Introduction to Orthodoxy

Inspired by Christopher Orr’s post on Orrologion, I thought it might be positive to do my own Top 10 books for people looking into Orthodoxy.

It sounds like a relatively simple idea, of course, but it isn’t.  Any person looking into Orthodoxy has their own background from which they come – an Evangelical Christian may understand things entirely differently from a Neopagan, for example – and that’s notwithstanding things like cultural or gender differences.

However, my top 10:

The Orthodox Church, by Timothy Ware (now Metropolitan Kallistos of Diolkeia).

This was the first book that I read, and read a few times.  Considering I was 16 at the time, that’s not a bad start.

Christianity and Eros, by Philip Sherrard.

I know this one sounds odd, and seems to just be because I was 17 at the time, but I can explain :) .  In addition to being a flat interesting title, it completely changed my ideas on Orthodox views on the human person – and how they were sane and made sense.

Dancing Alone, by Frank Schaeffer.

This won’t win me many favours in the Orthodox blogosphere.  It didn’t win me many favours at the time, either, but for entirely different reasons.  But I stand by this choice: it’s a book that talks about Orthodoxy, and about how we aren’t living up to this yet.  The honesty – often ranging between brutal and obnoxious – was a good preparation.

The Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom.

Seriously, this is beautiful – and moreso when you know what the prayers are, and how much Scripture – Old and New Testaments – is infused in them.  And, it’s even better live.

After these four, though, I move from my foundational books to other fascinating books.  At the time of my conversion, I didn’t have enough money to buy many books…

The Orthodox Study Bible.

Oh, I know, not recommending the Bible – of all things – to a newcomer.  While this may seem silly, I stand by it.  The Church in the first century was subtly different to the Church today – for instance, they knew Jesus from walking around with Him and having chats with Him around the fireplace, watching His crucifixion and beholding Him resurrected, while we must rely on their letters and memoirs.

Orthodox Theology: An Introduction, by Vladimir Lossky.

A fantastic book.  Outstanding.  The fact that it’s a textbook in a distance-ed, applied theology course, though, makes me wonder if it’s really for newcomers; perhaps someone would be able to enlighten me about this.

Becoming Orthodox, by Fr Peter Gillquist

A fascinating, engaging story that many have found helped them understand and, sometimes, become Orthodox.  I read this long after I was Orthodox, though.

Christ the Eternal Tao, by Hieromonk Damascen

An incredible devotional book, in my mind.  I loved it, it sounded poetic.  Then again, I came from a fairly esoteric background – perhaps this would be a book that I would give to people of other backgrounds to learn about Orthodoxy.

Of Water and the Spirit, by Fr Alexander Schmemann

A textbook in my first year of theological study, but it changed the way that I thought.  For one thing, the book demanded that each person live up to their baptism, that baptism was a responsibility that we must take up.  For the Life of the World was a close second, and probably a good summary.

The Synaxarion, transl. Hmk Makarios of Simonopetra (Mt Athos)

I realise that this is a multi-volume text – I’m halfway through Volume 5.  I read a number of these early on in my life as an Orthodox Christian, and it was very beneficial.

If I was to recommend another, I’d go for the Octoechos; if I were to recommend non-Orthodox books, I’d go for The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce, both by C.S. Lewis

So, there you have it.  Feel free to comment – criticise my choice, add more of your own, as you like!