The Jesus Prayer
The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God
by Frederica Mathewes-Green
Paperback
Price: £12.95
Publisher:DLT (Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd)
Published:26 March 2010
ISBN:978-0-232-52784-1
GoodBookStall Review:
There is a growing interest in the Orthodox Church amongst many in the west. In part this is fuelled by figures such as Kallistos Ware and Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh who have done much to communicate Orthodoxy in the British context. The growth of Orthodoxy in the USA is another influence, and the proliferation of American websites and podcasts has only served to fuel this interest.
This growing awareness has, however, brought with it dangers. Such is the selective approach to spirituality in recent years there has been a tendency to pick certain aspects of Orthodox practice without also absorbing the theological principles behind them. This can be less than helpful and is something which brings with it warnings from those well versed in Orthodoxy.
Frederica Mathewes-Green acknowledges such a danger in her book, but is also keen to widen the exposure of The Jesus Prayer which lies at the heart of so much Orthodox spirituality. As the wife of an Orthodox priest she is well aware of the practical difficulties and confusions which are encountered by so many and this book contains a brief introduction to the prayer itself before an extended question and answer section which addresses common issues.
The book is an easy read, informative and helpful. It is a welcome introduction to the subject and helps demystify a subject which can often look overly mystical to the Western mind. Whilst it does not set out to be an introduction to Orthodox thought, the book does also give an insight to this particular tradition as it is experienced by one who practices it. In this way, it is a useful complement to those books which introduce Orthodox history or doctrine.
Reviewer: Chris Moore (22/05/10)
There is a growing interest in the Orthodox Church amongst many in the west. In part this is fuelled by figures such as Kallistos Ware and Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh who have done much to communicate Orthodoxy in the British context. The growth of Orthodoxy in the USA is another influence, and the proliferation of American websites and podcasts has only served to fuel this interest.
This growing awareness has, however, brought with it dangers. Such is the selective approach to spirituality in recent years there has been a tendency to pick certain aspects of Orthodox practice without also absorbing the theological principles behind them. This can be less than helpful and is something which brings with it warnings from those well versed in Orthodoxy.
Frederica Mathewes-Green acknowledges such a danger in her book, but is also keen to widen the exposure of The Jesus Prayer which lies at the heart of so much Orthodox spirituality. As the wife of an Orthodox priest she is well aware of the practical difficulties and confusions which are encountered by so many and this book contains a brief introduction to the prayer itself before an extended question and answer section which addresses common issues.
The book is an easy read, informative and helpful. It is a welcome introduction to the subject and helps demystify a subject which can often look overly mystical to the Western mind. Whilst it does not set out to be an introduction to Orthodox thought, the book does also give an insight to this particular tradition as it is experienced by one who practices it. In this way, it is a useful complement to those books which introduce Orthodox history or doctrine.
Reviewer: Chris Moore (22/05/10)
