The length of this review is inversely proportional to the length of the book, but like the previous review the topic is highly specialized and is unlikely to appeal to all (if many). There's nothing wrong with that. Some books are intended for more people, while some books are intended for fewer. The author even notes in the beginning that it is "destined for a very narrow circle of people whose interest is concentrated on Christian ascetism" (p. 4, emphasis in the original).To read more about St Silouan the Athonite, see here. This book is divided into two parts: (1) a biography that is written by St Silouan's friend Archimandrite Sophrony, and (2) a collection of the saint's writings. He was not a particularly well-educated man, so his writings are not as sophisticated in style as the biographical portion; but what they lack in style, they make up for in intensity.
Perhaps the most famous saying which is attributed to St Silouan is as follows: "Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not." At first, it's almost bizarre sounding, but ultimately it's a reminder about humility: practice humility, but never move past humility to believe that God cannot save you. This, of course, is just one of many of St Silouan's treasured sayings, but it's definitely the one that summarizes his faith most succinctly. I suspect even he would agree with that.
Again, this is a specialized read for those who are interested. It's a bit of an endeavor, at just over 500 pages, but it's worth the time.
Year of publication: 1991
Number of pages: 504
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