On Passions and Temptations: Answers from Orthodox Psychologists

Passion is a painful state of the soul that drives a person to violate commandments and makes it hard to follow Christ. How can you get rid of the tyranny of pride, vanity, despondency, and anger? Why, confessing the same sins again and again, can we not overcome them? With these questions, journalist Leonid Vinogradov turned not to priests, but to leading Orthodox psychologists. In their conversations, the eight main passions are revealed from an unexpected angle—from the perspective of Christian psychology. And it turns out that sinful states often feed on our complexes and emotional wounds, and unresolved psychological problems can become a serious obstacle on the spiritual path. Recommended for publication by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. © Storyside