Philokalia: The Eastern Christian Spiritual Texts—Selections Annotated & Explained
Overview
Philokalia, or “the love of the beautiful,” is a collection of writings by monks from the fourth century to the fifteenth century—emphasizing mystical and contemplative practices that engage all of our senses in the acts of worship and prayer.
This introduction to the wisdom of the Philokalia illuminates a text that until now has intimidated the general reader in its scholarly translations from Greek and Russian. Allyne Smith focuses his thoughtful selection on seven themes that recur throughout the five-volume work: repentance, the heart, prayer, the Jesus Prayer, the passions, stillness, and theosis. Smith’s enlightening, accessible facing-page commentary fills in the historical and spiritual context, clarifies core teachings (including the Eastern Orthodox understanding of salvation) and draws connections to modern-day practices such as contemplative prayer.
Key Features
- Presents a classic view of Orthodox spirituality
- Provides commentary designed for those with little or no prior knowledge of the texts or tradition
- Features a modern, annotated translation to aid in understanding
Contents
- Repentance
- The Heart
- Prayer
- The Jesus Prayer
- The Passions
- Stillness
- In the End: Theosis
Top Highlights
“The Philokalia, more than any other text, reflects the Eastern Church’s interpretation of the Bible’s meaning.” (Page vii)
“Gregory Palamas (1296–1359), a monk of Athos and later archbishop of Thessaloniki, became the spokesman for the Holy Mountain. In his defense of their position, he reiterated the Eastern Christian distinction between the essence and energies of God. We cannot experience the essence of God, but we can experience God’s energies, that is, God’s actions in the world. These energies—including the Taboric light—are divine and uncreated. Thus we can experience God in God’s energies, and not simply something created outside of God.” (Page ix)
|
“We will not be punished or condemned in the age to be because we have sinned, since we were given a mutable and unstable nature. But we will be punished if, after sinning, we did not repent and turn from our evil ways to the Lord; for we have been given the power to repent, as well as the time in which to do so. Only through repentance shall we receive God’s mercy, and not its opposite, his passionate anger. Not that God is angry with us: he is angry with evil. Indeed, the Divine is beyond passion and vengefulness, though we speak of it as reflecting, like a mirror, our actions and dispositions, giving to each of us whatever we deserve.” (Pages 8–9) |
|
“While the prayers of the Orthodox Christian do not exhibit a morbid preoccupation with sin, they are characterized by repentance. This is not to be understood primarily as emotional regret for sin but rather as the person’s ‘change of mind.’” (Pages 4–5) |
Praise for the Print Edition
Filled with centuries of wisdom. . . . Wonderfully explains and simplifies this difficult [text].
—Religious Book Club
An invaluable treasury of wisdom. . . . Offers a simple guide to the way (through one’s heart) and means (through prayer) of arriving from the spiritual starting-point (of repentance in the heart) to the wonderful destination (of stillness and salvation) found in the love of divine beauty.
—John Chryssavgis, author, Light through Darkness: The Orthodox Tradition
[An] authoritative resource . . . . Will go far toward making one of the great treasures of Eastern Christian spirituality accessible to followers of Christ in the West.
—Frederica Mathewes-Green, author, Facing East
- Title: Philokalia: The Eastern Christian Spiritual Texts: Selections Annotated & Explained
- Author: Allyne Smith
- Series: SkyLight Illuminations Series
- Publisher: SkyLight Paths
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Pages: 240
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Philokalia; Spiritual life › Orthodox Eastern Church--Early works to 1800; Orthodox Eastern Church › Doctrines
- ISBNs: 9781594731037, 1594731039
- Resource ID: LLS:PHLKLSTRNSPTXTS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:37:08Z