Orthodox Christian Information Center Reading List for Inquirers

Website

• About this site | by Patrick Barnes
• What is Orthodoxy? | by Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and Holy Trinity Monastery
• Articles for Inquirers | by Patrick Barnes

Introductory & theology

• The Orthodox Church by Bishop Kallistos
• Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Pomazansky
• Eastern Patristic Thought and Orthodox Theology. by Constantine Tsirpanlis. Collegeville MN: The Liturgical Press, 1991. Pp. 214 + Appendices, Notes, and Indices

Initial Exposure to “Catholic Thinking” for Evangelical Protestants

• Bercot, David, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?, Tyler, TX: Scroll Publishing Company, 1989.
• Gillquist, Peter, Becoming Orthodox. Ben Lomond: Conciliar Press.
• Howard, Thomas, Evangelical is Not Enough: Worship of God in Liturgy and Sacrament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1984.
• Schmemann, Alexander, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy. Crestwood, N.Y.: St. Vladimir’s Press, 1988.

Introductions to Orthodoxy

• Bajis, Jordan, Common Ground: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity for the American Christian. Minneapolis, MN: Light and Life, 1991.
• Archbishop Chrysostomos and Bishop Auxentios, The Roman West and the Byzantine East. The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies.
• Clendenin, Daniel B., Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1994.
• ________________, Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1995.
• Ware, Timothy, The Orthodox Church. Baltimore: Penguin, 1996 (1963).
• Schaeffer, Frank, Dancing Alone: The Quest for Orthodox Faith in the Age of False Religions. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Press, 1994.

Bible, Church (Ecclesiology), and Tradition

• Archimandrite [now Archbishop] Chrysostomos and Archimandrite [now Bishop] Auxentios, Scripture and Tradition. Etna, CA: The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1994.
• Congar, Yves M.-J., Tradition and Traditions: An Historical Essay and a Theological Essay. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1967.
• Hierodeacon Gregory, The Church, Tradition, Scripture, Truth, and Christian Life: Some Heresies of Evangelicalism and an Orthodox Response. Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1995.
• Florovsky, Georges, Collected Works. vol. 1, Bible, Church, Tradition. Belmont, MA: Nordland, 1972-79. [
• Khomiakov, Alexey, The Church is One. Seattle, WA: St. Nectarios Press, 1979.
• Meyendorff, John, ed., The Primacy of Peter: Essays in Ecclesiology and the Early Church. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1992.
• Rogers, Gregory, Apostolic Succession. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 1989. 40 pages.
• Troitsky, Archbishop Ilarion, Christianity or the Church?. Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1985.
• ________________, The Unity of the Church and the World Conference of Christian Communities. Montreal: Monastery Press, 1975. 72pp.

General Critiques of Western Christianity

• [Arch]bishop Chrysostomos of Etna, Humility, Vol I in the Themes in Orthodox Patristic Psychology series. Etna, CA: The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1986. Although the entire four volume series is outstanding, of special interest to Protestants will be Repentance, Vol. III.
• Bishop [now Archbishop] Chrysostomos of Oreoi [now of Etna] and Hieromonk[now Bishop] Auxentios, T/he Roman West and the Byzantine East/. Etna, CA: The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1988.
• Bajis, Jordan, Common Ground: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity for the American Christian. Minneapolis, MN: Light and Life, 1991.
• Bercot, David, Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up?, Tyler, TX: Scroll Publishing Company, 1989.
• Bouyer, Louis, The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism. Westminster, MD: The Newman Press, 1961.
• Bruce, Steve, A House Divided: Protestantism, Schism, and Secularization. London and New York: Rutledge, 1990.
• Florovsky, Georges, Collected Works. vol. XIII, Ecumenism I: A Doctrinal Approach. Vaduz, Europa: Bchervertriebsanstalt, 1989.
• _______________, Collected Works. vol. XIV, Ecumenism II: A Historical Approach. Vaduz, Europa: Bchervertriebsanstalt, 1989..
• Hierodeacon Gregory, The Church, Tradition, Scripture, Truth, and Christian Life: Some Heresies of Evangelicalism and an Orthodox Response. Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1995.
• Lee, Philip J, Against the Protestant Gnostics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
• Mascall, E. L., The Recovery of Unity: A Theological Approach. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1958.
• Mastrantonis, George, Augsburg and Constantinople. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Press, 1982.
• Meyendorff, John, Catholicity and the Church. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1983.
• _______________, Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes. New York: Fordham Univ. Press, 1979.
• _______________, and Robert Tobias, Salvation in Christ: A Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1992.
• Pelikan, Jaroslav, “Orthodox Theology in the West: The Reformation,” in The Legacy of St. Vladimir. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1990.
• Rose, Seraphim, The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church. Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1983.
• Schmemann, Alexander, ed., Ultimate Questions: An Anthology of Modern Russian Religious Thought. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Press, 1977.
• Ware, Bishop KALLISTOS, How Are We Saved?: The Understanding of Salvation in the Orthodox Tradition. Minneapolis, MN: Light and Life, 1996.

Other

• Jurgens, Williams. The Faith of the Early Fathers (three volumes; Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1979)

Web

• The Ascetic Ideal and the New Testament: Reflections on the Critique of the Theology of the Reformation | by Father George Florovsky.
• Why Orthodoxy Is the True Faith | A lecture by A.I.Osipov on the Fundamentals of Theology, held in the Sretenskaya Theological Seminary on September 13, 2000.
• Finding Common Ground Between Orthodox and Protestants: Partial Resolution of Protestant Difficulties with Orthodox Theology | by Reader Daniel Lieuwen
• An Overview of Orthodoxy By Way of a Reply to Dan Clendenin. | by Anastasia Theodoridis.
• Miles from the Truth: A Response to the Protestant magazine Credenda/Agenda | by Deacon [now Father] John Whiteford and Patrick Barnes.

Recommended Books

• Bajis, Jordan, Common Ground: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity for the American Christian. Minneapolis, MN: Light and Life, 1991.
• Bouyer, Louis, The Spirit and Forms of Protestantism. Westminster, MD: The Newman Press, 1961.
• Archimandrite [now Archbishop] Chrysostomos and Archimandrite [now Bishop] Auxentios, Scripture and Tradition. Etna, CA: The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1994.
• Florovsky, Georges, Collected Works. vol. 1, Bible, Church, Tradition. Belmont, MA: Nordland, 1972-79.
• Lee, Philip J, Against the Protestant Gnostics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
• Nasr, Father Constantine. The Bible in the Liturgy. Oklahoma City, OK: Theosis Publishing Company, 1988.
• Meyendorff, John, Byzantine Theology: Historical Trends and Doctrinal Themes. New York: Fordham Univ. Press, 1979.

Web

• Book Review: Hierodeacon [now Father] Gregory, The Church, Tradition, Scripture, Truth, and Christian Life: Some Heresies of Evangelicalism and an Orthodox Response. | Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1995.
• An Orthodox View of Sola Scriptura: | by Fr. Deacon John Whiteford.
• Letter to an Evangelical, | by Father Michael B. Johnson.
• Letters to the Editor: | the replies of Patrick Barnes and Deacon John Whiteford to Dan Clendenin’s article in Christianity Today called “Why I’m Not Orthodox”.
• What Evangelicals Should Know About Negrut’s Assessment of Eastern Orthodoxy. | Joel Kalvesmaki’s response to Paul Negrut’s article in the Christian Research Journal (Winter 1998).
• A Note For Evangelicals Considering Rome. | An excerpt from a new book explaining Orthodoxy to both Evangelicals and Roman Catholics, by Clark Carlton
• Will You Meet the Lord in the “Rapture” or in Reality? | A critique of this popular Evangelical Protestant doctrine. Part II.
• Person and Personality in Orthodox Teaching: Concerning the Evangelical Protestant Notion of a “Personal Lord and Savior.” | An Orthodox Tradition Q & A.
• “On the Presuppositions of Our Personal Salvation,” | Ch. 13. from The Truth of Our Faith:: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the Teachings of True Christianity, by Elder Cleopa of Romania.

Web

• An Orthodox View of the Great Schism, an excerpt from The Orthodox Church | by Bishop Kallistos (Ware).
• Why Orthodoxy Is the True Faith | A lecture by A.I.Osipov on the Fundamentals of Theology, held in the Sretenskaya Theological Seminary on September 13, 2000.
• Papal Monarchy— Collegial Traditions | An excerpt from Chapter 1 of Two Paths.
• Notes on the Palamite Controversy and Related Topics | by Fr. John Romanides
• Encyclical of the Eastern Patriarchs (1848) | A Reply to the Epistle of Pope Pius IX, “to the Easterns.”
• Patriarchal Encyclical of 1895 | A Reply to the Papal Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII (1895) on Reunion.
• The Vatican Dogma | by Sergius Bulgakov.
• The Marian Apparitions: Divine Intervention or Delusion? | by Mirian Lambouras.
• Journey to Medjugorje | by Matushka Katherine Swanson.
• A “New Mary” for a New Age? | by Peter Jackson.
• A Comparison of the Mysticism of Francis of Assisi with that of St. Seraphim of Sarov | From the Orthodox periodical Synaxis.
• Papism as the Oldest Protestantism | by the Blessed Father Justin (Popovich)
• Why I Abandoned Papism | by Hierodeacon Paul Ballaster-Convolier.
• Orthodox Traditionalism vs. Roman Catholic Traditionalism | a Q&A from Orthodox Tradition
• The Vatican and Russia | by Deacon Herman Ivanov-Treenadzaty.
• St. Mark of Ephesus on the State of Souls After Death: Against the Roman Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory | Excerpts from his homilies given at the 15th century Pseudo-Synod of Ferrara-Florence.
• The Tragedy of Our Uniate Brothers | by Hieromonk [now Bishop] Auxentios
• The False Decretals of Isidore | An excerpt from The Papacy, by Abbe Guette
• Papal Supremacy | an Orthodox Tradition Q&A.
• Papal Infallibility Becomes Dogma | an excerpt from Two Paths, by Michael Whelton.

Recommended Books

• Bishop [now Archbishop] Chrysostomos of Oreoi [now of Etna] and Hieromonk[now Bishop] Auxentios, The Roman West and the Byzantine East. Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1988.
• John Meyendorff (ed.). The Primacy of Peter: Essays in Ecclesiology and the Early Church
• Archbishop Chrysostomos. Orthodox and Roman Catholic Relations from the Fourth Crusade to the Hesychastic Controversy
• Carlton, Clark, The Truth: What Every Roman Catholic Should Know About the Orthodox Church. Salisbury, MA: Regina Orthodox Press, 1998.
• Guette, Abbe, The Papacy: Its Historic Origin and Primitive Relations with the Eastern Church. New York: Minos Publishing Company, 1866.
• The Lives of the Pillars of Orthodoxy. Buena Vista, CO: Holy Apostles Convent and the Dormition Skete, 1990.
• Ostroumoff, Ivan, The History of the Council of Florence. Boston, MA: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1971.
• Photios the Great, Saint, On the Mystagogy of the Holy Spirit. Studion Publishers, Inc., 1983.
• Welton, Michael, Two Paths: Papal Monarch—Collegial Tradition. Salisbury, MA: Regina Orthodox Press, 1998.

Web

• Charismatic Revival, | by Fr. Seraphim Rose. from his Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996).
• The Charismatic Movement and Orthodoxy: | a “Question and Answer” from Orthodox Tradition.
• The Toronto Blessing, | by Dick Needham.
• “On Glossologia,” | Ch. 18. from The Truth of Our Faith:: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the Teachings of True Christianity, By Elder Cleopa of Romania.
• Will You Meet the Lord in the “Rapture” or in Reality? (Part I | Part II): |
• “On the Second Coming of Christ,” | Ch. 15. from The Truth of Our Faith:: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the Teachings of True Christianity, by Elder Cleopa of Romania.
• “On the Thousand Year Reign (Chiliasm),” | Ch. 16. from The Truth of Our Faith:: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the Teachings of True Christianity, by Elder Cleopa of Romania.

Web

• Orthodox-Reformed Bridge, | a solid blog with the tagline “A Meeting Place for Evangelicals, Reformed & Orthodox Christians”.
• On Predestination, | from the writings of Bishop Elias Milatios.
• Miles from the Truth: A Response to the Protestant magazine Credenda/Agenda, | by Deacon [now Father] John Whiteford and Patrick Barnes.
• St. John of Damascus on Predestination and Free Will: | see Book II, Chapters XXV-XXX, and Book III, Chapters XIV and XVIII.
• The UnReformed Truth: Orthodoxy Exonerated in the Light of the Apostolic Faith. | A Response to the Calvinist journal Credenda/Agenda.
• The Myth of the “Calvinist Patriarch”, | by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Etna.
• The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Jerusalem, a Synod held in 1672 concerning a work entitled The Eastern Confession of the Christian Faith, which attempted to express Orthodox beliefs in Protestant terms, specifically Calvinism. | attributed to the former Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril
• Luther Had His Chance: | taken from Stephen Runciman’s The Great Church in Captivity.
• Lutheran inquirers into Orthodoxy: | Orthodoxy for Lutherans.
• St. John Cassian on Grace and Free Will: | his famous Conference XIII.
• St. Gregory Palamas and the Tradition of the Fathers, | by Fr. George Florovsky.
• Documents of the Sixth Œcumenical Synod (680-81 A.D.):
• Free Will and Death, | an excerpt from The Mystery of Death, by Nikolaos P. Vassiliadis.
• The Teaching on Predestination and the Veneration of the Saints, | from the ROCOR

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Washington, DC.

• Dialogue on Free Will and Determinism, | by Father John Whiteford
• A Reply to Jonathan Edwards’ Treatise on the Will, | by Father John Whiteford
• “Justification and Sanctification: A Conversation Between Lutheranism and Orthodoxy”, by Ross [now Father Basil] Aden (St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, v.38, #1).

Recommended Books

• Cabasilas, St. Nicholas,/ Life in Christ/. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press.
• Mastrantonis, Fr. George, Augsburg and Constantinople. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Press, 1982.
• Meyendorff, John, and Robert Tobias, Salvation in Christ: A Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1992. .
• Pelikan, Jaroslav, The Christian Tradition, Volumes 1 and 2.
• Robertson, J. N. W. B. trans., The Acts and Decrees of the Synod of Jerusalem, Sometimes Called the Council of Bethlehem. London: Thomas Baker, 1899.
• Rose, Fr. Seraphim, The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church. Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996 [1983].

Recommended Books

• Anglican-Orthodox Dialogue: The Dublin Agreed Statement 1984. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Press, 1985.
• Billerbeck, Franklin, ed., Anglican-Orthodox Pilgrimage. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 1993.
• Caraman, Philip, ed., University and Anglican Sermons of Ronald A. Knox. London: Burns and Oates, 1963.
• Congar, Yves M.-J., Divided Christendom. London: The Centenary Press, 1939.
• Florovsky, Georges, Collected Works. vol. XIII, Ecumenism I: A Doctrinal Approach. Vaduz, Europa: Büchervertriebsanstalt, 1989.
• Hodges, H. A., Anglicanism and Orthodoxy: A Study in Dialectical Churchmanship. London: S.C.M., 1955.
• Howard, Thomas, Lead, Kindley Light: My Journey to Rome. Steubenville, OH: Franciscan Univ. Press, 1994.
• Ledwich, William, The Durham Affair. Welshpool, England: Stylite Publishing Limited, 1985.
• Ker, Ian, Newman on the Christian Faith. Notre Dame: Univ. of Notre Dame Press, 1990.
• Mascall, E. L., The Recovery of Unity: A Theological Approach. London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1958.
• Newman, John Henry, Apologia pro vita sua. Garden City: Image Books, 1956.
• Packer, J.I., The Evangelical Anglican Identity Problem: An Analysis. Oxford: The Latimer House, 1980 [1978].
• Phillips, Andrew, Orthodox Christianity and the English Tradition. Norfolk, England: The English Orthodox Trust (Anglo-Saxon Books), 1995.
• Rose, Seraphim, The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church. Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1983.
• Schneider, Rev. Fr. Spiridon, “From Anglicanism to Orthodoxy”, Orthodox Life (Journal of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY), Vol. 27, No. 5, Sept.-Oct. 1977, pp. 29-48.
• Vanauken, Sheldon, Under the Mercy. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1985.

Web