John Main (1926-1982), an English Benedictine monk, pioneered the practice of Christian meditation. His genius was to recover a way into the contemplative experience for ordinary people within the Christian tradition. Hailed by Bede Griffiths as the "most important spiritual guide in the church today, " Main's work inspired the foundation of the World Community for Christian Meditation and a network of hundreds of meditation groups around the world.

John Main introduces the practice of Christian meditation for modern people who wish to deepen their spiritual lives.

Mother Maria Skobtsova (1891-1945), a Russian emigree, Orthodox nun, and martyr under the Nazis, is fast gaining recognition as one of the most fascinating religious figures of the twentieth century. In becoming an Orthodox nun in Paris she was determined to pioneer a new form of monasticism, engaged in active charity and the challenge of social justice. Her home in Paris was at once a soup kitchen for the needy, a center for the renewal of Orthodox thought, and -- during the Nazi occupation -- a haven for the rescue of Jews. For the latter cause she ended her life in a Nazi death camp. In...