Customer Reviews

Theology of Wonder

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From a truly amazing variety of sources--from the stuff of life itself; from saints and poets of all traditions and cultures, Bishop Seraphim seems to have the gift of simplicity and simplifying so many threads: the plunge into Love's wonder, the Love that moves the sun and stars.

Striking many chords, playing many notes, the final result: a beautiful symphony composed not only by the author but by the many who are a part of his own life and journey: ending/beginning in silent adoration and a new sense of joy and WONDER.

This book is wonderful, full of wonder! Not many books like this are written--how good this one was!

The difficulty with most theological speculation is that it involves only the intellect. If one gives a great work of theology to someone who has never seen a reason to be involved in the spiritual life, typically it will collect dust. What Bishop Seraphim does here is attempt to provide a reason for people to seek out the Almighty.

_Theology of Wonder_ seems to address the conception of churchliness as entailing a dour, gray life devoid of the color needed for human life to be something other than that of the automaton. It is done in a way that is gentle; the author does not employ verbal brickbats to make his points.

The human spirit is indeed under attack and is being "suffocated" by a world (according to Huston Smith) that is "dominated by materialism, consumerism, educational elitism, and government and legal systems without morality". Bishop Sigrist writes as not only Priest in Theology of Wonder, but as Poet/Warrior as well. This book sits next to my collection of Mattie Stepanek poetry and I regard both authors as spiritual brothers. The Bishop's writing is filled with illuminations of the Holy Spirit throughout and one considers the writing at times to be written, as Blake proclaimed of his own verse, in Heaven itself-it remains a gift of Light and Hope for us all. The reader is lifted into a world of transcendence as eternity becomes now-I found myself moved with the "gift of tears" after only reading several pages. Theology of Wonder is perhaps one of the most important books that I have ever read.