Time and Despondency - by Nicole M Roccas (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Idleness. Apathy. Restlessness. Procrastination. These are symptoms, of what early Christian theologians called despondency (acedia), a spiritual sickness rooted in a lack of care or effort. A condition as old as the ancients, despondency thrives in today's culture of leisure, anxiety, and digital distraction. Time and Despondency is a penetrating synthesis of ancient theology, spiritual memoir, and self-help practicality. It envisions despondency as the extension of a broken relationship with the experience of time. Driven by the fear of death and the anxiety of living, despondency drives us to abandon the present moment, forsaking the only temporal realm in which we have true fellowship with Christ. The remedies offered by time-honored Christian thinkers for this predicament constitute not only an antidote to despondency but also stepping stones back to the present moment. In regaining the sacredness of time, we re-encounter the Resurrection of Christ in the dark and restless moments of our lives.

Review Quotes

As a parish priest, university professor, podcaster, doctoral student and parent of three, the topic of time is often at the epicentre of my daily experience. For all those who seem to always be departing but never arriving, working but never accomplishing, starting but never finishing, this book is definitely a game changer! Nicole Roccas examines the ancient problem of despondency in a new and fresh way. In a world that is fascinated with the illusions of the past and future, Nicole brings the human experience into focus through her patristic insight, theological clarity, and witty anecdotes. "In eternity, we understand God as being, whereas in time, we understand Him as action." If anything, this book calls us to such action - to seek that which always seems so elusive. Time and Despondency challenges us to encounter God where time intersects with eternity; to meet Him in the ever-fleeting, but always accessible present.

-Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Toronto Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, UofT, and Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Patriarchal Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy

Nicole Roccas' Time and Despondency takes the reader on a journey through time and thought as it addresses the relationship between time and despondency, which is "no less than a perpetual attempt by the mind to flee from the present moment, to disregard the gift of God's presence at each juncture of time and space." (p. 15) The book offers much to ponder, including quotes from church fathers and other noted Christian authors, all pointing to the fact that despondency is a real problem for Christians. Not just teens and young adults encounter despondency. It is a struggle for Christians of all ages.

But this book does not merely shake a finger in the face of its readers, scolding them for not caring or for abandoning the present or God, Who meets us in the present. Rather, the book extends grace to the reader. It encourages them to do the same to themselves and to others. Then it walks the reader through a host of ideas of ways to begin to heal and step away from despondency; whether with counter statements from scripture or with stepping stones built on virtues and disciplines.

-Kristina W., Lancaster, PA