Good Resources for a non-Catholic Westerner to Understanding Eastern Spirituality

[Brandon_Cal]

I’m a non-Catholic who has been studying (Western) Catholicism for a number of years now. I’ve come a long way, and feel like I have a pretty good grasp of Latin Catholicism, and even believe most of what the Church teaches. I find myself now at a junction in my journey where I need to discriminate between the Catholic and Orthodox faiths. I’ve been attending Mass for about six years and would like to start attending Divine Liturgy, and studying Eastern spirituality in order to be better informed so that I can make a decision.

I’m looking for good resources that explain Eastern Catholicism/Orthodoxy to someone from a Western perspective. Resources about the Great Schism and other differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy would help too, though I’m primarily concerned with getting my feet off the ground (I have absolutely zero experience with Eastern Christianity).

Thanks everyone in advance!

 

[malphono]

I’m looking for good resources that explain Eastern Catholicism/Orthodoxy to someone from a Western perspective. Resources about the Great Schism and other differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy would help too, though I’m primarily concerned with getting my feet off the ground (I have absolutely zero experience with Eastern Christianity).

I’m not going to proffer references and sources – I’ll leave that for others and for google – but I will offer a suggestion:

I presume your interest lies in the Byzantine tradition, (although there are, of course, others), but in any case, go. IOW, find a church and attend Divine Liturgy (aka Mass). It’s the best way to get your “feet off the ground” so-to-speak and gain a little familiarity with the praxis.

 

[CDB1718]

Christ present in the Eucharist is a fundamental practice and belief. Spirituality is an incidental understanding and expression.

I would be crushed if I believed in the Eucharist and was unable to receive for 6 years. I can’t comprehend how someone would willingly set aside living the foundational in order to study incidentals, prolonging the separation from the sacraments further.

 

[5Loaves]

I’ve been attending Mass for about six years and would like to start attending Divine Liturgy, and studying Eastern spirituality in order to be better informed so that I can make a decision.

I’m looking for good resources that explain Eastern Catholicism/Orthodoxy to someone from a Western perspective. Resources about the Great Schism and other differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy would help too, though I’m primarily concerned with getting my feet off the ground (I have absolutely zero experience with Eastern Christianity).

Thanks everyone in advance!

Welcome to the CAF Eastern Catholicism Section.

I concur with malphono and encourage you to attend Divine Liturgy and listen to the prayers. Find-A-Parish is a good resource for locating a parish. I would add that going to Saturday night Vespers in an integral part of the spiritual/liturgical life. In addition to Sundays being a little Pascha we also commemorate a saint, of event, or an important scripture figure (Prodigal Son, Man Born Blind…), etc. each Sunday, and the majority of the teaching on these occurs through the prayers the night before, in Vespers or Vigil. This Sunday is Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils, You can get an idea of the texts for Vespers here.

I think Wikipedia has a great deal of very good information. There is also OrthodoxWiki. Typically Wikipedia has more information, and often what is on OrthodoxWiki turns out to be attributed to Wikipedia. But that is not to discourage you checking OrthodoxWiki.

Bread & Water, Wine & Oil: An Orthodox Christian Experience of God by Archimandrite Meletios Webber I think is an excellent place to begin, whether you are looking at Orthodoxy or Eastern Catholicism. I do find what I consider some caricatures of the West in this book, but if you do indeed have a “good grasp” of the West then you can weigh those for yourself. It’s hard to find Orthodox sources that don’t have confused ideas about the Catholic Church, **and **visa versa! Abbot Meletios is now abbot of the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, in Manton, California.

I love the writings of +Fr Alexander Schmemann. of blessed memory. For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy is a classic.

The Orthodox Way by Met. Kallistos Ware is another classic.

There are also a considerable number of threads here on this topic.

 

[rciadan]

I’m not going to proffer references and sources – I’ll leave that for others and for google – but I will offer a suggestion:

I presume your interest lies in the Byzantine tradition, (although there are, of course, others), but in any case, go. IOW, find a church and attend Divine Liturgy (aka Mass). It’s the best way to get your “feet off the ground” so-to-speak and gain a little familiarity with the praxis.

Amen! As was said by Nickolas Cabasilas, “Our knowledge of things is twofold; that which one may acquire from hearsay, and that which one may learn by personal experience…In the former case…we receive an uncertain and dim image…Therefor we do not love it to the extent that it is a worthy object of love. When, however, men encounter the thing themselves they gain experience…and by experience the very form itself encounters the soul and excites desire…” No amount of “learning about the Divine Litrgy” can excite and warm your soul anywhere near as can experiencing it! Experience it, immerse yourself in the Divine Liturgy, and the learning will follow!

 

[Aramis]

I’ll recommend Rev. Fr. Alexander Schmemman’s “For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy” as a good book, but it won’t make sense until one has been to liturgy several times.

 

[Peter_J]

Hi Brandon Cal.

You ask some good questions. I think it would also help if you tell us a bit more about where you’re coming from (to whatever extent you’re comfortable sharing). In particular, do you belong to a catholic / liturgical denomination (e.g. Anglican or Lutheran) or non-liturgical (e.g. Baptist or Pentecostal)?

Also, how far from you is the nearest EC or EO parish?

 

[Brandon_Cal]

Thank you, everyone, for all the recommendations. By all means keep 'em coming!

Hi Brandon Cal.

You ask some good questions. I think it would also help if you tell us a bit more about where you’re coming from (to whatever extent you’re comfortable sharing). In particular, do you belong to a catholic / liturgical denomination (e.g. Anglican or Lutheran) or non-liturgical (e.g. Baptist or Pentecostal)?

Also, how far from you is the nearest EC or EO parish?

I’m in a bit of an odd circumstance. Technically I’m Mormon; as in still attending Mormon services weekly and holding positions of authority in the Church. I haven’t believed in the LDS Church for a couple years now, and after about six years of studying Catholicism and attending Mass on and off, I’ve come to accept nearly all the doctrines that “Apostolic Christianity” proclaims. Before I make the plunge into Catholicism, I want to understand Eastern Christianity in general, and Orthodoxy specifically, so that I might make a truly informed decision.

I have a great appreciation for liturgical worship, such that I’ve actually assisted at the Extraordinary Form of the Mass about 30-40 times (I’m really no stranger to Catholic Churches! )

I live very near to San Francisco, California, so there are lots of Orthodox churches around. I know of an OCA, Greek, Serbian, and Russian Orthodox Church close by. Concerning the Oriental Orthodox, there are a couple Ethiopian Orthodox churches, and a Coptic one. Concerning Eastern Catholic, there is only a single Russian Catholic church here (to my knowledge). I also believe there is an Assyrian Church of the East about a 30 minute drive from here. Pretty much every form of pre-Reformation Christianity is represented here.

 

[5Loaves]

I live very near to San Francisco, California, so there are lots of Orthodox churches around. I know of an OCA, Greek, Serbian, and Russian Orthodox Church close by. Concerning the Oriental Orthodox, there are a couple Ethiopian Orthodox churches, and a Coptic one. Concerning Eastern Catholic, there is only a single Russian Catholic church here (to my knowledge). I also believe there is an Assyrian Church of the East about a 30 minute drive from here. Pretty much every form of pre-Reformation Christianity is represented here.

In addition to our Russian Greek Catholic parish in the City, there is also Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church located at 215 Silliman Street, SF, Saint Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church, which meets in Palo Alto on Sundays, and in Walnut Creek the 2nd Sat. of every month, 6:15pm, and St. Elias The Prophet Melkite Greek Catholic Church, San Jose.

And as you mentioned, St. Mary Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church is in Campbell.

 

[Brandon_Cal]

In addition to our Russian Greek Catholic parish in the City, there is also Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church located at 215 Silliman Street, SF, Saint Basil the Great Byzantine Catholic Church, which meets in Palo Alto on Sundays, and in Walnut Creek the 2nd Sat. of every month, 6:15pm, and St. Elias The Prophet Melkite Greek Catholic Church, San Jose.

And as you mentioned, St. Mary Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church is in Campbell.

Thanks for the recommendations. I’m in Daly City right now, but will likely be moving back into the City in the coming months. I’ll be sure to look these parishes up.

In another thread I was introduced to the concept of Oikonomia. Could an Orthodox or Eastern Catholic explain this to me? Specifically, how the tolerance of a possible evil in order to bring about a greater good is itself morally permissible?

 

[5Loaves]

In another thread I was introduced to the concept of Oikonomia. Could an Orthodox or Eastern Catholic explain this to me? Specifically, how the tolerance of a possible evil in order to bring about a greater good is itself morally permissible?

Please start a new thread on this question.

 

[5Loaves]

Thanks for the recommendations. I’m in Daly City right now, but will likely be moving back into the City in the coming months. I’ll be sure to look these parishes up.

Have you been to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Brotherhood Way? If you’re in Daly City they aren’t far from you. Beautiful church and nice parish. One of the families used to be in our parish and they come to visit now and again. They were with us not that long ago for Divine Liturgy and Agape.

We’re having blessing of cars, bikes, skateboards… tomorrow after DL, Feast of the glorious Prophet Elijah.