Skip to the content
Icon of Christ
› ›

Advice on the proper atmosphere for prayer, please

2»

Comments

  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    Read the book slowly. A short chapter at a time and make sure you learn the lessons.
  • TITLTITL
    This looks like the kind of book I'd read with a dictionary next to me to look up every other word, then get frustrated and sign on tasbeha.org to tell everyone how horrible of a book it was.

    We'll see.
  • TITLTITL
    Wait! We're talking about me again in someone else' thread! It's most definitely not my fault this time.

    FATHER PETER! STOP SHIFTING THE THREAD TO TITL!

    Regards

    TITL

    (man, that felt good. It's not everyday I can use caps lock on a priest and not get in trouble. I hope)
  • dzheremi
    Hahaha. You guys are silly. Every thread is everyone's thread.

    Fr. Peter, how much (if any) stock would you put in the points made in the negative reviews of the book on Amazon? That it has several unorthodox ideas, including a (Roman) Catholic conception of man's nature not in keeping with Orthodox doctrine? I assume that you wouldn't recommend a book that is not beneficial for Orthodox Christians, but the fact that it is a Roman text from quite a bit after the Great Schism does honestly make me a bit leery, coming from a Roman background as I do. Are there other explanations of any contentious points in it that I should be aware of while reading it?
  • TITLTITL
    [quote author=dzheremi link=topic=10907.msg132412#msg132412 date=1299610410]
    Hahaha. You guys are silly. Every thread is everyone's thread.


    Tell that to Thoxsasi. He's not as sharing as you are.
  • dzheremi
    No, thank you. I am not in any position to tell anyone anything.
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    I don't think it can be considered a Roman Catholic text. The original basis was written by a Catholica great many centuries ago but it was then edited by St Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, and then in more recent times by St Theophan the Recluse. So I am very confident that they would not have allowed any non-Orthodox ideas to remain.

    I tend to be very and even over sensitive to theological points when I read a book and I don't believe that this book has ever raised my hackles in any way. It is, in any case, about practical spirituality and not systematic theology. I would not say that it reflected Catholic spirituality (as distinct from the universal Orthodox-Catholic tradition) in any way at all.

    God bless

    Father Peter
  • dzheremi
    Thank you, Father. I will not hesitate to find a copy and read it eagerly now.
  • anba bolaanba bola
    Having read the book, I'll have to say that it is very good. I borrowed it from someone at Church and so I had to rush through it, and so I did not benefit as much as I could have. Only now do I completely appreciate the benefit of the book.

    I definitely agree with Fr. Peter that you have to read it a Chapter at a time. If you just rush through it you'll still benefit, but not as much.
Sign In or Register to comment.