Inner River: A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Christian Spirituality

"Inner River: A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Christian Spirituality" is a book that will take you on a journey of self-discovery and inspiration. Written by Kyriacos C. Markides, it's a memoir that tells the story of his personal journey as he combines his spiritual practice of Eastern Orthodox Christianity with his academic background in sociology. It's a book that's both relatable and profound, as he shares his experiences and insights on the spiritual journey, from the challenges and obstacles he faced to the moments of enlightenment he had.The book is like a travelogue, but for the soul. Markides takes you on a journey through the Mediterranean world and explores the teachings of Christian mystics, particularly those of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. He uses the metaphor of an "inner river" to describe the journey of spiritual transformation and offers guidance on how to navigate the spiritual path and access the deeper wisdom of the heart. He also discuss the importance of the spiritual guides and the role of the spiritual teacher in the spiritual journey.One of the most powerful moments in the book is when Markides shares the story of a monk named Father Maximos who he met in a remote monastery. He tells of how the old monk, with his gentle smile and wise words, helped him to see the beauty of the spiritual path and to understand the true nature of love and forgiveness. It's a moment that will stay with you long after you've finished reading the book."Inner River" is written in a style that is engaging and easy to read, making it easy to connect with the author's experiences and insights. It's a book that will inspire you to explore your own spiritual journey, whether you're just starting out or you've been on the path for a while. It's a must-read for anyone looking to deepen their spiritual practice and explore the teachings of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

I can read this over and over for its religious concepts and information. For instance, who knew the gifts of the Holy Spirit had an order to them!

I have read (and re-read much of) "The Mountain of Silence," though I confess that I have yet to resume "Gifts of the Desert" after reading 60 pages and losing interest. For this reason, it would be unfair to officially call this my third book by Kyriacos Markides, but I have read enough of him to know what to expect... for the most part."The Mountain of Silence" is one of those books about Orthodoxy that "broke through" the Orthodox world and has become better known. It is one I have recommended to many people. In recommending that book, though, I also provide with the recommendation a piece of advice: Listen to everything Fr. Maximos says, but be very careful of the author's interpretation of his words. He's often off just by a bit, but that's enough to cause big issues. For me, "The Mountain of Silence" is 85% really good stuff, and that good stuff is incredibly engaging and powerful. This book was a bit different...The sociological and... shall we say, syncretistic... worldview from which the author approaches topics of Orthodox spirituality (or "mysticism," as it is often referred to, though I have hesitations about using this word) are often what made me pause when reading "The Mountain of Silence." As I said, he is sometimes just a little bit off in his understanding, but he's off enough to give me pause in recommending the book. At other times - and far more rarely - he is far more than being just a little off; he outright wrong in his understanding of certain theological truths. In this book, I would say that about 40% of it is really good stuff; 35% is basically travelogue with the author's own insights and observations (this will be interesting to some, less so to others); the remaining 25%, however, focusses on the author's view of various theological topics, and this part is, again, sometimes just a little off; at other times (and more often than in "Mountain...") it is just plain wrong. This makes me nervous in recommending this book.The book recounts more of the authors conversations with "Fr. Maximos," both in Boston and in Cyprus. It also recounts some of his experiences on Mount Sinai (at St. Catherine's monastery) and on Mount Athos. The biggest problem with the book is that the sense of discovery and the drive to enter deeper into the mysteries of Orthodoxy seems much less "urgent," in a way. There is less excitement an discovery and awe before the beauty, wisdom, and peace of Orthodoxy. I think the reason for this is fairly simple:In "The Mountain of Silence," Fr. Maximos was our guide. We had someone intimately connected with the Living Tradition of Orthodoxy through experience, and he took us by the hand and guided us into that Mystery, little by little. In this book, it felt much more like the author was trying to do the same thing, saying excitedly all along, "Look at it from MY perspective!" The problem is that, with Fr. Maximos, we had someone who had humbled himself before the Church and had developed the mind of the Church and the mind of the Fathers. He was passing along what the Holy Spirit had taught him. With Markides, we are getting someone with (forgive me for this!) much less humility, as he is not sharing a mindset provided by the Holy Spirit and experience within the ascetic Life of the Church in Christ but of a mixture of what he has been taught by figures such as Fr. Maximus mixed in with his sociological and ecumenical perspective. His worldview causes him to misunderstand the relation of the Orthodox Church and Christ, Who is Truth. This worldview, while not explicitly stated, can be read between the lines of his words.Even without much theological knowledge, I suspect that many simply Orthodox faithful could detect this issue in reading this book. If their experience is like mine, they'll read Fr. Maximos' words with great anticipation, taking notes and losing a sense of time in his words; they'll read through Markides' comments, however, fully aware of time and without the sense of joy and peace that accompany Fr. Maximos' teachings. The problem is simple: I want to read a voice from the Life of the Church placed in an engaging and thought-provoking structure (i.e. Fr. Maximos with the skill of Markides' writing). Instead, I get far more of Markides' thoughts about the Orthodoxy I want to learn about, and I find his view slightly skewed in some placed and way off in others.Near the end of the book, Fr. Maximos' discusses the great importance of the virtue of discernment, especially in relation to the virtue of love. This was a fascinating discussion. (In fact, this discussion with some other sections made me happy, in the end, that I read the book). This discernment is what is greatly needed when reading this book. Unfortunately, it is needed far too much for me to recommend this book in the way I recommended "The Mountain of Silence." I suppose I'll have to give "Gifts of the Desert" another try...

Having enjoyed reading ‘The mountain of silence’, I read this to see where the path intimated might be leading, but one of the slight irritations was that shifts in narrative style, between travel guide, informed viewpoints from an academic sociologist, conversations with a rather remarkable Father Maximos, philosophical reflections and so on, rather reinforced the sense of the fictive and the variety of persons involved in the ‘narrative’, which rather undermined questions regarding why it was written in the first place: was it another academic exercise – in fact it opens with reference to a dissertation; or was it some sense of historic nostalgia – regarding Cyprus in the particular, or the Eastern Church in general; or a kind of personal record - the I have spoken to A, gone to B, saw C and so on - a kind of personal record; or was it some form of prosyletising? So as a narrative I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief. For a teaching where humility is extolled, I was again irritated by references to past writing, ‘Oh X read your book and they liked it.’Disbelief was suspended, despite no mention of a tape recorder, in a very long conversation – covering three chapters, regarding the fruits of the Spirit (Gal.5 22-3) – the exegesis of which was as profound as it was practical, even if all the nine fruits were not full expounded. It began with self-control, or temperance. Markides titles its opening chapter ‘Symposium’ which I felt was a bit cheeky, and we actually have to wait until near the end of the book for the Symposium subject. What Markides adroitly avoids is theology in any detail, so the filoque issue – one of the differences between the eastern and western churches, he side steps. But in itself it did raise questions about theologians, who can quote chapter and verse, but lack experience, for any religious experience involves some level of surrender. I was reminded of the punditacharya situation in India, for there is a point where scholarship for its own sake has to be relinquished. The point is made succinctly, and I felt, it was accurate. There is a focus on prayer, and the Philokalia was referred to, but not the accepted caveat that it should not be studied unless under guidance – that is spiritual guidance. There is a very interesting consideration of the concept of death and its actuality, and while I was uncertain whether the reflections were those of Markides – endorsed by Fr. Maximo, or his readings of what the Father had actually said. Equally, there was a very clear sociological explanation – and Markides is a professor of sociology, in answer to those who do things in the name of their religion: motives are sociological – to do with perceptions of society, or are economic in origin, nothing to do with religion. But in the current climate of media misinterpretation, who do not see that what they call fundamentalism is in fact literalism that has passed its sell by date; it does raise questions, as to core motives for aggrandizements if they are not religious in origin.Dawkins and Hitchens are briefly mentioned, which I found a little odd given that one of the aims of the book is to encourage a re-examination of things spiritual. Socrates was put on trial for corrupting the youth of Athens, and dis-honouring the gods: go onto to U tube and look at Dawkins etc ‘debates’ they are all invariably addressing young audiences – and what does Dawkins say? ‘that God is dead.’ Grasp the nettle Kyriacos! Markides does show an interest in modern science – as does Father Maximo, but he is talking to the at least half-converted.So where does Markides go from here? The Pilgrimage to Sanai, interesting as it was, was on a totally different level than the central section of the book. The publishers suggest that the book offers a balance between the worldly and the spiritual. That kind of balance can too easily be seen as a compromise. I am reminded of a question Shams I Tabriz – he was Rumi’s mentor, to continually ask, ‘In what direction am I facing?’ I don’t think that Markides has yet reached the point where the answer can be for him clearly be articulated; I know in all honesty, for me I cannot; and I know that it is the ‘me’ that is the problem. All rivers go to the sea.

Having read the previous books of Kyriacos Markides this one was a natural progression and didn't disappoint. This book presents topics of interest to those wanting answers to the practical questions of christian spirituality and growth and is presented in a light and conversational manner. There were many passages in the book that offered a new perspective on the age old questions of faith, prayer and spiritual discipline.

東方キリスト教の教父の言行を記録したルポ風の本です。1991年春に著者は友人にさそわれて、アトスを訪れます。伝統的な組織化された団体に対して、著者ははじめ懐疑的ですが、本書に出てくるファーザー・マクシモスの語る内容を検討するなかで、そのなかの生きた霊性をマルキデス氏は見出していきます。メタノイアなど、独自の概念がわかりやすい言葉で、登場人物の口を借りて、説明されています。グルジェフのMeeting with remarkable menと共鳴する思想が語られます。さらに大きな流れとしてグルジェフの「ベルゼバブが孫に語った話」の内容と並行する内容を少し含んでいます。「福音書」として知られる文献は記録としてはかなりの欠落と、意図的な偏り、その後の改ざんが含まれていることは、多くの人の研究で明らかにされていることです。そういったことを考慮してもいわゆる「福音書」は注目すべき文献であります。ファーザー・マクシモスも、やはり「福音書」は重視しています。話の中に出てくる人々の生活の中で出てくる疑問や相談についてのファーザー・マクシモスの回答が興味深いです。ただ本書は「ロストクリスチャニティ」ニードルマン著（めるくまーる）のなかでシルバン神父が語ったような「真のクリスチャニティ」ではなく、いくらかいまどきのスピリチュアルティのような感触を多く持っています。ただしこれは著者の編集の偏りによるものかもしれないです。あくまでも一個人の主観的な記録です。しかし大変面白く読めるように、軽い感じで書かれています。 ロストクリスチャニティ 注目すべき人々との出会い ベルゼバブの孫への話―人間の生に対する客観的かつ公平無私なる批判ロストクリスチャニティ注目すべき人々との出会いベルゼバブの孫への話―人間の生に対する客観的かつ公平無私なる批判