In this book, His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevi) offers us a breath of fresh air. This is not a book of theology in the form we have become accustomed to expect: a systematic examination of the usual topics of theological reflection; it is much more than that. Bishop Maxim draws upon Scripture, the Fathers, and Liturgy to address perennial and yet very contemporary questions: our experience of time and history, our existence as human persons and the complexities of sexuality and gender, our life in the polis and the ekklesia, and the relational presence of an icon in a world saturated with digital images.

And he does so in engagement with a diverse range of contemporary thinkers: philosophers, scientists, poets, artists, media figures, and film directors. The theological vision and call that emerges here is indeed a surprise, and one that brings the gospel to bear on all aspects of our life and existence." —Very Rev. John Behr