This volume is the first appearance in English of a selection of the informal talks Abba Matta gave to his fellow monks and to visitors. In simple, accessible language, he addresses a wide range of subjects. To read these talks is to sit at the feet of one of the greatest spiritual teachers of our age.About Abba Matta: Known in the West as Matthew the Poor, Abba Matta is widely regarded as the greatest Egyptian elder since St. Antony the Great. He produced a huge and varied body of work in Arabic, only a little of which has been translated into English. In addition, a great many of his informal talks to monks and visitors were recorded. He had a marvelous ability to communicate the deepest spiritual truths in the simplest and most practical language, making them accessible to laypeople as well as monastics. He speaks to the heart rather than the head, gently exhorting the reader to pursue a deeper life in Christ.
Have you ever referred to God as "the Man upstairs"? Most Western Christians living in a secular society have unwittingly relegated God and all things spiritual to the "second storey" of the universe: a realm we cannot reach except through death. The effect of this is to banish God, along with the saints and angels, from our everyday lives. In Everywhere Present, popular blogger and podcaster Fr. Stephen Freeman makes a compelling case for bringing God down from this imaginary second storey and becoming aware of His living and active presence in our lives here and now. Learning to practice your Christian faith in a one-storey universe will change your life-and make possible the living, intimate relationship with God you've always dreamed of.
The early epistles of St. Paul come down to us from antiquity like a flame kindled from within his great apostolic heart-a flame of indignation that the people he loved were being led astray from the path of Christ. These are not words of disinterested philosophy nor of cold catechetical teaching. They are words of fire, and they come from one who was himself on fire with the love of God and His people. These early epistles have burned their way down through the centuries, and are given to us now as God's gift through His apostle to burn in our hearts as well.About the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series:This commentary was written for your grandmother and for your plumber. That is, it was written for the average layperson, for the nonprofessional who feels a bit intimidated by the presence of copious footnotes, long bibliographies, and all those other things which so enrich the lives of academics.
Every monastery exudes the scent of holiness, but women's monasteries have their own special flavor. Join Constantina Palmer as she makes frequent pilgrimages to a women's monastery in Greece and absorbs the nuns' particular approach to their spiritual life. If you're a woman who's readof Mount Athos and longed to partake of its grace-filled atmosphere, this book is for you. Men who wish to understand how women's spirituality differs from their own will find it a fascinating read as well.
After a long and difficult journey, 2000 weary Evangelical Protestants finally found their way home.This is the story of a handful of courageous men and their congregations who risked stable occupations, security, and the approval of lifelong friends to be obedient to God's call.It is also the story of every believer who is searching for the Church. Where Christ is Lord. Where holiness, human responsibility, and the Sovereignty of God are preached. Where fellowship is more than a covered-dish supper in the church basement. And where fads and fashion take a back seat to apostolic worship and doctrine.This is a book for Christians looking for ways to bring new life to their own churches. It's also a book for those completely dissatisfied-those on their own search. And it's a book for Orthodox Christians looking for renewal.This revised edition includes a new epilogue, "Coming up on Twenty-Five Years" since the entry of the Evangelical Orthodox into the Holy Orthodox Church.
Surprised by Christ is the story of a man searching for truth and unable to rest until he finds it. Raised in Queens, New York, by formerly Orthodox Jewish parents whose faith had been undermined by the Holocaust, Arnold Bernstein went on his own personal quest for spiritual meaning. He was ready to accept God in whatever form He chose to reveal Himself-and that form turned out to be Christ. But Bernstein soon perceived discrepancies in the various forms of Protestant belief that surrounded him, and so his quest continued-this time for the true Church. Surprised by Christ combines an engrossing memoir of one man's life in historic times and situations-from the Six-Day War to the Civil Rights Movement to the Jesus Movement in Berkeley-with an examination of the distinctives of Orthodox theology that make the Orthodox Church the true home not only for Christian Jews, but for all who seek to know God as fully as He may be known.
Christ in the Psalms takes the reader on a thought-provoking and enlightening pilgrimage through this beloved prayer book of the Church. Lively and highly devotional, this book holds a wealth of insight into the beloved Scriptures, the world of the Early Church, and the Apostles themselves, who constantly used and referred to the Psalms in their own writings. Appropriate for Great Lent or any other time of the year. From the author of the books in the "Orthodox Christian Reflections" Bible Commentary series (The Trial of Job: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Job, Creation and the Patriarchal Histories: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of Genesis, and others).
St. Paul's epistles to Timothy and Titus contain the apostle's instructions to the pastors under his care about how they, in turn, should care for their flocks in wisdom and love. As the last epistles St. Paul wrote in anticipation of his martyrdom, they remain as a testimony to his pastoral love and as an inspiration for those in the Church, both the shepherds and the flock, to walk in holiness and love themselves. About the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series This commentary series was written for the average layperson. Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, the commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotional and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind.
Do you ever find yourself feeling bored in church? Don't despair-you're not alone, and there is hope!Fr. David Smith offers four compelling reasons for going to church regardless of how we feel. He then explores • six reasons people sometimes feel bored in church,• five ways to think about your priest,• four ways you can participate more fully in services,• three kinds of waiting,• two kinds of prayer, and the• one thing truly needful in our relationship with God.This book will help you see church as the best place you could possibly be-and the place you most want to be.
The Book of Revelation has inspired controversy ever since it was written in the first century. It was the last book to be accepted into the New Testament canon, and today a myriad of mutually contradictory end-times speculations claim to be based on its teachings. Fr. Lawrence Farley provides a sober, patristic interpretation that reads Revelation in its proper context of Jewish apocalyptic literature. He demonstrates that the most important lesson we can learn from Revelation today is the need to remain faithful in a time of widespread hostility to the Christian faith.One volume in "The Orthodox Bible Study Companion" series. This series was written for the average layperson, for the nonprofessional who feels a bit intimidated by the presence of copious footnotes, long bibliographies, and all those other things which so enrich academics. Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, this commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotitonal and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind.
A beautiful widow risks her life to defend her people while men cower in fear.A young man takes a journey with an archangel and faces down a demon in order to marry a woman seven times widowed.A reprobate king repents and miraculously turns back toward God. A Jewish exile plays a game of riddles in a Persian king's court. Young men and widows become martyrs in the face of idolatry. Wisdom is detailed and exalted.Christ is revealed.These and many other stories make up the collection of writings explored in this book-authentic books of the Bible you've probably never read. Dubbed "Apocrypha" and cut from the Bible by the Reformers, these books of the Greek Old Testament were a vital part of the Church's life in the early centuries, and are still read and treasured by Orthodox Christians today. The Rest of the Bible provides a brief and intriguing introduction to each of these valuable texts, which St. Athanasius termed "the Readables."
Fr. Lawrence Farley explores the Acts of the Apostles as St. Luke's sequel to his Gospel—an apology for the Christian Faith as the fulfillment of Judaism, a gospel for all peoples, and a faith that poses no threat to Roman government or society. It's also the greatest adventure story of all time.About the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series: This commentary series was written for the average layperson. Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, the commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotional and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind.
Is the Church too negative about sex?Beginning with this provocative question, Fr. Lawrence Farley explores the history of the Church’s attitude toward sex and marriage, from the Old Testament through the Church Fathers. He persuasively makes the case both for traditional morality and for a positive acceptance of marriage as a viable path to theosis.
The community Paul founded in Corinth gave him both joy and grief, for he was to encounter problems there of disunity, sin, and arrogance including the rejection of his own apostolic authority by some of his flock. His two epistles to the Corinthians come straight from the heart, as he appeals to them to live in peace, in righteousness, in generosity, and not to resist his God-given authority. His Corinthian correspondence abides as a lasting legacy and a challenge for all churches everywhere.About the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series:This commentary was written for your grandmother and for your plumber. That is, it was written for the average layperson, for the nonprofessional who feels a bit intimidated by the presence of copious footnotes, long bibliographies, and all those other things which so enrich the lives of academics.Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, this commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotional and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind.
Does “Orthodox evangelism” sound like an oxymoron? It shouldn’t. The Orthodox Church has an unbroken tradition of evangelism that goes back to the Apostles. But Orthodox evangelism does look rather different from the Protestant variety.With his characteristic straightforward and humorous style, Fr. Michael Keiser covers the history of Orthodox evangelism, the rationale and the methods for continuing this tradition in our contemporary Western post-Christian society.
At a time when so many disaffected Christians are trying to recreate the Church from scratch, Fr. James offers a clear and accessible apology for simply returning to what Christ's Church was always meant to be.
The writings of the Church Fathers constitute the "first story" of the Christian faith, built upon its apostolic foundation. Patristic scholar James Payton makes the Fathers more accessible by selecting passages that are easily applicable to the average Christian's life. With his help, we can all find stimulation, comfort, challenge, and inspiration in the Church Fathers.
Spirituality is in! Monks go platinum with recordings of chant, and books on self-help spirituality overflow on supermarket bookracks. But what is the meaning of true spirituality? Aren't we all a little confused? Genuine spirituality keeps us in balance with God, our neighbor, and the material world.Fr. Michael Keiser walks us through the Orthodox Church's timeless teachings and practices on the ancient understanding of Christian spirituality with humor and keen insight. He outlines how ascetic practices, personal and corporate worship, confession and repentance, overcoming the passions, and opening ourselves up to God's grace can lead us to transformation,and to our ultimate destiny-Jerusalem, the heavenly city.Fr. Michael Keiser is also the author of "A Beginner's Guide to Prayer" and "Spread the Word: Reclaiming the Apostolic Tradition of Evangelism."
In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the angel's timeless proclamation to Mary, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women" (Luke 1:28). Every generation of Christians must contemplate these angelic words, for Mary is the Theotokos and Mother of our Lord. Every culture must confront her mystery. Through its worship services, the Church gives us many opportunities to consider the place of the Mother of Jesus Christ in our lives. The Paraklesis service, sung every day during the Virgin's Lent, offers the perfect vehicle to do just that. Sung from the first to the fifteenth of August, and at other times of illness and distress, the Paraklesis is a supplicatory song, a canon of praise, a series of poems celebrating with honor the Mother of Jesus our Lord. Fr. David Smith shares with us his own personal meditations on Mary, based upon his reflections on the Paraklesis service.
Walking in Wonder blends patristic Orthodox teaching with practical suggestions for parents, resulting in a book that is not only inspirational but full of common sense. Elizabeth White draws from her extensive experience as an educator, parent, and faithful Orthodox Christian to outline not only what the virtues are, but how their development can be encouraged in the lives of children. Each chapter ends with a list of practical ideas any parent might try to help cultivate character qualities such as attentiveness and silence. This small jewel could very well be called "the Holy Fathers applied to parenting." This workbook will help parents, teachers, and all caregivers provide an environment that helps develop Orthodox attitudes toward self, others, the world, and Christ. Written with children under the age of eight in mind.
"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. Foreword by Fr. Jonah Paffhausen, abbot of the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, in Northern California.Excerpts from book reviews:Lyrically, eloquently, and with great wisdom, this book speaks to the soul. Part spiritual autobiography, part penetrating description of what Orthodox spirituality can and should be, John Oliver's words evoke in the reader's mind and heart a longing for God, at once fierce and tender. "Great art, great architecture," he says, "always leads us inward and upward." This marvelous book does no less. It leads us inward and upward, until, for a moment at least, we even touch heaven. -Fr. John Breck, Author, professor of biblical interpretation and ethics at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in ParisTouching Heaven is a lovely book, quiet and contemplative, and full of peaceful revelations. -Frederica Mathewes-Green, Author of Facing East, National Public Radio commentator This is a gripping and finely written account of what drew John Oliver into the deeper waters of Christianity and made him an Orthodox Christian. -Jim Forest, Author of Praying with Icons, lecturer
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