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Looking East in Winter: Contemporary Thought and the Eastern Christian Tradition Hardcover – 24 June 2021
by
Rowan Williams
(Author)
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In many ways, we seem to be living in wintry times at present in the Western world. In this new book, Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury and a noted scholar of Eastern Christianity, introduces us to some aspects and personalities of the Orthodox Christian world, from the desert contemplatives of the fourth century to philosophers, novelists and activists of the modern era, that suggest where we might look for fresh light and warmth. He shows how this rich and diverse world opens up new ways of thinking about spirit and body, prayer and action, worship and social transformation, which go beyond the polarisations we take for granted. Taking in the world of the great spiritual anthology, the Philokalia, and the explorations of Russian thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, discussing the witness of figures like Maria Skobtsova, murdered in a German concentration camp for her defence of Jewish refugees, and the challenging theologies of modern Greek thinkers like John Zizioulas and Christos Yannaras, Rowan Williams opens the door to a ‘climate and landscape of our humanity that can indeed be warmed and transfigured’. This is an original and illuminating vision of a Christian world still none too familiar to Western believers and even to students of theology, showing how the deep-rooted themes of Eastern Christian thought can prompt new perspectives on our contemporary crises of imagination and hope.
- Print length272 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication date24 June 2021
- ISBN-101472989244
- ISBN-13978-1472989246
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Product description
Review
The language is precise and exact, yet also evocative and elegant. ― Church Times
An austere read, reflecting a lifetime’s intellectual engagement with Orthodoxy. It is at the same time full of warmth. Williams' account of holy folly is wonderful. ― The Tablet
There is no theological writer in English whose prose is more lucid, more crystalline, more careful, than Lord Williams of Oystermouth, known more widely as Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012 ... Looking East in Winter is a brilliant exploration of modern Orthodox theology ... Archbishop Rowan has completed another remarkable book, the reading of which is itself a meditative and nourishing experience. ― Medium
An austere read, reflecting a lifetime’s intellectual engagement with Orthodoxy. It is at the same time full of warmth. Williams' account of holy folly is wonderful. ― The Tablet
There is no theological writer in English whose prose is more lucid, more crystalline, more careful, than Lord Williams of Oystermouth, known more widely as Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012 ... Looking East in Winter is a brilliant exploration of modern Orthodox theology ... Archbishop Rowan has completed another remarkable book, the reading of which is itself a meditative and nourishing experience. ― Medium
About the Author
Rowan Williams (Baron Williams of Oystermouth) is Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, UK. He was formerly Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford, UK, and was Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 - 2012.
Product details
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 272 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1472989244
- ISBN-13 : 978-1472989246
- Best Sellers Rank: 122,526 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 1,444 in Theology
- 7,667 in Christian Books & Bibles
- Customer reviews:
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
38 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we do not use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews from other countries

Mr. Y. Dubois
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best one-volume Orthodox theology
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 13 August 2021Verified Purchase
I have been a priest of the Orthodox Church for fifty-five years and this book has enabled me to understand several aspects of the Orthodox Church's teaching with which I had been struggling.
8 people found this helpful
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J. T. Cooper
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a book for the average reader
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 10 March 2022Verified Purchase
This is not a book for the average reader nor for the amateur theologian. It is a text best appreciated by the professional (ideally Eastern) theologian and indeed, reviewers from such a background confirm its’ value to that field.
We decided to review the book having previously read and appreciated Rowan Williams’ “Luminaries: Twenty lives that illuminate the Christian way” which by comparison is a “popular” text.
This is a highly academic book that draws on Baron William’s lifelong interest in Eastern theology. We struggled to follow him, even with a handy dictionary by our sides and frustratingly there were vast swathes of the book that we just didn’t understand. Despite this the book did give us a glimpse of a simple, profound, and mystical theology which is quite different to that of the Western Church.
The book discusses the basic beliefs and personalities of the Orthodox Christian world starting with the desert contemplatives of the fourth century (with discussion of the great spiritual anthology, the Philokalia) and moving on to the philosophers, novelists, and activists of more recent times. Baron Williams critically appraises each in turn, comparing, contrasting, and debating their contributions – a discussion perhaps relished by the academics but not we’re afraid by us!
We were told that the widely acknowledged introductory text to Eastern Christianity for over 50 years now has been “The Orthodox Church: Introduction to Eastern Christianity” by Timothy Ware. And that is perhaps where we will start – inspired by the fleeting glimpse of Eastern Christianity that Baron Williams has given us.
We would have preferred to refrain from rating this book as we felt it’s rating would very much be determined by the background of the reader.
We decided to review the book having previously read and appreciated Rowan Williams’ “Luminaries: Twenty lives that illuminate the Christian way” which by comparison is a “popular” text.
This is a highly academic book that draws on Baron William’s lifelong interest in Eastern theology. We struggled to follow him, even with a handy dictionary by our sides and frustratingly there were vast swathes of the book that we just didn’t understand. Despite this the book did give us a glimpse of a simple, profound, and mystical theology which is quite different to that of the Western Church.
The book discusses the basic beliefs and personalities of the Orthodox Christian world starting with the desert contemplatives of the fourth century (with discussion of the great spiritual anthology, the Philokalia) and moving on to the philosophers, novelists, and activists of more recent times. Baron Williams critically appraises each in turn, comparing, contrasting, and debating their contributions – a discussion perhaps relished by the academics but not we’re afraid by us!
We were told that the widely acknowledged introductory text to Eastern Christianity for over 50 years now has been “The Orthodox Church: Introduction to Eastern Christianity” by Timothy Ware. And that is perhaps where we will start – inspired by the fleeting glimpse of Eastern Christianity that Baron Williams has given us.
We would have preferred to refrain from rating this book as we felt it’s rating would very much be determined by the background of the reader.
One person found this helpful
Report abuse

Big Vern
1.0 out of 5 stars
Tough read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 October 2021Verified Purchase
Excessively academic style of writing, which I found tough to disseminate. It’s not an easy read. Disappointing really because the Orthodox Christian is fascinating and I’m possibly none the wiser. So frustrating.

RICHARD
5.0 out of 5 stars
Challenging read, excellent material
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 18 November 2021Verified Purchase
Well researched.
One person found this helpful
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