By Kallistos Ware
Buy new: $12.60
35 used and new from $5.95
Customer Rating:
Customer tags: orthodox christianity(20), orthodoxy(18), eastern orthodoxy(13), christianity(11), kallistos ware(9), orthodox(8), theology(7), spirituality(5), catechism(2), orthodox spirituality(2), ancient church, christian
Read more: catechism: Frequently tagged products at Amazon.com
|
81 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
A modern spiritiual classic to be read more than once!,
I first read an earlier edition of "The Orthodox Way" many years ago as an Evangelical Christian, shortly after I began looking into the Orthodox Church. At that time it communicated to me that something profoundly spiritual was going on in this church of "smells and bells," robes and formal liturgical worship. It introduced me to the mystery of God, and made me realize that it was important to spend less energy talking about and trying to understand God, and to spend more time getting to know him in prayer. This is where I first encountered the idea that theology in the strict sense of the word is "the contemplation of God himself." It was this book that explained the importance of the Trinity, not only as part of the Nicene Creed, but that God has been Trinity since before the book of Genesis, and a proper understanding of him will drive how we commune with him. My first reading introduced me to new terms and concepts: apophatic approach (saying what God is not rather than what he is), apatheia (dispassion), passion (any disordered appetite or longing that takes possession of the soul), nous (spiritual intellect), nepsis (watchfulness, sobriety and wakefulness), theosis (deified, or "christified," or "made sharers of the divine nature" [2 Peter 1:4]), and the difference between the "essence" and "energies" of God. Now, seven years after I began "checking out" the Orthodox Church, and four years after coming home to Orthodoxy, I found myself rereading this volume (revised edition) and discovering how much went right over my head. This time I paid closer attention to the many quotes from liturgical texts, Church Fathers, saints, mystics, monks, historians and theologians. It made me appreciate how much Bishop Kallistos is writing from a rich tradition, that has become my tradition, and how that this Orthodox way, is The Spiritual Way. For fear that this last statement may sound sectarian, it should be noted that this volume has been endorsed by a number leaders and authors outside of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. God wants all to come to know him, and this volume can introduce the reader to a Way that is well mapped out, but sadly, not often traveled. May God grant me the ability follow this way more closely. On a closing note, at the time I write this review, Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" is in the theaters, and causing many to discuss the significance of Jesus' death on the cross. "The Orthodox Way" has perhaps the best brief summary of what Jesus accomplished by his passion and death on the cross, not to mention his birth, life, teachings and resurrection, which are all part of the story.  Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?
  |
|
42 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
the best book on Orthodoxy for most people,
Let me describe some other similar books, to help you find what you're looking for. Ware's book "The Orthodox Church" introduces Orthodoxy to a Western audience, briefly covering history and some of the more common misunderstandings Westerners have. Though a little dry, it's most people's first book on Orthodoxy. Another very good book by the same author is "The Inner Kingdom," a collection of essays on various topics. In it, he doesn't cover the fundamentals of Orthodoxy, but he addresses many issues (such as environmentalism, death, confession and so on) in greater depth. And perhaps the best book on Orthodox theology is Olivier Clement's "Roots of Christian Mysticism," which makes the heart and depth of ancient Christian tradition accessible to modern readers. Hopefully one of these books is what you're looking for! (p.s. In case you are wondering, I am not Orthodox.) Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
A modern day classic of Christian theology and philosophy.,
It reminds me of "Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis in which he tells the story of how he went from a vehement opponent of religion in general, especially Christianity, to an Anglican Christian through philosophy. Not that Ware tells the story of his conversion, but that both of them use are utmost in their philosophy which flows so naturally and purely that it couldn't just be from humans. One of the main reasons (aside from historical reasons) I converted to Christianity instead of Islam, Hinduism, Deism, etc, (the list goes on at the religions I considered, researched, etc. some more than others though) is because the first was so much more philosophical, contemplative, logical, and filled with love, while retaining the utter unattainable, unknowable, and unfathomable greatness of God. It was as if everthing just clicked together, the entire essense and meaning of the Gospels permeated and elimenated the 'contradictions' that are seen when they are viewed in a shallow, ultra legalistic and literal sense. I realized they were written to expound a meaning and essense of love, not to be a code of laws like the Qur'an is for Muslims, or the Constitution is for hicks; to be viewed in a legalistic, shallow way, taken at face value, and not having a meaning past the words on the page. All I can do is to recommend this book, if it were within my abilities I would give a copy to every person I meet and bid them read it again and again and again Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you?
|
