I got this book from St. John of Kronstadt Press. Does anyone know about the book or the author?

It seems very interesting. His Grace posits that Orthodoxy is a therapeutic science that is the means of healing the soul through the Holy Mysteries and through obedience to one's spiritual father. (I greatly paraphrased the sections that I've gotten through.)

I read this book several years ago. Unfortunately I can't recall much of what it said. I would be interested in your opinion of it though. Please keep us updated as you read it.

Jason

Dear Dr. Eric,

Hierotheos Vlachos is a Greek Orthodox bishop (the Metropolitan of Nafpaktos, last I heard). He has written several books on theosis.

(I know you know what theosis is, Dr. Eric, but for those who don't: Theosis is the three-step process of becoming holy. The three steps are called various names, but they are often called purification, illumination and divinization. Theosis is, in short, why Christians don't get teleported up to Heaven immediately after baptism: so God can complete His work of creating us in His image and likeness.)

In "Orthodox Psychotherapy", Bishop Vlachos discusses the theory and practice of theosis in detail, from a patristic and Orthodox perspective. It is a dense but worthwhile read. The main points are: Christ is the Divine Doctor of our souls; theosis is the treatment of salvation, as prescribed in the Tradition of the Church, and according to the wisdom of the Fathers.

Bishop Vlachos made the same points, but much more concisely, in a shorter book. It is "The Illness and Cure of the Soul in the Orthodox Tradition." It is written in the form of a dialogue (based on real dialogues), so it is easy to read. I recommend it, especially as an introduction to Bishop Vlachos' other works.

I also recommend his "A Night in the Desert of the Holy Mountain," which is a record of his very inspiring retreat with a starets on Mt. Athos.

Be well.

-- John

I have enjoyed all of Metropolitan Hierotheos' books.

The illness and Cure of the Soul in the Orthodox Tradition is a great read.

He also wrote: The Mind of the Church which I haven't had a chance to digest yet.

Indeed !


-- John

I agree! Both Orthodox Psychotherapy and TICS are excellent reads, and complement one another.

Gordo

I too, enjoyed "Orthodox Psychotherapy". a great addition to my library.
Much Love,
Jonn

Now that I've finished a few chapters, I did want to discuss the ideas that His (Excellency/Grace, what is the title for a Metropolitan in Orthodoxy?) puts forth.

The Metropolitan posits that deacons, priests, and bishops are ministers of healing.

There are 3 degrees of the priesthood according to Metropolitan Hierotheos which correspond with the 3 degrees of the spiritual life. There are the purification stage, the illumination stage, and the deification stage. Therefore the true deacon is one who has been purified, the true priest is one who has been illuminated, and the true bishop is one who has been deified. He backs this up with quotes from Sts. Maximus the Confessor, Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain, Symeon the New Theologian, and Dionysios the Areopagite.

(As a side note, Fr. Reginal Garrigou-Lagrange O.P. wrote a book called The Three Ways of the Spiritual Life which for any one there are 3 conversions that one has to undergo to get to heaven. There is the purgative way, the illuminative way, and the unitive way. I think this idea belongs to the East and to the West.)

Eminence.