“Inner River: A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Christian Spirituality “
25 May 2013Kyriacos C. Markides, 2003, “Inner River: A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Christian Spirituality “, New York: Image
Prof. Kyriacos Markides is scholar, researcher, and author. He teaches sociology at the University of Maine, and he is an internationally respected authority on mystic Christianity. He is widely known for The Mountain of Silence, a book that “broke through” the Orthodox world and has become better known, but also has written several books on Christian spirituality, including Riding with the Lion, and Gifts of the Desert.
In Inner River, he helps reader to discover Christianity through mystical understanding and Eastern spirituality. His book is a journey from Maine to monasteries of Cyprus and Mt Athos, and Sinai and Egypt’s desert; rather, it’s a pilgrimage from seen to unseen. In it a faithful may taste the Orthodox spirituality’s wisdom and the scholar can find the theology of the mystical way of life.
He discovers Holy Mountain (Mt Athos) in America, pp. 20-47; he shows the Fruits of the Spirit in mankind’s life, as listed by the Apostle Paul, pp. 76-99; he also gives many ideas about how to get real peace in daily life, pp. 100-122. More, he explains how Christian Spirituality can pass beyond death, pp. 157-171; the hospitality that pilgrims meet in monasteries, pp. 197-216; and what a hermit means for world’s life, pp. 281-308.
In his text the reader has spiritual development by experiences and advises of insightful elders. Author illuminates the path for answers in big questions for life and death. With simple words and icons he explains how spiritual personalities live their life to the fullest, and how we can taste this experience. In other words, the book goes beyond spiritual desert of modern society to find the wisdom, and peace of Orthodoxy. Ιt’ s not just a discussion for metaphysical matters, it is more a seek for the miracle in our life.
The “Inner River” includes discussions with Fr. Maximos, in Boston as well as in Cyprus. Through charismatic experiences of living tradition of Orthodoxy, within the ascetic Life of the Church in Christ, the book gives stages of life from a different perspective. Telling about the stages of «Catharsis» (purging/purification), «Photisis» (enlightening) and «Theosis» (union with God), the importance of discernment, and the role of the Jesus Prayer, reminds us the content of “Philokalia”.
We may also say that it is a guide for Western readers unfamiliar with Orthodoxy to have an insight into Orthodox worldview, and very helpful for those who approach Eastern Christianity from a Western mentality. It is what people seeking for the inner beauty of human soul and existence need, whether they believe in Christ’s salvation or not. After all, its stuff is really engaging everyone wants to know either for 2000 year old Orthodox monastic spiritual tradition or how God made us so that we may become harmonious, and balanced.
