"This timely and significant volume is poised to become an essential resource across Orthodox parishes. It offers a lucid and penetrating account of the manifold ways in which the eternal presence of the Lord becomes perceptible within the Churchs liturgical lifeabove all in her icons, hymnography, and sacramental riteswith particular attention to the richness of the Eastern Orthodox tradition." -- Olga Sevastyanova "Father Nevsky Everett's book 'Ways of Seeing: Orthodox Spirituality for our Modern World' is something of a gem. Over five neat chapters, it offers a series of profound and beautifully articulated reflections that capture the heart of Orthodox spirituality and practice in the 21st century. The books central premise is that Orthodox spirituality is not merely about different rituals, but about a fundamental shift in perception - learning to see God, ourselves, and the world in a new light. Thus, the book invites the reader, whether themselves Orthodox or belonging to another Christian tradition, to critically and formatively reconsider the way they participate in or examine Orthodox spirituality.
Father Nevsky writes from the perspective of the 'participant observer' standing at the intersection of two spiritual worlds, Anglican and Orthodox. He writes with the discipline and clarity of an Oxbridge academic while at the same time transmitting to the reader the feelings of someone immersed in the lived experience of Romanian Orthodoxy. This results in a book that is intellectually rigorous yet deeply personal, serving as a warm invitation to Western Christians to open their eyes to the spiritual treasures of the East. In that sense, personally, I found Fr Nevsky's perspective and writing style comfortingly reminiscent of that of the late Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (of Diokleia).
I would wholeheartedly recommend Fr Nevskys book to anyone interested in learning more about Orthodox Christianity, either sitting within the tradition or outside it. As Archimandrite Dr Augustin Coman notes in his foreword, this book is an "ecumenical gift" indeed, as Father Nevsky navigates the often perceived as exotic, archaic, or downright impenetrable habitat of the Orthodox Church, with ecumenical generosity and tradition-specific authenticity. " -- Fr Dragos Herescu
