Publisher's Synopsis
Dr. Ashanin's great love and awareness of God gave him rare insight into the souls and spiritual needs of others. He saw and felt things of the spirit in ways that most people cannot. Though he never claimed to be so, Dr. Ashanin was a true mystic, combining an all-consuming devotion to the Presence of the Holy with gifts of clairvoyance, wisdom, and a profound understanding of Scripture and of the writings of the early teachers of the Faith. Dr. Ashanin was more than a professor -- he was a mentor, beloved friend, and companion on the spiritual journey. As a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church with twelve hundred years of Slavonic spirituality in his soul, he worked closely with students studying for the Protestant ministry, enriching their traditions and perspectives of the Gospel in the manner of a true "staretz" (spiritual guide). This ecumenical commitment cost him greatly. For its sake, he suffered the disdain and persecution of colleagues whose "modern" Christianity mocked and rejected his devotion to the ways of the early Church.
