The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology
by Igumen Chariton

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Book Reviews of The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology

Book Review: Pray Without Ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Summary: 5 Stars

First of all, it is firmly rooted in Scripture. It is based on the prayer of the blind man: "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me," and that of the repentant Publican: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." In addition, it invokes the Most-Holy Name of Jesus: "There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12), and "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth" (Phil. 2:9,10). The apostle also tells, "No man can say, Lord Jesus, except by the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. 12:3).

Furthermore, this prayer is awesome in its simplicity, consisting of only a dozen words. It is at once an affirmation of faith and repentance. When said in full diligence, humility and sincerity, avoiding vain repetition, the words and message of this beautiful prayer will engrain themselves in our being; as Saint Theophan the Recluse put it so beautifully, the Prayer becomes "a murmuring stream within our souls."

This book is an anthology by Igumen Chariton of Valamo, based on the notes he took out of the works of Sts. Theophan, Ignatii Branchianinov, the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, and of course, the Philokalia. Herein we learn what true prayer must be, its fruits, how to overcome the sins and passions in our hearts, and achieve union with Christ. Although he dedicated most of his life to prayer, Igumen Chariton in his humility attributed nothing within this book to himself. He understood that he merely drew from the deep well that is the wisdom of God.

We can be sure that within we also will find that which will be of great help in our search for fulfillment in Christ, a sure guide up the narrow path of salvation. In an age where spiritual hedonism (vis-à-vis Deepak Chopra) and the illicit search for self-gain (T.D. Jakes, "Prayer of Jabez") pervade most devotional works; we can be confident that within this book we will truly find Christian perfection.

Summary of The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology

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