Kyriacos C. Markides

Markides’s pursuit of a deeper understanding of Orthodoxy takes him to the deserts of Arizona and a stay at a new monastery in Sedona; to the island of Cyprus and a reunion with Father Maximos; on a pilgrimage to holy shrines aboard a cruise ship in the Aegean Sea; and finally to the legendary Mount Athos, home to more than two thousand Orthodox monks. Markides relates his journey and reflections in a captivating style while providing important background material and information on show more historical events to give readers a highly accessible, in-depth portrait of a tradition little known in the West.

Gifts of the Desert will appeal to a wide range of people, from Christians seeking insights into their religion and its various expressions to scholars interested in learning more about the mystical way of life and wisdom that have been preserved on Mount Athos since the fall of the Byzantine Empire and the Great Schism that separated the Eastern and Western Churches. Perhaps most important, however, is the bridge it offers contemporary readers to a Christian life that is balanced between the worldly and the spiritual. show less

This was an interesting book. There are a few sections that really got me thinking. The section on the logismoi - invasive thoughts that can assault our minds - was very interesting. My biggest complaint is that the chapters were too long! It was hard for me to keep reading it, because I don't like stopping mid-chapter!

There are three ways of knowing, according to Kyriacos Markides: scientific, logical, and mystical. He argues that western society has concentrated on both logical and scientific in the past, but in recent history has disallowed the value of logical knowledge in favor of scientific only. Markides introduces the reader to the concept that there is great value in mystical knowledge. He discusses several examples that show the worldly wisdom of monks who have removed themselves from the world show more and have dedicated their lives to mystical prayer. He introduces the reader to Greek Orthodox monasteries in the mountains of Cyprus.

Markides spent many sabbatical months living with the monks and relays his experiences of their spirituality and their impact on the surrounding countryside and communities.

There is also a brief history of the relationship between Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy. The rift between the two ancient centers of Christianity is tragic because in order to claim superiority, each had to repudiate the other as false. The blending of the two would have made a deeper and richer experience of Christianity possible for both, in the opinion of this reader.

Mountain of Silence is a wonderful look at mystical prayer and the monastic life as lived by Cypriot monks. show less

A NOTE OF CAUTION: Kyriacos C. Markides has been influenced by some neo-Gnostic ideology which is incompatible with Orthodox Christian teaching and spirituality. Nevertheless, he, for the most part, presents a fairly accurate picture of Orthodox spirituality, which he attempts to relate to some modern concerns in their present state of affairs. Unfortunately, such issues in their modern context are often dismissed outright by Orthodox who avoid serious engagement with these matters while show more citing "tradition" as the justification for their non-dialogical knee-jerk reaction. This knee-jerk reaction is not the relevant approach of true theology which is to bring contemporary issues into dialogue with the Logos, the Standard of Orthodox Faith, Who is Jesus Christ, the Second Divine Person of the Most Holy Trinity, as He is revealed in the Torah, the Prophets, the Psalms, the Writings, and in the Church. show less