Kyriacos C. Markides
Kyriacos C. Markides is a professor of sociology at the University of Maine who has written several books on Christian mysticism. In his books he explores first a circle of "healers" on Cyprus surrounding "Daskalos" (a pseudonym for Stylianos Atteshlis ), who combined some Christian beliefs with shamanistic/witchcraft practices, and latterly mystical Christianity through his association with a charismatic elder, Father Maximos, a former monk from Mount Athos. (Maximos is, apparently,[1] Markides' pseudonym for a Cypriot bishop, namely Metropolitan Athanasios[2] of Limassol.) Markides has also given lectures and workshops around the United States, Canada and other countries as well as appearing on US television and being interviewed by radio stations, newspapers and magazines. There is a fairly wide-ranging interview in two parts with Kevin Allen of Ancient Faith Radio available online [3] as an audio download or transcript.
In his earlier books Markides seems content to see any psychic phenomenon as of interest and value in itself and is also quick to draw (apparent) parallels between different religions or to gesture towards "the perennial philosophy". However, he has gradually moved away from these assumptions. Speaking to Kevin Allen he avers: "... it was a revelation to me that there might be something over and beyond the physical material universe. So, that was the starting point. Then, of course, I realized that there are grey areas and there are problematic kinds of phenomena [that not all] are good, necessarily." It is not clear where Markides stands on some of these issues now.
Markides lives in the Stillwater neighborhood of Old Town, Maine, with his wife, Emily, whom he describes in his books an eco-feminist and peace activist.[4]
Books
- Riding with the Lion
- Homage to the Sun
- Fire in the Heart
- The Magus of Strovolos
- The Mountain of Silence: A Search for Orthodox Spirituality, Doubleday, 2001. ISBN 978-0-385-50092-0
- Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality, Doubleday, 2005. ISBN 978-0-385-50663-2
- Inner River: A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Christian Spirituality, Image, 2012. ISBN 978-0-307-88587-6
References
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