Quick Review: ATHANASIUS: Letter to Marcellinus on the Psalms: Spiritual wisdom for today.

                                                       ABOUT THE BOOK

The "Letter to Marcellinus on the Psalms: Spiritual Wisdom for Today is a Classic of Ancient Christian Spirituality. In this letter to a friend, Athanasius of Alexandria (ca. 298-373) offers spiritual guidance on how to read the psalms. Athanasius believed that the Psalms were divinely inspired, which is why they are so helpful to the human soul. He describes the Psalter as a choice garden filled with a variety of fruit for the soul—all of which feed the human condition. The Psalms speak to the whole range of human emotion-- anger, fear, desire, and happiness--offering insight into the movements of the heart like a mirror to the soul. With guidance, the Psalms not only provide insight into inner life, but they also provide what we need to say or do to bring healing to our souls.[1]

MY IMPRESSIONS

I love the book of psalms as it lets readers find themselves in the experiences and emotions. I love reading material from the church fathers. For a while, I have wondered how Athanasius endured five exiles and all! The persecution until I read this letter. It is encouraging to see how he swam against the tide, stood for the truth because he anchored himself in the enduring Word of God. In this letter, he shows Marcellinus how the psalms are for all of life, involve every literary genre and also lead us to Christ. 

 

 

[1] Description is taken from www.goodreads.com