Penthos: The Doctrine of Compunction in the Christian East

If joy in the resurrection is the distinguishing mark of christian faith, why have christian saints throughout the ages prayed for 'the gift of tears'? What place has penthos, heartfelt compunction, in the sure and certain hope of life in Christ?

Weeping for Christ crucified is not christian. Penthos in the eastern monastic tradition is never found related to the death of Christ: for death, to the Christian, is birth into new life with Christ.

Penthos is instead the deep awareness of sin w...