Moderator: Mark Templet
Being as ignorant as I confess to being.... I was hoping someone
on this board could tell me about Archbishop Chrysostomos and
if you have read any of his books? If you have read any of his
books, which would you recommend? I am paticularily interested
in any books written on Hesychasm.
Thanks ahead of time,
Rd. Chrysostomos
Archbp. Chrysostom seems to be a very learned man; as he says himself, many times, he was a student of Fr. Georges Florovsky, which certainly seems to be a good mark for him. I really enjoyed his book Scripture and Tradition (written with Bp. Auxentios). I've for the most part enjoyed his articles on Orthodoxinfo.com, though I've noticed a tendency to attack other people for their pettiness and name-calling, only for the Archbishop himself to be petty and name-call in the very same article. Of course, I also disagree with some of his views 
but I think he's interesting to read.
Archbishop Chyrsostom has written some very good articles on a number of issues. But I have seen the same as Justin; whenever the opportunity arises, he is never lacking the desire to go a little out of his literary way to make what is usually a red herring attack.
I am not aware of him writing anything on the important subject of Hesychasm, and from I've been told, all the best books on the subject are either in French or Latin.
The best thing to do, I think, is to read the homilies of St. Gregory, who is of course an authority. You can get his homilies from St. John Kronstadt Press, as well as a few other places. I cannot think of a better source than that. The ones I have read, as with all the Fathers, are so much more useful. The Fathers wrote about what they experienced, whereas today, people like Meyendorph wrote about something they learned from a book.
Just my humble opinion anyway.
OOD,
Thank you for your response. Frankly, even though I am in
the OCA, I personally have no real desire to read anything by
Meyendorff or Schememann. Perhaps it is my loss, but I'd
rather focus on those issues that would be edifying to me,
and right now, their writings would not. Once again, many
thanks.
Justin,
Thanks for your input as well.
If anyone has other input, please do so!!!
Rd. Chrysostomos