Ortodokse og orientalsk-ortodokse kirker

Many Christians today divide ancient Jewish and Christian literature into two categories: what is in the Bible and what is not. The Christian East, however, has traditionally described a third category considered beneficial for Christians to read in the home: "apocrypha." These texts, from the centuries before and after the Incarnation of Jesus Christ-beyond even the larger canons of the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Old Testaments-reveal to us the religious world and theological framework of the apostles and early Church Fathers. In Apocrypha, a companion volume to The Religion of the Apostles, Fr. Stephen De Young surveys these works, which connect elements of Liturgy, Scripture, iconography, and patristic writings. Familiarity with them will enhance readers' understanding of the breadth and depth of the Orthodox Christian Faith.

The words that accompany our experience of and thinking about death are rarely uplifting: grief, loss, mourning, and, of course, fear. Death and everything surrounding it can be terrifying. People fear death. People fear dying. People fear missing out. People fear the loss of others, too. The loss of a loved one is undoubtedly a source of fear for many. The fear and sorrow bound up in the term "death" make it a morbid subject. Often, the topic is avoided in conversation. Death is too melancholic. Death is too miserable. Death is too personal. Death can be personal, of course. The ways it affects oneself can be intimate and, by virtue of its closeness, it can be a thoroughly private matter. Death is personal when it is one's own death, perhaps one's contemplation of or attempt at suicide, or the death of someone known and/or loved. Death has a part to play in our past, our present, and (unavoidably) our future. Death is an omnipresent possibility. Hidden in the wings, death waits for its cue before the final curtain call. All of us await this death and it is the future of us all. The death described here is one that almost everyone will be familiar with: the end of a life. However, there is another death. A second death. An impersonal death. A depersonalised, dispossessed, ungraspable death - that death is the focus of this thesis.

St Bulus al-Bushi has and will be known as one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Coptic Middle Ages. His extensive contributions to writing in Arabic had extensive effects to Egyptian Christians and other groups. He was one of the first authors to write in the Arabic language rather than translate from the Greek or Coptic as was common at the time. The eight homilies translated in this book were given on the major church feasts and are arguably his most famous work. These homilies are characterised by their extensive use of scripture, as well as his ability to integrate theological and spiritual themes, which puts him in line with the great church fathers of the fourth and fifth centuries.

What is the spiritual significance of almsgiving in the life of a believer? Bishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska (OCA) draws on a wealth of patristic and modern sources to explore why God commands us to give, what motivates people to give or hold back, what spirit should characterize our giving, and the spiritually transformative results giving can have for us.

Though it's often too subtle to see, much of modern Christianity has fallen prey to the ancient Gnostic heresy which taught that the material world has no lasting spiritual value. Rediscovering the Goodness of Creation diagnoses the problem, takes us through its history, and helps us discover "the purposefulness of the material world, the goodness of the human body, and the eschatological hope of a transformed universe." But this is not just a book about heresy. Rather, through the author's exploration of his own spiritual biography, you'll also see how incipient Gnosticism can show up in our lives, and you'll learn how to recover from your own Gnostic tendencies through the spiritual practices of Orthodox Christianity.

"This volume brings together leading experts from a range of disciplines to examine aspects of the daily lived experiences of Egypt's Coptic Christian minority from late Antiquity to the present. In doing so, it serves as a supplement and a corrective to institutional or theological narratives, which are generally rooted in studying the wielders of historical power and control. Studies in Coptic Culture and Community reveals the humanity of the Coptic tradition, giving granular depth to how Copts have lived their lives through and because of their faith for two thousand years. The first three sections consider in turn the breadth of the daily life approach, perspectives on poverty and power in a variety of different contexts, and matters of identity and persecution. The final section reflects on the global Coptic diaspora, bringing themes studied for the early Coptic Church into dialog with Coptic experiences today. These broad categories help to link fundamental questions of socio-religious history with unique aspects of Coptic culture and its vibrant communities of individuals."--

For Protestants or Catholics seeking to understand Eastern Orthodoxy, the Cross is a good place to start. In the West a multitude of different views sprang up over the last millennium, but Orthodox Christian beliefs have remained unchanged. The contrast between those views is suggested by the two images on the book's cover, showing how differently the meaning of the Cross was understood, East and West. Two Views of the Cross is a short, focused book, ideal for readers looking to grasp the overall picture (with some passages from Mathewes-Green's more-comprehensive classic, Welcome to the Orthodox Church). This volume adds a new title to Mathewes-Green's long list of helpful books about Eastern Orthodoxy. Looking at the Cross from Western and Eastern perspectives provides a concise introduction to the beautiful, mystical, and sometimes-surprising Orthodox faith. Praise for Welcome to the Orthodox Church: "Lucid writing marked by a strong sense of humor, but never escaping from the deepest spiritual realities." --Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Prof. of History, Baylor University "Completely accessible, but utterly honest...This is a wonderful book." --Fr Andrew Louth, Prof. of Byzantine Studies, Durham University "Few authors can take the mystery, beauty, and often-daunting complexities of Orthodoxy and transform them in such an inviting path of spiritual journey." --The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield, Chancellor, St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary "No one alive today has done more to introduce ordinary Americans to the wonders of the ancient faith than Frederica Mathewes-Green. If not for her, I doubt I would be Orthodox." --Rod Dreher, Author, Senior Editor & blogger at The American Conservative

A man of peace, reconciliation, and love, Patriarch Athenagoras left an indelible mark wherever he served God's Holy Church. His contributions to the Church in the United States and in particular to Holy Cross School of Theology were of fundamental importance, as were the personal impressions he made on all to whom he spoke and embraced. His memory will truly be eternal among us.From the Publishing NotesN. M. Vaporis

"An ecumenical exploration of the concept of Filioque in the Trinitarian theology of the Greek Fathers"--

This third volume of St Ignatius's collected works examines the mystical boundaries governing the lives of Christians.

A dedicated group of Orthodox monks (who wish to remain anonymous) have created a fresh English translation of the Masoretic Hebrew text of the Psalter, corrected to the Septuagint, that is eminently readable and singable.This large print Psalter is easy to read and will make the perfect companion for your large print Ancient Faith Prayer Book.

Christians have always wondered what might take place at the end of time. To answer such questions, it is common to turn to Scripture and the many texts of the Church Fathers concerning the eschata. In his book, "At the End of Time: The Eschatological Expectations of the Church," Bishop Gerasimos of Abydos offers his knowledgable reflections on the texts of the Church and Her Tradition concerning the last things and the Kingdom of God to come.

"A collection of sermons for the liturgical feasts of the church year"--

As told by modern day Orthodox women, this collection of moving stories recounts the lives of many beloved women saints and the witness that they continue to bear to us today. Included in this second volume are the stories of St. Juliana, St Paula, St. Barbara the Great Martyr, St. Mary of Egypt and more.

It is with special joy that we welcome this important collection of essays on the historical and theological sources related to the fundamental role of women in the early and Byzantine Church, as well as the significance of the order of deaconesses throughout the centuries to our day.

A rock star, atheist, Marxist, world-class theologian, African missionary, and a Greek Orthodox Bishop all in one lifetime? Bishop Themi's life story is more like a novel than a biography.

A rock star, atheist, Marxist, world-class theologian, African missionary, and a Greek Orthodox Bishop all in one lifetime? Bishop Themistocles Adamopoulo's life story reads more like a bestselling novel than a biography.Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Bishop Themi's family emigrated to Australia in the 1950s. In the 1960s, Themi was the bass player for The Flies, a Beatles-type band that took Australia by storm for two years. Then he entered Melbourne University and became an academic star and a neo-Marxist social activist.After a personal tragedy, Themi sank into a fog of hippie confusion. His rock star, atheist persona was shattered. Then one night in Eltham, Australia, changed his life forever. Over a few months, a series of Divine visions changed a young man from a lost soul into a servant of Jesus Christ.He studied theology, languages, and Biblical studies at some of the most prestigious universities in Australia and America, including Brown, Princeton, and Harvard. Themi became an elite Biblical scholar, able to read Coptic, Aramaic, and Hebrew and fluently speak English, French, and Greek.In the late 1990s, Themi again questioned his life's direction. Was he serving Christ best as a top-tier academic? A series of events led him to follow another path, serving the poor in his native Africa.Themi founded the Holy Orthodox Mission in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2008. Over the past fourteen years, Bishop Themi has battled Ebola, the indifference of much of the developed world to African poverty, and the ruinous impact of centuries of racism and colonialism to feed, educate and offer the love of Christ to thousands of West African men, women, and children.Bishop Themi Adamopoulo's life story is a reminder that there are real Christian heroes in this all too often phony world. Themi is the genuine article, someone who truly embraces Christ's greatest commandment, to love one another as He loved us.