Vassula’s article on the Jezebel spirit touches on an important aspect of the life of prayer, namely, the Spiritual Conflict. It’s a difficult area and it isn’t always easy to find sound counsel on the subject, but some is provided by an excellent book dealing with the question of the conflict with Satan, titled Unseen Warfare.

In its original form, it is the work of a Roman Catholic priest who lived and worked in Italy in the sixteenth century. The ‘Spiritual Combat’ of Lorenzo Scupoli was first published in 1589. It is a book whose merits have commanded a constant public in every age since it first appeared.

Later, the title, Unseen Warfare, was given to it by Nicodemus, a monk of Mount Athos, when he translated it into Greek. Nicodemus’ version was a success, which won for itself a place in the spiritual life of the Greek Church, and at the present day it is held in high esteem on Mount Athos.

Theophan, a Russian, helped bring it into an assured place in the spiritual literature of the Russian church. Unseen Warfare deserves to be studied for its intrinsic value, but also as a document illustrating the play and counterplay of influences between East and West in the important sphere of ascetic theology, and so is helpful on the points of identity and difference between East and West in their conduct of the unseen warfare.

For that growing number of people who take to heart the scandal of schism, and of that mutual ignorance and estrangement which is both cause and effect of schism, and who work and pray for a better understanding between the Christians of East and West, the lessons of this book are valuable. It is where we fight and pray together, in the same spiritual combat against the same unseen enemies, that we shall find ourselves to be already unified.

Unseen Warfare has been reprinted by St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York.

Spiritual Combat, the original work as first written by Lorenzo Scupoli, is now published by TAN Books & Publishers, of Rockford, Illinois.

This information, paraphrased by the editor, was contributed by Brother Andrew whom you may e-mail for more information on this and other publications of his monastery: [email protected]