experience as a monk for more than fifty years and as the spiritual father of thousands of clergy, monastics, and laymen.




The Arena


Book Description

One of the most important and accessible texts of Eastern Orthodox Christian teaching on the spiritual life, this book draws upon the ascetic and mystical doctrine of the Greek Fathers and greats of the Orthodox Christian church. In an age alienated from spiritual culture and rooted in materialism, these teachings pose both a challenge and an invitation to those seeking heightened spirituality. This book is essential reading for anyone who desires a profound spiritual journey based upon an encounter with Christ as God.




The Busy Family's Guide to Spirituality


Book Description

Drawing on timeless principles of monastic communal living, this spiritual guide for families offers effective tools to meet many challenges and counteract the divisive forces that can splinter a healthy home. Cultivating a sense of togetherness and nurturing the spiritual development of both the family and its individual members is a challenge that many find difficult to meet. Though hectic schedules and competing interests chip away at the sense of community and the support systems that family members need to thrive, each chapter of this book includes a practical lesson from the rule of St. Benedict and the Benedictine traditions which have been cornerstones of Western Christian monastic life for millennia. Spiritual practice, making time, discipline, sharing, hospitality, and changing family dynamics are some of the topics addressed in this wise and wide-ranging handbook, while exercises, checklists, and ideas for family activities are included at the end of every chapter. The gentle, reassuring tone offers encouragement to both traditional and nontraditional families, and reinforces the importance of parenting as a spiritual calling.




Christianity


Book Description

This is a short, accessible analysis of Christianity that focuses on its social and cultural diversity as well as its historical dimensions.




The Spiritual Meadow


Book Description

'I have plucked the finest flowers of the unmown meadow and worked them into a row which I now offer to you', wrote John Moschos as he began his tales of the holy men of seventh-century Palestine and Egypt. This translation offers readers contemporary insights into the spirituality of the desert.







Ages of the Spiritual Life


Book Description

We are surrounded today by many spiritualities - Native American, Buddhist, Sufi, from the Kabbalah, to name a few. But how does one discern the truth in them? Paul Evdokimov's spirituality is open to God, the world and to the neighbour. It is the spirituality of the Church and is rooted in the Bible and liturgy, but entwined with everyday life, a spirituality that is truly for the life of the world.