Orthodox Reading List
Most of the following reviews are written and submitted by Warren Farah and
Dave Allison of Eighth Day Books. Warren is serving as book editor for The
Christian Activist, and owns Eighth Day Books. All the books below can be
ordered by calling him at (800) 841-2541.
These books can also be ordered from Light & Life Publishing by calling
(612) 925-3888.
Free catalogs can be ordered from various companies listed at the end.
SPIRITUALITY
The Desert Fathers
by Helen Waddell
This is the classic Western translation of the sayings of the Desert Fathers,
which have played a crucial role in the formation of Christian spirituality,
and which historically led countless men and women into the desert in a quest
for the knowledge of God and the satisfaction of His will. These athletes of
God left teachings framed by the simplest of words, yet understandable only by
the wisest, whose wisdom is born of humility.
209 pp. paper $13.95
Harlots of The Desert: A Study of Repentance in Early Monastic Sources
by Benedicta Ward
A collection of five short tales of the sinful person who repents. Included are
the biblical Mary Magdalene and later elaborations of her tradition, St. Mary
of Egypt, an image of repentance in the Lenten liturgical tradition, and three
stories of penitent harlots from the Vita Patrum. Sister Benedicta provides
introductions and critical notes for these stories, which together form a
thoughtful study of early Christian metanoia.
113 pp. paper $13.95
Beginning To Pray
by Archbishop Anthony Bloom
A Russian diplomat's son, a doctor and member of the French resistance, an
Orthodox monk and later Archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in England,
Bloom also happens to be a modern guide to the spiritual life. He gently warns
the reader of this book, "The realm of God is dangerous. You must enter into it
and not just seek information about it .. the day when God is absent, when He
IS silent--that is the beginning of prayer."
114 pp. paper $5.95
The Path Of Prayer
By Saint Theophan The Recluse
Daily prayer as a way of spiritual growth by one of the great Elders of the
Russian Church.
Perhaps the first full and clear explanation of how to use daily prayer as a
path of spiritual development, written during the last times of classical
Russian monasticism, by Saint Theophan the Recluse (b. 1815, d. 1894), scholar,
Bishop, hermit and staretz, one of the inspired teachers of the Eastern Church:
With a selection of prayers by the early fathers of the church chosen to aid
the reader who wants to put the ideas of this book into practice. This small
book is mighty in spiritual wisdom.
Pocket book $7.95
The Athletes of Prayer
The Wound of Knowledge: Christian Spirituality From the New Testament to St.
John of the Cross
by Rowan Williams
A sympathetic yet critical introduction to the development of classical
Christian spirituality, with deftly drawn descriptions of the thought of
Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine, Bernard of
Clairvaux, and Aquinas, concluding with an intriguing comparison between the
spiritual expedience of Luther and John of the Cross. Williams properly
emphasizes the inseparable links throughout Christian history between theology
and spirituality.
$12.95
Penthos: The Doctrine of Compunction in the Christian East
by Irenee Hausherr
"Blessed are those who mourn..." In meditating on this Beatitude, the Desert
Fathers often spoke of its connection with sorrow for sin, and their own
experience of what came to be called the "gift of tears." They were insistent
that entering into Christian joy was inseparable from this primary experience
of compunction. Irenee Hausherr has traced this recurrent theme through the
first millennium of the monastic tradition and made it accessible to those
outside the monastic calling. In the almost half century since it was first
published, and to the modern mind set constantly immersed in the language of
"self-esteem" and "self-fulfillment," Penthos is a jarring reminder of a
pristine practice of self-knowledge and repentance.
200 pp. paper $11.95
The Name of Jesus
by Irenee Hausherr
Hausherr has shown himself both in this work and in his earlier, closely
related book Penthos, to be one wholly concerned with the most intimate aspects
of Christian spirituality. What he has accomplished here is not merely an
investigation of the ways Christians have addressed Jesus from New Testament
times down through the first millennium, nor simply a history of the Jesus
Prayer (although he succeeds in both tasks admirably), but a relentless quest
for the underlying orientation of Christian people toward their Lord. With a
rare familiarity with countless Eastern and especially Syriac liturgical and
monastic texts, Hausherr reveals the close connection between compunction, or
sorrow for sin, and the desire to find methods of unceasing prayer. In the
course of his investigation, he has much of importance to say about the essence
of prayer, authentic piety and authentic holiness.
358 pp. paper $13.95
The Lives of Simeon Stylites
translated by Robert Doran
foreword by Susan Ashbrook Harvey
In the flood of Christian ascetics who left the world to seek God alone, Simeon
chose a novel escape. He mounted a pillar. There he remained the rest of his
life, a focus of pious pilgrimage. To him came supplicants with all kinds of
problems: personal anguish, sickness and pain, infertility, sin, and social
transgression. Public issues were mediated at his shrine and slaves manumitted.
Whole villages sent delegations for advice when plagues or wild beasts
threatened. Robert Doran, professor of religious studies at Amherst College,
translates here the extant lives of Simeon a Greek account by his contemporary,
Bishop Theodoret of Cyrrhus; one of unknown date by `Antonius'; and a third,
written in Syriac. The awe and fascination both Greeks and Syrians felt for
this stylite (pillar) saint give an insight into the Christian, and
non-Christian world of the fifth century.
144 pp. paper $15.95
Theology and Patristics
Speaking the Christian God: The Holy Trinity and the Challenge of Feminism
ed. by Alvin F. Kimel, Jr.
Feminist theology has been on the scene for two decades now, long enough for
the dust to have settled and the issues to have been clarified. With the
publication of this collection of essays by Eerdrmans, we can now survey the
response of some of the best contemporary theological scholarship in England
and America to the enterprise of Christian or religious feminism. Represented
here are Elizabeth Achtemeier and Roland Frye on female language for God, Colin
Gunton's response to the thought of Sallie McFague, Janet Martin Soskice's
query, "Can a Feminist call God `Father'?" Fr. Thomas Hopko's description of
apophatic theology and the naming of God in the Eastern Orthodox tradition,
Geoffrey Wainwright on Trinitarian worship, T.F. Torrance on the Christian
understanding of God as Father, and much more. The level of scholarship and the
reasonableness of response to the issues raised by feminist thought among the
writers in this collection are of marked excellence.
337pp. paper $21.95
On the Incarnation
by St. Athanasius
Foreword by C. S. Lewis
"This is a good translation of a very great book. St. Athanasius stood contra
mundum for the Trinitarian doctrine `whole and undefiled' ... When I first
opened De Incarnatione I soon discovered by a very simple test that I was
reading a masterpiece, for only a master mind could have written so deeply on
such a subject with such classical simplicity." So says C.S. Lewis in his
introduction to this landmark of Christology. What can we add to this master's
description of a master's description of the Master?
120 pp. paper $6.95
Beginning to Read the Fathers
by Boniface Ramsey
An exceptionally lucid and carefully organized introduction to patristic
literature by a Dominican scholar and student of the great Quasten. This is the
best work of its kind, supplemented by appendices such as "A Patristic Reading
Program," which provides a much needed guide through the labyrinth of several
centuries of patristic writings, and a timeline which places these writings in
the context of historical and ecclesiastical events and epochs.
280 pp. paper $12.95
Man and Woman in Christ
by Stephen B. Clark
This is an exhaustive treatment of the roles of men and women in human society.
Clark looks at the complex issues through the eyes of scripture, tradition, and
sociology. His main conclusion is that there are certain fundamental
differences between men and women which should naturally be reflected in
society, in the church and in the family. An important contribution to the
dialogue between Christianity and feminism.
753 pp. cloth $34.95
Apostolic Succession
By Fr. Gregory Rogers
A study of Apostolic Succession as it exists in the Orthodox Church. Presents
its biblical foundation, historic evidence and its twentieth century context.
Booklet 30 pp. $1.75
Church History
The History of the Church
by Eusebius
An indispensable resource for anyone seriously interested in the subject.
Written in the fourth century by the eventual bishop of Caesarea, this is the
earliest attempt to chronicle the history of the Church "from Christ to
Constantine." This edition was translated by G. A. Williamson, the Oxford
classicist, and is presented in a readable, non-technical format.
"Eusebius--the dependable, the scholarly, the shrewd discarder of the
dubious--was by far the most important and readable historian of the ancient
church."
435 pp. paper $8.
The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy
By Alexander Schmemann
An excellent survey of the beginning of the Church tracing it through Peter the
Great in Russia. Written by one of the finest modern minds that Christianity
has produced.
343 pp. paper $10.95
The Orthodox Church
By Timothy Ware
An excellent book on the history, liturgy, sacraments, and teachings of the
Orthodox Church for the non-Orthodox as well as for Orthodox Christians who
wish to know more about their own tradition. Written by an eminent spiritual
leader and scholar. This book is regarded by many as the standard text on the
subject.
352 pp. paper $7.95
Documents of the Christian Church
ed. by Henry Bettenson
The standard collection of primary source documents illustrating pivotal
moments in the history of the Church. Sections are grouped by topic, and
writers represented include Tacitus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Clement of
Alexandria, Irenaeus, Athanasius, Pelagius and Augustine, and a host of others
up to our own century. This is invaluable "raw material" for forming historical
awareness and judgment.
343 pp. paper $11.95
Biblical Studies and Sources
The Explanation
by Blessed Theophylact
A guide to the Orthodox meaning of St. Matthew's Gospel. For 900 years
considered the basic New Testament commentary for Orthodox Christians, this
verse by verse explanation is now available in English. Its patristic
authority, comprehensiveness and simplicity make this work essential reading
for clergy, monastics, laity, church schools, Bible studies, and inquirers into
the Faith.
The inspiration behind this commentary is the Orthodox desire, and indeed,
commandment, to guard and transmit to future generations the living apostolic
tradition of the early Church. Therefore, later commentators and Fathers such
as St. Photius and Bl. Theophylact, for each passage of Scripture under
consideration, would gather together the explanations and interpretations of
the early Fathers.(The result is not simply the interpretation of one person,
but an expression of the consensus of the mind of the Church, in short, what
the Church has believed and taught "at all times and in all places."
But Bl. Theophylact's Explanation does not at all read like a list of
quotations. What is truly remarkable is that, although the work is wholly
derivative from the tradition of the fathers, in it the reader hears but a
single voice speaking clearly as a teacher to a disciple.
paper $12.00 hard $22.00
Orthodox Study Bible
Discover Orthodox Christianity in the pages of the New Testament. Contains
explanatory notes by eminent New Testament scholars and theologians to lead us
to the understanding of the Scriptures. A unique personal study guide.
Thomas Nelson Publishers soft bound $24.95 Leather $39.99
Liturgy and Worship
The Bible and the Liturgy
by Jean Danielou
A justly famous study of the variegated symbolism of the sacramental mysteries,
especially the Eucharist and baptism. Danielou's method is first to review the
patristic interpretation of a subject and then turn to trace that
interpretation back to biblical roots. An education which will profoundly
deepen one's understanding and experience of the liturgy.
372 pp. cloth $17.95
Christian Worship In East and West: A Study Guide to Liturgical History
by Herman Wegman
Strange as it may seem, and despite the availability of excellent works on
specific aspects of liturgical history, one has to look far and wide to find a
single book that offers a history of the liturgy from Jewish sources through
the Reformation. We offer here such a book. Written partly in outline, partly
in narrative form it is a detailed and comprehensive examination of the
development of Christian worship, rich in citations from original sources.
390 pp. paper $19.95
Liturgy and Life
By Alexander Schmemann
Lectures and essays on Christian life and worship. A classic and detailed
explanation of the Orthodox liturgy.
112 pp. paper $5.95
Orthodox Worship
by Benjamin D. Williams and Harold B. Anstall
Members of the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission, the two authors have
discovered in the Orthodox liturgy a living continuity with the worship of
Judaism and the Early Church. Written in a non-theological manner for the
average lay person, this book offers inspired insights into the Orthodox
liturgy that will rivet the attention of the reader. Early Christians preserved
a continuity of worship from the Old Covenant to the New, employing elements
from the Jewish Temple liturgy, the synagogue liturgy and the rituals of the
Jewish home. Shows how divinely revealed Old Testament worship is not only
continued but also fulfilled in the Orthodox liturgy. A line-by-line
explanation of the liturgy is included.
221 pp. paper $8.95
Evangelical Is Not Enough
by Thomas Howard
In protesting against Roman errors and excesses, the Protestant West (starting
with Zwingli, and not with Calvin or Luther) left behind much of value, namely:
the affirmation of sacramentalism, liturgical prayer and worship, the
centrality of the altar instead of the pulpit, weekly partaking of the
Eucharist (a biblical word, by the way, from the verb meaning "to give
thanks"), and the redemption of time made possible through following a church
calendar of the liturgical year. If you're tired of chatty, informal approaches
to our awesome, holy God that seek to fulfill us rather than worship Him, this
book will point you in the right direction.
Published by: Ignatius Press
170 pp. paper $9.95
Eastern Christendom
Not of This World: The Life and Teaching of Fr. Seraphim Rose
by Damascene Christensen
Living as a monk in the mountains of northern California, Fr. Seraphim Rose
broke the shackles of his times and penetrated into the heart of ancient,
otherworldly Christian experience, reconnecting fragmented Western man with his
lost roots and showing him the way of return of God. Today his name is known
and loved by millions throughout the world, especially in Russia and Eastern
Europe, where during the Communist era his writings were secretly distributed
in thousands of typewritten copies.
The book traces his passionate search for Truth and his spiritual and
philosophical development, setting forth his message and offering a glimpse
into the soul of a man not of this world.
1042 pp. paper $24.95 hard $29.95
In The Image and Likeness of God
by Vladimir Lossky
What is apophatic theology? What role do darkness and light play in biblical
and patristic theology? Were Greek and Latin theological differences over the
procession of the Holy Spirit an example of semantic pedantry or do they reveal
a substantial parting of the ways between East and West? What is deification?
What does it mean when we say that human beings bear the image of God? Could
the Christological decisions of Chalcedon possibly have anything to say about
our conception of human nature and individuality? What is catholicity? What is
tradition? This collection of essays is controversial, yet not polemical,
theological investigation and clarification of the highest order.
232 pp. paper $10.95
Introducing the Orthodox Church: Its Faith and Life
by Anthony M. Coniaris
"Here is a genuinely different and practical book for the inquirer and
potential convert to Orthodox Christianity. It is different in a number of
ways, all of which commend this volume to wide use by pastors whose task it is
to introduce the members of the inquirers classes to an Orthodox way of life
which will touch their lives in a full and complete way" (Fr. Stanley Harakas).
Chapters include what we believe about the One Apostolic Church, the Nicene
Creed, Jesus, the Holy Trinity, the Divine Liturgy, Salvation, the Church
Fathers, the Church Year, Symbols, the Sacraments, the Saints and the
Theotokos, Life After Death, the Bible, Icons, Prayers for the Dead, and
Prayer.
220 pp. paper $8.95
The Orthodox Way
by Kallistos Ware
This is the classic account of the belief, worship and life of the Orthodox
Church. It raises the basic issues of theology; God as hidden yet revealed; the
problem of evil; the nature of salvation; the meaning of faith; prayer; death;
and what lies beyond. Written clearly and simply with reference to both Eastern
and Western Christian sources.
204 pp. paper $7.95
For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy
by Alexander Schmemann
A new edition of this classic of Christian literature book first written by
Father Alexander Schmemann in 1963 to serve as an outline for students in a
discussion of the Christian "world-view"--an approach to the world and to man's
life in it that stems from the liturgical experience of the Orthodox Church.
The author strikingly deals with the issue of "secularism" and Christian
culture, seen from the perspective of the unbroken experience of the Church,
revealed and communicated in her worship, in her Liturgy--the sacrament of the
world--the sacrament of the Kingdom.
151 pp. paper $7.95
The Living God: A Catechism
Originally written in French, this is a catechism which seems to have a
traditional organizational plan (creation through last things) but is
distinctively Orthodox in that worship provides the source of teaching. The
chapters follow the festal cycle of the church year, and festal hymns and
iconography are included in the explanation of Christian truth. These are
delightful and attractive volumes which avoid the scholastic overtones of the
typical catechism. Illustrated with musical scores and full-color and
monochrome icon prints.
2 vols. total 445 pp. paper $25.95,
Orthodox Worship: A Living Continuity With the Temple, Synagogue, and Early
Church
by Benjamin Williams and Harold Anstall
A non-technical look at worship in the Orthodox Church, which assures little
familiarity of the reader with liturgical worship, or perhaps assumes readers
who have been puzzled, bewildered by their initial exposure. Written by former
Evangelicals, the book includes a line by-line commentary on the Liturgy of St.
John Chrysostom.
206 pp. paper $8.95
On the Divine Images
by St. John of Damascus
trans. David Anderson
These three treatises Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images were written
in response to the iconoclastic heresy of the eighth century, which violently
rejected the Christian veneration of images. They remind the Church that the
use of images is a necessary safeguard of the central doctrine of the Christian
faith: the incarnation of God's Son, Jesus Christ.
107 pp. paper $6.95
The Meaning of Icons
by Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir Lossky
At once a collection of 51 full-color icon plates, art history, theology, and
spirituality, this volume is a reflection of the unique intersection of the
physical and spiritual world which is the distinctive ethos of Eastern
Christendom. The collaboration of two of the greatest Russian Orthodox thinkers
of this century, The Meaning of Icons is an indispensable introduction for
anyone who feels drawn to this witness to the "unity of the whole creation,"
the icon.
222 pp. cloth $39.95 paper $31.95
The Theology of the Icon
by Leonid Ouspensky trans. Anthony Gythiel
"The theology of the icon included more than the basic theory of the
transfiguration of beauty and the sanctification of art. It is a fundamental
element in the entire body of Orthodox tradition. The Theology of the Icon is
the most comprehensive introduction available to the history and theology of
the icon, and is the standard text upon which most modern studies of
iconography are based, providing the reader with a deep and serious approach to
the mystery of the sacred image. It surveys the development of the sacred art
of the Christian East from its beginnings in catacomb art through the
iconoclastic controversies of the eighth and ninth centuries. It includes an
analysis of the flowering and development of early Russian iconography, tracing
its later influences and the state of the art today. Drawing especially on the
Russian Orthodox tradition, the author studies a large number of texts in great
detail. The result is a book that will enable the reader to appreciate the
Orthodox icon with an open heart."
2 vols. total 528 pp. 48 b/w plates
5 4-panel fold-out color plates $25.95
Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future
by Seraphim Rose
Do the Orthodox have the same God as non-Christians? What phenomena are
assaulting Christianity in our modern world? What is the Orthodox understanding
of UFOs? What is the New Religious Consciousness? How can Christians avoid
being caught up in the Apostasy?
The present book examines in eight chapters these and similar questions facing
Christians in the contemporary world. The religious phenomena of today are
symptoms of a "new religious consciousness" that is preparing the world
religion of the future. Phenomena such as Yoga, Zen, Tantra, Transcendental
Meditation, Guru Maharaj-ji, Hare Krishna, UFO's, the Charismatic Movement, and
Jonestown are presented in contrast to the Orthodox Patristic standard of
spiritual life, without the understanding of which, in the coming time of
antichrist, it will scarcely be possible for Christians to be saved.
Written in 1975 and revised in 1979, this book has in succeeding years proved
prophetic. Now that the "New Age" has become a household term and is coming
into acceptance by mainstream society, we can see that the "new religious
consciousness" is progressing precisely along the lines which the late Fr.
Seraphim described.
Now in its sixth printing, Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future has struck
a chord in the new generation of God-seekers. Especially surprising is the
response from Russia. People from Russia have told us that Fr. Seraphim is
known by millions all over the country, that he is one of the most widely read
authors there, and that anyone who knows anything about Christianity and
Orthodoxy is familiar with him and his writings. This is all the more amazing
in that none of his books have been published in Russian! Under the yoke of
poverty and oppression, believers have translated these books and distributed
them among themselves in carbon copies of typewritten manuscripts. Orthodoxy
and the Religion of the Future is the most popular of all Fr. Seraphim's works
in Russia, since it deals so soberly and directly with the many trends of
pseudo-spirituality which threaten to sweep this much-suffering land that has
become bored to death with materialism. In his book Fr. Seraphim has given the
means for people, both in Russia and in the Free World, to divide God's Truth
from Satan's lies, The Way of Life from the way of death, in these times of
widespread spiritual deception.
242 pp. paper $5.
Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith
by Peter Gillquist
This is the engaging and popular story of a group of evangelical Christians who
engaged in the search for the Church of the New Testament and found it in the
Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Its impact beautifully touches those of us born and
raised in the Orthodox faith.
187 pp. paper $10.95
Divine Energy: The Orthodox Path to Christian Victory
by Jon E. Braun
Foreword by Frank Schaeffer
A member of the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission, the author tells how
he found the key to the understanding of Scripture and the dynamic of Christian
living in the historic Orthodox Church--a discovery that can touch the life of
every seeking Christian.
162 pp. paper $8.95
Living Tradition
By John Meyendorff
In this collection of essays, Fr. Meyendorff explores the Orthodox
understanding of Tradition and its relevance for our modern world in such
crucial areas as authority, mission and social responsibility. He demonstrates
that "dead traditionalism cannot be truly traditional," that "true tradition is
always a living tradition."
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press $8.95
The Faith We Hold
by Archbishop Paul of Finland
This brilliant yet unpretentious little book by the head of the Orthodox Church
of Finland was written "to describe Orthodoxy from the inside to those
outside." At the same time, as its author suggests, it may serve as "an
Episcopal pastoral letter" for the Orthodox themselves, for it deals with the
Orthodox faith in its most basic elements in three main sections; doctrinal,
liturgical, and spiritual, revealing with remarkable simplicity and directness
its message of salvation for all mankind.
96 pp. paper $6.95
Luminous Lives
Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos
by Archimandrite Cherubim
A description of the lives and spiritual portraits of ten Athonite elders of
this century, who, although not formally canonized, are clearly seen to be in
the spirit of all the Christian saints since the time of the apostles. This is
fascinating reading.
vol. 1 paper, 363 pp. 57 b/w photos $15.00
vol. 2 paper, 358 pp. 56 b/w photos $15.00
Life of Fr. John of Kronstadt
by Bishop Alexander
The inspiring story of one of the great charismatic Christians of Orthodox
Russia. A "praying priest" whose life and words offer spiritual guidance to
everyone trying to live the life of Christ in today's world. Here is a man who
accomplished unbelievable things in spiritual areas as well as meeting the
social needs of the people.
197 pp. paper $9.95
The Communion of Love
by Matthew the Poor
This collection of writings focuses on the living Christ of history. Revealing
the essence of the Christian life in simple yet profound images, Matthew's
discourse on humility, repentance, asceticism, fasting, suffering and unity
convey the gospel message in powerful terms to modern man.
198 pp. paper $9.95
Misc.
Portofino
by Frank Schaeffer.
Sharply evocative sensuous descriptions heighten the splendor of the Italian
Riviera in a beautifully written bildungsroman set in the summers of 1962 and
1965. Calvin Becker, 10 years old at the start of this debut novel, and his
family, American fundamentalist missionaries based in Switzerland, take 10 days
every year to vacation on the Mediterranean, and these trips are the best part
of Calvin's life. In Paraggi and Portofino he leaves behind the exaggerated
piety of his home to bask in color and wonder. Amid his adventures Calvin
confronts his mortification at the all-too-apparent differences between his
family and those around them; issues of faith and tolerance; the gap between
his parents' messages about charity and their marital difficulties; and his own
first love--with Jennifer, a British girl who belongs to the Church of England.
Writing in the first person, in the voice of the adult Calvin, Schaeffer
captures the experience of boyhood with great insight and unselfconscious
humor. At times distinctions between his narrator and the boy protagonist are
imprecise, but this is a mere quibble with a convincing and often touching
novel.
248 pp. Hardback. Macmillan, $15
Coming Home: Why Protestant Clergy are Becoming Orthodox
ed. Peter Gillquist
Eighteen Protestant pastors and Church leaders tell how God worked to bring
them to the ancient Orthodox Faith. Thankful for the good things their
traditions had to offer, they explain how it was because of, not in spite of,
their heritage that they found their way to the fullness of the Orthodox
Faith.
159 pp. paper $7.95
Missing from Action: Vanishing Manhood in America
by Weldon M. Hardenbrook
A pioneering treatment of the feminization of American men and of American
Christianity. It opens for debate in a clear and dramatic way what is a major
crisis in our society--the crisis of manhood.
Thomas Nelson Publishers
192 pp. paper $7.95
The Soul After Death
by Fr. Seraphim Rose
What happens to the soul when it leaves the body at death?
What is its state from then until the Last Judgment? Do the numerous
present-day books on life after death give any real answers to these questions,
or are they only hints about a reality which even those who "return from the
dead" often misunderstand?
The present book is a presentation of the 2000-year-old teaching and experience
of the Orthodox Church on the reality of the other world, as contrasted and
compared with today's "after-death" experiences on the one hand, and with the
teaching and experience of age-old occultism on the other. The non-Orthodox
reader may be surprised to find out what the Church of Christ actually teaches
about the other world--about angels and demons and their manifestations in this
world; about heaven and hell, their "location" and reality; about the nature of
true experiences of the other world, and how they are different from occult and
psychic experiences; about the "aerial powers" with which many unsuspecting
people are now coming into contact.
On the basis of this Orthodox Christian knowledge, the author offers an
interpretation of the meaning of the contemporary experiences which have been
publicized by Drs. Kubler-Ross, Moody, Osis and Haraldsson and other
researchers.
First published in book form in 1980, The Soul After Death has already become a
spiritual classic that has changed people's lives with its sobering truth.
Translated into Russian, it has been clandestinely distributed among believers
in the Soviet Union
287 pp., paperback, $5.
Periodicals
AGAIN MAGAZINE
CONCILIAR PRESS, P.O. BOX 76 , BEN LOMOND, CA 95005.
(800) 967-7377.
Again magazine (quarterly) was born out of a group of Evangelicals that
converted to Orthodoxy in mass, and became known as the Antiochian Evangelical
Orthodox Mission (AEOM). It is very informative and educational, but very much
to the point. Subscription $12.00 per year.
COMMENTARY, 165 EAST 56TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10022
FIRST THINGS, 156 5TH AVENUE, SUITE 400, NEW YORK, NY 10010
HUMAN LIFE REVIEW, 150 EAST 35TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10016
The BEST publication on Human Life, Medical, Ethical and Family issues in
America. See Ad in this issue.
ORTHODOX AMERICA, PO Box 992132, REDDING, CA 96099-2132
Newspaper subscription for 1 year (8 issues) $8.00. The primary work of
Orthodox America is to proclaim the living and glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ,
Lord and Savior, and His path to salvation. Their purpose is also to help in
the awakening of the American people to the plight of suffering and persecuted
Christians in the former Communist Bloc.
Books in the Reading List can be purchased from:
Holy Cross Orthodox Bookstore, 50 Goddard Ave., Brookline, MA 02146.
(617) 731-3500.
Eighth Day Books, 3700 E. Douglas #40, Wichita, KS 67208.
(800) 841-2541.
Conciliar Press, PO Box 76, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.
(800) 967-7377.
Light and Life Publishing Company, 4836 Park Glen Road, Minneapolis, MN. 55416.
(612) 925-3918.
Praxis Institute Press, 275 High Road, Newbury, MA 01951.
(508) 462-0563.
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 575 Scarsdale Road, Crestwood, New York 10707.
(914) 961-2203.
Ignatius Press, 15 Oakland Ave., Harrison, NY 10528.
(800) 537-0390.
St. Herman Press, Platina, CA 96076
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