Hesychia and Theology: The Context for Man's Healing in the Orthodox Church by Hierotheos Vlachos - December 2007

Orthodox Book Centre, December 2007. Paper Back. New. Joining the constellation of other works available in English, this latest stellar offering from Metropolitan Hierotheos continues and expands his successful effort to communicate the Patristic mind to twentieth-century man. This is not a mere book, but rather a guided tour of Orthodox spiritual life. It is, in fact, difficult to describe without the use of metaphor: a house of large windows, high ceilings and beautiful rooms? An ordered garden of sheltered paths under flowering trees? Call it a book to wander around in, to ruminate on, to read aloud, to employ, to discuss. Defining hesychia as stillness of heart before God and true theology as the knowledge that only comes through this stillness, the Metropolitan writes: 'We live in an age of constant activity, gratification of the senses, uncontrolled imagination and speculations that wear people out. They are searching for inner stillness but also for theology - knowledge of God - to give their lives meaning.' Chapters are devoted to individual saints' teachings and to great themes spanning many times and cultures. Of note are his lengthy references to Mark the Ascetic (c. 400) and Elder Sophrony of Essex (d.1993), and his comparing/contrasting of Orthodox and Scholastic philosophy. The author concludes his introduction to the book with this request: 'I ask for my readers' prayers and I pray that the spirit of hesychia and theology may permeate our lives, so that we may acquire communion with God and our fellow human beings.' 452 pp.