Acquiring the Mind of Christ: Embracing the Vision of the Orthodox Church

by Archimandrite Sergius Bowyer

St. Paul clearly "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." (Phil 2:5.) How do we acquire this Mind of Christ and where is it to be found? For the Orthodox Christian, salvation is the acquisition of this Mind of Christ which is to be found in the Church. This acquisition moves us from the image of God to the likeness of God; through our obedience to this call we begin to know God and this knowledge is eternal life (John 17:3). This small book hopes to begin to answer how acquiring the Mind of Christ is possible and why it is necessary in our lives today.

ebook

Published October 12, 2016

Reviews

[Michael O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, an archmandrite (aka an abbot) of an Orthodox monastery, gave this to me as a gift. I found it interesting and compelling. He gives a perspective and understanding of the Divine Liturgy and prayer that I think helped me understand them better as means of growing closer to God.

In the latter half, he addresses how the Orthodox understanding of the relationship between God and man differs from that of Western Christianity. The Western Church was profoundly influenced by thinkers, Sts. Anselm and Augustine, who took a view of a God angry with mankind in need of brutal sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, appeases this need from God for appeasement of His wrath. This view of God as an angry judge needing to impose punishment upon men has tended, over the centuries in the RC Church and various Protestant groups , Fr Sergius argues, has resulted in a view of justification from sin to take a transactional and legal type view of God’s grace and mercy.

The author does probably the best job I’ve read so far of analyzing and refuting the teachings of St Augustine’s teachings on salvation and redemption. In response, he contrasts them with the Orthodox view —- that God is a loving god, that sin is a disease that, through the death it brings, unnaturally rends the soul and spirit from the body — and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the cure that His loving Father has provided by which to achieve victory over sin and death. It’s a fascinating discussion — very well done — that invigorated my understanding of these concepts.

As an Appendix, he includes a discussion of what is known to Orthodox Christians as a “Prayer Rule”. While I, like many Orthodox Christians in our daily spiritual lives, practice this, no one really explained in detail like this about it. He has some helpful tips here that, I think, for me, will make it better!

Overall, a wonderful, readable book that was a delight to read, and my thanks to the author for giving this to me. I think it will be of interest to anyone with an interest in theology, philosophy, spirituality, or learning more about the differences in Orthodox and Western Christianity.

[Kirstie]

This book is helpful for anyone trying to understand what Orthodoxy is - its “vision.” There’s a lot in here that is deeply compelling, like the Eucharist being the teleology and source of the Christian life or that God’s immutability means that He *only* looks at human beings with love and *all* His actions are for their salvation (even His wrath against humans, which the Orthodox seem to view as always paternally instructive, rather than legally punitive).

There’s a lot I hadn’t heard much about before (and I know I’m just behind the times), like Augustine’s neo-platonism or the Trinitarian implications of the Filioque clause. And there are many things I have questions about, like why it’s not also neo-platonic to consider sexual procreation a specific result of the Fall (not that it’s sinful, but that it wouldn’t have come about apart from sin), or why more Christians don’t simply flock to the Orthodox Church when they realize that substitutionary atonement was a “new” teaching in the first hundred years of the 1000s.

It’s a reminder that reading about a different branch of faith must be accompanied by conversation about that faith with someone who holds that faith - and also conversation with wise people of your own tradition to understand how they view these differing perspectives.

[Cady Metzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final chapter of the book, “A Prayer Rule” leads us through a series of prayers to maintain the connection with God and “to cultivate a real relationship, not just fulfill our ‘rule’ of prayer. The book’s author Archimandrite Sergius (Bowyer), recommends that these prayers are said in the morning or evening in front of an icon and Gospel “preferably with a lit candle and, if possible, the room lights dimmed.” One important feature of worship during prayer is bowing or prostrations, so that your body is also engaged in prayer. This prayer rule chapter is important for catechumens to learn the basics of daily prayer and is reason enough to purchase the book. It is a slim tome. As you follow along with this chapter, it is important to have a bible and a manual of eastern orthodox prayers on hand as sections of this chapter will direct you to read from both. Very uplifting book.

[Arjaye-Rose Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very interesting and helped me to learn more. There is a lot about the Divine Liturgy and the Eucharist. The final chapter is about a prayer rule to maintain connection with God and to cultivate a real relationship with God. I’ve enjoyed learning more about Orthodoxy and reading a little bit of this book each evening.