BORN: June 10, 1932
DIED: June 13, 2014
MARRIED: Lillian Delevoryas, April 1, 1972
OCCUPATION: Philosopher and writer on early Christianity
CHILDREN: Robert, Diana, Freya, Peter and Nicholas
GRANDCHILDREN: Janine, Phoebe, Henry and Wilf
An expert in early Christianity who wrote extensively on the subject has passed away. Henry Amis, known as Robin, published books based on his own research and translations of Christian history.
His work focussed on the early centuries of Christianity, before the church split up into several denominations. Robin was always concerned to find the unifying factor in all Christian churches, and to try to heal the breaches that had split the church which had occurred over the centuries.
Most of his research was carried out on Mount Athos, the holy mountain in northern Greece, where he frequented monasteries over a period of 30 years.
During this time he explored the various techniques of prayer and hesychasm, traditions of prayer, still practiced by the monks.
He simplified the subject and his books presented them in ways which made sense to lay men and women living in the world.
One of his books, A Different Christianity, was published by the State University of New York Press in 1995. A more recent book, Views From Mount Athos, which came out this year, describes his experiences as a pilgrim on the holy mountain.
His writing attracted many students throughout the world and he held classes both in person and through video conferencing.
His funeral was held on June 23 at the Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, on University Road, with the burial at the Brookwood Monastery in Surrey.
I knew him and met him just before he passed away. We had great discussion and he borrowed me his Athos maps as I was about to go to pilgrimage. Wonderful man who I saw in the church always as an inspiration.