Rating: 
Summary: Not sure what I think
Review: University of Maine sociologist Kyriacos Markides spent some time on Mount Athos in Cyprus interviewing a monk named Father Maximos, and compiled the results along with own observations on his journey back to faith.
Markides was raised in the Greek Orthodox Church but cast his faith aside in his youth. After a period of agnosticism he regained his faith. His spiritual journey has taken him back to the Orthodox church of his youth, an Eastern branch of Christianity that has followed its own path, largely untouched by developments in Roman Catholicism and the churches of the Reformation.
Father Maximos follows ancient practices of prayer and meditation and criticizes the churches of the West for trying to rationalize the Faith. I believe that he is right that we can never prove the reality of Christ through rational argument; faith and assurance come from following Christ, from obeying Him and through seeking Him in devotional practices.
I also like the way that the Orthodox Church has managed to keep a respect for mystery and for the otherness of God that seems lacking in the Christianity of the West. At the same time, I have to admit that there are parts of this book that I have trouble believing. Markides describes visits from angels and demons, teleportations, mindreading, and miraculous healings as an everyday part of life on Mount Athos. The exotic locale helps to mute skepticism: if these occurrences sound Medieval it is fitting, as Father Maximos and the other monks are for all intents and purposes living in the Middle Ages. It also helps that Markides comes off as a fairly rational guy, who is dealing with his own incredulity. Still, if I heard of some of the same events happening at a church around the corner I wouldn't take it seriously for a moment. Maybe I am just too rational. I'll meditate on it awhile and get back to you.
Rating: 
Summary: Christianity in the Light of Christ....
Review: What is faith? Does God exist? Is He knowable? Is it truly possible to hear His voice? How do I personally encounter Him? The Mountain of Silence answers these and other questions of the heart. In a profound yet direct way, Fr. Maximos reveals a time tested method of communing with God, not as a vain theoretician, but as one who regularly communes with God himself. The method he describes is a proven one as demonstrated by the countless Saints it has produced, in ancient and modern times (including the present day). I dare say, Fr. Maximos, a practitioner of the method himself, is on the road to Sainthood, as was his spiritual father (Fr. Paisios) and many of Fr. Maximos' other contemporary practitioners, including Fr. Sophrony and Saint Nikolai Velimirovic (both of blessed memory). This book is a must read for people who are tired of accumulating head knowledge about God and want to experience Him for themselves. The Mountain of Silence is likely to become a spiritual classic; may it be a blessing to all true seekers who read it.
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