Book Review of The Path of Prayer: Four Sermons on Prayer by St. Theophan the Recluse :: Saint Theophan the Recluse Literature Essays

Book Review of The Path of appealingness Four Sermons on Prayer by St. Theophan the RecluseIt is often say that there are no more heroes in todays macrocosm or raze that this is an age of the anti-hero. Yet anyone who is blessed with the opportunity to catch children for any length of time will see that regard for those who represent certain ideals (heroes) is a spontaneous element in basic merciful psychology. The reported lack of heroes and the cult of the anti-hero are the fruit of a disenchant Aadult mentality which has been lied to on this as well as new(prenominal) subjects and hence robbed of the natural inclination of a normal human cosmos (a child) who is as yet untainted by the cynicism and Asophistication of a deeply affect society. The more often the lie is repeated the more firmly it is held to be true. But, heroes do still exist -- it is rather that a society which value valuelessness no longer has eyes to see them and has lost the ability to bring in them. F or those who have eyes to see, one such hero is the author of the retain nether review here.St. Theophan of Vysha (+1894), better known as Theophan the Recluse, is one of the gigantic 19th century Russian luminaries of the Jewish-Orthodox Church whose pass reaches even unto us in the present, heterodox West. Being virtually our contemporary, he was up to now steeped in the ancient tradition of the Fathers. Having faced in his deportment existential and intellectual conditions very similar to our own, he is a bridge to regular(a) spiritual life in delivery boy, making the wisdom of the Christian Tradition easily accessible to us. This should non be particularly surprising, for as Christ himself tells us, a light is kindled not to be hidden under a basket but to be held aloft to shed light for all. One must stubbornly persist in blindness not to behold this Light Who has been providentially kindled in St. Theophan for our sake in these latter days. Like so many of the more recent saints of the Orthodox Church, very few of his writings are easy in English. What is available is quickly gobbled up by seekers thirsting after a word of life from the Living Spring of Christs Gospel. Unseen Warfare, his reworking of Lawrence Scupolis Spiritual Combat (from the indication already adapted by St.