What should a Christian read or watch to avoid feeding the passions and to preserve the purity of the soul? What literature would you recommend for a Christian, especially considering the lack of free time? #
I would recommend first and foremost reading the Holy Scripture, but always with the commentaries of the Holy Fathers, to avoid straying into self-willed interpretations of its passages, as Protestants and other non-Orthodox often do.
It is very beneficial to read the works of St. John Chrysostom, who presents Orthodox teachings about God, the incarnation of Christ, and the moral foundations of Christian life in an accessible and brilliant way.
The writings of Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Cyril of Jerusalem, Theodoret of Cyrus, and other ancient Holy Fathers are also very useful for our reading.
The book An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith by St. John of Damascus is excellent for a foundational understanding of the main truths of Christianity. For those seeking to attain the heights of theology, the works of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, preferably with the commentaries of St. Maximus the Confessor, as well as the writings of St. Symeon the New Theologian, are worth reading.
The book The Life of Barlaam the Hermit and Ioasaph, Prince of Great India is also very educational and fascinating.
For those interested in monasticism, I recommend The Spiritual Meadow (Florilegium) by St. Dorotheus, Staretsdom, The Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John Climacus, and various biographies of ascetics, such as The Ancient Paterikon, The Lausiac History, and The Spiritual Meadow (Limonarion). I especially recommend The Paterikon of the Caves, which describes the lives and miracles of the ascetics of the ancient Monastery of the Kiev Caves.
A book that rightfully deserves to be a constant companion of every Christian is The Spiritual Instructions by Abba Dorotheus.
As for secular literature, I would not advise reading it, as it often contains all manner of distractions.
When it comes to watching, I think documentaries about the history of the Church, ancient holy sites, and ascetics can be worthwhile. However, dramatic films often contain elements that “feed the passions,” especially those produced in recent decades. In general, acting, jesting, and their observation are harmful to the soul, as the Holy Fathers write. Let me remind you that there were no theaters in Russia until the reforms of Patriarch Nikon, during which the first court theater was created for the amusement of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich—a persecutor of uncorrupted Christianity—and his courtiers.
—Archpriest Vadim Korovin.