The Orthodox Book Club

[Eusebios]

oops, see next post

 

[Eusebios]

YES!!!! That book is hilarious!

On an Orthodox note, however, has anyone here ever read the periodical Road to Emmaus? I've seen an ad for it in some magazine I was reading (might have been Touchstone or First Things) and it looked good. I was wondering if I should shell out $25 per year for four issues, though...

Josh,
I checked out the website, it looks very interesting. I also asked Fr. John about it and he said it is a good magazine, so I might check into it myself. You should have been recieved by now too! Sorry we couldn't make it, retail and all
In Xp,
Eusebios.

 

[Prawnik]

Update: I got my own copy of "Light in the Darkness" for Nativity. I'd already read it, but I am happy to read it again!

 

[PandaBear]

The only Orthodox books I've read so far are The Orthodox Way and Facing East. Orthodox Way was amazing for me...very influential on my journey. I still need to read Orthodox Church. I'm also reading his conversion story in his first collected works. I haven't even begun to read Orthodox books, really. I'm grateful for the recommendations here.

PB

 

[Marjorie]

Welcome to TAW, Panda!!!

In IC XC,
Marjorie

 

[elizabethevangeline]

I just finished Father Arseny:1893-1973 Priest, Prisoner, Spiritual Father.


I have to say I'm an idiot. I was a history major in college. My senior paper was on the Soviet Union and Dissent. I addressed both political/intellectual and religious persecution. I read stories of believers in prison camps or mental institutions. I don't remember ever assuming that they weren't anything but Baptists!



Now I'll have to dig out my old paper and footnotes...could I have just ignored the truth?

Loved Father Arseny. As scary as it would be, won't it be nice to have someone see right thru to who you really are?

 

[elizabethevangeline]

Yep.

I read all of Grey is the Color of Hope by Irina Ratushinshaya and never caught on that she was Orthodox.

I really was sheltered, and not very inquisitive.

 

[Rilian]

Did you read the Gulag Archipelago as part of it?

 

[elizabethevangeline]

Did you read the Gulag Archipelago as part of it?

No! Can you believe it?

I had 37 sources in my bibliography, looks like I have a broad representation of personal experiences and academic info about the Soviet system. I can't remember how I got on this subject. I might have read part of Gulag during another class...I had quite a few history, political science classes on the Soviet Union.

Looking at my bibliography makes me want to go back & read some of these books again. I read Ginzberg?! Who is Cornelia Gerstenmaier, Natalya Gorbanevskaya? It was only 15 yrs ago!

 

[DanielRB]

Hi All,

Though not a "great" book (either theologically or otherwise), what about "Becoming Orthodox" by Peter Gillquist? Has it been helpful to anyone in their journey towards Orthodoxy?

In Christ,

Daniel

 

[Dust and Ashes]

Hi All,

Though not a "great" book (either theologically or otherwise), what about "Becoming Orthodox" by Peter Gillquist? Has it been helpful to anyone in their journey towards Orthodoxy?

In Christ,

Daniel

I have the book but haven't read it yet. I'm currently reading Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells and it is amazing. I had bought it for my cousin who has become disillusioned with Protestantism and it had such an effect on him that I had to read it ASAP. I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone Orthodox or for any Protestant who is curious about Orthodoxy.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I imagine most of us converts read "Becoming Orthodox" along the way. It certainly helped me. Plus I was able to hear Fr. Peter in person a couple of times, which also helped. I find that conversion stories are very meaningful to me, and I have a lot of books covering that subject.


Mary

 

[ufonium2]

There's a book published by the St. Herman of Alaska press, I don't have it in front of me but I think it's called "Beloved Sufferer." It's about a 20th-century Russian schemanun, Mother Macaria, who was very disabled, basically spent her whole life propped in a corner praying, and had some amazing experiences.

 

[xenia]

There's a book published by the St. Herman of Alaska press, I don't have it in front of me but I think it's called "Beloved Sufferer." It's about a 20th-century Russian schemanun, Mother Macaria, who was very disabled, basically spent her whole life propped in a corner praying, and had some amazing experiences.

I am reading this book now. I cannot comprehend the hardships this lady suffered.

 

[Verushka]

My priest recommend us (my fiancé and I) to read Paul Evdokimovs The sacrament of love when we first time talked him about our wedding plans. It's about sacramental mystery of human love between man and woman. This book is just amazing, I genuiely think every Christian should read it at least once in their lifetime!!
Verushka

 

[Marjorie]

The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart is probably the best work I've read on theodicy ever... it's wonderfully Orthodox, steeped heavily in the Orthodox tradition, but in a way that it can appeal (and influence) non-Orthodox, and non-Christians...

In IC XC,
Marjorie

 

[joyfulthanks]

I'm currently reading "On the Incarnation" by St. Athanasius.

 

[Marjorie]

I'm currently reading "On the Incarnation" by St. Athanasius.

*swoons*

In IC XC,
Marjorie

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

A fantastic book for those searching, or anyone for that matter is “Touching Heaven” by John Oliver. The publisher provides the following description:

"Deep in a northern Russian forest of jade and brown, far from any hint of civilization, Valaam Monastery sinks into the seasons of the year as it has for a thousand years before. . . ." So begins the story of John Oliver, a young evangelical American on a journey of discovery—a journey that leads him to an ancient Russian monastery, a place of peace and a place of struggle. For on Valaam, he encounters Orthodox Christianity and is reminded that the Christian life is not for the faint of heart. And on Valaam, the treasure of stillness requires a fierce guarding.”

I found this book to be of immense benefit to my prayer life, and would recommend it to anyone.

In XC,

Maureen

 

[The Virginian]

Where members discuss their latest Orthodox bestsellers from the last 2000 years....



Enjoy

I am curently reading The Byzantine Ascetic and Spiritual Fathers, by Fr. Georges Florovsky. Besides being a polemic for monasticism and ascetical thought; as found in the New Testament, this work of Florovsky's also discusses in some detail the "spiritual struggle" we all face in our journey to communion with God.
Not all of us will be called by God to take a monastic vow. And yet, although we may 'live in the world', we are each called as Christians to enter that struggle monks and nuns enter, to acheive union/communion with our Creator.


"...and put on the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to stand firm
against the schemes of the devil...."