Philokalia―The Eastern Christian Spiritual Texts: Selections Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations)

This is an excellent book for the open minded, looking for another perspective at the teachings of the Church. Being Roman Catholic I think it is important to get insight from its earliest beginnings. This book is a great look into the 'eastern' teachings of our faith.

I am a well-read Protestant Christian. I have been trying to learn church history and theology for years. However, my efforts to understand Eastern Orthodoxy always left me befuddled. This little survey gave me an excellent basis to understand the important concepts of the East and the differences from Western Christianity.Several important Christian historians and theologians migrated to Eastern Orthodoxy -- Jaroslav Pelikan for one. He was a Lutheran Theologian at Yale University who converted to Roman Catholicism then eventually to Eastern Orthodoxy. I am just currently using my investigations to become a more thoughtful follower of Jesus Christ.

This book in a perfect companion to "The Way of the Pilgrim & the Pilgrim Continues His Way". It may be the best introduction to the five volume Philokalia available. After absorbing this one the reader and sincere seeker may want to delve further into the entire five volumes. The Philokalia is not light reading and I suggest that if you are really serious about seeking God, then perhaps this book will aid your search. If you haven't read "The Way of a Pilgrim" yet, I suggest you start with that. If you then feel the need for more detailed information, by all means try this book. Take in one page at a time. You can spend days and weeks just on a single page. Slowly...like the sages of India (whose meditation techniques are very similar) who studied their scriptures one line at a time until they really absorbed the true meaning of a verse on all levels, then meditated for an hour or so on it before moving on to the next. So must the Philokalia be studied. Plenty of room for notes on these pages!

I’m glad I added this to my growing religious library. It’s a book of quotes. Skylight offers a summary in modern English on the left page. This had some obviously profound insights but most of it would be better use for a priest or Biblical scholar that knows all the references and deeper meanings.

Eastern philosophy and religion have always been intriguing to me. I have difficulty finding and interpreting the many and varied concepts and ideas contained within them. Philokalia offered me a concise and encompassing look at many of the eastern traditions and ideas. I got very detailed descriptions of concepts that I could adopt or use in my search for spiritual enlightenment. This book takes some time to digest it is not a quick read. I feel that spending more time with the book allowed me to delve deeper into a variety of concepts and ideas. This is a good read for all who are interested in the area of eastern philosophy and religion.

the texts on display in the book can hardly be seen as more than an introduction into the wealth of the Filokalia. But the comments an explanations on the oposite page makes these texts understandable for a public from 1.500 years later. It will be an eyeopener for everyone interested in the topic.

If you want to see inside the Greek Orthodox Church and the theological bases of its Saints- this is the volume.

This book arrived promptly and in new condition even though it was used! This is a great read for any follower of Jesus regardless of their background--protestant, catholic or eastern orthodox. It will deepen your walk with Christ if you read it humbly and with a willingness to see what God might say to you.

A book for growth.

I was disappointed with the book. It has only 220 pages. Normal cost of a book of this size is below Rs 200 esp. for an ancient book. I paid Rs 1013 for this skeletal selection. It does not give you a total view of Philokalia.Buy some other version of the book if you want a taste of the gems of Philokalia.

Don't be fooled like I was. This is only a slim skimming of the texts in the Philokalia, not the complete book by any means. However, the selections and commentary give a good overview before any attempt to study all 4 volumes of the complete Philokalia.

It would be hard to put into 20 words or 200 words the depth and breadth of the spirituality evidenced by these early church fathers. These excerpts from the writings of these holy men Will challenge, convict and encourage you along the path to a deeper relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Well written, factual and easy to understand! On my 2nd. reading now and still picking out new things I missed 1st.time! Will be buying the next Philokalia for sure!