The Acquisition of the Holy Spirit: Orthodox Ascetic Theology, Vol. I

This definitive introduction to Orthodox spirituality is the first in a series of books dedicated to the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. It gives an historic survey of the very nature of sanctity as it has been acquired and revealed by genuine carriers of grace.

Presented for the first time in the English language, THE ACQUISITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT is the result of the efforts of a loving scholar who encountered a saint in his youth, St. Nektary of Optina. This work--essentially a textbook of ascetic theology--describes how spiritual prayer, communion with God, and sanctity is acquired through the principles of Orthodox asceticism, eldership and hesychasm. Impressed by the reality of discovering sanctity alive in the 20th century, Professor Kontzevitch dedicated his whole life to preserving and presenting the path to this sanctity.

The value of THE ACQUISITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT lies not only in its exposition of the very essence of Christianity, but also in the fact that the author had direct contact with saints who themselves had acquired the Holy Spirit.