Orthodox Book Review: The Art of Prayer

Chapter Sections:
00:00 Intro
03:11 The focus of the attention
04:46 About the book
06:47 Authors included in the anthology
08:13 Book topics and their page numbers
11:02 Quotes from the book
15:32 Conclusion

The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology by Igumen Chariton is a collection of quotes with short title descriptions and the attribution of each author that Igumen Chariton collected during the course of his life. He would write down the quotes of authors that he would read and ended up with a collection that makes this book. The majority of the quotes are about interior prayer and the Jesus prayer and these make a great introductory manual into the Orthodox spiritual life.

Apart from Theophan and Ignatii, Father Chariton also quotes on occasion from other Russian authorities of the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, such as Bishops Justin and Nikon, and St. John of Kronstadt. As well as these Russian writers, he includes a number of Greek texts—for example, passages from St. Mark the Monk and the Homilies of St. Makarios, from Sts. Barsanouphios and John, St. Simeon the New Theologian, Sts. Gregory of Sinai and Gregory Palamas. A few Syriac Fathers make their appearance, such as St. Ephraim and St. Isaac; also a Latin Father, St John Cassian.

This book covers topics such as: natural fruit of prayer vs. grace (p125-126), warmth of heart because of concentration (p136), going from human effort to divine grace (p145), illusion vs. grace (p147), spiritual hedonism (p160), our experience of grace before and after baptism (p172), description of the ‘eye of the spirit’ and what the spirit of man is (p179), the dangers of the imagination (p182), attention in the heart for everyone and also a description of what the mind and heart are (p184, p191), the heart is the spiritual faculty that is the innermost man (p190), Nepsis (p194), prayer and fasting in the world (p53, 251-252), those outside the faith receive a natural spiritual consolation not a grace given state (p259), prelest illusion and those who despise the Jesus Prayer (p264-270), freedom from distraction (p275)

Price on Amazon $16.89 and can be purchased for cheaper used for around $10. I would recommend checking bookfinder.com for a cheaper price.

ISBN: 9780571191659

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Prayer-Orthodox-Anthology/dp/0571191657/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3IKMXLHACLDJ4&keywords=the+art+of+prayer&qid=1661425060&sprefix=the+art+of+praye%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1