No comments about The Services of Holy Week and Easter Sunday = Hai Akolouthiai Tes Megales Hevdomados Kai Tou Hagiou Pascha.

No comments about The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom Hymnal.

2 comments about The Freedom of Morality (Contemporary Greek Theologians, No 3).

1. The problem that Yannaras exposes and addresses is that life (i.e., an ethical life for a Christian) is not about trappings, coverings, appearances or behaviors of Man; Christian life is about the existential Man. If the man beneath the appearances and behaviors is not Christian, is not free and moral, is not living the life God made for him, the appearances and behaviors are irrelevant; indeed appearances and behaviors undermine the ontological truth of existential Man and his salvation. Man's morality is located in his existential freedom. This freedom is a reality that exists and is always being realized by man through his willingness to be as God created him to be; this is the only way for man to be truly human and become a person. The Army advertises "Be all that you can be;" the Church adds "anything less is sin."This is only accomplished in the Church. Individualism is a sin. One becomes a person in relationship: relationship with God and relationship with other persons.
   The only way for Man to live ethically (for Yannaras "life" and "Christian ethical living" are redundant) is for Man to exist in relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To imagine this to be an individual pursuit is to miss the point and to miss the mark. Man is created in community, and so the fulfillment of his ethical self is realized in a redeemed relationship with himself, the world and God.
   This is not an easy book. However a thorough reading will change one's life and the way one thinks about life: it has mine. I especially appreciated the chapter on "pietism" and it as a heresy.



2. Christos Yannaras' The Freedom of Morality explores the ethical ramifications of thinking about moral agents as 'persons' rather than as 'individuals'. The ontology of personhood he explores is rooted in the Trinity and in the Church, and hence, has a very theological and Christian character about it, albeit with a distinct Eastern flavor to it.
   
   I thought this was a very strong and thought provoking work, and it would probably be very challenging to people who think of ethics in terms of objective rules, without thinking about how morality is rooted in the image God created us in. In a way, Yannaras' work reminds me of an Eastern Orthodox Stanley Hauerwas.
   
   I would like to mention, though, in contrast to one of the other reviewers, that Yannaras' chapter on the 'Ecclessiological Heresy of Pietism' was his weakest, perhaps because he was writing as an outsider without much first-hand experience of Pietistic Christianity. His basic observation that Pietism tends to undermine the doctrine of the Church may be true in some cases, but seeing all the Pietistic mega-churches in Dallas, with 2000+ attendance every weekend, in comparison with the sparsely attended Orthodox churches I've been to, it would seem that Yannaras has his argument backwards, that Pietism reinforces Christian fellowship and devotion to God, even if it does not always rally its support to one monolithic institutional church. Miroslav Volf has wriiten a good exposition of free church ecclessiology that might interest some readers concerned with this question.
   
   But that critique aside, I would highly reccommend this volume to people interested in reading a breath of fresh air - a genuinely unique perspective on ethics.

1 comments about The Hermitess Photini.

1. I read this book a few years ago and was taken by the simplicity of the Christian life in the holy land and its people at that time. The spirit of Hermitess Photini still exists in the Orthodox Church. It is the spirit of Christianity that is lost in West. I highly recommend this book to any one who wants to understand the original orthodox Christianity as is practiced in the East

1 comments about St. Cosmas Aitolos: Great missionary, awakener, illuminator, and holy martyr of Greece : an account of his life, character and message, including his teaching ... from his sermons (Modern Orthodox saints).

1. This is the first book in an ongoing multi-volume series called "Modern Orthodox Saints." Dr. Cavarnos is a widely respected Byzantine historian and author. He is associated with both the Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (IBMGS), and well as the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies (CTOS). The series sets out to enlighten the English speaking world about saints from modern times and their teachings.

   This first volume is dedicated to St. Cosmas Aitolos (1714-1779), who I had never heard of before discovering this series. St. Cosmas was an Athonite monk who received the blessing of his elder to leave the Holy Mountain to teach and preach to the masses. A proponent of education (both religious and secular), St. Cosmas established over 20 schools in Greece, Albania, and other countries.

   St. Cosmas left very little written teaching since most of his instruction was passed on verbally. What writing has survived, however, is incredibly powerful. The Saint speaks on a myriad of subjects. Here are a few examples of his teachings:

   --ON NATURE & HUMILITY-- "God gave us such a great earth in order that we may dwell here temporarily; He gave us so many thousands of plants, fountains, rivers, seas, air, day and night, the sky, the sun and so on. For whom did He make all these except us? What did He owe us? Nothing. All these are a gift."

   --GOD-- "Our all-good and very merciful God, my brethren, has many and different names: He is called light and life, and resurrection; however, the chief name of our God is and is said to be love."

   --WOMEN-- "God created woman equal with man, not inferior."

   A brief list of contents of this book include: the Saint's life, his teachings on God, his teachings on Heaven & Hell, a collection of his sayings and his prophecies (he prophesied things like cars, airplanes, computers, telephones, etc.) There are wonderful passagess on forgiveness and humility too.

   This book is quite short (118 pages) and is definately worth reading for a portrait of modern piety.

   I don't know if these books are out of print or not, but they can sometimes be obtained from Orthodox book sellers.

No comments about Old world cooking: Your complete guide to Greek cooking.

No comments about Religion and Nationality in Western Ukraine: The Greek Catholic Church and the Ruthenian National Movement in Galicia, 1867-1900 (Mcgill-Queen's Studies in the History of Religion).

No comments about Life after Death.

2 comments about When You Intermarry: A Resource for Inter-Christian, Intercultural Couples, Parents and Families.

1. When You Intermarry, offers excellent suggestions and guidelines for those who are either planning or are already in inter-Christian marriages. It's well written and easy to understand. We like the way it addresses all aspects of the family from premarital concerns to the complications which arise when children enter into the picture. Extended family issues can be harrowing at times -and Fr. Charles addresses this issue, as well. This work is based on research led by Fr. Charles over a 3 year period, and has a lot to offer readers. A "must read!"



2. Seldom does a book come along that attempts to balance, let alone introduce, academic discipline, astute experiential insight, and gentle expression. Fr. Dr. Charles Joanides has elegantly established this unique balance in his book, "When You Intermarry: A Resource for Inter-Christian, Intercultural Couples, Parents & Families."

   Joanides performed extensive research with couples that have one person akin to the Greek Orthodox Church of America. I served as the external auditor of the research, that is, I was employed to review the research analysis and findings of the author to ensure the trustworthiness of his work. The scope of his nationwide study was vast and exhaustive and I observed an honest and meticulously thorough piece of research.

   The book is very readable for any audience. Each point is clearly articulated with illustrations from the people he interviewed. The reader can feel assured that the content of the book is based in good research and washed through the academic literature. I eagerly await the impact that it will have, not only within the Orthodox Church, but also on those couples who seek to apply the contents of the book to other interfaith marriages.

3 comments about The Art of Greek Cookery.

1. Authentic greek cuisine recipes (like mom used to make) in english! Anything i make from this book is excellent.



2. Seeing the original Art of Greek Cookery on amazon.com takes me back to my youth. My mother was one of the original members of "The Recipe Club of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church" (Now Cathedral) in Hempstead, New York.
   
   The purpose of the book was twofold: to capture in writing the ORAL recollections of the members' aging mothers and whose memories of their wonderful recipes were verbal only & fading fast, and to raise money for our beloved Church, the church of my youth and marriage. And later on, my mother's Memorial Service or "mnemosino" three years ago.
   
   The Ladies, as they were often called, of the Recipe Cub, were dedicated to this project, and took years to collect, test, sift out and produce the chosen recipes and to get everything JUST RIGHT. I sat in on a few of the selection sessions as a kid and believe me, they were memorable. And fun!
   
   This book was actually the second version of "The Art of Greek Cookery," the first one being produced by them, with help from a couple of the husbands, who were advertising industry execs and very savvy. Van Livadas and George Calfo's names come to mind.
   
   Through their savvy P.R., the book was brought to the attention of a clever and famed Cookbook Editor at Doubleday & Co., Clara Classen. Clara put them on the map and the rest, as they say, is history.
   
   This book is a true classic of Greek-American culture, family & traditions, food and wines, religious spirit and history.
   It includes a blessing by the-then Priest of our parish, The Rev. Father George Papadeas and interesting cultural background and history from Greece. And excellent, though now-faded, hand illustrations as well.
   
   "The Art of Greek Cookery" is a treasure and should be purchased, USED, and cherished. nyone who likes or loves Greek cooking can use it; the directions are simple-to-follow and very clearcut. A list of Greek or Middle Eastern groceries acorss the country is also provided.
   
   It is followed by two other volumes, "The Regional Cuisines of Greece" (also Doubleday, 1981) and "The Complete Book of Greek Cooking," Harper & Row, 1990, $ 27.95. All are written by the Cookbook Committee/Recipe Club of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church, now Cathedral, of Hempstead, New York and a big BRAVO-Sou to "The Ladies."
   
   Me agape kai fillakia,
   
   Dionysia K.P., daughter of Helen P.



3. I lived in Garden City in the early 70's and purchased The Art of Greek Cookery from St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church. Originally from PA, I really cherished my "new found" cuisine!
   Now it is 2006, and I still find the recipes exciting! I thank the "Ladies". Janiene, York, PA