I n this new book by John Michael Talbot readers are invited to meditate on the twelve simple words that lie at the heart of the Christian East. Complete with historical context and exercises for self-reflection, this book shows how a single prayer could sustain the spiritual life of a civilization.
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Short Review: I have been interested in the Jesus Prayer for a long time. It has been one of my regular prayers, not so much in the repetition but in the exasperated I don't know what else to pray right now sort of way.
I also have liked the few John Michael Talbot books I have read, so it was an easy one to pick up when it was on sale a few months ago. Talbot is a Catholic who became a Christian through the Jesus movement and interacts a lot with Protestants (and this is published by an evangelical house) so the ecumenical focus is good.
This is a more theological book than the one by Fredrica Matthews-Green on the Jesus Prayer. And Talbot is writing as a Roman Catholic not Eastern Orthodox so he is aware that he is an outsider to the much of its history. But he handles that well.
The book has an introduction and then relatively short chapters on each word (or phrase) of the prayer. There is an appendix that is more about practical prayer issues.
This wasn't an earth shattering book, but a solid one that I am glad I read.
My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/jesus-prayer/
