Recommended Books for those new to the Orthodox Church

[Nicea]

Can you recommend some good books for those like me who are new to the Orthodox Church? Thank you.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I would say that two good starter books would be The Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Way by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware. Fr Thomas Hopko's Rainbow Series is also a good start, and I would say Becoming Orthodox by Fr Peter Gillquist.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Introducing The Orthodox Church: Its Faith And Life (Revised & Expanded)
by Anthony M. Coniaris (Here is also a link for the book on amazon.co.uk, but Light & Life Publishing gives a better description of the book.)

The Orthodox Way
by Kallistos Ware

The Orthodox Church
by Timothy Ware

Facing East: A Pilgrim's Journey Into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy
by Frederica Mathewes-Greene

The Orthodox Study Bible
by Thomas Nelson Publishers

That should keep you busy for a while.

 

[ikonographics]

Here are a lot of free downloadable books in Word/pdf format. In another thread I also mentioned the OODE site which has great articles and downloadable books.

 

[English Augustine]

As somebody else searching, I'd advise you to stay away from anything polemical. The catechetical books by Clark Carlton are way too partisan for me, and whilst Orthodox in doctrine are lacking in charity, when you could get a more dispassionate and humble analysis of Orthodoxy from the likes of Ware.

 

[Nicea]

Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[JohnSP]

Hello, Nicea. Kallistos Ware is standard for those looking into Orthodoxy. In terms of Orthopraxis, I highly recommend the works of St. Theophan the Recluse, specifically "The Spiritual Life." I also highly recommend "Bread & Water, Wine & Oil" by Meletios Webber.

God bless!

John

 

[Gwenyfur]

OCA - The Orthodox Faith

The Rainbow Books by Fr John Hopko...
free and available to read online

 

[Joshua G.]

Common Ground by Jordan Bajis.

I don't know why this book has not caught on more, but if you are coming from protestantism, it is a must-read on an intellectual level. It will make the differences all make sense. I can't stress enough how excellent this book is.

Joshua

 

[jckstraw72]

Fr. Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works -- its long but amazing!

 

[angrylittlefisherman]

second the post behind me. All of Fr Seraphim Rose's stuff is great! Anything by St. Theophan the Recluse is always great. I also would reccomend the book Searching For God in a Land of Shallow Wells by Matthew Gallatin.
Read the lives of the saints! That is one of the best ways to get a feel and eventually understanding for Orthodoxy.
God Bless.

 

[Joshua G.]

Read the lives of the saints!

I have to agree with fisherman. No more important advise for anyone as far as what to read.

 

[ikonographics]

Yes, Common Ground is a very good into to Orthodoxy because it gets into the differences between Eastern and Western ways of thinking.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Hello, Nicea. Kallistos Ware is standard for those looking into Orthodoxy. In terms of Orthopraxis, I highly recommend the works of St. Theophan the Recluse, specifically "The Spiritual Life." I also highly recommend "Bread & Water, Wine & Oil" by Meletios Webber.

God bless!

John

Welcome to TAW John!

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

second the post behind me. All of Fr Seraphim Rose's stuff is great! Anything by St. Theophan the Recluse is always great. I also would reccomend the book Searching For God in a Land of Shallow Wells by Matthew Gallatin.
Read the lives of the saints! That is one of the best ways to get a feel and eventually understanding for Orthodoxy.
God Bless.

Let's not forget St. John Chrysostem! He is the only Saint to have written a commentary on every book of the Bible. (Some of his commentaries are longer than the books he's commenting on! lol)