Need book about Orthodoxy

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I am looking for a good book that explains the differences between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church. I have read one that was recommended, but it had a lot of underlying anger towards the Roman Catholic Church and I want one that is written without that, just facts. Any recommendations?
 
I would be interested in a book like this also. :coffeeread:
 
EASTERN ORTHODOXY AND THE SEE OF PETER
A Journey Toward Full Communion
By JAMES LIKOUDIS
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. . . It is out of print so find a used copy and snatch it up while you can.
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Ending the Byzantine Greek Schism
By JAMES LIKOUDIS is still in print (in case you cannot find the above book)
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emmausroad.org/Ending-the…oE2UxzLF.dpbs
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forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=12801418&postcount=19

God bless.

Cathoholic
 
James Likoudis is anti Orthodox. I wouldn’t recommend him for anything.
The Orthodox Church by Bishop Kalistos Ware can be read online at the Intratext library.

intratext.com/x/eng0804.htm

I would also recommend the companion volume by the same author called “The Orthodox Way”, though you won’t find an online version.

There is also the book “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy” by Fr Andrew Stephen Damick. It also exists as a series of podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio, so you can listen to the episodes regarding Rome starting here:
ancientfaith.com/podcasts/orthodoxyheterodoxy/rome_part_1a

I would also recommend the book “Church, Papacy and Schism. A Theological Perspective” by the late Philip Sherrard. The author was a good friend of Bishop Kalistos Ware.
 
coco2 said:
I am looking for a good book that explains the differences between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Church. I have read one that was recommended, but it had a lot of underlying anger towards the Roman Catholic Church and I want one that is written without that, just facts. Any recommendations?
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I’m not sure it’s quite what you’re asking for, but Olivier Clement’s You Are Peter is an excellent discussion of the papacy from an Orthodox point of view. It’s actually more popular among Catholics than among Orthodox, I think–most Orthodox find it far too ecumenical. But it does articulate what many Orthodox (and many others, including many Catholics) find troubling about the “second-millennium” developments in the Papacy.

Other than that, I"d recommend good books by Orthodox theologians about Orthodoxy rather than books about Orthodox/Catholic differences per se. The latter are likely to be, as you say, marred by bitter polemic.

Kallistos Ware’s The Orthodox Church is the standard introduction. It has plenty of comparisons with Catholicism along the way.

John Meyendorff’s Byzantine Theology is also excellent.

This piece by George Florovsky on “The Authority of the Ancient Councils and the Tradition of the Fathers” is really helpful in understanding how at least some Orthodox view Tradition and Church authority. (I myself think that this view is compatible with Catholicism–in fact, this essay was, paradoxically, the thing that convinced me I could accept papal infallibility.)

John Zizioulas’ work (Being as Communion is also very helpful.

In a more polemical vain, Vladmir Lossky articulates a sharp critique of Western Christianity, centered on the Filioque.

Edwin
 
Contarini said:
I’m not sure it’s quite what you’re asking for, but Olivier Clement’s You Are Peter

is an excellent discussion of the papacy from an Orthodox point of view. It’s actually more popular among Catholics than among Orthodox, I think–most Orthodox find it far too ecumenical. But it does articulate what many Orthodox (and many others, including many Catholics) find troubling about the “second-millennium” developments in the Papacy.

Thanks for this excellent suggestion, Edwin. I found this old book review: orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/CarlsonPrimacy.php

The Church of the first millennium recognized the Holy Spirit’s leading through three primary means: ecumenical councils, the see of Rome, and the witness of the faithful (even one lone witness to truth, such as in the case of St. Maximus the Confessor

In the period of the Ecumenical Councils, East and West found a way to work together despite differing assumptions and language. The West understood papal tomes as “the faith of the Church as the apostle Peter first proclaimed it” and therefore as the dominant, decisive word in council deliberations. The other bishops, in Rome’s view, had the secondary, though important, role of guaranteeing the presence of the Holy Spirit by their ratification of Rome’s direction.
This
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coco2. Some other things you may find of interest.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: A Comparison (Third Edition, 2015) by Dave Armstrong
Here.

patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2006/07/books-by-dave-armstrong-orthodoxy-and.html

Here is an older but free ebook (in public domain) you can get right now.

The Orthodox Eastern Church
by Fortescue, Adrian, 1874-1923

Here.

archive.org/details/orthodoxeasternc00fortuoft

The late Fr. Fortescue has another public domain book you may also be interested in (here).

**
The lesser eastern churches**
by Fortescue, Adrian, 1874-1923

archive.org/details/lessereasternchu00fortuoft

And here is Mr. Likoudis’s fascinating journey (you can hear it for yourself) . . .

James Likoudis: Former Greek Orthodox - The Journey Home Program
The Coming Home Network International

m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwz62uU0K_I

Dr. Fastiggi discusses some of the different positions of Catholics and various Orthodoxies

**
Dr. Robert Fastiggi: Divorce in Orthodox Christianity**

m.youtube.com/watch?v=GGSS8f-F7FY

Or a more complete treatment from that talk here

Dr. Robert Fastiggi: The Roman Pontiff and Other Points of Division between Orthodox and Catholics

m.youtube.com/watch?v=bO_qB1EqIMQ
 
prodromos said:
James Likoudis is anti Orthodox. I wouldn’t recommend him for anything.
The Orthodox Church by Bishop Kalistos Ware can be read online at the Intratext library.

intratext.com/x/eng0804.htm

I would also recommend the companion volume by the same author called “The Orthodox Way”, though you won’t find an online version.

There is also the book “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy” by Fr Andrew Stephen Damick. It also exists as a series of podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio, so you can listen to the episodes regarding Rome starting here:
ancientfaith.com/podcasts/orthodoxyheterodoxy/rome_part_1a

I would also recommend the book “Church, Papacy and Schism. A Theological Perspective” by the late Philip Sherrard. The author was a good friend of Bishop Kalistos Ware.
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In fairness to Jim Likoudis’ credibility as a writer, I knew him for many years. As president of a group I was part of, he often brought us - Latin Rite Catholics - to Eastern Catholic churches to expose us to both the liturgical and doctrinal perspective of Eastern Christianity, through worship and talks by our hosts. On one occasion he brought in an Eastern Orthodox bishop to give a talk about Mary to our group.

He often pointed out how much of the post Vatican II liturgical and doctrinal dissent, in the RC Latin Rite, was a major stumbling block to closer relations with Eastern Orthodox Christians. Just because he converted from EO to RC does not make him anti Orthodox. He uses terminology in ways that are familiar to Latin Rite RC’s, and explains where an Eastern term might have a special meaning RC’s are likely to misinterpret.
 
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