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The Illumined Heart: Capture the Vibrant Faith of the Ancient Christians
 
 
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The Illumined Heart: Capture the Vibrant Faith of the Ancient Christians (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Western Christians, Father George, Isaac of Syria (more...)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

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The Illumined Heart: Capture the Vibrant Faith of the Ancient Christians + The Open Door: Entering the Sanctuary of Icons and Prayer + First Fruits of Prayer: A Forty-Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Frederica Mathewes-Green, whose books on Eastern Orthodoxy have popularized ancient Christian practice for a modern audience, beautifully underscores the importance of following the precedent of the earliest Christians in The Illumined Heart: The Ancient Christian Path of Transformation. Too often, she argues, contemporary Christians bend to the "confusing winds" of change, subordinating Christian tradition to popular ideas. (So stubborn is she in her claim for the superiority of ancient wisdom that she offers an unusual disclaimer at the outset: "I hope not to say anything original. If I do, ignore it.") Mathewes-Green thoughtfully reflects upon how 21st-century Christians can incorporate early spiritual practices, such as continuous prayer, spiritual direction, fasting and communal worship.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


From Booklist

Advocating a return to the universal spirituality that characterized early Christianity, Mathewes-Green urges readers to seek out their historic Christian roots. Arguing that contemporary Christianity is increasingly culture dependent, she attempts to rediscover a unifying faith that transcends all modern cultural messages. To truly live in Christ, current believers must travel the often-arduous mystical path of the ancient church. To achieve an illumined heart, one must pray, fast, and repent as vigorously as did the initial generations of Christians. Recommended for larger theology collections, this conservative blueprint attempts to respond to a set of timeless questions regarding spiritual enlightenment. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 111 pages
  • Publisher: Paraclete Press (June 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1557255539
  • ISBN-13: 978-1557255532
  • Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.8 x 0.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #490,893 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A contemporary invitiation to the ancient Christian path, November 10, 2002
By Volkert Volkersz (Snohomish, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
When I began to explore the mysteries of Eastern Christianity in 1997, as well as to look more closely at some of the documents of the early Church, I encountered terms and concepts that were foreign to my thinking. I also saw familiar biblical and theological terms used in similar, yet different, ways.

In my puzzlement I wondered, how could I--someone who had read a fair amount of Church history and Christian classics--be in such foreign territory? Was this yet another way of viewing the Christian faith (like the many theological streams I'd encountered in Protestant writings)? Or were these writings espousing not merely different, but erroneous, views of Christianity? Or was there something missing (or even erroneous) in my Western view of the faith that needed clarification?

Many of the growing number Eastern Christian books available to Western readers (some of which I have recommended elsewhere here at Amazon), might cause the reader the same kind of puzzlement mentioned above.

Along comes this wonderfully simple gem, "The Illumined Heart," by renowned author and commentator Frederica Mathewes-Green, who gently invites the reader to explore "the ancient Christian path of transformation" in an unthreatening manner. Here Frederica introduces us to a fictitious "Christian of another era, perhaps from the fifth or sixth century, living in the Middle East," called Anna.

By introducing us to Anna, and her family, we catch a glimpse of how Christians of another time and place lived out their faith on a daily basis. While I was a bit leery of how this fictional approach would work, I felt that this woman and her family accurately resembled the historical non-fiction accounts I've read of this era.

This is not a "religious" book in the sense of comparing one tradition or theological viewpoint with another. Instead, the reader begins to see how we in the West have lost contact with our spiritual ancestors, what they believed, and how they lived their daily lives. Here Frederica calls us back to that earlier "Christian worldview," and shows how it worked for them and how it could work for us today.

Many of the terms and concepts that puzzled me years ago are introduced here within the fabric of Anna's daily life, and consequently, they not only make biblical and theological sense, they become appealing. Fortunately, Frederica provides an excellent bibliography for those who wish to pursue more. I have added as many titles from this bibliography that are currently available at Amazon to a list that you should be able to access here, to make your search for them easier.

Frederica also lists some helpful sources on the web, such as the St. Pachomius list of early church documents, and the Christian Classics Ethereal Library.

Here's wishing you the best as you explore your own path toward transformation.

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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Forget "The Prayer of Jabez" --, January 15, 2002
By A Customer
-- THIS is the book that every Christian should be reading! Ms. Mathewes-Green does an excellent job of distilling the timeless wisdom of the early Church into a wonderful introduction to traditional Christian life and spirituality. This approach to the Christian life has stood the test of time for centuries, and is a welcome corrective to the faddish pop-spirituality that fills the shelves at Christian bookstores. But be warned! Despite being an easy read (about 100 pages; I read it in an hour and a half) it presents some very challenging concepts. Not in terms of understanding them, but in terms of living them out. When was the last time you heard a sermon on "praying without ceasing?" How about "loving your enemies?" The early Christians took Biblical concepts like these at face value, and so does Mathewes-Green.

So be prepared to be confronted with the greatest challenge of the Christian life: to be transformed into the image of Christ. But the greatest challenge is also the greatest joy!

Buy this book, read it, and pass it on. You won't be sorry.

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43 of 47 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Mallowcups for Frederica, July 5, 2002
By Tracy Groot (Hudsonville, MI United States) - See all my reviews
This is a small book. I thought I could knock it off in one setting. Two months later...

I did not expect it to become a book I'd have to slam down every other sentence for the richness of what I read. This is one of those books. Once again, I'm rearranging my "Top Ten Most Influential" book list. I heard this woman, who should be feted and bedecked with Mallowcups, speak at a conference; I remember thinking she was a soft-spoken woman I would not want to meet in an alley for the tough truth she owned. This book confirms that thought.

This book took me back to some hallowed basics of Christianity. It took me back to a simplicity I have long looked for without knowing. Here's a few things it did: 1. It reminded me that my other enemy is the devil (the first being myself.) That's not popular, Frederica, to own the devil as an enemy. Mallowcups for speaking truth. 2. It reminded me of fasting. Thanks a WHOLE LOT for that one--even my hair shrieks at the thought of missing a meal. But the truth of fasting, the realization that it is a sacrament and that I've been missing out, is louder than the shrieking. 3. It reminded me that I am a sinner. The tacit understanding is that we are NOT sinners. We are saved by grace, skip the sinner part. We think the grace part erases the sinner part. Owning the sinner part again is...huge. And, last, #4: The Jesus Prayer.

The idea of chanting a prayer over and over is anathema to many believers. It's too fearfully close to vain repetition. But there is something about "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner." It's aligning. Frederica says, "Do not be deceived into thinking that the words have magic of their own...that is the kind of thing Jesus meant by "vain repetition."...you do it in vain if you don't mean it."

So for those four things, plus the reprint of the prayer of Nikolai Velimirovic (where did you dig that up? another thing that had me slamming the book down...)...Mallowcups, Frederica.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Opened my eyes to Orthodox Christianity
This was my first real taste of Orthodoxy, and although I will probably never become Orthodox, Frederica is one of my favorite writers. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jan Gunter

5.0 out of 5 stars Rethink you Christian Worldview
For the Western thinking Christian, who through no fault of his/her own, knows nothing of ancient Eastern thought and understanding, this book is an eye opener. Read more
Published 16 months ago by K. Hurley

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Illuminating
This book is a gem that simply and elegantly explains the Orthodox approach to spirituality, discreetly contrasting that to the western church.
Published 16 months ago by Over the Hill

4.0 out of 5 stars Ancient Christianity Provides Help In Modern Times
This little book gives us a glimpse into what life was like for those living in the beginnings of the Church era and has much to say to those who seek a spiritual path relevant to... Read more
Published on July 14, 2007 by Vicki Brannock

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought-Provoking
Mathewes-Green imaginatively compares the spirituality of a 21st century woman and a 7th century Christian woman. The comparisons are historically valid and thought-provoking. Read more
Published on May 16, 2007 by Joseph D. Allison

5.0 out of 5 stars Intro to Eastern Spirituality
Despite its small size, this book is packed with so much spiritual food, presented in an easy-to-read, understandable manner. Read more
Published on January 3, 2007 by RJ

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Intro to the subject of Spiritual Formation
I must say I was impressed with this little book on spiritual formation. The author has a very engaging writing style and wrapped her information in a loose story to keep it... Read more
Published on December 5, 2006 by Adam Ellis

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Primer for a Seeker of Orthodox Christianity
This is a well written, yet compact primer for one who is seeking a new Christian life in Orthodox Christianity. Frederica's writing style is easy to understand. Read more
Published on July 1, 2006 by Mr. Robert C. Bonds

4.0 out of 5 stars accessible yet profound
This wonderful little book is eminently accessible yet also manages to be quite profound. Mathewes-Green has several important things to say to Christians unfamiliar with the... Read more
Published on March 26, 2004 by A. C. Walter

2.0 out of 5 stars Fictional Orthodoxy
This is the 3rd book I read from Frederica Mathewes-Green & I am sorry to write that I am very disappointed. Read more
Published on May 15, 2003 by John D. Dooley

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