Know Thyself: Handbook on Christian Living

by Nektarios of Pentapolis
translated and edited by Daniel M. Rogich
Softcover: 280 pages

Nektarios of Pentapolis' book, Know Thyself, translated from Greek by Rev. Dr. Daniel M. Rogich, masterfully mines the depths of ancient Greek philosophy and Orthodox Christian Patristic wisdom in order to guide the everyday Christian in the knowledge necessary to Know Thyself, a knowledge that begins in understanding what constitutes a human being—our natural attributes of the body and the three parts or powers of our soul—and what are therefore the natural virtues of the soul and body and how they can be misused by human freedom and negligence, leading to vice. When the soul is understood properly and acquires virtues, which is accomplished by human freedom in cooperation with the grace of God, humans can establish within themselves a relationship with God and come into a deified union with Him, and hence fully authentic human beings, as they were originally created and destined to become. This text addresses a wide variety of modern day issues from evolution, materialism, to patriotism, everyday work in society, military service, familial relationships, etc., and defines in detail not only the multitude of virtues and vices, but also how individuals behave—their ethos—in a way that beckons the reader to change their life for the better.