Prayer: The Spirituality Of The Christian East Vol.2

The author, Mr. Spidlik, deserves admiration and praise for his great knowledge and for his most apparent devotion to bring the depth of Christian tradition to modern readers. Who could not profit from a contemplative reading of this author? Most will undoubtedly discover fresh perspectives and approaches to a prayerful life. The devoted Christian can not live without prayer. The reading of this volume is an apprenticeship in holy methods of the ages. Drinking From The Hidden Fountain: A Patristic Breviary is also by Tomas Spidlik and highly recommended.

"Prayer is a state of the intellect (noia), actualized only through the light of the Holy Trinity by means of ecstasy." Evagrius PonticusAs soon as I identified the authors name, to whom I read one book, I picked up the book which upon examination proved to be a compendium on prayer, the core of Eastern Christian spirituality. In his second volume on Eastern Christian spirituality, he explores in depth the final two chapters of his earlier book; 'The Spirituality of the Christian East: A Systematic Handbook.'Fr. Špidlík follows John Cassian's methodology, in writing his Conferences, while he surveys in a systematic western style themes of eastern orthodoxy, tracing their history, with prayer as its exclusive theme. He shares and exposes the teachings of many generations of eastern monastics through their spiritual writings, but he does not advocate a particular pattern of prayer.In nine chapters and a conclusive summary, in which he underlines theological and liturgical issues, and methods of prayer, stressing the unceasing instruction. He stresses contemplation pre-eminence, and how God's rememberance was in the thought of Basil, concluding with John of Kronstadt that, 'Prayer is therefore the life of the Spirit.'Fr. Tomás Špidlík is one of the best experts on the spirituality of Eastern Christianity today, and has been a professor of patristic and eastern spiritual theology at various universities across the Atlantic. Lately, he was elevated cardinal by Pope John Paul II. Words For Our Time The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor