Orthodox Catechisms

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EricFilmer

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Greetings,

As resource material, I am interested in some English versions of Orthodox catechisms as I I want to be more knowledgeable in what constitutes official teachings within such Churches. For example, I am aware that there is a broad spectrum of doctrinal agreement among the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches and Oriental Orthodox Churches, and I sometimes I find myself in discussions where it would be helpful to point this out, citing official sources.

I would like some catechisms which are representative of Eastern Orthodox Churches and some which are representative of Oriental Orthodox Churches. Recommended sources/books do not necessarily have to be “generic” (for example, I am willing to look into a book specifically written for the Greek Orthodox Church, etc.). Of course, I also welcome recommendations representative of Eastern Rite Catholicism.

I would like recommendations for both internet sources, and “hard copy” book sources. In terms of books, please feel free to recommend something you feel is useful even if it is out-of-print (I am perfectly happy to try to track down a used copy).

Thanks to all who assist me in this endeavor.
 
You are doing great work!

I am not sure the other rites have a catechism. I have not heard of one at least.
This is an interesting question.

I just did a google search on “byzantine catholic church catechism.” Here is a link to the results - google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS331&q=byzantine+catholic+church+catechism&oq=byzantine+catholic+church+catechism&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=410l6197l0l6430l30l23l0l13l7l0l251l1659l1.5.4l10l0

It the results indicates a few catechisms have been released. This is good news.

As a practical matter, they should be almost identical except for primacy of the bishop of rome - the pope.

They are our closest brothers and sisters in the faith.
 
Samuel63 said:
You are doing great work!

I am not sure the other rites have a catechism. I have not heard of one at least.
This is an interesting question.

I just did a google search on “byzantine catholic church catechism.” Here is a link to the results - google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS331&q=byzantine+catholic+church+catechism&oq=byzantine+catholic+church+catechism&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=410l6197l0l6430l30l23l0l13l7l0l251l1659l1.5.4l10l0

It the results indicates a few catechisms have been released. This is good news.

As a practical matter, they should be almost identical except for primacy of the bishop of rome - the pope.

They are our closest brothers and sisters in the faith.
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The OP is looking for ORTHODOX materials…not eastern catholic.
 
ALL Catholics must conform to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” first published by the USCCB in March 2000. (dark green cover)
On average it is written for those over age 15.

" The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I have approved…and the publication of which I order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of Catholic Doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium.
I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the Faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion. " - Pope John Paul II, with Imprimi Potest by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.
Quote on page 5 of CCC.

Here are two links for the “CCC 2nd Ed”
scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
and
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

It has been translated from the Latin into many languages.
The ‘Holy See’ holds the copyright.
 
ANNE_2 said:
ALL Catholics must conform to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” first published by the USCCB in March 2000. (dark green cover)
On average it is written for those over age 15.

" The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which I have approved…and the publication of which I order by virtue of my Apostolic Authority, is a statement of the Church’s faith and of Catholic Doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, the Apostolic Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium.
I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the Faith and thus a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion." - Pope John Paul II, with Imprimi Potest by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger.
Quote on page 5 of CCC.

Here are two links for the “CCC 2nd Ed”
scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
and
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm

It has been translated from the Latin into many languages.
The ‘Holy See’ holds the copyright.
Click to expand...
This is completely off topic. This thread is not about the CCC,
 
EricFilmer said:
Of course, I also welcome recommendations representative of Eastern Rite Catholicism.

I would like recommendations for both internet sources, and “hard copy” book sources.
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We are Eastern Catholic Churches 🙂 We should be Orthodox in communion with Rome. We very often do use materials from the Orthodox.

Like Cider I also like the The Living God two volume set catechism from SVS. I think I got mine used from a vendor on Amazon.

God With Us Publications has the Light for Life 3 part series, commissioned by U.S. Eastern Catholic Bishops, which is much more basic.

Eastern Christian Publications has a lot of catechetical materials. See also OLTV on that site which has a lot of video from past Orientale Lumen Conferences and other venues.

I always recommend the wonderful YouTube interviews with the monks from Holy Resurrection Romanian Catholic Monastery:
“Eastern Catholic Theology” PART 1 and PART 2 with Fr. Abbot Nicholas
“Who are Eastern Catholics?” PART 1 and PART 2 with Fr. Maximos
“Fasting in the Byzantine Church Year” with Fr. Moses
“Feasting in the Byzantine Church Year” with Fr. Moses

If you click on the “… (more info” link you can see all the questions Catherine Alexander asks in each of those segments. For the purposes you state I would first recommend the interview “Who are Eastern Catholics?” and then “Eastern Catholic Theology”.
 
ANNE_2 said:
ALL Catholics must conform to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” first published by the USCCB in March 2000. (dark green cover)
Click to expand...
I suppose the question is what does “conform” mean. 🙂 The CCC is very clearly a Catechism of the Latin Church. In that capacity I love it and think it’s an extraordinary resource. 👍

I encourage you to listen to YouTube interviews :
“Who are Eastern Catholics?” PART 1 and PART 2 with Fr. Maximos from Holy Resurrection Romanian Catholic Monastery
“Eastern Catholic Theology” PART 1 and PART 2 with Fr. Abbot Nicholas from HRM
 
5Loaves said:
Like Cider I also like the The Living God two volume set catechism from SVS. I think I got mine used from a vendor on Amazon.
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I can’t seem to bring it up on Amazon to look for used copies but I see that some of at least Volume 2 is on googlebooks.

One of the important aspects of The Living God is that, as is typical of Orthodox and Eastern Catholic teaching materials, it quotes heavily from our liturgical texts. 🙂 We say “the Litrugy IS the catechesis” for good reason. Of course our liturgies are much longer than the Roman Rite; there is more prayer text and more liturgical action in them and we also focus more than does the West on other services such as the very important Vespers, so those texts also offer much teaching. The Eastern Catholics share the same liturgical texts, at least we should, as the Orthodox. In my parish our clergy and laity are praying from the Orthodox Church in America books for Liturgy and for other services such as the Royal Hours.
 
5Loaves said:
We are Eastern Catholic Churches 🙂 We should be Orthodox in communion with Rome. We very often do use materials from the Orthodox.
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True. We are opening an Eparchial Library and most of the books we are looking at to put in the Library are Orthodox books. Of course there will also be a good deal of Ukrainian Catholic books. But we know that the Orthodox faith is something we share and there’s a great deal of sources from Orthodox publishers and writers.
 
ANNE_2 said:
ALL Catholics must conform to the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” first published by the USCCB in March 2000. (dark green cover)
On average it is written for those over age 15.
Click to expand...
Rest assured Anne, I not only have a CCC, but have also studied it as part of a M.A. in Catholic theology. Among other things, I use it to teach Catholic Faith classes in my parish, and have extensively quoted it elsewhere in CAF.

I think, perhaps, you got the wrong impression concerning the nature of my post. I am not suggesting that, for a Catholic, an Orthodox catechism is interchangeable with the CCC (because obviously it is not). I merely wish to have official sources of Orthodox teachings for certain ecumenical dialogs. For example, I am often asked by Protestants about certain Catholic beliefs and practices, and sometimes it is good to point out that, in many cases, it is not solely a “Catholic thing”, but things that Orthodox Christians share with us.
 
Samuel63,
Thanks for the links. I am sure they will prove helpful when I have a moment to go through them.

Cider,
Thank you for those recommendations. Those books certainly look like the sort of thing I am searching for.

5Loaves
Thanks for the links and the (name removed by moderator)ut.

OrthoxICWR,
Although, generally speaking, I appreciate your sense of vigilance, I am, indeed, interested in catechetical material from Eastern Rite Catholics as well as from Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches (as I expressed in my OP).
 
Hello EricFilmer,

Here is a website from an Orthodox Church in California. Just click the link button and it will bring you to excellent articles on principle teachings of the Orthodox Church. Of course, you can always note how the Orthodox hold in high honor the Sacraments - most specially of course the Eucharist.

orthodoxcatechism.org/

You can find much more. The trick I use when language is a barrier is that I use Google Translation and then Google the translation and then translate the results. It works for me. 👍

I will ask a Greek Orthodox I know when I get a chance if they have an actual catechism. I would think that they do. Good question. 🙂

This one is interesting - so the structure and design of the churches are a catechism: scribd.com/doc/52126640/%CE%9F%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%8C%CE%B4%CE%BF%CE%BE%CE%B7-%CE%9A%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%AE%CF%87%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B7-%CE%91%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%BB%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AC
 
Cider said:
here is the listing for The Incarnate God also
amazon.com/Incarnate-God-Feasts-Christ-Virgin/dp/0881411302/ref=pd_sim_b3
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I haven’t read this but am sure it is excellent. I understand that Dr. Meyendorff is tops in his field of Liturgical Theology.

A priest recommended to me The Anointing of the Sick (The Orthodox Liturgy) which is an excellent book on this Holy Mystery.
Paul Meyendorff is the Fr Alexander Schmemann Professor of Liturgical theology at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York, where he also served as academic dean from 2002-2007. He is the editor of St Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly (ISSN 0036-3227. He has also taught as a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame and Yale Divinity School. Active in the ecumenical movement, he has represented the Orthodox Church as Chair of the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches (USA)(1996-2003) and is currently a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches.
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EricFilmer said:
Thanks Wesley. Unfortunately, the title is too small for me to read. Please take a moment to visit this link and verify that this is the same book you posted:

The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox

Given the price tag, I would like to know that this is, indeed, the book you are recommending before committing to such a purchase.
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Yes, its that one. Its not a “catechism” but was approved by the Orthodox at SVS press arranged according to their preferences.

I thought it was worth the $. (Its the best kind of book you can find to compliment your prayer corner)
 
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