5 comments about For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy.

1. As an ordained Anglican friend of mine said, "Buy this book, it kicks a**." It is fantastic.



2. After I have heard so many good things about Fr. Schmemmann and his contribution to the Orthodox Christian udnerstanding both in my church and on my livejournal, I decided to give this book a try. At first, I thought this book to be very difficult to read. Ideas were packed together in very tight, detached, scholastic manner, which differed both from companing kinds that I read in Russian or easy-easy modern Protestant. As I read on, I have discovered the depth and spendor of Fr. Schmemmann ideas about liturgical mission of life, daily devition, relationship to the world, and, most importantly, the meaning of sacraments and their connection to our everyday activity. Fr. Schmemmann was aware both of the intellectual and common culture of his time, as it was seen in his writings, but he never let them to dominate over his Christian teachings. He was also aware of the Tradition - something that many of us heard of, but never really reailzed.
   I bought this book to share with my Protestant boyfriend, but now I am learning from it and rethinking my ideas of the Orthodox Christian theology and life.



3. I am Catholic. I began reading Orthodox theology about five years ago, after experiencing the Orthodox liturgy in the most dramatic and sublime manner possible: at Pascha vigil. It simply blew me away. In thirty years of weekly mass attendance I had never seen anything remotely approaching what I encountered that night.
   
   That unknown beauty both crushed and liberated me. It revolutionized my worldview.
   
   I began reading everything I could on ecclesiology, Church history, liturgy, and Orthodox apologetics. For Orthodox thinkers I dug into Lossky, Fr. Meyendorff, Elder Ephraim, Archbishop Kalistos Ware, the Philokalia, Pere Clement, St. Gregory Palamas, the Desert Fathers, the Cappadocian Fathers, St. John Climacus, Solzenhitzen, so on & forth. It was all utterly amazing. I had had no idea.
   
   This book though, is a standout even amongst such rarified company. Schmemann is simply stunning. From the first page he piles insight atop insight. I've given my copy of the book away, so I haven't got it in front of me. Still, from memory I can tell you that he takes and reveals to you blatantly obvious truths about the sacramental life that have been right in front of our noses all along. That all of creation is in fact Eucharistic, rent with power of the Resurrection. You will never approach the chalice with the same mind again, once you've read it.
   
   Orthodox theology and spirituality is most often like this: limpid & fierce, uncompromising. Very bracing, in a culture as decadent and corrupt in it's thinking as ours.
   
   Shamefully, only the very best in contemporary Catholicism - both in terms of liturgy and theology - can touch or exceed the Orthodox average.
   
   That said, the tragedy of historical Orthodoxy is that has been unable to make an apologetic case for itself in the so called West. Ground as they were for so long under the heel of all those Arabs, Turks, Tartars and communists. Maybe those persecutions preserved the "East" from modernity, and are the reason the flame burns so clean, particularly in the Russian, Arab & OCA parishes I've visited? God scourges those he favors, after all.
   
   The yoke is mostly cast off, though. This seems to me to be an Orthodox moment. Can they get their act together, throw the bushel basket off their lamp, and engage the world? If the Orthodox are the Catholic Church of the Creed, as virtually every Orthodox I've talked to has insisted, I demand nothing less. (Heh. Demand! Quelle cheek, huh?) Heretics are swarming the West. So where's our Tome of Leo? Where is it? Is there a bishop to equal Athanasius in the East? Or are the Orthodox going to succumb to secularism, now that they've slipped the Communist & Saracen yokes? Will rationalism, relativism, sloth, lust and avarice do them in too? Will suburbia demand organs and pews, shorter liturgies, prefab iconography, the abrogation of feasts & fasts, & the rest? Or will Slavic ferocity save them?
   
   No matter, all irrelevant, it seems. Orthodoxy isn't even really on the cultural radar screen. The Orthodox take on Church history is just incomprehensible here, mostly because people have never heard any of it before. The categories and data are for the most part utterly foreign. Is this excusable?
   
   Or is it simply as it was in Noah's time, foreordained that no one should care about the Ark? But didn't Noah warn the people, anyway?
   
   Or are the Orthodox anointed with the Sign of Jonah? And is the West Nineveh?
   
   Or are they - God forbid - simply petulant xenophobic schismatics with nothing relevant to share?
   
   In any case, this book - as well as everything else I've read by Schmemann and other Orthodox authors - needs to become part of our common discourse.
   
   The time is ripe. The harvest is now. We all need to be Orthodox. Just as we need to be Catholic. Not all Roman, but Orthodox Catholics.
   
   Which isn't necessarily to say that there isn't a Petrine charism or primacy of power in the Church, as per Isaiah 22:15-25.. Nor is it to say that ultra-montagne papists don't have a hard historical lesson or fifty to learn along the lines of the Donation of Constantine affair.
   
   Let there be polemics! Catholic Answers & Co. all need more of a challenge than shooting poor 'fundamentalist' fish in a barrel. Please! Help them! Their apologetics are sooo boring. Spot them 1 Tim. 3:15. The rest of their apologetic directed at the prots is sheer redundancy. Let's get down to nuts and bolts and excavate the meaning of that verse. It all boils down to that.
   
   The significance of the primacy is already planted firmly on the table. John Paul did that. Benedict is now throwing up huge signals, too. No one I heard remarked on the most interesting thing about his oh so terribly scandalous Regensburg speech. That quotation was not arbitrary. A pope does not accidentally quote Orthodox (Imperial!) sources.
   
   I just know that all can be resolved and forgiven, if we only submit to each other in love and (re)adhere to our tradition. If the Arians were vanquished, why not our schism? As Paul re-embraced Peter? Forget Vatican III. Why not Nicea III?
   
   I'm sure the Turks will accommodate us ..
   
   The Harvest awaits. The gates of hell shall not prevail.
   
   SS. Cyril & Methodius, SS Benedict & Anthony, SS Augustine & Athanasius,
   
   Pray for us.



4. This is my favorite book on Christianity. Less than 150 pages - yet it is rich in meaning and application. I have bought several copies of this book as a gift for others who might be interested in the meaning of Communion and the purpose of Worship. My original copy of this book has almost every word underlined. Fr. Schmemann's writing style is warm and very insightful. A truly great book - I'd say one of the classics of Christianity, like C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity," it should be in every Christian's library and read at least once a year!!



5. A Must read for anyone willing to find the true Christianity. Reveals and explains the Orthodox Church the true and holy one settled by Christ and continued by the apostles and having no modern changes of faith or trends. The same true and holy faith as in the first centuries worshiped by the apostles.

5 comments about Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith.

1. The quotes are the last words in the book. This 'manifesto' (imho) is not another 'conversion' story but rather the true story of a spiritual journey; a journey embarked by a group of fervent evangelical Protestants (Campus Crusade for Christ leaders) and which lasted over a decade. Peter E. Gillquist (the author) is a brilliant marketeer and presenter of his group's spiritual journey, of their search for the ancient faith and original New Testament Church.
   
   The book is devided into three sections:
   
   Part I describes the group's pilgrimage through the history of Christendom. This was done by assigning each members an area of research, such as church history pre-reformation and post-reformation, Biblical doctrine, and Christian worship. As Gillquist sumarizes this new journey in the last chapter, "the change came for us when we stopped trying to judge and reevaulate Church history, and for once invited Church history to judge and evaluate us."
   
   Part II entitled "Orthodoxy and the Bible" is the meat of the book (imho). Here Gillquist does an excellent job of explaining (and not overpowering or over-analyzing) the most mis-understood and puzzling components of the Orthodox faith and praxis. These topics include:
   a) explaining the use of all 5 senses in Orthodox worship,
   b) the reasons for having a Christian historical tradition ("Traditon is there not just to preserve the Bible, but also to interpret it."),
   c) using the title "Father" (Fr.),
   d) why should we honor Mary (aka Theotokos - God-bearer),
   e) and why does a Christian cross oneself?
   
   Part III is a narative highlighting the lows and highs of a decade of pilgrimage before the Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC - the name of over 2000 Protestants, 17 dioces who were becoming Orthodox) had been accepted and included into the Antiochian Orthodox Church.
   
   As my title suggestions, this books is a great marketing tool for anyone interested in the Orthodox Church and Faith. One should not expect doctoral answers to difficult questions from this 191 page book (although a lot of Biblical verses are quoted and used for explanation). Personally I found the writing style very easy to read (the larger font and spacing definitely helped), coherent and logical, and even entertainining in some spots. I wish Gillquist would have written more about the ones who dropped out early on from the church history research, or the priests/bishops in EOC who did not join the Antiochian Orthodox Church. As a liturgical Protestant I certainly do not agree with the statement that "to forsake the Church, you must also forsake the faith" (pg.143) and I wish Gillquist would have spent more time talking about ecclesiology and its view and development throughout the history of Christendom.
   
   Nevertheless, I found the tone, style, and content of this book to be non-polemical, Christian, and informative. I would recommend it for any Christian (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox) interested in why a large group (over 2000) of hard-core evangelical Campus-Crusade-for-Christ Christian activists became and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. This book is also beneficial to any non-Christian intersted in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.



2. First off, I give the author much credit and praise for a very well written treatise concerning the metamorphosis that occured when encountering this ancient Orthodox faith. Secondly, In my opinion, the book was realistic, unequivocal and believable in every aspect, given the myriad of utopian philosophies out there besides pseudo theologians. Thirdly, I found nothing prosaic as I easily glided through its pages. Lastly, I perceived the author was honest and forthright regarding his trying journey. I might add here that I particularly liked the way the author described the revelation of this little known "Pearl of Great Price" that has existed pretty much unchanged throughout history. I am convinced by this book that the utopians have missed the mark in no uncertain terms. The Den of IniquityThe Screwtape LettersUltimate Things: An Orthodox Christian Perspective on the End Times



3. In this book, written as an autobiography, Gilquist explains to the reader why he converted to the "true" church. It would seem that in this age of tolerance, few would listen to a man saying that only his denomination is right, but that is the sum of what Gilquist is promoting. It seems that the book is written to convert Protestants to Eastern Orthodoxy, while also getting in some digs on Catholics. Gilquist, after all, is in charge of evangelism (shall we say proselytizing) for his denomination. Left out of the book is the sad story of the Ben Lomond excommunication of many of Gilquist's fellow Orthodox converts, after they disagreed with their bishop, who excommunicated them by fax and gave control of their church building to the few who remained faithful to him. It presents Orthodoxy as a utopian ending to his quest, but he leaves out the warts and tries to slide unpalatable Orthodox doctrine under the door whenever he can. For instance, while quoting Jesus' statment that scripture is more important than tradition, he sidesteps that by saying that Jesus was referring to "bad" tradition and not "good" tradition. Good traditions, of course, are the ones that Gilquist believes. Bad traditions are the ones other churches hold to. This is not supported by the facts. For those wishing to convert to Orthodoxy, Gilquist's book will be helpful. For those who want a balanced analysis of the issues, I recommend other books: "The Gospel According to Rome" by McCarthy (although about Catholicism, the issues are mostly the same as Orthodoxy and Catholicism are very similar), "The Protestant's Guide to Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy" by Rials, or "Why Angels Fall" by Clark.



4. Peter Guilquist's Becoming Orthodox is a fascinating journey to discovering an ancient faith by a group of modern day evangelical Christians.
   
   It provides details on how this group of faithful came to question their status quo faith and to yearn for answers in the historical church, its teachings, its practices and most importantly where in the present day this historical church could be found?
   
   Their journey led them to discover the Eastern Orthodox Church as the true historical Church of Jesus Christ and His Apostles handed down to us through ages through the bishops by Apostolic Succession.
   
   Complicated theological issues are treated with a clear and simple approach.



5. This journal of the path to Orthodoxy taken by some non-denominational Evangelical Christians (with roots in the "Jesus Movement" of the 1960's and Campus Crusade for Christ) is a wonderful book for anyone seriously considering conversion to the Orthodox Christian faith.
   
   However, don't expect your non-Orthodox friends to gain great insight from it.
   
   It is best received by inquirers, not as an "Orthodox evangelical tool" to pass along to your protestant friends.

5 comments about The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology.

1. This is a classic book on how to pray with mind and heart. It is used by our church for a weekly class discussion and review. The popularity of this class is highly rated by those attending.
   
   For getting prayer from the heart in your life, this is a great beginning.



2. in as few words as possible i would like to say that this is like a bible for me - i have just started reading it and already i can feel the sheer power in its utter humility - the way in which the use of prayer is explained to be the essence of any method or practice is unique in it's directness - i have not read a book on Christian Prayer or any Christian book for that matter which covers simply and unswervingly, what i call, the Heart of All Religion - i have always been scared by the word 'orthodox'...until now - now i understand what the word means to me - i recommend this book over any other like it - i guarantee you will not be displeased - now for the practice...
   
   "Pray without ceasing" (5:17)



3. Beautiful, simple, instructive, and wise, this is one of the books you want to open daily... and should! An invaluable and sure guide for the life of prayer.



4. A beautiful book full of amazing treasures of spiritual insight.Reading this book and books of today on prayer do not seem to be even about the same subject. This authur is communing with God not looking for "a personal relationship with Jesus"



5. This is a great book for all people trying to pray without ceasing. I could not read this though cover to cover, I had to take it a little at a time. For me, it answered questions I had about the Jesus Prayer. If you do buy this book and are not familiar with the Jesus Prayer I highly reccomend first reading "The Way of the Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His Way."

5 comments about The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land, Updated in 2008 for the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of Israel.

1. Just finished the 2008 edition -- new and updated for Israel's 60th anniversary. Very stimulating. This famous book was recommended by Israeli friends -- and an Iraqi friend. It's filled with fascinating insights, you get nowhere else. Very balanced.
   Fun to read, yet very deep. You really get an insider's look into the diverse lives of people whose a country is always in the headlines. You meet kids, techies, Russians, Ethiopians -- religious and not religious Jews, Muslims, and Christians. Students, soldiers, Google and Intel employees, Israeli Arabs -- they're all here and in their own words.



2. 
   This new 2008 edition is a wonderful gift for readers of different religions, political backgrounds and ages.
   
   I was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq. As soon as I started reading The Israelis, I simply could not put it down. I learned about many varied faces of Israelis. The clear and easy prose and style of writing, the historical and political facts, the colorful anecdotes are enthralling and captivating. The book made me think and rethink about different issues that are an integral part of daily life in Israel -- and by extension throughout the Arab world.
   It's packed full of information about different types of Arabic speaking Israelis -- Israeli Muslims, Christians and Druze. I learned a lot about their relationships within their communities and with other Israelis and Arabs outside Israel. Ms. Rosenthal does an excellent job elucidating issues that can change Arab thinking about Israel.
   I highly recommend this 2008 edition of The Israelis for anyone interested in Israel, and also for anyone interested in grasping a better understanding of Arab society and its relationship to Israelis.
   
   Layla Murad



3. I ordered this book because it was recommended by the tour company that is arranging our trip to Israel. I was looking for something that would give me additional insight into the country and its people. This book does an excellent job of exposing me to the various ethnic and cultural groups in Israel. The author is very good about interviewing typical people within each ethnic group with examples of their feelings toward Israel and their way of life. Highly recommended.



4. I found this book (the first edition, 2003) in an apartment I'm renting in Jerusalem. It's quite interesting and well-written.
   
   However, the author seems to have been rather sloppy in her research. I noticed at least two gross factual inaccuracies in details about the Orthodox communities in chapter 9, and this in turn calls into question whether the other information in the book is supported by the facts.
   
   On page 176 (2003 edition), Rosenthal describes how "[s]oon after independence, Prime Minister Ben-Gurion agreed to Rabbi [E.M.] Schach's and other rabbis' requests to free haredi scholars of military obligation." Ben-Gurion's primary interlocutor on this issue was actually Rabbi A.Y. Karelitz (known as the Hazon Ish), the leading Lithuanian haredi rabbi of his day in Israel; the story of their meeting is quite well known in haredi circles, even to school-age children.
   
   Again on page 188 (2003 edition), she writes: "For Lubavitch/Habad Hasidim, however, [Israel] Independence Day is a religious holiday becase they believe the birth of Israel in 1948 marked the beginning of the messianic redemption." This is completely incorrect: there are indeed religious Zionist Jews who believe this, and their communities are treated in the following chapter of the book; but Habad's position has never been that the establishment of the State has anything to do with the coming of the Messiah. Habad does support Jewish settlement on all territory under Israeli control, and opposes giveaways of land, for religious reasons having to do with saving Jewish lives; sometimes this puts them side-by-side with various Religious Zionist groups, as in opposition to the Gaza disengagement of 2005. Most likely our author saw or heard of such events and jumped to conclusions that the Habad and Religious Zionist ideologies are the same. But again, how hard would it have been to find out the real facts?



5. Rosenthal, Donna. "The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land", New Press, revised and updated, 2008.
   
   My People
   
   Amos Lassen
   
   Americans have no idea who the Israelis are. The stories we get in the American media by and large depends on the source of the report. We see them here as soldiers fighting for their freedom and we see them as aggressive colonizers who determined to stay in control over Palestinians who resent them. We know that there is truth to both depictions and at the same time they depictions are distortions of who the Israeli really is. Donna Rosenthal looks at the Israeli across the broad spectrum and she gives very interesting insight as to the nature of the modern Israeli in two aspects--an individual and as a group.
   Many Americans are simply not aware of the vibrancy and diversity of Israel and as the nation is such so are the citizens. There are the very Orthodox who constantly study and await the Messianic age. They are against those that dress immodestly and violate the Sabbath. There are the modern Israelis who excel in business and industry and do not bother with their religious heritage. There are the Bedouin Arabs who still live primitively carrying everything they own with them to wherever they go. There are prostitutes and mailmen and waiters and there are farmers and fishermen and gays, lesbians and those that are transgender.
   Rosenthal entered Israeli society and interviewed many people and she gives us their backgrounds and their viewpoints. She discusses the decline of the kibbutz movement which was once vital to the country and shows how the ethic of collectively is no longer relevant. She shows how the Orthodox remain a community unto itself and stays isolated from mainstream Israeli culture and society. She shows the vice and corruption with Israel and the presence of the drug trade and she gives us a history of Zionism as we hear the reminiscences of the way it was. We hear from the man on the street, from the leaders, from Arabs and from Druze, from the Russian mafia and from the subcultures of sex and gambling.
   Rosenthal has a wonderfully readable style and she manages to weave interviews, anecdotes and vignettes to give us a picture of a people that most of us know little about. But let me tell you that you must be prepared to have your preconceptions become misconceptions. In giving us the information on whom the Israeli is, Rosenthal sheds light on the shadows. It is absolutely amazing when we realize that Israel is a nation that has "ingathered the exiles"--Jews from all over the world who have not much in common except a history of persecution and the desire to live free in their own land.

5 comments about Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church (Guide to Imagery Series).

1. 
   Good things: For the price, this book has a way more bang for the buck than most icon books. Look at the number of pages, and each of them has an icon. The paper is very nice, glossy and heavy. The icons are explained in depth, with indications of the meaings of each part, and a short history of the icon.
   
   Nitpicks: I wish the book were a little larger, but then again I say that about all icon books. Also, I seriously wish someone would include Ethopian and Coptic and other Church icons in some of these books, especially one this size and this thorough. There were tons of the standard Byzantine/Greek/Russian icons, some of them redundant, which could have had some Syrian/Ethopian/Coptic/Arabic etc icons in there too. But these nitpicks aren't reason to not buy the book, or even deduct a star.



2. The Getty Museum's reputation for quality is upheld in this small format handbook. Chock full of reproductions, it includes obscure images.
   
   The color quality shows egg tempera's true and intense hues on feel good low gloss paper.
   
   Copy is like a short survey course-informative and addictive. This is a good reference book.



3. When it comes to the Eastern Church's wealth of Icons, so many are near impossible for westerners to discover. Many were either hidden (and often lost) during the Communist rule of eastern europe, or many were destroyed by the powers that be during that era. Other Icons in the book come from Lebanon, Egypt (St. Catherine's monestary), and Greece, some dating back to the 6th century. So, for a complete overview of the Orthodox love of Icons, this book has a plethoria of icons not seen until now, and never in such a complete overview in one book. The only orthodox Icons not covered, are those from India, and Ethiopia, which are apparently outside the scope of the book. Some of these icons are beautiful beyond imagination. With each icon, all in FULL COLOR, and covering a single page, comes simple little remarks as to what the imagery represents in each Icon. Also, the book is divided into sections, with Icons of Christ, Mary, Saints that lived in towers, Saints who were martyrs, and so forth. This makes it easy to study the iconology of TYPES, and not a simple alphabetical approach, as in the western art book in this series does. (St. Ambrose, St. Boniface, etc.) I sadly have this warning to give however. I had a FIRST EDITION of this book. However, it was "Borrowed" from me against my will, and they refused to return it to me, and I had to replace it. I ended up with a SECOND EDITION of the book,and the color isnt right on the prints. THe red plates are supersaturated, and the black plates seem too saturated as well, on many of the pages. I so much enjoyed this book, that I bought the COMPANION BOOK in this GUIDE TO IMAGERY series. If you are interested in the artistic representation of religious figures, the book SAINTS IN ART does for the western religious art world, what this book does for the eastern religious art world. Both books are from Italy initially, and are printed by the PAUL GETTY MUSEUM in the USA. The big difference, is that the western art, is obviously well known to anyone with college level art history study, and access to big city museums. These icons are art not seen in other books until now, for the most part. My other beefs with this book, are as follows. Besides the problems with the color in the second edition, most of these pictures are just TOO SMALL to really examine properly. This book is about 6 inches by 8 inches, so the pictures are reduced too far, to see the smaller details, where many of the symbolic features of the Icon can be found. Also, when they show what the icon is about, they draw black lines thru the pictures. But the pluses outweigh the minuses, and its well worth the cost. I only hope, that if they go into a third printing, they will fix the color balance to the book. I can highly recommend this book without reservation.



4. I have a lot of books about icons, orthodoxy, saints, and to be honest I never believe at I can find a new book that can teach me more. But miracles
   happens and this little book was a revelation. So full of information and images, this book is a gem.I sincerely recommended.



5. Although I agree with most of the comments made by the others who have offered critiques, I don't believe this book deserves a 5 star rating. This book has a lot of beautiful icons, and I enjoyed learning about the meaning of the imagery. There is high value in the diverse collection of beautiful icons. The book had three flaws that disturbed my enjoyment of the book:
   
   1) Icons are tied together by some general imagery. I am fairly ignorant with regards to icon imagery, but I know a little. For example, the use of the mandorla. A mandorla (round or almond shaped device behind an image) is used to mark something that can only be seen through the eyes of faith. The general meaning of colors like blue and red on the icons of Mary and Jesus, as well. A short guide explaining some of these general rules of imagery would have been a spectacular aid to those, like myself, who are woefully ignorant on the topic.
   
   2) The author expresses some theology in language that is inaccurate and likely confusing for the non-Orthodox Christian reader. For example, he uses the word "worship" to describe the Orthodox veneration of icons. Icons are never worshipped. Worship is for God alone. For the reader seeking to understand the Mystery of Orthodox icons, this would be a devastating and confusing statement. Icons are venerated (greatly honored), never worshiped. The teaching is that this veneration passes to the person represented in the image.
   
   3) The book was so small it was difficult to see some of the details in the imagery that the author was trying to illustrate.
   
   Overall, a very interesting and educational book with a wealth of knowledge about iconography, however, it could have been much better.

5 comments about The Way of a Pilgrim: And the Pilgrim Continues His Way.

1. Like most people, I started reading this after "Franny and Zooey". What I really liked about this book is its simplicity. It stars a simple peasant who gives up all of his posessions to worship Jesus, after all.
   
   But more than that, the writing sytle is very warm and simple. It is written in first person. Simple thoughts with a lot of meaning, I think.
   
   For instance the peasant writes about how he feels joy when he first begins the Jesus prayer, but remembers when he was warned by someone in the church not to be fooled, because when someone starts the Jesus prayer they're overwhelmed with superficial emotions. That's the part that has really stayed with me, for some reason. It resonated with me so well because well, I think we all know what that's like; getting all excited for something and thinking it's going to be a major passion in your life and then it turns out it doesn't matter much in a month.
   
   Now, I must admit I was tempted to follow the jesus prayer (this was before I decided to practice Judaism) and it is heart warming. I think we should all recite the Jesus Prayer; we will be more kind hearted like the peasant. That's what I got from this book.



2. RANK: 5.0 STARS
   (there is also a newer and fresher translation by Olga Savin and forward from Father Thomas Hopko, read cover, published in 2001 by Shambhala Classics)
   
   Introduction:
   
   A hidden spiritual treasure worthy of contemplation and meditation for any Christian who wants to grow closer to the heart and life of Jesus.
   
   While reading this book, I realized that this spiritual devotional is a gem on the cultural and timeless level as John Bunyan's classic "The Pilgrim's Progress" (a favorite with Protestants) or Thomas a Kempis' classic "The Imitation of Christ" or Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presence of God"(well known by Roman-Catholics). Historically, the eastern church (Ortodoxy) is one whose theology is synonymous with mysticism, something that comes across in "The Way of the Pilgrim" thru the Jesus Prayer and Philokalia. The western church (Catholic and Protestant) emphasis is more on systemic theology and doctrinal formulations.
   
   Author:
   The author is unknown. Father Thomas Hopko (from famous Orthodox Seminary St. Vladimir in New York), who write the forward, states that "whatever the origin and intention of the anonymous author's fascinating story" the pilgrim's way "affirms first of all that the source, goal and content of human life is ... the living God Himself."
   
   Content:
   The spiritual way of this pilgrim tells us "that life is communion with God ... a ceaseless prayer in pursuit of God and communion with him." It also tells us that "Jesus Christ is this life."
   
   The pilgrimage starts with an honest question: "What does it mean to pray without ceasing?" (as the pilgrim had heard during Liturgy; 1 Thes. 5:17, Eph. 6:18, 1 Tim. 2:18). He searches long for an answer to his questions of "how one is to pray unceasingly and what is the nature of this sort of prayer."
   
   He travels with a Bible that is very dear to him (which he had been reading from early childhood) and a sack of dried bread crumbs and some water. Once he learns of the "Jesus Prayer" that the holy Church Fathers had written about, he realizes that "the prayer began to move of its own accord from my lips into my heart." He states that "calling on the name of Jesus now filled my days with joys" and everytime a spirit of sorrow, fatigue, doubt came over him, repeating "the Jesus Prayer" helps him to turn his mind and heart to God and fills him with divine peace and joy. The pilgrim also learns and acquires the Philokalia, a collection of deep spiritual writings from the Christians of the East. Thus the Pilgrim's progress is a life of reading the Bible, having a life of prayer, and contemplating on the spiritual gems found in the Philokalia.
   
   Conclusion:
   If you believe that "we are all pilgrims on a journey to God", as the forward to "The Way of the Pilgrim" states, than your spiritual life will be enriched by this Christian classic.
   
   "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Doamne ajuta! (Roumanian for 'May God help us!')



3. I seem some value in this, but agree with the reviewer who cautioned against taking it out of context. It seems people are drawn to the ritual of the Jesus Prayer itself, without regard for Jesus' teachings. Jesus said the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, your soul and your mind. I think this prayer can help you achieve that to some degree. However, he said a second commandment is equally important, to love your neighbor as yourself. This prayer puts all the focus inward on the self, maybe some upward toward God, and absolutely none toward loving your neighbor. Several times in the book, the pilgrim actively avoids contact with others so that he can isolate himself and focus on his prayer. Several people are quite kind to him in the process, and although he shows gratitude to them, he does little to help others and make the world around him better, which Jesus clearly calls us to do. All that said, I do think it is an interesting read and can promote healthy spiritual debate and discussion.



4. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul writes "Pray without ceasing," (1 Thes 5:17) and in his letter to the Ephesians, he writes "Pray at all times in the Spirit." (Eph 6:18) What does it mean to pray at all times without ceasing? Can it be done? These are the questions asked by the pilgrim, the main character of The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues his Way, two books written in the late nineteenth century by an anonymous Russian Christian. The pilgrim character tells of his journeys through Russia as he seeks to learn to pray unceasingly.
   
   Through the telling of his tale, the pilgrim shares much about prayer. The focus of prayer is The Jesus Prayer, and the goal for the pilgrim is to continually pray this prayer from his heart. The writer introduces lessons on prayer and the Christian life through other characters such as priests, wise teachers called "starets" and other Christian travelers who share their stories of faith. The pilgrim carries two books with him that are his sole possessions on the earth and his treasures. These are The Bible and a book of Eastern Church Fathers called The Philokalia. The narrator references both books to provide lessons on prayer.
   
   His journey reveals what he learns about prayer. Through the book, the narrator reveals several lessons about prayer for reflection and practice. The main theme is ceaseless prayer.
   
   An older teacher shares with the pilgrim that, as Paul writes to the Romans, "we know not what we should pray for as we ought." (Rom 8:26) The teacher advises that the perfection of prayer is not within our power, but we can pray often and always. The teacher then shares The Jesus Prayer with the pilgrim,
   
   "The continuous interior prayer of Jesus is a constant uninterrupted calling upon the name of Jesus with the lips, in the spirit, in the heart, while forming a mental picture of His constant presence, and the imploring of His grace, during every occupation, at all times, in all places, even during sleep. The appeal is couched in these terms, `Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.'" (Pilgrim 9)
   
   The pilgrim begins by practicing saying the above prayer thousands of times a day. With much effort and by the rejection of other thoughts and doubts, he develops the habit of saying it continually. He first says it with his lips and mind. Later in the book a teacher shares with him the expanded form of the Jesus Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."(Pilgrim 135) His teacher explains that in this form of the prayer, the entire Gospel and way to salvation is represented.
   
   Through his interactions with others and his reading, the pilgrim continues to learn about The Jesus Prayer and its effects. He shares the following,
   
   "What the Gospel is, that the prayer of Jesus is also, for the Divine Name of Jesus Christ holds in itself the whole gospel truth. The holy Fathers say that the prayer of Jesus is a summary of the Gospels."(Pilgrim 27)
   
   This explains why the prayer so effective for those who pray it in combating their spiritual enemies and producing the fruits of the Spirit in their heart.
   
   The author emphasizes that God's grace drives prayer and rewards prayer. He urges those he speaks with to make attempts at prayer and ask God to help them. He does not belittle even the feeblest attempts at prayer. For the author, every intention of ours and every movement of ours toward God are valuable to God. He summarizes his thoughts,
   
   "The love of God gives grace a thousand fold more than human actions deserve. If you give Him the merest mite, He will pay you back with gold. If you but purpose to go to the Father, He will come out to meet you. You say but a word, short and unfeeling--`Receive me, have mercy on me'--and He falls on your neck and kisses you. That is what the love of the heavenly Father is like toward us, unworthy as we are." (Pilgrim 117)
   
   This is an important spiritual value for the pilgrim that he tries to practice and teach. God gives us grace to come to Him, and when we come, he pours out more grace upon us.
   
   The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way summarize the Bible's lesson on prayer. The author illustrates that prayer leads us to Christ and the Father and is itself inspired and initiated by the Holy Spirit within us. The author has included many scriptures about prayer. He shows systematically how the New Testament encourages prayer. He offers a lesson on how prayer empowers us to do good works, so that the term, "Pray and do and think what you will" is reasonable and sensible for the Christian who prays sincerely.
   
   The book offers a way of life that is hidden in Christ through a continual praying from the heart to Christ. The author shows how it is possible and beneficial to pray continually as prescribed by Scripture.



5. I believe God works in mysterious ways and it was through Him that I obtained this book. In my prayers I asked Him 'how should I pray?' and I believed He answered it with this book. I ran across this book by accident on another website and felt that it was a book I needed to read. I ordered it not even knowing what it was really about, only knowing it was a book under the heading 'Books For Spiritual Growth'. This book changed my life. The Jesus Prayer is a blessing and has taught me what true prayer should feel like. I say 'feel' because that's what eventually happens when it is scripted to your heart. You no longer say it, you feel it in everything you see and do. It's hard to explain, but if you get there you'll know what I'm talking about. The book also reccomends achieving this prayer under the guidence of a Christian Orthodox church authority (priest, monk, etc...) who has attained this prayer of the heart. There is VERY good reason for this, and I suggest anyone who wants to try to obtain the prayer of the heart to seek out their counsil.

5 comments about The Orthodox Way.

1. While I am an Evangelical Protestant, I have enjoyed this book tremendously. Often, when reading various passages, I felt that this book should be re-named "The Christian Way" because of the orthodox truths presented. REMEMBER: "orthodox" is an adjective "Orthodox" is an important branch of Christianity (and one of the most ancient one).
   
   While this book is not a systematic theology of the Orthodox Christian Faith, it does expound on a lot of the beliefs held in common by all Christians and by orthodox Christianity. The author discusses various ways of looking at God or understanding God:
   1. God as Mystery
   2. God as Trinity
   3. God as Creator
   4. God as Man
   5. God as Spirit
   6. God as Prayer
   Epilogue: God as Eternity
   
   Each chapter has descriptive sub-chapter titles, plenty of references, and ends with a compilation of sayings and words of wisdom. A complete and extensive bibliography, list of authors, and subjects reflect the depth of Bishop Kallistos Ware's writing.
   
   For those of you who may be intimidated by the word "Orthodox" in the title, I would mention that the style of Kallistos Ware is non-polemical, but rather padagogical and inspirational. A great companion to this book would be the "Orthodox Church" by Timothy Ware (name before becoming bishop) or Daniel B. Clendenin two books on Eastern Orthodoxy.



2. This is one of Bishop Ware's best! It is a great intro to Orthodox Theology. However, do not expect to find much history or ritual details. It is mainly an introduction, and touches on the fundamentals. Being an ex-Vineyard Church youth pastor, I especially liked his spiritual approach to theology, which seems to have been lost by most western theologians. I found myself in tears and full of the holy spirit reading this book! It's a must read! -Yes, I am an Orthodox convert.



3. I couldn't pull myself away from it! I think I read every chapter at least twice! I got my highlighters out and I was sold by the end of the book! Call it faith, call it inspiration, I'm just calling it the way. Born & raised Roman Catholic, I can't put my finger on what moved me to orthodoxy, but I know that this book had something to do with it.
   
   If anyone out there's looking for "good books on orthodoxy" I might want to recommend "Beginning to Pray", "Mary the Birthgiver of God", "The Meaning of Suffering", "God's Revelation to the Human Heart", and "Turning the Heart to God". But don't take my word for it, do ask an orthodox clergy member too!
   
   Christ is risen!



4. New to the Faith like me? Interested in the Orthodox Faith? Check this book out, along with The Orthodox Church also by Bishop Kallistos. This will clarify even more about the Orthodox Faith than his previous book already accomplished. A must-have for your Orthodoxy library collection.



5. This book by Bishop KALLISTOS was instrumental in bringing me to the Orthodox faith. He explains, in a clear, very C.S. Lewis-like way, who God is and what it means to know and love God. He explains what it means to be an Orthodox Christian. His love for God and the church is infectious and resonates on every page. His gentleness is apparent. Anyone who wants to know God should read this book. Anyone who wants to be a Christian the way Jesus intended should read this book, for it is true to the ancient faith and the church started by Jesus, and continued by the Apostles, in the book of Acts. (The ancient church is preserved in Eastern Orthodoxy.) I highly recommend this book and KALLISTOS' "The Orthodox Church." These two books together will change your life and your faith.

4 comments about Women's Minyan.

1. Naomi Ragen has long championed the rights and causes of those who have little voice through her columns in the Jerusalem Post, and her play Women's Minyan is just another example of her dedication to those who the world does not seem to hear. Do not be put off by the fact that Women's Minyan is meant to be performed as a play, as it translates well on the page and is impossible to put down. Opening a window into the insular world of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism, Ragen sheds light on the struggles a woman often faces when attempting to divorce her husband under the jurisdiction of a Beit Din, or religious court. Women's Minyan is based on the true story of a woman from Jerusalem, giving even more power to Ragen's play.



2. naomi ragen has done so much for this poor woman. this play is based on a true story of a woman named chana. her husband was domineering and convinced the people in their town in israel that chana was a bad woman.ultimately he divorced her and spread lies about her to the town.she was not allowed to see her children. this is a good read.



3. I loved this play! Once again Naomi Ragen challenges us to think, to explore what it means to love God. She challenges us to follow after God and not man. Very enjoyable and I can't wait until I read her next book!



4. Excellent portrait of a true story that touches on the cloistered environment that is the Haredi community. Naomi Ragen is such a champion of those who have no voice.

5 comments about The Orthodox Church: New Edition.

1. I think this is an excellent book for those like me who want to know more about the Orthodox Church. I became orthodox myself some time ago but always wanted to undestand many things of the history of our Church so I think this is THE book.
   I specially recomend it to those who consider the Orthodox Church a great mistery, something distant and very different of the western Church. You'll find out that exist a lot of differences between both churches but you will also realize there is so much in common.
   If you are considering a book to learn more about the Orthodox Church, this your book.



2. A Must read for anyone willing to find the true Christianity. Reveals and explains the Orthodox Church the true and holy one settled by Christ and continued by the apostles and having no modern changes of faith or trends. The same true and holy faith as in the first centuries worshiped by the apostles.



3. I think Timothy Ware (Bishop Kallistos) presents a good concise history of Eastern Orthodoxy, as well as a balanced view of the "The Great Schism." Timothy's sentiments go beyond a mere intellectual appeal for Christian unity and suggest that we have both, East and West, been "grievously impoverished" by our separation. As he states (p.61),"The Greek east and the Latin west still need one another. For both parties the great schism has proved to be a great tragedy."



4. As a person who recently converted to Orthodox Christianity, I am continually amazed at how invisible the "Eastern" Church is to those in the "West." Fortunately we have in the person of Timothy or Bp. Kallistos Ware, a bold, eloquent, and scholarly apologist, who is able to present a great deal of material, which might otherwise be dry, in a clear-headed and thought provoking manner.
   
   For anyone who is interested in the history of the Great Schism and the theological matters surrounding it, or the beliefs and practices of the Orthodox Church, this book is simply the finest guide available. I read it first several years ago and I find myself going back to it again and again for clarification and insight.



5. An absolutely fascinating and enlightening book about the Orthodox Church. It filled in many low spots in my understanding of Orthodoxy. Well done!

5 comments about The Orthodox Study Bible: Ancient Christianity Speaks to Today's World (Bible).

1. greetings, best translation ive seen. all the extra info really lets you see the story through diffrent eyes. im a new convert to orthodoxy and have really cherished the rich tradition that acompanies this holy book. i would recomend it to any christian who wants to learn more about how our faith developed.
   sam



2. Greetings,
   
   The new Orthodox Study Bible is yet another example of unorthodox apostate bibles which attempt to mislead the masses.
   
   1. It is unquestionably patterned after protestant bibles, from the toxic chemical binding and paper, to the maps in the back.
   
   2. Christians at the time when the English language began, about 1000 years ago, forbade the use of English in prayers, worship or scripture. So this bible is a contradiction of reason any way we look at it.
   
   3. It admits from the start that wherever possible they copied the text of the protestant NKJV, including the entire New Testament. This has ruined any claim to being orthodox right there.
   
   4. In this age which we live in we should expect such delusions and deceptions as this, should we not?
   
   5. I have found it to be one of the worst referenced study materials ever in my over 20 years of sincere intrest with books.
   
   I speak from experiance that includes being a librarian all the way to operating the bookstore at my orthodox church.
   
   Forgive, John Alden
   



3. A very good book and comprehensive. It's the authentic bible translated for the 1st time to english



4. I was Chrismated into the Orthodox Church a little over a year ago. We have been waiting for this Orthodox Study Bible for a long time, and it is finally here. After reading the comments on this Bible, especially the negative ones, I was compelled to simply try to understand why there are such heavy criticisms. Perhaps these people were expecting something else. Since I am just a new member of the Church, I see a lot of good in this version, and it is a wonderful Bible for my studies. It certainly is a lot better than the protestant ones that I have studied through the years. I am sure that there will be other Orthodox Study Bibles in the future for those who are not new converts, and it will go into a lot more depth about our faith, as was mentioned this one lacks. It is hard for me to appreciate that at this point, but perhaps as those of us who are newer to the faith will get better knowledge about this one and use it daily, so then after that most of us will be ready for a more in-depth study Bible that has better or deeper writings about the faith. In the meantime, I intend to enjoy the use of this one as much as possible.



5. I titled my review "Missing in Action" because there are just a few missing key components for a study Bible to live up to that name.
   1. Concordance - the New Testament Orthodox Study Bible has a superb one, but unfortunately it was not incorporated into this one.
   2. Cross References - nada.
   3. Wide margins - you won';t be able to make many notes in the margin of this Bible.
   That is all I could find wrong with this Bible. Other than the missing elements above, I would rate it 5 stars! The copious number of notes are well written, clear, concise, and very helpful. The size of the print is comfortably large, but not a large print version. The book introductions are wonderful as are the doctrinal articles embedded in the appropriate book.
   The manuscripts that the NKJV relies on are the old traditional ones before the Nestle Text and modern Biblical scholarship. For example, you will not find Mark 11:26 in most modern translations othern than in a footnote. You will find it in the NKJV used in the Orthodox Study Bible. The Church has had this text and many others for centuries, but they have been excised by modern scholarship from many modern translations.
   The purchase of an RSV Concordance to use with this Bible will add to your Scripture study. The best Bible for you is the one that you will read, and I think you will enjoy reading this one.