Blinded by Rage: How Anger Keeps Us from Seeing God

by Theodore Pulcini, Oswin Craton

Modern society encourages us to embrace the power of anger. Indeed, the world sees the passion of anger as a virtue that can be used to help right wrongs. But what do Scripture and the Fathers say about it? Does this passion have a place in our walk with Christ? Is expressing outrage at societal ills a true reflection of God's attitude toward these evils, or does it instead blind us to His presence? Father Theodore Pulcini, a frequent lecturer on the subject of anger, and Oswin Craton, join together to examine how anger affects our journey toward theosis.

114 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Margaret Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blinded by Rage by Fr. Theodore Pulcini is a thoughtful and timely exploration of anger from an Orthodox perspective. At a time when our culture often encourages us to embrace anger as the appropriate response to injustice, Fr. Theodore invites us to consider what Scripture and the Church Fathers actually teach about this passion and its place in the Christian life.

Beginning with the biblical witness and continuing through the writings of the Fathers, the book explains that anger was not given to us as a weapon against our neighbor. Rather, following the patristic tradition, Fr. Theodore shows that the faculty of anger is meant for spiritual warfare: resisting temptation, combating the demons, and turning ourselves toward repentance. Seen in that light, what we often call "righteous anger" toward other people can instead become a passion that blinds us to God's presence and hinders our growth in Christ.

One of the things I appreciated most about the book is how firmly it is grounded in the wisdom of the Fathers. Fr. Theodore draws extensively from the Church Fathers, particularly St. John Cassian and St. John Chrysostom, along with other patristic and contemporary Orthodox sources, allowing their pastoral wisdom to speak with remarkable clarity. I especially appreciated the chapter on "Patristic Anger Therapy." Rather than simply describing the problem, Fr. Theodore offers practical ways to begin healing this passion. His encouragement to pray the Psalms stood out to me as a concrete practice for redirecting anger toward its proper purpose.

Having wrestled with these questions in my own life and having walked alongside other women healing from trauma, I found this part of the book especially meaningful. I've seen how much confusion and shame can surround topics such as anger and forgiveness. I know firsthand that anger in response to injustice is real, and even necessary at times. But I also know how easily that anger can become something we continue to carry long after it has served its purpose. It can turn inward as self-condemnation or outward in ways that wound others. What I appreciated most is that Fr. Theodore doesn't approach anger simply as something to suppress, but as a God-given faculty that has been misdirected and can be healed. He does not minimize the reality of injustice or suffering. Instead, he offers a deeply Orthodox vision of how this passion can be redirected toward repentance, spiritual vigilance, and greater freedom in Christ.

I listened to the audiobook version, which is very well done. The narrator speaks clearly, pronounces names and quotations well, and maintains a measured pace that gives listeners time to reflect on the many passages from Scripture and the Fathers. The narration complements the contemplative nature of the book and makes it easy to listen carefully. This is an audiobook I know I'll listen to again.

Although Blinded by Rage is brief, I found myself thinking about it long after I finished listening. It is about much more than managing anger. It is about healing the passions so that we can become more like Christ. I recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand the Orthodox teaching on anger or who is looking for practical guidance in redirecting this God-given faculty toward its proper purpose.

[Megan Leathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say this book is relevant to our current cultural moment would be a massive understatement. We live in an era dominated by slogans like "If you're not angry, you're not paying attention," or "You're not angry ENOUGH at [insert group or topic here]." Given this climate, one might expect a modern Christian book to argue that "Godly anger" is a virtue we should cultivate. Instead, the authors wisely choose a different path, showing how anger—in any amount or capacity—is akin to playing with a fire no one can truly control.

This warning is perfectly captured by a quote from St. John Chrysostom featured in the book:

"A keen passion is anger, keen, and skillful to steal our souls; therefore we must on all sides guard against its entrance... Wrath is a fierce fire, it devours all things; it harms the body, it destroys the soul..."

Born out of a seminar given by Fr. Theodore Pulchini and later expanded into a book, Blinded by Rage is split into three main, accessible sections:

Scripture on Anger

The Fathers on Anger

Patristic Anger Therapy (outlined in six practical steps)

None of these sections are intended to be an exhaustive academic exegesis or a dense scholarly work. Rather, they serve as a succinct, to-the-point guide on how to fundamentally change our thinking about anger. For readers who wish to dive deeper, the authors provide a myriad of resources cited throughout the text and neatly cataloged at the end.

In this reader's humble opinion, Blinded by Rage is an essential read. It would make a wonderful, transformative study for any parish group, adult Sunday school class, or Christian book club.

[Anthony Quinones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m about to start going to this book a second time in the last two weeks essentially. This has liberated me so much from seeing anger at such a major struggle to now seeing it as something that God wants me to surrender to him.

Was prayerfully going through this book and my own path of repentance I realize that I have no right to anger and that I should surrender everything to Christ.

I really appreciate the different Greek words that were utilized to express and show the different types of anger, but especially how the author pointed out that man’s notion of anger is nothing like Christ.

And that, even in the scripture man’s descriptions of God‘s anger are mainly anthropomorphic because they have no reference for divine wrath.

I have noticed myself through reading this book and prayerfully, taking an inner examination that there are moments where my anger would easily be accessible, but I’m finding them to be more tempered. I thank God for the entire corpus of the Orthodox Church and especially this book and helping us orthodox Christians to well the flames of anger, and instead develop the life-giving water of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

[Christopher Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a tremendous help personally as someone who has always struggled with anger, even as a child. Growing up in the SBC, God’s wrath was always front and center, but this protestant view of God never sat well with me and may have led to the fueling of my own anger, since anger can be “righteous”, right? This book helped correct those preconceived notions of God and is helping me heal in areas of my life where I have struggled. The numerous quotes showing the wholistic view of anger as a negative in the Orthodox Fathers has helped reshape my own mental framework as I struggle to be transformed into the image of Christ in His Church. We must control the urge to lash out even though the world around us says that it is okay too. We must resist; we must stay calm in the face of this age. This book will be a help to anyone who struggles with anger themselves or deals personally with anyone who struggles with anger. Hopefully it will bring you as much healing as it did to me.

[a. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very insightful book on anger and how it affects our spiritual wellbeing. Many good gems here. That said, it may not resonate with everyone. While addressing anger related to injustice on a broader societal scale, the authors do not distinguish it from the anger experienced by survivors of severe, repeated abuse. As a complex trauma survivor, I found some aspects of the book to be minimizing and even detrimental. I do wish this type of anger was addressed, but I understand this is outside the scope this book so it may not resonate with everyone. Overall, it is good read for anyone wanting to understand the harmful effects of anger in a more general sense, with Scriptural support.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short, but insightful book.

[Bekah Baty · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world constantly focused on "cancel culture" because people feel too easily angered, this book was an excellent resource. I loved that he showed the flaws with modern ideas of "righteous anger" He didn't just provide a thorough analysis of the passion of anger from both Biblical and Patristic perspectives; he also gave an effective plan for actually conquering the passion. A quick read for a passion plaguing so many of us!