Timothy Ware's "The Orthodox Church"

[DAK]

I apologize if already discussed, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. A nice gentleman that belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church suggested I read this book. I haven’t had time (and it’s a difficult read - IMHO) and was wondering if anyone else has Cliff Notes per se? Is there a beginner’s book for the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church from their perspective? Or even a book that examines it from a Roman Catholic viewpoint? Going to meet him soon and don’t want him to feel I’ve ignored his interests.

Any advice? If not, I’ll try to skim and extract the most I can from this book in the coming days… Thank you!

Doug

 

[Nine_Two]

Fr. Thomas Hopko, while he was at St. Vladimir’s wrote a series which may be what you’re looking for.

He wrote a series called “The Orthodox Faith”, which you can read for free online (oca.org/OCorthfaith.asp) or you can order it (instructions on that same website). Additionally most Orthodox Churches will have copies available.

 

[5Loaves]

Doug- I’ve not read it, only read The Orthodox Way, which I liked.

I’m responding from my phone- away from home and computer til Monday so will just make this one suggestion: There are a number of lectures of Metr. Kallistos Ware on the OLTV, Orientale Lumen TV, site in the Orientale Lumen Conference Plenaries section. He’s very delightful to listen to, so perhaps that might help. I know there are other videos on line of him speaking.

 

[scottm]

Hmmm… I didn’t find the book particular difficult. There’s The Orthodox Way by Ware, which discusses more how Orthodoxy is lived and less its history. That might be of interest to you. There’s The Life: The Orthodox Doctrine of Salvation by Clark Carlton. It’s a very easy read. I know the name Seraphim Rose but haven’t read his stuff myself. There’s Facing East: A Pilgrim’s Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy by Frederica Mathewes-Green. It’s an easy and interesting read. It’s a diary of an Episcopal pastor’s wife about their first year pastoring an Orthodox church (after converting, obviously).

My church has an extensive library, but unfortunately I have not made note of the titles that I’ve been reading. I just pluck a book and read it blindly. That’s not helpful, I see now, but anything by Gregory Palamas would be good. He’s the “Father of Orthodoxy Spirituality.”

 

[5Loaves]

Fr. Thomas Hopko, while he was at St. Vladimir’s wrote a series which may be what you’re looking for.

He wrote a series called “The Orthodox Faith”, which you can read for free online (oca.org/OCorthfaith.asp) or you can order it (instructions on that same website). Additionally most Orthodox Churches will have copies available.

Doug-
Fr Hopko podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio. You might check out his teachings there, also. There are quite a number of excellent Orthodox podcasters there.

I’m not sure exactly what your friend was trying to share with you. Is it just a taste of Orthodoxy or something more like apologetics? Those would be two different sets of Cliff notes.

Edit: Frederica whom Scottm just mentioned is another Ancient Faith Radio Podcaster, as well as a blogger.

 

[Hesychios]

I apologize if already discussed, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. A nice gentleman that belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church suggested I read this book. I haven’t had time (and it’s a difficult read - IMHO) and was wondering if anyone else has Cliff Notes per se? Is there a beginner’s book for the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church from their perspective? Or even a book that examines it from a Roman Catholic viewpoint? Going to meet him soon and don’t want him to feel I’ve ignored his interests.

Any advice? If not, I’ll try to skim and extract the most I can from this book in the coming days… Thank you!

Doug

It may seem difficult but it (along with the companion volume The Orthodox Way) is a good all around primer. It is worth the time it takes, so go slowly if you can.

I would also like to recommend The Face of God by Archbishop Joseph Raya (Eternal Memory!). It is rather more difficult to access, but it is a good read. I think 20.00 USD is too much money to pay, perhaps someone here has a copy willing to mail for you, or you can check inter-library loan.

However, I realize that you have an upcoming meeting with an old friend, and this will be soon, so one other suggestion I have is to read this polemic against Holy Orthodoxy (PDF). It is a good exposition of the faith, however intentioned it happens to be, so beyond the polemic there is some decent information about what Orthodox believe.

Here are some Q & A about Orthodoxy from the OCA website.

 

[1holycatholic]

However, I realize that you have an upcoming meeting with an old friend, and this will be soon, so one other suggestion I have is to read this polemic against Holy Orthodoxy (PDF). It is a good exposition of the faith, however intentioned it happens to be, so beyond the polemic there is some decent information about what Orthodox believe.

The irony of that document, replete with errors, which calls Eastern Orthodoxy a “Rabbit’s Foot Religion” is that the parts that aren’t in error completely discredit the Protestantism of the Baptists who wrote it.

 

[Phillip_Rolfes]

I recommend you skim through “The Orthodox Church.” It’s an easy and pleasant read. Roman Catholicism is somewhat misrepresented from time to time, but his intention was not to write a comparison between Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

 

[5Loaves]

I would also like to recommend The Face of God by Archbishop Joseph Raya (Eternal Memory!). It is rather more difficult to access, but it is a good read. I think 20.00 USD is too much money to pay, perhaps someone here has a copy willing to mail for you, or you can check inter-library loan.

Thanks for the reminder of Archbishop Joseph Raya! I have yet to read any of his books and have heard wonderful things about his writings. If anyone is interested Eastern Christian Publications carries his works, or at least some. They are in two sections that I’m aware of. Face of God $15, is in the Adult Catechetical Books section, and other writings of his are under a “Joseph Raya Books” tab. Our parish book group is finishing up one book and deciding on the next. So many choices, so little time! I may suggest Archbishop Joseph Raya…

 

[tomarin]

I apologize if already discussed, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. A nice gentleman that belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church suggested I read this book. I haven’t had time (and it’s a difficult read - IMHO) and was wondering if anyone else has Cliff Notes per se? Is there a beginner’s book for the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church from their perspective?

I got a lot out of “Light from the Christian East” which is written by a Protestant author who is very sympathetic to Eastern Orthodoxy. I think the audience he had in mind for the book is a Protestant American one, which may assume (as I, a Catholic did) that Orthodoxy is like a Greek form of Catholicism which it really isn’t.

 

[scottm]

Is there a beginner’s book for the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church from their perspective?

Back to the OP – I had another thought. How about an Eastern Orthodox catechism? Probably the Greek Ortho one is easiest to find, but any would do. I’ve seen both the Greek and the Russian ones, and they both have big sections on what the priest is supposed to do and how the “divine liturgy” (their name for the mass) is supposed to go. There’s the tradition that you wanted!

 

[Rabark]

I would really encourage you take time to read this book, there is no rush. Ware is a PhD that teaches in England and a well respected Orthodox scholar. To be as polite as I can, I would agree that the book can be dry, but this is because at times it discusses things we may not be interested in and has an academic style.

There are several great books that others have posted in this blog, but this book discusses the history of Orthodoxy from an Orthodox perspective, it may not always be pleasant for a Catholic to read, but our history is not always pleasant. It is important to now where the perspectives of others come from, not so that we are persuaded, but informed.

Some other great books along the lines of Orthodoxy are:

Sayings of the Desert Fathers -(unknown Catholic publisher)

Christ in Eastern Christian Thought -SVS Press

 

[Contarini]

I apologize if already discussed, but couldn’t find what I was looking for. A nice gentleman that belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Church suggested I read this book. I haven’t had time (and it’s a difficult read - IMHO) and was wondering if anyone else has Cliff Notes per se? Is there a beginner’s book for the history and tradition of the Orthodox Church from their perspective? Or even a book that examines it from a Roman Catholic viewpoint? Going to meet him soon and don’t want him to feel I’ve ignored his interests.

Any advice? If not, I’ll try to skim and extract the most I can from this book in the coming days… Thank you!

Doug

Ware’s book really is the best introduction. The Orthodox Way is also good, and shorter. Either read that one, or read the second half of *The Orthodox Church *(the doctrinal section). The historical material is very important–skim it if you have time. But the doctrinal section is a fine summary of basic Orthodox belief. The Orthodox Way is a bit more idiosyncratic, it seems to me.

Edwin

 

[dcointin]

I also agree that it’s a good introduction to Orthodoxy, both historically and dogmatically. I took a class in college on Orthodoxy, and it was the first book my professor assigned for us to read. There is alot of information in the book which he doesn’t have the opportunity to expand upon, so I would recommend highlighting or taking notes on areas that you would like to read more about, and we could perhaps recommend other books on those areas as well. I considered it reasonably objective, but I’m sure there are things that would be controversial to a Catholic.

 

[Contarini]

I also agree that it’s a good introduction to Orthodoxy, both historically and dogmatically. I took a class in college on Orthodoxy, and it was the first book my professor assigned for us to read. There is alot of information in the book which he doesn’t have the opportunity to expand upon, so I would recommend highlighting or taking notes on areas that you would like to read more about, and we could perhaps recommend other books on those areas as well. I considered it reasonably objective, but I’m sure there are things that would be controversial to a Catholic.

No doubt–but the most recent edition has come under fire from traditionalist Orthodox for being too Catholic-friendly! I would say that by and large it’s the fairest treatment of the subject out there.

For a Catholic author who has dealt fairly with Orthodoxy, I’d recommend Aidan Nichols (he has also written a great deal about Anglicanism which I find helpful and challenging as an Anglican). The OP might find this essay particularly helpful.

An Orthodox theologian who is unusually ecumenical toward Catholics is David Hart (it may help that one of his brothers is a Catholic priest–another is a Continuing Anglican priest). This piece on the papacy is a good statement of an ecumenical Orthodox position. A more in-depth discussion of the subject by Hart is this contribution to the volume Ecumenism Today. And for still more depth, see Olivier Clement’s You Are Peter.

Edwin