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Ordinary People As Monks & Mystics: Lifestyles for Spiritual Wholeness By Marsha Sinetar Our Price $ 13.16   Retail Value $ 14.95   You Save $ 1.79  (12%)   Item Number 140910   Buy New Item Quantity: 1              2              3 ABOUT TRUST ONLINE

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	Another book that almost makes the cut  Feb 10, 2008
The great problem with modern books on contemplation and the mystical life is their constant drift into syncretism. Marsha Sinetar's book fails to break out of this mold. As I began the book, I thought that perhaps this book would be different, however, about halfway through it she began to unite paganism with Christianity. Before you take me to task for this criticism, let me remind that it is not I who first said "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man comes to the Father but by me." It is a sign of our times and the watering down of the Catholic Faith that we do not believe, as previous saints did, that all men must belong to the Church or suffer eternal loss. Christians who engage in such sycretism do the truth of the Christian faith a great disservice, for they make it appear that the Christian faith is but one of many faiths that can bring one to God rather than to clearly stand upon Jesus' words that He alone is the way to the Father. It is especially appalling to see authors like Sinetar take quotes from saints like St. Therese and St. John of the Cross, find similar quotes from Hindu and Buddist writers, and then create a supposed common ground of belief and meditative practice which implies that Christianity is essentially the same as these pagan religions. There are commendable parts to the book -- personal stories of people who are finding the corporate greed, the warmongering, the hatred and stress of the rat race we call society to be too much. She describes well the steps that a soul takes on this journey, both from the stories of the people she interviewed as well as such historical figures of meditation and contemplation. However, as I said, about halfway through, the praise of pagan mystics begins the sycretistic circus. Perhaps the worst shock of this book comes on page 130 where Sinetar misinterprets 2 Corin. 3: 18 to read: "We shall be completely transformed and changed into God" !!!!!!!! That is rank blasphemy of the worst sort, and if Sinetar is a Christian as she appears to be, she should have her mouth washed out with soap!! We bear the likeness of God, are made into His image, and, according to the Sacred Scriptures, are made partakers of the divine nature, but we NEVER become God! NEVER! That is the mysticism of eastern paganism, not of orthodox Christianity. I spoke to a deeply spiritual Catholic friend this morning and asked him why so many writers seem to drift into this admixture of paganism and Christianity as they try to define mysticism. He reminded me that mysticism can produce peace, but the goal of true mysticism (Christianity) is agape love. That is a self-giving love which seeks to present ourselves as a gift to others, rather than seeking peace and contentment for ourselves. "I think the problem is that they don't realize the depths of mystical experience in the Christian faith, thus they go outside it looking for fulfillment," he offered. I think he has hit the nail on the head. There is a rich history of mystical and contemplative writings in the Catholic faith (Protestantism is devoid of such). While Sinetar's book has some good points to it, I would advise it to only be read by well grounded, orthodox Catholics. Beyond that, reach for St. Gregory of Nyssa or St. John of the Cross. If it wasn't so well written with the compelling stories of those who are on this journey, I would have given it one star. As it is, the praise of pagan mystics keeps it from a five star rating.

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