Treatise on the Spiritual Life

by Gregory Palamas, Daniel M. Rogich (Translator)

105 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1994

About the author

Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359) was a monk of Mount Athos in Greece and later the Archbishop of Thessalonica known as a preeminent theologian of Hesychasm. He is venerated as a Saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Though he is not widely venerated in the Roman Catholic Church he is recognised as a saint. The second Sunday of the Great Lent is called the Sunday of Gregory Palamas in those Churches that commemorate him according to the Byzantine Rite. Some of his writings are collected in the Philokalia, a highly regarded book in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Palamas is perhaps most well-known for his central role in the defense of the doctrine of Hesychasm, which was upheld in 1351 at the Council of Blachernae.

Reviews

[w gall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A layperson reading this looks up to high mountain peaks, which he is exhorted to climb to receive perfect love and likeness to the Lord. Yet certain spiritual disciplines, along with relinquishment of all worldly goals, are provided toward perseverance on the narrow way to life. A challenge, to say the least, to those of us who are beneficiaries of American prosperity.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be a powerful vehicle hauling me further and deeper into my spiritual walk than I had anticipated.

[Willie]

I did a quick read of this today just to get an overview. I hope to come back to this later.

This is a different translation than the one found in the Philokalia, volume 4. The author includes a lot of notes on the text.

The letter itself is written to the nun Xenia, and as such, the instructions refer directly to someone living a monastic life. In fact, St Gregory states emphatically that being a monastic is easier than living in the world in close relationships with a spouse, kids, and relatives.