Lenten Reading List, Part 2

 

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

Another list of excellent Orthodox reading material for Great Lent meant to supplement Monday's list. This will allow you plenty of time before Great Lent begins on March 18 to purchase whatever book(s)  you may choose. Please contact me if you would like to discuss any of these books with me.

+ The Place of the Heart by Elizabeth Behr-Sigel. The author has been described as the “grandmother” of 20^th c. Orthodox writers. A European lay theologian, Behr-Sigel’s book is subtitled “An Introduction to Orthodox Spirituality.” This is a far-ranging description of how our immensely rich spiritual tradition developed from the Scriptures to the present day. A very rich presentation. Actually, Arch. Ware’s essay on The Power of the Name is included here as an Appendix.

+ Becoming Human by Fr. John Behr. A marvelous and profound meditation – accompanied by iconographic images – on the Person of Christ and how Christ is the link toward our own true humanity. Many great new insights here that Fr. John has put into a short meditative form based on his other scholarly studies of the early Christian tradition. A profound link is made between Christ – the one true human being – and our own emerging humanity after His image.

+  God’s Many-Splendored Image by Nonna Verna Harrison. Verna Harrison is an Orthodox nun, known as Sister Nonna. She is also a highly-respected patristic scholar and theologian. This book explores “theological anthropology for Christian formation.” That sounds rather intimidating, but prominent readers have said that “clarity, simplicity, beauty, and depth” characterize the content and style of this book. A truly wonderful exploration of what it means to be, as a human being, “God’s many-splendored image.” Insightful observations are made in this book about figures ranging from desert fathers to Albert Einstein. Sister Nonna dedicated the book “to all people whom other people have thrown away. It shows that God does not throw away people.” Who would not want to read a book with a dedication like that?

+ The Sayings of the Desert Fathers – The Alphabetical Collection, Benedicta Ward (editor and translator). Here are the multitude of aphorisms, anecdotes and wisdom sayings of the great desert fathers arranged alphabetically (the Gk. alphabet, that is) from the letters Alpha to Omega, and everything in between. These are the words of life from the great pioneers of Christian asceticism and the spiritual life. We read the words of Sts. Anthony the Great, Arsenius, and Macarius the Great and a host of other spiritual guides. An endless source of wisdom that can be read through the years.

+ How To Be A Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff. This is an excellent new book that is endlessly insightful when answering the difficult question: What does it mean when I call myself a sinner? Dr. Bouteneff takes us on a journey down the “royal road,” avoiding a dark, guilt-ridden path of self-lacerating; and a superficial therapeutic approach designed to relieve us of any deep responsibility for our sins. Balanced and honest, this book will surprise you with its probing analysis.

+ Thirty Steps to Heaven by Vasilios Papavassiliou. Fr. Vasilios “walks” us up the Ladder of Divine Ascent by “translating” St. John’s classic monastic text The Ladder of Divine Ascent into a style and analysis that has a layperson living in the world primarily in mind. Yet, his commentary is not “watered down” so as to lose the depth and challenging vision of St. John. Very accessible and very practical for today’s Orthodox Christian. 

+ First Fruits of Prayer – A Forty Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew by Frederica Mathewes-Green. Similar in style and tone to Fr. Vasilios’ book mentioned right above. But here this prolific contemporary Orthodox author takes us through the classic Canon of St. Andrew, chanted on the first four evenings of Great Lent; and then again on the Thursday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent. Fine resource for rhe scriptural content of St. Andrew’s famous work.

 

Also visit our Great Lent Resource Section on our parish website for more books and aids, and join us for the Journey!

Lenten Reading List, Part 1

 

Dear Parish Faithful,

Looking ahead to Great Lent (March 18), I would like to begin recommending some excellent Orthodox literature that would clearly deepen your understanding, and even practice, of this unique liturgical season. Such a list always begins with Great Lent, as you will read below. If you are new to the Orthodox Church, or have not read this book if even a long-standing member of the Church, I consider this book a "must read." 

+  Great Lent - Journey to Pascha by Fr. Alexander Schmemann. Recommended by Arch. Kallistos Ware as the best single volume about Lent in English, this book has become a “classic” that should be read by one and all. After reading this book, you will never approach the Lenten services in exactly the same way. In fact, you just may want to come to church more often during Great Lent. This book includes the great appendix chapter, “Taking Lent Seriously” which you will do even more so after reading this book!

+ The Lenten Spring by Fr. Thomas Hopko. Also already something of a “classic.” This is a series of forty three-four page meditations on a variety of lenten themes. A wonderful use of the Scriptures and the Church’s Lenten hymnography, together with Fr. Hopko’s endless stream of great insights.

+ Prayer: An Encounter With the Living God by Metropolitan Ilarion Alfeyev. A relatively new book by one of today’s most prolific and gifted theologians/spiritual directors. Short straightforward chapters that yield many insights into the practice of serious and effective prayer. Very practical and quite helpful for that very reason.

+ The Passion of Christ by Veselin Kesich. This was my New Testament professor at St. Vladimir’s Seminary. A compact and clearly-written account of the Lord’s death on the Cross. Prof. Kesich walks you through the Lord’s earthly ministry and all of the factors that led to the Lord’s Passion. In only about a hundred pages, this book will illuminate a great deal for you as we move toward Holy Week during Great Lent.

+ The Power of the Name: The Jesus Prayer in Orthodox Spirituality by Archbishop Kallistos Ware. Certainly the best short introduction to the Jesus Prayer by a lifelong student and practitioner of the great “prayer of the heart.” Arch. Ware distills years of study and practice into an unforgettable forty-page treatise. Yes – another classic!

To be continued...

Contemporary Classics of Orthodox Literature

 

Dear Parish Faithful & Friends in Christ,  

"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God ..."  - Heb. 13:7

 

 

Contemporary Classics of Orthodox Literature

 by Fr. Steven Kostoff

It is my observation that today many Orthodox Christians are reading a good deal of contemporary Orthodox literature - books on spirituality, liturgy, theology and history. These are books that are read immediately upon publication and which are very well promoted - if not well "marketed." A steady Orthodox reading discipline/program is essential in today's world perhaps more than ever. We are so ideologically bombarded from so many disparate quarters, that we need to remember who we are and what we believe! 

I am writing, though, with a particular concern in mind: Perhaps we are only - or mostly only - reading the most contemporary literature. Most of the Orthodox literature that I am now referring to can be accessed on Ancient Faith Radio. There is a circle of well-read authors there who are fairly prolific and have a wide Orthodox reading audience. I am not writing anything against those authors or their books.

However, because I am from an older generation, and have been an Orthodox priest for over forty years now, I want to make a heartfelt plea for the great writers who nurtured me, who nurtured an entire earlier generation or two, and who wrote the classics of twentieth century Orthodox literature. This is a great literature that placed Orthodoxy on the "map" both in America and in Europe and beyond - into Russia and other parts of the world. 

I strongly believe that we need to read these classics of the twentieth century, because these are the very books that served as the foundation for others to build on. These were books that allowed Orthodoxy to emerge from its sheltered ethnic communities; books which revived an abiding and lasting focus on the Fathers of the Church; books which completely restored the apostolic vision of the Liturgy and the Eucharist; and books that penetrated deeply into our genuine spiritual Tradition with the insights and practices that lead us to lives of holiness. 

I repeat: I am not claiming that our newer contemporary literature cannot do that, but our newer authors are standing on the shoulders of the "giants" who prepared the vision that may sustain them. For the sake of balance and wholeness, we must not neglect these classics. It would be a great loss if these books - and their authors - were more-or-less forgotten as the years pass. A further point is that the authors I am about to enumerate were steeped in a centuries-old Orthodox culture. They did not need to be overly defensive defensive, polemical or apologetic. 

This is not a "nostalgia fest" on my part. Of that, I can assure you. I think that as clergy and laity, we need a broad a range of theological grounding as much possible, and again, the classics go a long way in assuring that. (I of course, assume that everyone is reading the Scriptures and Fathers with regularity).

There were four great writers from the Orthodox Tradition that wrote brilliant and compelling books for many decades throughout the twentieth century. I read their works over and over - and over. They have had a lasting effect on me, and I like to think that in my own very modest way, I have applied their vision in my own pastoral ministry, from liturgy to theology. With the exception of Lossky, the other three - especially Frs. Schmemann and Meyendorff - were the key "architects" in establishing the Orthodox Church in America. I had the great privilege of actually knowing, studying under and worshiping with, Frs. Alexander Schmemann and John Meyendorff while a student at St. Vladimir's Seminary (1978-1981), as well as with Fr. Thomas Hopko. An unforgettable experience.

So, here are a few of the authors and books that I would like to highlight and bring to your attention:

+ George Florovsky (1893 - 1979)

His collected works have been published in 13 volumes, I believe, but I would single out:

Vol 1 - Bible, Church, Tradition - An Orthodox Perspective - A collection of essays that provide insight after insight into the meaning and relationship between Scripture and Tradition.

Vol. IV - Creation and Redemption - Another set of brilliant essays that incorporate the works of the Church Fathers in understanding the divine oikonomia from the Incarnation to the Resurrection.

There is a new volume of many never-before translated works, though it is quite expensive. Still, a worthwhile investment. Everything is simply brilliant that is contained in this volume, which also has a great Introduction:

The Patristic Witness of George Florovsky - The Essential Theological Writings 

+ Vladimir Lossky (1903-1958)

The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church - This book is the Orthodox classic of the twentieth century, written in 1945. It takes some real concentration, but endlessly fascinating and insightful.

The Image and Likeness of God - Essays that cover the whole range of theological, anthropological and Mariological themes.

Orthodox Dogmatics - A comprehensive study of dogmatic subjects by a brilliant theologian who leans heavily on the Church Fathers. 

 

+ Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983)

For the Life of the World - An absolute "must read" classic.

Great Lent - Considered the best single volume on the subject in the English language by Met. Kallistos Ware.

The Eucharist - Fr. Schmemann's final study of his life-long engagement with the meaning and practice of the Eucharist.

Church, World, Mission - A series of challenging essays about the Orthodox Church facing the challenges of the contemporary world. 

 

John Meyendorff (1926-1993)

Byzantine Theology - Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes - A "classic" study of the Byzantine roots of our theological Tradition.

The Byzantine Legacy of the Orthodox Church - A great collection of essays that distinguish between the relative and eternal components of the Byzantine legacy.

Imperial Unity and Christian Divisions - A more detailed look at Church History from the 5th - 8th c. A brilliant work of historical synthesis.

 

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (1934-2022)  

We cannot fail to mention him! He comes from a background different than the "big four," but he was a decisive figure in bringing Orthodox literature to the non-Orthodox Christian world.

The Orthodox Church - Still the best one-volume introduction to the Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox Way - a great supplement to The Orthodox Church focusing on what we call Orthodox spirituality. A real favorite!

Sacraments of Healing -  Just published and a further supplement to the two other books by Met. Kallistos. To be read together in this year's upcoming Fall Adult Education Class.

The Inner Kingdom - A collection of endlessly fascinating essays by Met. Kallistos, covering his conversion to Orthodoxy to profound insights into the last judgement - and beyond.

 

Other contemporary authors that are excellent and who have been writing for some time now, are: John Behr (Becoming Human), Andrew Louth (Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology), Metropolitan Ilarion (The Orthodox Faith), Peter Bouteneff (How To Be a Sinner), Nona Verna Harrison (The Many-Splendored Image of God). Metropolitan Anthony Bloom (God and Man; Beginning to Pray);  Metropolitan John Zizioulas (Being and Communion), and, of course, Fr. Thomas Hopko (The Orthodox Faith in four volumes), are writers who have rather recently "fallen asleep in the Lord." 

I fully realize that I could be "preaching to the choir," and I apologize if it sounds as if I am implying that you have not read any/some/many of the books above. You may know this literature very well, indeed! And, I do not want to sound patronizing. But, I have been around and reading since the early 1970's(!), so I thought to share some of my own experience with Orthodox literature with those of you who have not been Orthodox for as long. Please accept my advice in that spirit. If anyone would like to pursue this further, a group of us could have a zoom session on this or a related theme.

In Christ,

Fr. Steven

Fr. Steven's Lenten Reading List

 

Fr. Steven has been preparing us for Great Lent over the past few weeks in part through a series of Zoom classes on Wednesday evenings, and he recently provided a list of suggested books for the journey. 

As we fast from certain types of food (meat, dairy) during Lent, so we also might strive to reduce our internet use and "screen time" in general, and replace those habits with the reading of the Scriptures and a good spiritual book or two.

Below is the handout from Fr. Steven for one of our recent Pre-Lent classes, which includes his brief remarks about each book. There is certainly something for everyone here!

Fr. Steven's Lenten Reading List

 

+  Great Lent by Fr. Alexander Schmemann — Recommended by Arch. Kallistos Ware as the best single volume about Lent in English, this book has become a “classic” that should be read by one and all.  After reading this book, you will never approach the Lenten services in exactly the same way.  In fact, you just may want to come to church more often during Great Lent. This book includes the great appendix chapter, “Taking Lent Seriously” which you will do after reading this book!

+ The Lenten Spring by Fr. Thomas Hopko — Also already something of a “classic.”  This is a series of forty three-four page meditations on a variety of lenten themes. A wonderful use of the Scriptures and the Church’s Lenten hymnography, together with Fr. Hopko’s endless stream of great insights.

+ The Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander, a Finnish Orthodox lay theologian, and another “classic”(!).  Short insightful chapters that are very challenging in today’s  world  about an “applied Orthodoxy” in our daily living.

 

+ Prayer: An Encounter With the Living God by Metropolitan Ilarion Alfeyev — A relatively new book by one of today’s most prolific and gifted theologians/spiritual directors.  Short straightforward chapters that yield many insights into the practice of serious and effective prayer.  Very practical and quite helpful for that very reason.

+ The Passion of Christ by Veselin Kesich —  This was my New Testament professor at St. Vladimir’s Seminary.  A compact and clearly-written account of the Lord’s death on the Cross. Prof. Kesich walks you through the Lord’s earthly ministry and all of the factors that led to the Lord’s Passion. In only about a hundred pages, this book will illuminate a great deal for you as we move toward Holy Week during Great Lent.

+ The Power of the Name:  The Jesus Prayer in Orthodox Spirituality by Archbishop Kallistos Ware — Certainly the best short introduction to the Jesus Prayer by a lifelong student and practitioner of the great “prayer of the heart.” Arch. Ware distills years of study and practice into an unforgettable forty-page treatise.  Yes – another classic!

+ The Place of the Heart by Elizabeth Behr-Sigel —  The author has been described as the “grandmother” of 20th c. Orthodox writers.  A European lay theologian, Behr-Sigel’s book is subtitled “An Introduction to Orthodox Spirituality.”  This is a far-ranging description of how our immensely rich spiritual tradition developed from the Scriptures to the present day.  A very rich presentation. Actually, Arch. Ware’s essay on The Power of the Name is included here as an Appendix.

+ Becoming Human by Fr. John Behr — A marvelous and profound meditation – accompanied by iconographic images – on the Person of Christ and how Christ is the link toward our own true humanity.  Many great new insights here that Fr. John has put into a short meditative form based on his other scholarly studies of the early Christian tradition.  A profound link is made between Christ – the one true human being – and our own emerging humanity after His image.

+  God’s Many-Splendored Image by Nonna Verna Harrison — Verna Harrison is an Orthodox nun, known as Sister Nonna. She is also a highly-respected patristic scholar and theologian.  This book explores “theological anthropology for Christian formation.”  That sounds rather intimidating, but prominent readers have said that “clarity, simplicity, beauty, and depth” characterize the content and style of this book.  A truly wonderful exploration of what it means to be, as a human being, “God’s many-splendored image.”  Insightful observations are made in this book about figures ranging from desert fathers to Albert Einstein. Sister Nonna dedicated the book “to all people whom other people have thrown away. It shows that God does not throw away people.” Who would not want to read a book with a dedication like that?

+ The Sayings of the Desert Fathers – The Alphabetical Collection Benedicta Ward (editor and translator) — Here are the multitude of aphorisms, anecdotes and wisdom sayings of the great desert fathers arranged alphabetically (the Gk. alphabet, that is) from the letters Alpha to Omega, and everything in between.  These are the words of life from the great pioneers of Christian asceticism and the spiritual life.  We read the words of Sts. Anthony the Great, Arsenius, and Macarius the Great and a host of other spiritual guides.  An endless source of wisdom that can be read through the years.

How To Be A Sinner by Dr. Peter Bouteneff — This is an excellent new book that is endlessly insightful when answering the difficult question: What does it mean when I call myself a sinner?
Dr. Bouteneff takes us on a journey down the “royal road,” avoiding a dark, guilt-ridden path  of self-lacerating; and a superficial therapeutic approach designed to relieve us of any deep responsibility for our sins. Balanced and honest, this book will surprise you with its probing analysis.

Thirty Steps to Heaven by Vasilios Papavassiliou — Fr. Vasilios “walks” us up the Ladder of Divine Ascent by “translating” St. John’s classic monastic text The Ladder of Divine Ascent into a style and analysis that has a layperson living in the world primarily in mind. Yet, his commentary is not “watered down” so as to lose the depth and challenging vision of St. John. Very accessible and very practical for today’s Orthodox Christian.

First Fruits of Prayer – A Forty Day Journey Through the Canon of St. Andrew by Frederica Mathewes-Green —  Similar in style and tone to Fr. Vasilios’ book mentioned right above. But here this prolific contemporary Orthodox author takes us through the classic Canon of St. Andrew, chanted on the first four evenings of Great Lent; and then again on the Thursday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent. Fine resource for rhe scriptural content of St. Andrew’s famous work.

What Role for Orthodoxy?

Dear Parish Faithful,

 "Today, in many parts of the very wealthy and comfortable West, there is such a profound loss of spiritual consciousness that the very semantics of the Spirit are unknown. When people came asking for spiritual advice Archimandrite Cleopa used to ask them back: What prayers  do you know by heart? What hymns from the writings of scripture or the fathers are you able to sing by heart? What habitual words do you use when you invoke the presence or the guidance of God in your lives? Often his visitors were hoping he might give then some weird and exotic "mystical" inner knowledge. But this is where he started." 

This insightful anecdote is taken from the final chapter of Fr. John McGuckin's latest book The Eastern Orthodox Church - A New History (p. 300). You may recall, that back in early September I wrote about this book in a very positive manner, promoting this new history of the Church to the parish. I was informed then that a few parishioners made the investment. I did not write a full book review, but simply offered some key excerpts from the book so that everyone could have a "taste" of Fr. John's exceptional presentation of the Church's ongoing history through the centuries. If anyone would like to go back to that earlier piece: https://orthodoxmeditations.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-new-book-waiting-to-be-read.html

This final chapter of his book is entitled, "What Role for Orthodoxy in a Postmodern Environment?" A fitting question, indeed, and Fr. John offers a sober assessment that avoids all of the triumphalism that usually descends into either bombast or unreality. But the very fact that Fr. John wisely eschews Orthodox triumphalism, makes his response to his own question all the more hopeful and uplifting. For he gets to the very heart of what the Orthodox Church continues to offer to a spiritually-thirsty world. Fr. John writes of "the ancient heritage of Christian wisdom, the Spirit-filled teaching of the Eastern Christian past," claiming that both Protestants and Roman Catholics will recognize "truly as their own," either the Christian East's "immediacy and simplicity" or its "richly Christocentric warmth." He then goes on to describe how Orthodoxy must keep this patristic spirit alive if a true witness will be effective:

"It is in the renewal of a new and deeper consciousness of Christ and his resurrectional presence among the faithful that all other renewal will flow out in the church: a renewal that will come in the fire and quality of the common liturgies, a renewal that will be powerful and fueled in the social and charitable outreach of the churches. Only after this sense of living in Christ has been renewed internally will the mission of the church be rendered actively reenergized once more. It is of no attraction whatsoever for any believers to offer to someone else what does not seem to illuminate their own hearts and minds with the radiant quality of beauty and freedom. Too often, in lieu of this, the Christian public mission has been characterized by fearfulness, cultic sectarianism, intellectual immaturity, and social hyper-conservatism. Why should we be surprised if this clammy handshake does not work?" (p. 301)

This leads Fr. John to this realistic question: "What can Orthodox Christian thought offer to the modern man and woman outside Christian culture, who would most probably find, looking in passing at an Orthodox service, something foreign?" After referring to the fact that "the divine Power and Word and Fire became personally incarnated within time and space: and our God was shown to us as a humble, suffering servant of mercy," Fr. John writes how Orthodoxy can lead us toward discovering our own humanity:

"The real problem today is not that men and women who have become secularized (nonreligious, or whatever) have lost the sense of God. The problem is that they have lost the sense of what it is to be truly human. The fundamental character of the true human being is the self-awareness that presses on all people that they are a transcendent reality, and as such, profoundly strange even to themselves...

In Orthodoxy, one learns from generations of wise and saintly teachers the knowledge that humility and love have been lifted up to divine status in Christ. This saves us: for our transcendence is rooted in the stability that our poverty has been made rich by God's love. The individual who serves to be the place of the indwelling of Christ, through the Spirit, is a person who can stand on the revolving planet without feeling dizzy: knowing why his place is both here and yet not here; and why it is true that we must 'cultivate the garden'; but not just the garden of our present culture and life, also the garden of our soul."

I find this to be an eloquent reminder in a time of political polarization, that it is not politics or politicians that we need to look at for our ultimate well-being. That Christians need not depend upon the support of secular institutions to "protect" Christianity and Christians.  If the spirit of freedom in Christ fills our hearts, we will recognize this and understand that it was "the divine Power and Word and Fire" that strengthened the early Church to withstand the persecution that they suffered from the powerful Roman Empire. And the same can be true for us today, no matter how secular or godless the world becomes.

Be that as it may, I want to share a well-known passage that Fr. John closes his study of Orthodox Church history with. These are the words of Fr. Lev Gillette, also known as "a monk of the Eastern Church." In defining the Orthodox Church, Fr. Lev stressed humility, love and prayer:

O strange Orthodox Church, so poor and weak, with neither the organization nor the culture of the West, staying afloat as if by a miracle in the face of so many trials, tribulations and struggles; a Church of contrasts, both traditional and so free, so archaic and so alive, so ritualist and so personally involved; a Church where the priceless pearl of the Gospel is assiduously preserved, sometimes under a layer of dust; a Church which in shadows and silence maintains above all the eternal values of purity, poverty, asceticism, humility and forgiveness; a Church which has often not known how to act, but which can sing of the joy of Pascha like no other. (p. 304)

 

A New Book Waiting To Be Read

 

To All Serious Readers of Orthodox Literature,

"Believers confess that their interpretation of the life of Jesus (making the Cross and Resurrection literally the crux of world history) is the correct interpretation (the Greek word for which is Orthodoxy, meaning "right opinion") and thus the essential truth of that moment in history."  -  Fr. John McGuckin

There is a new book now available that in my humble opinion stands out for its over-all quality - which I will get to momentarily - and which I therefore highly recommend for your personal library and more than worthy of the time and effort that goes into reading a high-quality publication. The book is making an impression of sorts as it has already been reviewed in the New York Review of Books. The book in mind is: The Eastern Orthodox Church - A New History written by Fr. John Anthony McGuckin. The title is bland enough, but that may obscure the riches of the book; for this is no ordinary rehearsal of the Church's history, but a fascinating and illuminating survey of the Church's historical pilgrimage, endlessly packed with great insights. Fr. John is trained as an historian, though he is an outstanding theologian who is a very prolific writer with many wonderful titles already to his credit. Of this new book of his, Fr. John Behr, also one of today's leading Orthodox theologians, has this to say:

"An engaging, sophisticated yet accessible, account of the Orthodox Church - its self-understanding, theology, sacramental life, and history - from the time of the New Testament through its long pilgrimage in the East and more recently into the West. One of the best introductions available." 

And from another very prominent scholar from Durham University, Clara L. E. Ramelli:

"This is a rich, fascinating history, from the beginning of Christianity to Patristics and contemporary Orthodoxy, by an outstanding scholar. It includes inspiring intellectual and mystical figures, importantly not only men, but also women, like Elizabeth Behr-Sigel."

One of the main strengths of the book, among many, is this basic thesis brilliantly conceived and presented: There is an unbroken continuity of all officially accepted Orthodox thought throughout the centuries with the apostolic deposit of faith "from the beginning" and "once and for all delivered to the saints." This is what offers validity to the claim that the Orthodox Church is the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Fr. John draws that thread throughout the book as he takes us on a journey through the centuries. The Fathers and the Ecumenical Councils may elaborate and develop the apostolic deposit of Faith, creatively employing new terminology along the way, but it remains the same Faith regardless of the historical vicissitudes challenging the Church. Following that thread of continuity along with Fr. John is fascinating, and it is both coherent and convincing. The book is not an "entry level" Church history, but it is not burdened with jargon or academic theories that can weary the mind. It is all quite exciting, and in typical Orthodox fashion, it organically interweaves theology, history, liturgy and spiritual life. I would like to present just a few examples of Fr. John's presentation:

Fr. John begins with an insightful discussion of the content and purpose of the Gospels and other canonical books of the New Testament. In that discussion, he has this to say:

"The overall sense among the earliest canonical writers about the death and exaltation of Jesus is that there is an antithesis of response from God the Father to the sacrificial witness of Jesus's life. Just as Jesus poured himself out in self-sacrificing obedience to the Father's will in a bitter kenosis (a word that means "emptying out"), so too God gave him in return the fulness (pleroma) of glory after his sufferings, raised him up to the right-hand side of the heavenly throne, and acclaimed him with the inexpressible (divine) name of "Lord." ... The Resurrected and Glorified Jesus is now shown to the whole cosmos as Lord, who was once recognized as a slave." (p. 13)

Since this is primarily a book about the history of the Church, how does Fr. John describe the reality of the Church? What is the Church:

"We are meant to deduce that the Apostolic preaching that flows from the Pentecostal Spirit, and that first initiates the church's mission of reconciliation on earth, is itself  presented in the New Testament as a fundamental part of Jesus's resurrectional glory. ... The New Testament teaches, then, two significant things in relation to the  church. The first is that it is a mysterious and transcendent part of Jesus's Lordly glory:  an eschatological reality, not entirely reducible to a historical or sociological phenomenon (the number of people at any given time who claim to be Christians). The second is that it is per se the fundamental sign, or witness, of the dawning advent of the Kingdom of God on earth: the Kingdom of God's perfected will that would one day accomplish history and terminate it, when God's intent for his creation would be all in all.... It is often called, especially as based on the formative writings of the apostle Paul, the "Mystical Body of Christ;" and just as Christ was himself a sign, or sacrament, of the Kingdom in the world throughout his ministry, the church too has the destiny to be a sacrament of reconciliation and hope in its own historical journey through the ages." (p.14-15)

Fr. John has a wonderful chapter on the Ecumenical Councils of the Church, those events that have shaped our theology once and for all in a decisive manner.There is an excellent description of the Christological debates of the 5th century, when the Church had to make a pronouncement on the union of the divine and human natures in Christ. Offering a brilliant summary of St. Cyril of Alexandria's writings on the Person of Christ, Fr. John summarizes like this:

"Without leaving behind his divine glory he had willingly accepted the humility of the Incarnation. Just as he lifted up the Manhood into his own divine life, so too he lifted up along with it all the sufferings and limitations appropriate to that Manhood. Cyril went further. This, he argued, was exactly why the Incarnation happened in the first place. TheWord did not choose to come to earth, and live as a true human being, because he felt the need for a change of scenery. He came so as to embrace humanity into his own life as divine creator and refashioner, and, having embrace it so profoundly, thus to heal it. As he healed his own mortal nature, making what was evidently mortal and passible (as proved by the Passion and death) into what was immortal and impassible, rendering the lowliness of death into the glorified body, so too did he elevate all human nature in that once and for all act." (p. 113-114)

And in summarizing the everlasting contribution of the great Church Fathers of the era of the first Six Ecumenical Councils (325 - 681 A.D.), Fr. John reminds us of why we venerate and preserve their teaching:

"Each one of these fathers of the church is steeped in knowledge and love of the scriptures and the church sacraments, which is why each demonstrates that profound linkage in Orthodoxy between scripture, synodal government, Ecumenical Council, liturgy, and patristic theology: a synthesis of streams of spirituality that constitutes the Christian apostolic tradition and keeps the Orthodox Church ever ancient, yet alive to respond to the spiritual needs and hopes of  contemporary men and women." (p. 120-121)

Treating the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787) somewhat separately, in his discussion, Fr. John reveals the place of material reality within the life of the Church. In another summary, he offers a wonderful description of the over-arching purpose of Orthodox worship:

"To this day Orthodox worship is an earthy experience that rises to a transcendental spiritual experience. The two things are never separated. In Orthodox services this is seen quite clearly and immediately. All the senses are engaged: chanting, incense, lights, icons, relics of saints, full-bodied sacramental rituals - all being conducted with gusto. Whenever one enters an Orthodox church at service time, it  always seems in full swing, and if the clergy are ever still for a moment, inevitably the people are on the move, bowing down, crossing themselves, kissing icons, lighting candles. There is a profound sense that God himself is in the midst but that he is the Incarnate Lord of grace who has sanctified all material things when they are lifted up in prayer. In modern times several Orthodox thinkers have extended this ancient theory of worship from the seventh council and applied it to support a wider ecological theology. As the icon symbolizes the manner in which material things can serve as powerful doorways to the divine presence, so too all creation is graced with the marks of the Creator's energy. Thus, in Orthodoxy's spiritual sense there can never be a purely "secular thing:" all created things, especially human beings, are created as iconic mysteries of grace with a hidden power and potential to shine in the transfiguration of Christ's holiness and light." (p. 154-155).

Further chapters bring the history of the Church up to the present day, including such chapters as "Orthodox Life Under and after Islamic Dominion;" "Orthodoxy Under the Communists;" and "The Twentieth-Century Orthodox Diaspora." A closing chapter on "Day to Day Life in an Orthodox Parish" is quite fascinating.  Since this modest overview of Fr. John's new book is already getting lengthy, I can perhaps offer a Part II that share some of the insights of these further chapters. For the moment, I would again highly recommend The Eastern Orthodox Church - A New History by John Anthony McGuckin. I would suggest: 1) purchase a copy; 2) read it carefully; and 3) include it in your personal library of Orthodox literature for endless referencing!

 

Summer Reading - Insights from Three Inspiring Books

Dear Parish Faithful,

Sharing Some Titles - I have the opportunity to read some very well-written theology/Church History books this summer, and thought to share three titles by way of recommendation. I was very fortunate in my choice of books, for each of them is excellent, filled with endless insights into some aspect of theology and/or church history and for that very reason "inspiring." Here are three that especially stood out:

 

Christ the Conqueror of Hell - the Descent into Hades from an Orthodox Perspective by Archbishop Ilarion Alfeyev. An in-depth study of the paschal mystery of Christ's victory over hades/hell and death through His Resurrection and revealed in the image of Christ descending into Hades to overcome the devil and destroy the power of death. Archbishop Ilarion is an outstanding scholar, and this book only further enhances his reputation. An exhaustive study of the scriptural, liturgical and patristic texts that illuminates the universal gift of salvation through the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. In fact, the pervasiveness of this theme throughout the Church's literature does make the reading a bit repetitive when assembled together in such a study. Already in the New Testament, three themes around the image of the Lord's descent into Hades emerge: 1) Christ descending and preaching to the souls in Hades, and not only to the righteous but to sinners; 2) the relationship between this theme and Baptism; and 3) Christ vanquishing hades/hell and death itself. In his concluding chapter, by way of summary of this theme, Arch. Hilarion writes: "According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, all people whether believers or non-believers, appear before God after their death. Therefore, even for those who did not believe during their life-time, there is hope that after death they will recognize God as their Savior and Redeemer, if their previous life on earth prepared them for this recognition." A hopeful conclusion, indeed! This book is an excellent summary and presentation of what we proclaim and experience in our celebration of Pascha.

 

Christian Women in the Patristic World - Their Influence, Authority and Legacy in the Second through the Fifth Centuries by Lynn H. Cohick and Amy Brown Hughes. Absolutely fascinating study of some of the most prominent women of the early Church. There are chapters on St. Thekla, the Martyrs Perpetua and Felicitas, Helen, the mother of Constantine the Great, St. Macrina, St. Paula and other wealthy matrons of Rome who adopted the ascetic life, and two very prominent Byzantine empresses to name just a few of those whose lives are covered. These women led extraordinary Christian lives, and they shaped the piety and practices of the early Church in surprising ways through their spiritual "authority." The very remembrance of these women in the consciousness of the Church throughout centuries of Church history, persuasively makes the point of their deep and ongoing influence among the faithful. This book is scholarly and academic, but in no way pedantic or dry. The life of the early centuries and the place of women within the Church are described in great detail.  Written by two Protestant scholars, the book may just be most illuminating for Orthodox readers, for while their fellow Protestants may be hearing of these women for the first time, we know these women are saints that we recognize and venerate. In other words, within the Church we (should) know their lives, we venerate their icons and we sing and chant of their holiness in the Church's liturgical life. The authors write in conclusion: "These women made stunning sacrifices for others, worked through difficult questions, made difficult and even destructive decisions (here they are referring to the empresses). Their story is part of the bigger human and Christian narrative. Responsibly remembering the women who helped construct Christianity at such an influential time allows us today to build on their legacy, influencing toward the good, and using what authority we may have to bless our neighbors." This book will reshape your understanding of women in these early formative centuries, and convince you that they are models for us today, even in the very different conditions of our lives.

 

John Chrysostom and the Jews - Rhetoric and Reality in the Late 4th Century by Robert L. Wilken. Another great study by a prominent Church historian. In the late 4th c. St. John delivered a series of eight homilies that have over the years been denounced for their virulent critique of the Jews of 4th c Antioch. (And their later misappropriation against the Jews in general has had a deleterious effect through the centuries). Wilken does not in any way defend the harshness of St. John's language, but he provides a fascinating glimpse into the context of these homilies, delivered against the background of the pagan, Jewish, and Christian rivalries of late antiquity. Actually, in these homilies, St. John was not primarily denouncing the Jews, but the so-called "Judaizing Christians" - those members of the Church in Antioch who participated in and observed the Jewish law together with Jewish feasts and rituals. And there were many of them, all of which dismayed St. John to a great extent. He could not ignore this group as a Christian pastor.  By the late 4th c. the Jewish presence in Antioch and other cities, was well-organized, lively and respected by many pagans outside of that community. Wilken explains how this attracted certain Christians. He also examines the role of Jerusalem and the (destroyed) temple within Christian theology. What is especially insightful is Wilken's chapter on the use of rhetoric in the ancient world, including the rhetoric of abuse that was considered a part of the rhetorician's arsenal. Though it could get pretty nasty, and thus is not to our taste, for the ancient world it was considered to be quite entertaining! The Church Fathers of this period were committed to employing that very arsenal of rhetoric in their own preaching. In using this tool of the rhetoric of abuse, St. John was not going beyond what was considered conventional for his times. Wilken concludes that these homilies are not anti-semitic in the contemporary use of that term. Again, St. John's primary targets where practicing Christians who were also deeply attracted to aspects of Judaism. Nevertheless, these homilies can sound quite jarring to our ears today, and their use in the service of later "anti-semitism" was tragic indeed . The book provides so much fascinating material into the world of St. John as a priest, a pastor and a preacher, that it further humanizes the great saint as well as teach us how to interpret historical events within the context of their own time.

Honorable Mention - Genesis - A Commentary by Joan L. Cooke; Angels and Demons by Peter Kreeft 

While I am at it, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press (SVS) has recently published a book in commemoration of the 50 anniversary of the OCA's status as an autocephalous Church. The book is The Time Has Come - Debates Over the OCA's Autocephaly Reflectled in St. Vladimir's Quarterly. Essentially, a handsome hardcover book that brings together a compilation of prominent writers and their essays reflecting on the contentious issue of autocephaly written during the time of its planning and emergence in 1970. Fr. Alexander Schmemman's famously controversial - and brilliant - essay "A Meaningful Storm" is just one of many such essays. There are articles by Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, Elizabeth Prodromou, and other prominent Orthodox voices for and against autocephaly. A bit "pricey," but for those who may be interested: 

https://svspress.com/the-time-has-come/

The Fathers & Theologians on The Lord's Prayer

Dear Parish Faithful,

At this past Sunday's Liturgy, the homily focused on the beginning of the Lord's Prayer, the name by which we call upon God, and that is "Our Father." (Often, the prayer is referred to as the "Our Father" based on those opening words of the prayer). 

My intention was to share some of the insights into the word "Father" for God as they have come down us from earlier saints; and from some of our more well-known theologians and teachers from recent times. Therefore, I primarily read a series of excerpts from these writings, which revealed a shared (Orthodox) understanding of the prayer; and various unique insights from each author, which only begin to further reveal the depth and riches found in the Lord's Prayer. Some of you who joined us through zoom or through Facebook told me that had a hard time hearing me clearly, for I delivered the homily from the doors of the sanctuary, as I have been struggling with a cough and thus thought it best to keep a distance between us. 

Be that as it may, I planned on sharing these excerpts with the parish and listing the various sources from which they come, in case you want to turn to them on your own. For I have only chosen key passages from much longer works that are all of the highest quality.

Through the centuries, various of the Church Fathers and other early ecclesiastical writers have written long commentaries on the Lord's Prayer. Most of these commentaries are now found in English translation. Here are the sources of those passages that are included in this attachment:   

The Fathers & Theologians on The Lord's Prayer (PDF)

The Lord's Prayer by St. Maximus the Confessor (+662). This absolutely brilliant and profound commentary can be found in Vol. II of The Philokalia. 

The Seven Mysteries of the Lord's Prayer by St. Makarios of Corinth (+1805 Newrome Press). This wonderful commentary is embedded in a longer work that was written in order to exhort the faithful to recover the practice of frequent communion. This early treatise is behind our own 20th c. "eucharistic revival." Quoting St. Maximus the Confessor, St. Makarios lists the seven mysteries as: 1) Theology; 2) Adoption; 3) Equality With Angels; 4) Enjoyment of Eternal Life; 5) Restitution of Human Nature; 6) Abolition of the Law of Sin; 7) Destruction of the Tyranny of the Devil. Written in a warm style that emanates from deep faith.

Three Prayers - The Lord's Prayer/O Heavenly King/Prayer of St. Ephraim by Olivier Clement (SVS Press). Very insightful commentaries by one of the most renowned French Orthodox theologian of recent years. I believe that Clement died early in the 21st. c. All-embracing in his use of sources and knowledge, he was something of a French version of Fr. Alexander Schmemann. 

Our Father by Fr. Alexander Schmemann (SVS Press). This commentary is based on a series of short broadcasts that Fr. Schmemann gave over Radio Liberty to people living in the former Soviet Union. There are many references, therefore., to agnostics, unbelievers and militant atheists. Whatever Fr. Schmemann spoke or wrote is worth listening to or reading. And that is quite true for this brilliant commentary.

PRAYER - Encounter with the Living God by Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev (SVS Press). Met. Hilarion is now one of the most prolific and distinguished theologians in the entire Orthodox world. He is a former student of Archbishop Kallistos Ware at Oxford. This book is about the concept and practice of prayer. It is meant to be something of a "primer," and I believe that that makes it all the more effective. Met. Hilarion's commentary is embedded in this book and is only about 25 pages long. But when a genuine theologian writes briefly, you find that almost every line has a particular and valuable insight.

I will probably continue using these sources for two or three more weeks.