An Inner Step Toward God
Writings and Teachings on Prayer by Father Alexander Men
By (author) Father Alexander Men
- ISBN: 9781612612386
- Trim size: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 7 ounces.
- Pages: 192
- Publication Date: 01 Mar 2014
- Product ID: 12386
- Format: Paperback
According to Fr. Alexander Men (1935-1990), the Russian Orthodox priest and popular spiritual teacher who was publicly martyred in 1990 in the former USSR, prayer is “the flight of the heart toward God.” This work, available for the first time in English, is a collection of his writings, lectures, and sermons on prayer. You will discover both ancient and modern wisdom, and you will see how one Eastern Orthodox priest taught his parishioners to pray.
“His simple but profound teaching on the absolute necessity of a prayer life could change the world.” –Scott Cairns, Poet
“The collection is full of what is typical for Fr. Men—direct, uncomplicated language about prayer, honest, humane reflections on difficulties, distractions, the fickleness of our emotions, our wandering minds and attention. Here and there one finds short, powerful prayers not from the liturgy or prayerbooks and quite a few of these are Fr. Men's own creations...By now a number of selections of Fr. Alexander Men's sermons, talks and writings have been published. Some have become difficult even impossible to access. This new collection reminds us of the gifts of this modern teacher, pastor and martyr and makes me hope that there will be more awareness of his lucid vision of how the Gospel is to be put into practice in everyday life.” —Michael Plekon
“Alexander Man, a 20th-century Russian Orthodox priest, murdered in 1990 not long before the collapse of the Soviet Union, deserves to be better known in the West. He was a remarkable thinker and spiritual guide in an environment where it was difficult and dangerous to be a committed Christian; and yet only a tiny fraction of his writings has so far been translated into English...Fr. Men writes quiet authority about matters which he understands from his own experience: he was a man of deep prayer, and a great pastor, who affected the lives of many hundreds...By many Fr. Men is revered as a martyr. There is evidence that he sensed his impending death and felt an urgency about his ministry, speaking wherever possible about the Christian faith during the early years of perestroika. The day before he was murdered, he gave a lecture in which he spoke of Christ as a bridge over the abyss that lies between the Creator and creation; St Paul, he said, understood this, and “internally united himself” with this bridge: “He was bound to Christ with endless love in such a way that he felt as if he carried Christ’s wounds on himself and that he had died with Christ on the cross and was resurrected with Him.”
In retrospect, these words sound prophetic: Fr Men, like St Paul, has also become a bridge across the abyss. —Xenia Dennen, Church Times
“As a lowly Protestant, I often turn to the writings of the Christian east and find wells of deep insight. Writers like Kallistos Ware, John Zizioulas, Anthony Bloom, Paul of Finland and Alexander Schmemann have shaped my theology, my love of the sacraments and appreciation for liturgy. I remain firm in my non-Orthodoxy but these authors help me see the wisdom and depths of the Great Tradition. Men is a devout and insightful Orthodox author and I am grateful for discovering him through this gem of a book.” —James Matichuk - thoughts, prayers, & songs
“Father Alexander Men was a priest, martyr, and master of prayer. Lacking time, and under a great deal of pressure, Men provided perceptive insights into both the philosophy (in the best sense of the word) and practices of prayer. Knowing its primacy in Christian formation, Men articulated an accessible appreciation for prayer—apprehended and applied...More than a manual on prayer, An Inner Step Toward God provides sound and structured spiritual direction for those who want to convert liturgy into life.” —The Very Rev. Dr. Donald P. Richmond, Obl. OSB.
“Father Alexander Men was one of the most enigmatic late Soviet religious figures. A convert from Judaism, Men participated in the revitalization of the Russian Orthodox Church in that period...The current volume has much to offer Western Christians looking for an accessible Orthodox guide to prayer from one of Soviet Russia’s most acclaimed religious figures, and those with a scholarly interest in Soviet religious history. Christa Belyaeva provides a direct but approachable translation of Men’s words. In addition, French’s editorial commentary, four appendices, ten pages of notes, and two glossaries provide welcome assistance to both popular and scholarly readers. This volume gives a valuable glimpse into the mind of a figure whose importance continues unabated in contemporary Russia.” —Erich Lippman, Assistant Professor of History, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
Paraclete Press has made available Men's writing about prayer for the first time in English. April French is a scholar who edited Men's works to put together An Inner Step Toward God, and Christa Belyaeva translated his writings into quite readable English. After a good introduction to Men and his thought, the book is organized into four parts: An Inner Step, A Practical Guide to Prayer, Prayer and Great Lent, and Prayer and the Communion of Saints.
The first part, An Inner Step, presents Men's foundation of prayer. Chapter one is an edited transcription of a conversation about prayer as an inner journey. The second chapter is more formal and is from a lecture Men delivered about encountering God. One of the interesting points for a Western reader is Men's focus on posture. He makes a convincing argument that posture is important in prayer.
Part two, consisting of seven chapters, is a Soviet-era instruction book on prayer circulated by Men in the underground church. Although it is targeted at new Christians or those who have not been in an active congregation, the instruction is good. His advice is sound and quite practical.
An Inner Step Toward God includes four appendices. The first three are instructional; they provide a step by step guide for praying. The last appendix gives some examples of Orthodox prayers. The Notes include cross-reference sources and translator's explanations. There is also a glossary for readers who are unfamiliar with Orthodox terms.
God Who Frees- Deus qui Liberat
March 2014
An Inner Step Toward God includes not only Fr Men’s A Practical Guide to Prayer, which circulated first in samizdat and was then published in 1991, but also further talks and writings on prayer, which were added into a second edition of the Practical Guide published in 1995. This latter edition has been expertly edited by April French for a Western readership, and translated by Christa Belyaeva, with helpful footnotes and brief introductions to the texts, as well as useful glossaries on terminology and important figures mentioned.
An Inner Step Toward God is divided into four parts. The first contains two of Fr Men’s talks on the basics of prayer, where he describes three essentials as the three legs of a stool; meditation on scripture, one of the legs, he compares to a vine weaving round a tree trunk: “When you leave for work in the morning, you take this Word with you; it is present to you, and you ponder it. Just as a vine weaves itself around the trunk of a tree, your soul weaves itself around this truth.”
Part two is the text of A Practical Guide to Prayer which is indeed highly practical, taking into account the whole person, mind, body, and spirit, with advice on physical posture, breathing and the need to nurture inner silence. Fr Men selects from the great spiritual guides what is relevant to us today, and writes in an accessible manner.
Part three gives the Western reader an insight into Orthodoxy, with an examination of prayer in relation to Lent, providing useful guidance on how to meditate; during the third week, with its focus on St Gregory Palamas, Fr Men recommends that you should keep your mouth shut! “Only those conversations that are necessary in order to function are allowed. They say ‘an angel flies by’ whenever there is a moment of silence, so our task this week is not allowed him to leave.”
Part four consists of excerpts from Fr Men’s sermons on prayer and the communion of saints, and includes a moving collection of prayers of his own that he used at the end of informal gatherings or at the end of his sermons.
Fr Men writes quiet authority about matters which he understands from his own experience: he was a man of deep prayer, and a great pastor, who affected the lives of many hundreds. Although under constant surveillance by the secret police, he managed to continue his ministry during the rule of five Communist Party leaders, the last of whom, Mikhail Gorbachev, at last relaxed the oppression imposed on religious believers for seventy years.
By many Fr Men is revered as a martyr. There is evidence that he sensed his impending death and felt an urgency about his ministry, speaking wherever possible about the Christian faith during the early years of perestroika. The day before he was murdered, he gave a lecture in which he spoke of Christ as a bridge over the abyss that lies between the Creator and creation; St Paul, he said, understood this, and “internally united himself” with this bridge: “He was bound to Christ with endless love in such a way that he felt as if he carried Christ’s wounds on himself and that he had died with Christ on the cross and was resurrected with Him.”
In retrospect, these words sound prophetic: Fr Men, like St Paul, has also become a bridge across the abyss.
—Xenia Dennen, Church Times
Men's words, while simple, are peppered with profound insights, biblical exegesis, and quotes from Church Fathers and other theologians and authors. His writings are imbued with a sense of inner peace, love and sincerity. At times, his practical advice on prayer, aimed at the average layman and beginner, is reminiscent of another great Russian teacher of prayer, St Theophan the Recluse.
My only quibble is that at times Men's thoughts can seem disjointed, and he goes off on tangents now and again, but I cannot deny that there are some great insights even in those tangents. But this small imperfection does not take away from the beauty, simplicity and profundity of the book, which is a highly approachable introduction to prayer for all Christians, with plenty of practical tips for those who wish to deepen their private devotions.
'An Inner Step Toward God: Writings and Teachings on Prayer by Father Alexander Men' was provided to me for free by Paraclete Press in return for an honest review.
Vassilios Papavassiliou
March 30, 2014
Reading An Inner Step Toward God was like sitting down for a few hours with a beloved spiritual father. Father Men's advice is direct, simple to understand, doable and challenging at the same time--and if followed, will draw one closer to God. Father Men is a much-loved and revered Russian Orthodox priest; he was martyred at the close of the Soviet Union. His wisdom comes from faithfulness to Christ in times of struggle, ministry to others under challenging circumstances, and scholarship with few resources. This book--as is the case for all his writings--is rooted in love: love for Jesus Christ, love for all who follow Him (whatever their tradition), and love for those who have yet to know Him. I highly recommend this book for Christians (Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Christians) who want to take a step closer to God.
Gerald Munk
March 5, 2014
During his life time, his books on Orthodoxy and the spiritual life were circulated in a clandestine manner–published under pseudonyms and passed out as carbon-copied manuscripts (or published abroad and smuggled back into the country). But because Men wrote in Russian, much of his writings remain unknown in the English speaking world. Editor April French and translator Christa Belyaeva have compiled many of Men’s works into a slim volume, An Inner Step Toward God. Readers will be treated to Men’s practical insights on the nature of prayer and its practice in the Russian Orthodox tradition.
There are four sections of this book. Part one records parts of two lectures: an informal one delivered in a parishioner’s house, and a formal lecture delivered in February, 1990 (months before his murder). Part two reproduces A Practical Guide to Prayer, a catechetical work utilized by small groups of Men’s congregants to deepen their prayer lives. Part three focuses on prayer and the Great Lent. There is a chapter where Men describes the Prayer of St. Ephrem of Syria (a prayer sent daily through Lent by Orthodox Christians) and devotional instructions for this season. Part four has sermon selections from Men on various saints, his public prayers and further selections from his sermons and lectures on prayer. In addition to these sections, there are appendices which record insights from Men and other Orthodox Christians on the life of prayer.
As a lowly Protestant, I often turn to the writings of the Christian east and find wells of deep insight. Writers like Kallistos Ware, John Zizioulas, Anthony Bloom, Paul of Finland and Alexander Schmemann have shaped my theology, my love of the sacraments and appreciation for liturgy. I remain firm in my non-Orthodoxy but these authors help me see the wisdom and depths of the Great Tradition. Men is a devout and insightful Orthodox author and I am grateful for discovering him through this gem of a book.
Men saw prayer as a means of cultivating an awareness of God’s presence throughout life and allowing God to transform us:
So let us pray that we may know He is with us right now. The Word of God will be with us. We will take Him home, and He will live in us. And Finally, let us live in the light and in hope. We believers are happy people who do not take advantage of happiness; we are rich people who neither take possession of nor utilize our treasure. Therefore, today we will wash away everything–our resentments, our disappointments, our worries and expectations, our sin and our burdens. We bring these things to the Lord so that He might strengthen us, for this is what is most important (18).
Men talks about breathing, prayer postures, managing distractions and ‘higher forms of prayer’ (i.e. cultivating an inner awareness of God through all of life). However his method of prayer is relatively simple: daily prayer with a prayer book, time reading and meditating on Holy Scripture, and the Eucharist. Orthodox prayer practice consists of saying set prayers (i.e. rote prayers from a prayer book or the Jesus prayer) as a means of attuning your heart to God. Men argues that these forms of prayers awaken us to God’s presence, and work on us regardless of whether or not we ‘feel like praying or not.’ To say the words from a prayer book, day in and day out is formational. I find myself challenged and inspired by Men’s prescription for daily regular prayer.
This book provided strategies for deepening my personal prayer life and introduced me to voice of someone outside of my own tradition. I am grateful for Men’s life and witness and to April French and Paraclete press for introducing me to him!
James Matichuk - thoughts, prayers, & songs
April 2014
Part One, An Inner Step, discusses the personal and parish applications of prayer. The priority is established in Chapter One, and its applications from "sacramental encounter" are discussed in Chapter Two - with emphasis given to the "Lord's Prayer."
Part Two, A Practical Guide to Prayer, provides poignantly practical tools for prayer. Included are his thoughts on preparation, place, posture, and helpful practices. Spirit, structure and struggles are also discussed, with important attention to the "Jesus Prayer."
Part Three, Prayer and Great Lent, is my favorite section in this book. I was most pleased that I received the text during this Season of the Church Year. Beginning with a meditation on the Prayer of Saint Ephrem of Syria, so very central to Orthodoxy, Men then gives guidelines for the "Observance of the Great Lent." Most useful, in this regard, were Men's words on the focus for each of these weeks - providing an excellent framework for spiritual focus and formation.
Part Four, Prayer and the Communion of the Saints, centers upon selections from Men's sermons (or Homilies) on Prayer that capitalize upon certain Saints, Public Prayers and Personal Guidance. As well, the Appendix (A-D), Men discusses certain exercises, catechetical considerations, and provides a "collection" of prayers referenced in the text itself.
More than a manual on prayer, An Inner Step Toward God provides sound and structured spiritual direction for those who want to convert liturgy into life.
The Very Rev. Dr. Donald P. Richmond, Obl. OSB.
June 2014
Father Alexander Men was one of the most enigmatic late Soviet religious figures. A convert from Judaism, Men participated in the revitalization of the Russian Orthodox Church in that period. His approach to Orthodox spirituality reflected the tensions of his era. In keeping with the resistance revitalization often encountered on the political level, he was frequently questioned by the KGB. Revitalization also often encountered resistance on a religious level. Thus, Men had to contend with an embattled Orthodox Church that had become accustomed to accepting the Soviet regime’s constraints as unavoidable. Not surprisingly, Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms catapulted Men into the public sphere. His murder in 1990, tragic as it was, spared him the post-Soviet identity crisis in which so many heroic dissidents lost their luster. Instead, Men’s reputation grew under the halo of martyrdom, and his variety of written works have slowly made their way from Russian samizdat and tamizdat into English. An Inner Step toward God is such a volume, dedicated specifically to Men’s writings on prayer.
The current volume has much to offer Western Christians looking for an accessible Orthodox guide to prayer from one of Soviet Russia’s most acclaimed religious figures, and those with a scholarly interest in Soviet religious history. Christa Belyaeva provides a direct but approachable translation of Men’s words. In addition, French’s editorial commentary, four appendices, ten pages of notes, and two glossaries provide welcome assistance to both popular and scholarly readers. This volume gives a valuable glimpse into the mind of a figure whose importance continues unabated in contemporary Russia.♦
Erich Lippman, Assistant Professor of History, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, Winona, Minnesota