Living Without Hypocrisy - The Sayings of the Optina Elders

This work, translated by Archimandrite George of Holy Trinity Monastery (now Bishop George of our own Hermitage of the Holy Cross), is an anthology of spiritual advice given by various of the nineteenth-century Holy Elders of Optina Monastery, organized thematically under headings such as spiritual warfare, the love of neighbor, faith, the will of God, the education of children, the commandments of God, the path of salvation, etc.

Each piece of advice varies in length from a single sentence to a full paragraph. Pithy, immediately accessible, and universally applicable, these counsels resemble the sayings of the ancient Desert Fathers, whose spirit and way of life the Optina Elders truly shared. Appropriate both for prolonged study and for daily devotional reading, the book provides an excellent source of spiritual nourishment for Orthodox Christians of all walks of life and all levels of spiritual experience. It may also serve as a powerful introduction to Orthodox spirituality for those who have but newly encountered the fullness of the Apostolic Faith.

205 pp., hardcover