The spiritual influence of the Orthodox monastic tradition on Western Christians
Article summary proposed by the Contacts review with LLM assistance
This article by Bishop Athenagoras Peckstadt examines the spiritual influence of Orthodox monasticism on Western Christians through personal and family testimony rooted in theological and historical reflection. The author first traces the structural differences between Eastern and Western monasticism since the schism of 1054, highlighting the continuity of the Orthodox tradition founded on hesychast prayer and the liturgical unity between monasteries and parishes. He then documents paths of conversion to Orthodoxy — notably those of Father Lev Gillet, Alexis Van der Mensbrugghe, and Archimandrite Placide Deseille — showing how contact with Orthodox monastic life constituted a decisive vector. The main contribution of the article lies in the concrete illustration of the spiritual influence of Orthodox monasticism in the West, particularly through the dissemination of the Jesus Prayer, presented as a response to the spiritual void of secularized postmodern society.
This article has not been translated yet — it is available in its French version here.
The rest of this article is reserved for subscribers of the Contacts review.
Subscribe to read more
Digital subscription · Immediate access to the Contacts library