Religion and Spirituality Books

This is one of my top 5 favorite books by a contemporary author. I'm tempted to call it my favorite, full stop. Reading this book is tantamount to doing yourself a favor. Enjoy.

Living Prayer is a very fitting title for this book. I enjoyed reading it very much; usually at bedtime before going to sleep. These are well told stories of a life lived with prayer at the center. Each chapter leads you around for a little while you may wonder what this story has to do with prayer. Then you suddenly see the connection. A very satisfying experience, touched with humor, humbleness, grace, hope and wonder.

This is Benson's finest offering. The writing is great; the thematic arrangement is outstanding. I read this book as I was beginning to discover the contemplative lifestyle, and this book helped me to understand the rhythms of prayer and of the church year. This is not a how-to manual: the chapters are descriptive of Benson's experience and of what he has learned in the art of prayer. Therein lies the power of the book: Because Benson does not tell us what to do, he has left us the freedom to join in the "Dance" in whatever way we can. He runs the gamut in prayer experience. From simple prayer, to journaling, to praying the hours, to keeping a journal, there is something in here for everyone who is on a spiritual journey to/with the Christian God, regardless of what stage they are at. This book and Benson's first, _Between the Dreaming and the Coming True_, are the ONLY books on the spiritual life that I recommend to people. They are that good! You cannot go wrong with this book.

This little book is beautifully written, making you feel that you are with Benson, either in conversation or actually in his head. As he brings you through aspects of his spiritual search, you are also given seven or more ways to spiritually connect with God. I rarely keep books once I have read them, but this one will always remain on my shelf if not in my hand.

This is Benson's finest offering. The writing is great; the thematic arrangement is outstanding. I read this book as I was beginning to discover the contemplative lifestyle, and this book helped me to understand the rhythms of prayer and of the church year. This is not a how-to manual: the chapters are descriptive of Benson's experience and of what he has learned in the art of prayer. Therein lies the power of the book: Because Benson does not tell us what to do, he has left us the freedom to join in the "Dance" in whatever way we can. He runs the gamut in prayer experience. From simple prayer, to journaling, to praying the hours, to keeping a journal, there is something in here for everyone who is on a spiritual journey to/with the Christian God, regardless of what stage they are at. This book and Benson's first, _Between the Dreaming and the Coming True_, are the ONLY books on the spiritual life that I recommend to people. They are that good! You cannot go wrong with this book.

I was very pleases with the online ordering experience. I really enjoyed teh book it was easy reading and the information has prove to be helpful to me in my own spiritual journey. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone desiring to reach a deeper level in their relationship with God.

This is a great Bible study if you truly want to change your attitude. James MacDonald has an easy to read and understand style that gets the most out of the Word of God. He covers 10 attitudes putting off each of five negetive attitudes and replacing them with 5 positive attitudes using the Isrealites in Numbers as examples. This is the second time I have done this study and I really needed the review. This is a book you will want to read and review every year or so.

the author, James Mcdonald, has a way of being "real". We are a society of legalistic, religious people, missing God's true points. I think James hit a HomeRun with this one

A 2007 summer reading list mini review.

James MacDonald has written a relevant book about approaching life with the proper attitudes. The steps are clear as they are obtainable. It is written with a pastor's heart but also from the perspective of just an ordinary believer trying to follow God wholeheartedly no matter what.

Macdonald's candor about his own struggles helps the reader to deal honestly with their own. This is an excellent first book for those not famliliar with the concepts of "taking off and putting on." The book examines individual unbiblical attitudes such as complaining and rebellion and shows how to replace those with biblical attitudes.

what a great book! Sometimes life doesn't seem to be going anywhere and you feel stuck in a rut, unable to move forward...have you tried it all?? Check your attitude. What a wake up call to practical attitude adjustments that can really change the way you look at life and your circumstances. Sometimes instead of looking "out" a good look "inside" is the answer, and I think anyone could use that from time to time. It's not easy, but this book really helps guide you through it. I recommend it highly.

Reading this book is like sharing a bottle of wine with a remarkably intelligent, knowledgeable and witty friend. It is at times intoxicatingly funny and at other times deeply understanding of the darker mysteries of life. Written in the spirit of G.K. Chesterton, the essays originate with the personal and temporal and take off from there into the realms of the universal and eternal. In this flight they enlighten and inspire. I love, love, loved this book!

Charles Taliaferro has given to anyone who is lucky enough to pick up this book the gift of a friend. Like a friend, Love, Love, Love will make you laugh in the light-hearted, life-affirming way and subsequently brighten your day. Like a friend, Love, Love, Love believes in the possibility of good intentions, and will strengthen you by that belief.

The book is generous of emotion without sentimentality, and earnestly funny without being in the least bit campy. Charles manages self-effacing comedy while retaining self-esteem. He provides a beautiful example of the delicate but necessary combination of humility and confidence.

The book touches on the epic - like Charles' father's death, compared to Waterloo - and the trivial - a botched class, daily embarrassments - and understands the proportion appropriate to each.

If you stop in your day and take just a few minutes to read one of these essays, you'll return to your world with a better sense of perspective, and probably also a smile - as from a visit with a friend.

The author presents a striking range of experiences, thoughts, observations and profound insights into the human condition. The book never fails to elicit a sense of a personal involvement in our shared humanity through both the simple and complex relationships in which we engage each day. Students of Taliaferro are fortunate to have as a mentor and friend one who can tap into the depths of philosophical wisdom at the same time as grasping the familiar.
The book will resonate with all who venture into its always varied and entertaining essays.

Charles Taliaferro opens up the remote and difficult world of philosophy in his collection of essays, 'Love, Love, Love.' Proving that the task of philosophic discourse need not be titanic, nor a task at all, the good Professor makes accessible his personal brand of everyday aesthetics, metaphysics, and ontology.

I recommend this book for his fellow university professors as well as beginning students of the discipline, noting that each would benefit from a frank examination of the applicability of philosophy and a respite from the flamboyant rhetoric of other modern texts that, unlike Taliaferro's work, can be nearly indecipherable.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views 6/06

"Love, Love, Love and Other Essays" by Charles Taliaferro, is a collection of his thoughts on love, life and death. Mr. Taliaferro is a professor of Philosophy. The forty-three essays are written from events in his life.

His essay titled, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was written after a large splinter caused an infection in his arm. "A nurse said, "Your hand looks very angry today." "I don't like thinking of my hand as having an independent emotional life." The compassion of the nurses and his friends impressed him. "The basic act of touching was overwhelming."

"It's Waterloo, Baby!", is a reflection on his father's battle with a stroke in "At this point at my parents' home, there is a strange blend of distress, resignation, and family love." I found this stirring. I have faced the same emotions with a loved one. You know that death is inevitable for we are each growing older, however; you are still distressed because you do not want to give up the one you love. "At present, feelings of vibrancy, joy, and peace are difficult for my family. We pray for my father to have as much joy and serenity as possible under the circumstances, and as much faith as possible in a joy that is, in Dorothy Sayers' words, deeper and more powerful than the grave." As my loved one slowly slips away from me in mind if not in body, I reflect on a future without her but know that she has already slipped away in reality.

We all have deep reflections on love, life and death but we do not all share them with the world. That can be a good thing. It is obvious that Mr. Taliaferro is very intelligent. You cannot help but reflect on his thoughts long after reading his essays. However, I did find it difficult to stay focused on some of the essays.

This really is the story of a journey, told in a way that makes it a gripping story, much like a novel. Harrison Hoblitzelle, known as Hob, is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease as we begin. His wife tells the tale, but shares a great deal in his words of what he was experiencing. Both are teachers and practitioners of Buddhist philosophy and meditation, as well as fans of great literature. The book is laced with famous quotations, guided meditations and visits to spiritual leaders for help dealing with what is happening. Hob hangs on as well as he can, but the disease erodes his memory and his ability to speak. Often he considers suicide to avoid the late stages. Olivia shares her own struggles to live in the moment and to give Hob all the help he needs without losing herself. Hob does die in the end. The reader knows that from the beginning. The question is how it will happen. This is a beautiful book, very comforting to those living with the disease, and loaded with helpful exercises and resources.

Better late than never! I would have been so very, very grateful if I had read this book before I lost my best friend, my son, and my husband, who suffered from Parkinson's Disease for 35 years. Olivia, a childhood friend of mine, artfully and sensitively carries her readers through the difficult journey of illness and death from the perspective of the patient as well as the caregiver. She gives her readers the courage and insight to go where most of us fear to tread. I have shared this book with others, all of whom are as grateful as I am. Thank you, Olivia.

As someone who is currently traversing the dark and difficult territory of a loved one's struggle with Alzheimer's, I can't say enough about this brave, honest, and illuminating book. Without ever being sentimental, it offers a very profound form of consolation, encouraging us simultaneously to bring as much clarity as we can to the process of the mind's disintegration/while remembering that what we most truly are is something that transcends the organic gray matter of the brain. After receiving a copy of the book myself, I ordered copies for two friends whose husbands are facing early-onset Alzheimers. And I also made reference to it in an upcoming article ("Awake and Demented") for Tricycle Magazine.
I am profoundly grateful to Olivia H.--not to speak of her late husband Hob--for this beautiful and inspiring book.
Noelle Oxenhandler

Alzheimers - a dreaded, overwhelming diagnosis for any one, any family, to have to face. In her beautifully written book, Olivia Hoblitzelle reaches out a hand of support to all those dealing with mental loss. We are given insight into what a person with dementia experiences through the actual words and reflections of Olivia's husband. In the midst of the sadness, fear, and loss, we are reminded of the opportunities for connection, reconnection and humor. Even if meditation is not your chosen path, this book contains helpful and inspiring suggestions for transforming the constant demands of caretaking into a 'practice' of loving kindness and compassion - for your loved one and, equally importantly, for yourself as caregiver. Beyond being a useful resource, this book is a deeply moving love story that is compelling to read.

I found this book to be beautifully and sensitively written. The author's long experience and
loving attention to her subject is moving and forceful. I treasure this book, have read it twice
and will doubtless refer to it often.

I meet Nzingha at McDonald's a year ago and out the clear I ask her to sat and eat with my grandson and I and she did, we talked for hour's. So I read her books Mastering Abundance and Saving Souls it help me on journey that I was on learning, and living for me. I highly, recommend everyone to read these books, you will not put it down till you get to the end. I love them. they are a 5 star ++++, i cant wate til the Third book come out.

Have you ever felt like your present life was nothing like you'd dreamed it would be? Well, in MASTERING ABUNDANCE, psychic Nzingha Moses suggests that much of our disappointment about life can be attributed to our own fear and limited thinking. She also talks at great length about how karma plays a role in our life. In addition to providing case examples, the author incorporates her own experiences and journey to a deeper level of spirituality.

This is a book that will inspire self-reflection. For clarification, this isn't a book about Christianity; it focuses more on spirituality. Moses does a good job demonstrating the connection between our behavior today and the past hurts we have experienced. The book also inspires readers not to settle for second best, but rather to think big and set high expectations. The discussion about the problems many encounter in relationships was also quite interesting. Her suggestion to love yourself foremost and then look for a significant other is a pearl of wisdom that isn't new, but definitely bears repeating.

The real-life examples used in the book were an excellent addition and provided context for some of the points outlined in the book. However, some of the points were supported by rather circular reasoning and the book got a little preachy at times. Where the book falters for me most is in the "how-to" aspect, where it seemed as if the author oversimplified things. If you have been crippled by fear for most of your life because of some early childhood experience, it seems a little elementary to just say "change your thinking" and expect for change to occur. If you are ready for a change then MASTERING ABUNDANCE may provide just the inspiration. (RAW Rating: 3.5)

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Genre: Self Help/Inspirational
Title: Mastering Abundance
Author: Nzingha Moses
"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. Pastor and author, Chuck Swindoll
The epitome of the above quote, Mastering Abundance, A Spiritual Approach to Getting anything you Want by Having God Serve You, is a tiny book with a big message.
Page by page you will begin to see that everything you have ever wanted is within your grasp; all the imagined obstacles have been placed there by your own psyche. You can break out of the "poverty consciousness" that is keeping you back and begin to manifest all that your heart desires.
Positive and Negative energies are discussed in detail. The author explains to the reader how they receive what they send out into the world- Negative begets negative and positive attracts positive. It is all up to you!
The remarkable thing is that we as human beings have a choice to make everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace. The past cannot be changed nor can we change the people that surround us, however we can change how we react to each situation as it presents itself. By looking at the world with a positive attitude, we will begin to see positive reflections back on ourselves. People react differently to someone who is positive and upbeat. Situations can be dealt with more easily if we view them in a positive manner. Take the lessons from the circumstances and make the best of them.
Author, Nzingha Moses is an ordained minister, Pastor and Founder of The Spiritual House of Unconditional Love. She is also a motivational speaker who inspires everyone she touches.
Attitude is more important than appearance, skill or giftedness. It will make or break a relationship ... a home...a lifetime. Pick up a copy today and start your path to a new, more productive and enriched life.
Books may be purchased directly from the publisher and available on: www.amazon.com

Title: Mastering Abundance
Author: Nzingha Moses
Publisher: Angelic Ones
ISBN: 0-9759350-0-3
Price: $12.95 Pages: 175

Written by motivational speaker Nzingha Moses, the ordained minister, pastor and founder of The Spiritual House of Unconditional Love, Mastering Abundance: A Spiritual Approach To Getting Anything You Want By Having God Serve You is a profoundly spiritual self-help guide to focusing all of one's talent and entering a receptive state to permit the workings of both oneself and the Universe to fulfill one's desires. Mastering Abundance is not about fulfilling greed, or a magic formula to instantly grant wishes; it is a thoughtful examination of the psychological and spiritual limitations people impose on themselves every day - from defeatism to envy and worse - and how to remove them. If one prefers being unhappy to the risk of searching for happiness, then one will be unhappy, and not even God himself can change that. But if one follows the steps outlined to free oneself from resentment, adopt a positive attitude, work to enable one's dream and be ready to claim the opportunity when it appears, then and only then can one's dream become reality. A truly inspirational guide.

I received this book on X-mas as a gift from a friend. As I read this book I found myself in tears. On each page I saw my life past in front of me. The chapters that really hit home for me were: Stop fearing happiness, Being gracious and recipe for manifesting what you want.
This book has changed my life for the better I would never let this book leave my side. I love it and I can't wait until the author writes another book from her biggest fan.

We have used this book for years as a part of a gift package that we give our graduating high school seniors. I feel as though it's structure, simplicity, and depth are perfect...even if it doesn't get opened until they are 30, it will be waiting for them and forever relevant in their lives. - Kirk Foote, Young Life Green Bay

This book is about all the main stories from the bible with a commentary after each by yancey and quinn, it is a very easy introduction to the bible and easy to read for anyone, especially those who find the bible tough going. I brought this book for my husband on the recommendation of 40yr male,and he was right, my husband loves it has brought one for his friend and is still reading it months after I brought it. A great book to read completely through, to get a good knowledge of the bible

This is an excellent book. It makes the Bible easily understood. The strong connection between the old and new testments is very clear. The explanations by the authors give a deeper understanding of book.
I strongly recommend this book.

This devotional is a terriffic, fresh approach to reading through the Bible in an overview or summary format. Each day's reading (using a modern translation) is accompanied by brief and informative text from Brenda Quinn or Philip Yancey, and then 1 or 2 questions to ponder. Both Quinn and Yancey have a reader-friendly, intelligent manner of writing that invites one to think rather than telling one what to think.
Makes a nice gift book, too.

I bought this book as a NY resolution and LOVE it. My husband and I read from it before we go to bed and on long road trips stemming deep conversations. We feel exhilarated, educated, and much more. Regardless of personal beliefs, this book explains the Bible in our generation's terms, meaning a churchless many (including myself). This book makes it fun and easy to learn about the Bible.

G.R. Kearney did a terrific job on researching this book, and not just the technical stuff. The human element of the story comes alive under the watchful eye of Kearney's storytelling. The students, teachers, staff & administrators at Cristo Rey owe a great debt to Kearney for his bringing light to the innovative systems put in place there.

If you have heard one too many depressing statistics about how education in the US is on a serious decline- read this book to lift your spirits. Creativity & hard work brought this project to life & gives hope to an ailing system.

My hat goes off to Kearney & I recommend this book to everyone.

What started as an idea in the early 1990s has grown to become a growing national network of high schools in many of America's toughest urban environments. GR Kearney tells the story of the Cristo Rey Network which started as the small Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago in 1994 and has grown to include nearly 2 dozen schools nationwide. Kearney tells the story from several perspectives, interviewing founding members of the faculty, staff and board of the school as well as weaving tales of students throughout the pages. Kearney himself volunteered at the original Cristo Rey school and lends a perspective that is critical to understanding the Cristo Rey story.

More Than a Dream is a must read for those looking to make a difference, or at least want to read about some people who have, in the lives of thousands of innercity youth in America's urban battlefields.

Building a school, building a future - it's what Chicago Jesuits sought to do when they built a new college prep school for the children of Hispanic working poor. "More Than a Dream: The Cristo Rey Story" is an inspiring tale of an improbable success story of keeping ones faith to keep going despite the innumerable barriers one faces in such an a situation. Author G. R. Kearney should know, as he works as a teacher and a coach at the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School as part of their Jesuit Alumni Volunteer program which Kearney himself helped found. "It's a story that needed to be told," says Kearney. "More Than a Dream: The Cristo Rey Story" would be a grand addition to both Christian and Educational community library collections and for any reader who would seek to learn how exactly this school rose up almost nothing, and how it seeks to help others do the same.

I was given a copy of this book by a colleague whose company employs Cristo Rey students. Frankly didn't think I'd ever open the book until I was stuck waiting for a delayed plane. However, once I did open it, I found I couldn't put it down. The book is about a group of priests who want to start a school for poor kids in Chicago, but it's much more than that. It's the story of an entrepreneurial triumph that will inspire anyone in business or struggling with adversity. It's also a great story of young people working for a better future. I highly recommend this book.

This is an excellent book that outlines the foundation of the first Cristo Rey school in Chicago. The Jesuits created Cristo Rey Chicago in the late 1990's, and now the Cristo Rey Network includes over 20 schools. The Jesuits started the program to provide a college prep high school experience for economically challenged students in the inner city. I teach at the Cristo Rey school in Kansas City, and found this book an invaluable resource to my own teaching / administrative roles. It was great to read about the Jesuit's initial desire that drove them to found the school, and also to read about the logistic struggles they faced in those tough first years. Since it is such an inspiring story, I'd recommend to anyone outside of education as well.

Being a believer already that there is more to dogs then meets the naked eye, this book grabbed me by the heart and made me revisit each dog that has ever been in my life. I recommend this book to anyone who is open to learning about themselves and their canine friends.

I bought this book two days before I found the perfect dog at the local animal shelter. I started reading and I cried over the front of the book that tells the story of the man meeting at the gates of Heaven and asking for his faithful companion to enter with him. My dog jumped on the sofa next to me and licked my tears. I haven't been the same since. I can't recommend this book enough.

This book could be life-changing for those people who believe that animals have powers beyond the simple realm of their daily reality. I was most impressed with her writing, her worldly experiences and her genuineness. I actually went on her website and listened to a conference she had that had been taped. WOW. This is one dynamic human being with a heart as big as Texas. I love dogs--always have--and she captures something about them that even I hadn't given them credit for. It's definitely not an easy read, however and you must pause, put the book down and reflect on her ideas.

Jean Houston is one of the most remarkable figures in Humanistic Psychology and consciousness studies of the 20th and 21st century. This book is simply luminous and a great treasure. Anybody who seeks the spiritual path and/or adores four legged friends will love this book. The pictures of Jean and her dogs are also truly wonderful. Hats off to Jean and her brilliant and loyal canine friends.

Mystical Dogs: Animals As Guides To Our Inner Life by Jean Houston is about the transcendental value of animal companionship in general, and the love of dogs in particular. Indeed, our animal companions can be the starting point to a mystical gateway and an awakened consciousness. An absorbing saga of metaphysical enlightenment and abiding memories for beloved animal companions, Mystical Dogs is enthusiastically recommended reading for New Age animal lovers.

This was one of the first books I tackled in my conversion process to the Orthodox Catholic Church. Orthodoxy is so profound, so deep, so mystical... it makes all man-made theologies look like shallow charicatures.

If you're looking into Orthodoxy, I would recommend this book with the following warning: This book is not really what a professor of mine would call a, "soup and salad" book. That is, it is not one that you can just buy and skim through; it is not light reading.

That having been said, for people out there like myself, who really want to know why the Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church considers herself to be just that-- THE Church, then this book is for you.

Far from dry theology, Lossky interacts with the Orthodox tradition with expertise knowledge and a genuine faith in the reality of the Father's activity in this world through His Son and Spirit, in the context of the Church. The book is worth buying just for the introduction, which outlines the meaning of theology in the Orthodox Church. Is Christian theology just neo-Platonism? Is God transcendent just because we are limited in our understanding? Is grace created or uncreated? Is deification (theosis) a Hellenic leftover or the meaning of union in Christ? Why was Christ incarnate and what does the Holy Spirit do? What do we say about how God is in Himself and how God is in relation to creation? Lossky tackles these and other pertinent subjects in this masterpiece. You will not read this book and remain unchanged, not because Lossky is such an original and innovative thinker (he is that), but because Lossky faithfully interprets the Tradition. The rest of this review is taken from the jacket of the book itself.
"Vladimir Lossky established himself as one of the most brilliant of Orthodox scholars in the years between his departure from Russia in 1923 and his death in 1958. His uncompromising faithfulness to Scriptural and patristic tradition, coupled with his constant concern for an articulate Orthodox witness in the West, make his works indispensable for an understanding of the theology of the Eastern Church today. In this classic study of Orthodox theology, Lossky states that 'in a certain sense all theology is mystical, in as much as it shows forth the divine mystery: the data of revelation...the eastern tradition has never made a sharp distinction between mysticism and theology, between personal experience of the divine mysteries and the dogma affirmed by the Church.' The term 'mystical theology' denotes in the realm of human experience, that which is accessible yet inaccessible; those things understood yet surpassing all knowledge."
While it is not an easy read at all, it is well worth the time spent in praying and thinking through the subject from an Eastern perspective.
Other books of interest include: "The Orthodox Way" and "The Orthodox Church" by Kallistos (Timothy) Ware; "Byzantine Theology" by John Meyendorff; any Georges Florovsky books; "The Roots of Christian Mysticism" by Olivier Clement; The Gospel of St. John; Jaroslav Pelikan's 5 volume series "The Christian Tradition"; "New Seeds of Contemplation" by Thomas Merton; "The Mountain of Silence" by Kyriacos Markides. Enjoy!

While this title appears on many recommended lists of books on Eastern Orthodoxy, it would not be easy reading for someone uninitiated to mystical Christian writings (from either the east or the west). It also helps to have at least a passing knowledge of Greek as many of the terms appear in Greek.

Lossky spends over half the book laying a foundation on the Eastern understanding of apophaticism (describing God by what He is not), asceticism, the Holy Trinity, uncreated energies of the Godhead, image and likeness, the "economy of the Son" and the "economy of the Holy Spirit," before discussing the goal of Christian mysticism which is theosis or union with God, the Divine Light. To me, the heart of the book is in the chapter on "The Way of Union," but it would be meaningless without the preceding chapters.

Lossky quotes profusely from the great mystical theologians of the Eastern Church, from various epochs and geographic locations to display the inherent unity of thought on mysticism in the Eastern tradition.

Readers who need an introductory work before tackling Lossky might want to try "The Illumined Heart" by Frederica Matthewes-
Green, "Beginning to Pray" by Anthony Bloom or "The Art of Prayer" by Igumen Chariton of Valamo.

Vladimir Lossky's "Mystical Theology' is one of the most profound books ever written about Christianity. It is a superb volume for armchair theologians, clerics of every stripe, those seeking a greater understanding of God in Trinity and human nature, and those wishing a lucid explanation of the differences between the Holy Orthodox Church and more occidental, rational, and secular forms of Christianity.

Mystical Theology revolves around several themes such as God's Love, the centrality and inexplicability of Mystery, the importance of the early Church fathers (and mothers), and man's relation to the Godhead.

Lossky was one of the great apologists for Orthodoxy in the west from 1923-1958 and his scholarship is peerless. Reading Mystical Theology is profound and profoundly rewarding, but it takes effort. No; the book is NOT poorly written- it is clear. But the concepts presented cause one to go slow, to stop, to ponder, and to pray, sometimes for days.

Are you ready to think about the difference between Eastern and Western notions of Grace, about the three hypostases of the Trinity and how the Son is begotten of the Father while the Spirit proceeds from Him? Are you interested in St. Gregory of Nyssa's intriguing view of Hell and how that relates to the concepts of uncreated energy described by St. Gregory Palamas?

If so, you will just love this volume. It might even be life-changing for you! Man can never comprehend the Godhead, as Lossky himself points out, but this book will allow us to understand more than we otherwise ever would!

"...the mystical approach is set up against systematic theology, the contemplative against the liturgical, the saints against the Church." V. Lossky

"An ever-greater plenitude, in which knowledge is transformed into ignorance, the theology of concepts into contemplation, dogmas into experience of ineffable mysteries" Edward Moore



All Theology is Mystical:
Lossky has carried his contradiction to great lengths, against the historical reality which forced Western theology into a preconceived pattern of Scholasticism and the Reformation. Lossky stresses that, "an ever-greater plenitude,, inasmuch as it shows forth the divine mystery: the data of revelation. On the other hand, mysticism is frequently opposed to theology as a realm inaccessible to understanding, as an unutterable mystery, a hidden depth, to be lived rather than known; yielding itself to a specific experience which surpasses our faculties of understanding rather than to any perception of sense or of intelligence." V. Lossky
Thus the mystical approach is set up against systematic theology, the contemplative against the liturgical, the saints against the Church. Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, declared that 'Sermons and Addresses', 1844, as expressed in Lossky's own words, "We must live the dogma expressing a revealed truth, which appears to us as an unfathomable mystery, in such a fashion that instead of assimilating the mystery to our mode of understanding, we should, on the contrary, look for a profound change, an inner transformation of spirit, enabling us to experience it mystically. Far from being mutually opposed, theology and mysticism support and complete each other. One is impossible without the other."

God became man that men might become gods:
It is the Christian East, or, more precisely, the Eastern Orthodox Church, dominate the field of mystical theology. This limitation is somewhat artificial since, 'Christian theology is always in the last resort a means: a unity of knowledge serving an end which transcends all knowledge. This ultimate end is union with God or deification, Established by the Alexandrines as 'God became man that men might become gods', and advanced as the theosis of the Greek speaking Fathers. It may seem paradoxical, that Christian theory has a practical end; mystical as it is, it eventually aspires to the supreme goal of union with God.

Mystical Theology of East & West:
Lossky expressed it best, "In reality, since the cleavage between East and West only dates from the middle of the eleventh century, all that is prior to this date constitutes a common and indivisible treasure for both parts of a divided Christendom. The Orthodox Church would not be what it is if it had not had the Latin fathers. No more could the Roman Catholic Church do without St. Athanasius, St. Basil or St. Cyril of Alexandria. Thus, when one would speak of the mystical theology of the East or of the West, one takes one's stand within one of the two traditions which remained, down to a certain moment, two local traditions within the one Church, witnessing to a single Christian truth; but which subsequently part, the one from the other, and give rise to two different dogmatic attitudes, irreconcilable on several points."

Eastern Orthodoxy & Jungian mysticism:
In a recent study, it has been argued that, one touchstone of scientific validity is the universality of observations independently made. A comparison of the cosmological, theological, and anthropological assumptions that underlie the mystical traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church and those of Jung's mystical observations about the universe, God, and humankind, the common ground of the two divergent systems of Eastern Orthodox and Jungian mysticism, by Bishop Chrysostomos and Thomas Brecht, suggests a universality and scientific validity in Jung's assumptions about the great unknown (Apophatic) .

BOOK REVIEW:
Lossky explores the roles of apophatic, or negative, theology, and kataphatic, or positive, theology in the Orthodox tradition, and the manner in which their union leads to an ever-greater plenitude.
Edward Moore, an Orthodox expert wrote a compelling theological analysis, of 'The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church,' on Theandros - An Online journal of Orthodox theology and philosophy; Read it on: [...]

I wanted a devotional book that would be a daily time to read a little bit of the Bible and a short devotional to go along with the Scripture portion. This one fits the bill perfectly. Joyce Meyer is always so practical in her applications and encouragements to live a godly life.

This is a good book to help you with your daily devotionals. I do the devotions for our UMW Circle and this book is a great help. It is also helpful for your daily devotions.

I received a copy of this book as a gift for Christmas, after reading it for a month and loving it, I bought 4 copies for gifts. I even gave one to the person who bought it for me. ALL 4 people have said it helped their outlook every day in under 60 seconds. Even my husband asks to read the daily devotional when I am done. This is a great gift for yourself or a dear friend!

This daily devotion from Joyce Meyers has you daily scripture with Joyce's personal way of bringing scriptures alive and fitting for the day. This book is defiantly written by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Joyce Meyer's NEW DAY NEW YOU: DEVOTIONS FOR ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE receives Sandra McCollom's fine voice as it provides a review of daily strategies for keeping touch with God. Her devotional collection offers added impact in audio format and is a pick for Christian listeners and libraries.