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Wednesday, May 11, 2005

The Orthodox Way

This arrived in today's post. I hope to make a start this evening. I also have The Incarnate God and S. Cyril of Jerusalem's Lectures on the Christian Sacraments on order. I've seen part of the Orthodox worship and fellowship, and part of a priest's domestic life. Now I'm delving a little more into the theology, which is a love of mine, even if I don't do it particularly well. (sigh).

I am thinking of also investing in The Orthodox Church. Is there anything else that anybody has found helpful or thinks that I might?

Many thanks.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Michael, _The Orthodox Church_ and _The Orthodox Way_ both give a good overview. In addition, _The Way of a Pilgrim_ and _The Pilgrim Continues His Way_ are great for the spirituality.

Further recommendations:

St. John Chrysostom's _Six Books on the Priesthood_.

Sir Steven Runciman's _The Fall of Constantinople 1453_ and _The Great Church in Captivity_ . Both of these may be out of print, but a good library would probably have them.

Happy reading!

Leetle M.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Mark, for looking up the Runciman books!

They are well worth a read, imho. With the warning that "The Fall of Constantinople" is a 2 box of tissues read and "The Great Church in Captivity" brought more tears to my eyes than "Gone with the Wind"....

Who's "Bacovian"? (slow American here)

Leetle M.

Jacob Hicks said...

The Orthodox Church is both interesting and, I imagine, useful, but ensure you get the revised edition (updated stuff on the Church's situation).

I've started The Orthodox Way a couple of times, but have yet to read it properly. Time rather than interest, as the first couple of chapters seem very good.

There's also quite a good book from Light & Life, called Introducing the Orthodox Church, IIRC. I shall check the details for you.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Mark! The edition of _The Way of a Pilgrim_ that I have was translated by R.M. French.

Best wishes,

Leetle M.

Jacob Hicks said...

This is the link to the above-mentioned book: http://www.light-n-life.com/shopping/order_product.asp?ProductNum=INTR100

I remember it being slightly simplistic, but at the same time exhaustive - it certiainly covers everything, but in not very much depth at all. Hence "Introducing", I suppose.

D. Benedict Andersen OSB said...

I really like The Mystery of Faith by Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev. Wish I had it when I was in the process of joining the Orthodox Church.

Michael said...

Goodness!

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions. Some of them sound rather tempting. Is Archbishop HILARION the same Archbishop HILARION of Australia?

Yes, Richard. I do have the revised edition of 1995. :-)

The "Lectures on the Christian Sacraments" arrived today.

Jo said...

I read "The Orthodox Church" (original 65 version) as well as the new one. Both are very good overall introductions, but some of hte info in the original is quite dated as much has changed in the past 40 odd years.

Way of the Pilgrim is also good but one should be careful as it can lead to a great fervor that dies quickly.

The Law of God by Fr. Seraphim Slobodsky (available from SJKP.org at a rather steep 50 american) is worth every penny. Its written on a 5th grade reading level but its simplistic terms and expressions do nothing to mask the infinite greatness of the Orthodox tradition. It is the premeire Catechism of the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia and is also being used increasingly by the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate).

St. George Orthodox Information Services had a very good book available but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

Above and beyond these I recomend the Prologue from Orchid (I printed mine off a pdf file) and a good praryerbook.

In Christ,
Joe Zollars

Michael said...

Joe! Good to see you here.

Thanks ever so much for the suggetsions and advice. The Law of God is something that may be of some use (if you'll pardon the expression), as ROCOR seems to be where I'm heading.

Talk soon.

M