The Romanovs Under House Arrest (Holy Trinity Publications)

When we in the United States of America think of Russia, we think of Putin, election tampering, the Cold War, Sputnik, socialism, communism, Lenin, Stalin, and many other negative things. However, unless you are versed in European/World History, you quickly forget that just 100 years ago, Russia was not a socialist nation, but instead was ruled by Tsar Nicholas II. With his wife, Tsarina Alexandra, and their five children, they made up the Russian Imperial Romanov family. In February 1917, mass protests occurred (now known as the February Revolution) with discontent in the monarchy. The Romanovs (and those loyal to them) were captured and imprisoned in the Alexander Palace. In July of 1918, the Romanovs were brutally executed and over the next three months, friends and relatives of them also were. There has always been some shroud of mystery and conspiracy surrounding the time from their imprisonment to execution. Recently, Holy Trinity Publications released a book entitled The Romanovs Under House Arrest, which is the diary of the palace priest, Afanasy I. Belyaev.

The book begins by giving us a historical setting for what occurred. It went all the way back to 1881 when Tsar Alexander II was assassinated, the short reign of Alexander III, and the eventual succession of Nicholas II in 1894, when he was just 26 years old. We saw the events of Bloody Sunday, the first Russian constitution, and the eventual abdication and imprisonment of Nicholas II. The diary entries begin on March 2, 1917. In the initial entry, Fr. Belyaev recounts being called to the palace to perform a prayer service for healing of the Romanov children's cases of measles. The entries continue until August 3, 1917 where Fr. Belyaev recounted that the family had been forced to leave the palace and be exiled to the north in Tobolsk. The book closes with an epilogue, brief biography of Fr. Belyaev, and a brief summary of persons of interest mentioned in the diary entries.

The entries in this diary offer a first person account of what happened the first five months of the Romanovs exile. Within these accounts, we learn of the daily lives of the family and their faithful friends and servants. We see their daily struggles and daily sorrows. However, what is at the center of all these entries is Jesus. There are many accounts of Divine Liturgy, daily prayers, and the celebration of Pascha. Tsar Nicholas and his family took their sufferings with extreme grace and it was evidenced in the diary that they instilled the love of Jesus in each of their children. They did their best to carry on about their daily lives like normal citizens. Deep in their hearts, they knew they were not normal citizens but prisoners, and would not escape their eventual fate. This was a sad book to read when looked at through an earthly lens, but when looked at through a heavenly lens, it is a story of faithful martyrs of Jesus who received the greatest reward in the end. Truly a beautiful book!

If You Love Me (Ancient Faith Publishing)

What is the difference between Christian knowledge and Christian service? It seems like a question that doesn't need answering, but in modern times, that couldn't be further from the truth. Knowledge focuses on edifying the mind and in doing so, potentially gaining pride in the wisdom you have gained. In other words, "Look at me. I'm so smart!" Service, on the other hand, focuses on self-abandonment, mastering your desires, and surrendering to God so that you may serve Him by serving others. Matthew the Poor wrote on this subject, and Ancient Faith Publishing recently published some of these essays under the book title If You Love Me.

The book begins by telling us about love being THE criterion for Christian service. This must be a love for God, His Church, and those we are called to serve. Next, we are given the qualities of a Christian servant. Matthew the Poor lists ten such qualities, some of which are a spirit of discipleship, a battle of inner selfishness, honesty, and impartiality. Other chapters include information about the people we are called to serve, spiritual diseases they will have, stumbling blocks and joys you will encounter on your path of service. The book then ends with ways to enhance our credentials for serving the younger generation. This includes prayer, fasting, the Sacraments, and a true devotion to Christ.

If You Love Me is a beautiful and eye-opening book that every Christian should take the time to read. So many books recently published focus on the individual reading the book and how they can better or edify themselves, which is something we should strive for. And while this book touches on that, it isn't the main focus. Instead, we are invited to look at those around us and see how we can better serve them. This service will not only be physically edifying for those being served, but spiritually edifying as well, with the ultimate goal of leading them to Heaven. If you are looking for a book that causes you to shift your focus outward and look at your fellow man and not just yourself, then this is the book for you. Highly recommended for all Christians, especially pastors and spiritual leaders.

This book was provided to me by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Lectures on the Christian Sacraments (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

One of my favorite series of books is called the Popular Patristics Series. It has been in publication for years and seeks to make influential writings of the Church Fathers more accessible and available. At present, there are 57 volumes today, and while I don't all of them (unfortunately), I have been blessed with each one I have read. Today, I would like to tell you about the latest volume in the series entitled Lectures on the Christian Sacraments by St. Cyril of Jerusalem.

The book begins with a lengthy (50 pages) introduction which discusses St. Cyril's Mystagogical Catecheses, the importance of Jerusalem in the history of Christianity, the Rites of Christian Initiation in Jerusalem, the authorship of St. Cyril's works, and the various manuscripts of this work. The rest of the book spans 70 pages with Greek on the left pages and an English translation on the right pages. The work is divided into two parts, The Protocatechesis and The Mystagogical Catecheses, with the latter being further divided into five sections - On the Prebaptismal Rites, On the Baptismal Rites, On the Chrismation, On the Body and Blood of Christ, and on the Eucharistic Liturgy.

Overall, I found this a very interesting and historical read. The works themselves are broken down point by point and step by step on what happens during each Sacrament and why it is happening. With a writing style like this, it makes St. Cyril's works very approachable and easy to read. Those who read Greek will appreciate having the original text on opposite pages, as even the best translations lack something. If you would like to learn more about the Sacraments of Initiation during a formative time in Church History, this is the book to buy!

This book was provided to me for free by. St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in exchange for an honest review.

Jesus Crucified (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

One of my favorite Church Fathers is St. John Chrysostom. He was such a brilliant man and excellent speaker, which is why he earned the title "golden-mouthed." Anytime you read something he wrote, you know you are in for a challenge and also a treat! Recently, there was a book released called Jesus Crucified: The Baroque Spirituality of St. Dimitri of Rostov. On the back cover of this book, it described St. Dimitri of Rostov as the "Russian Chrysostom," so I knew this book was going to be a must read for me!

The book is 170 pages long and is the first volume of the Treasures of Orthodox Spirituality series. The introduction begins by telling us about his life. He born in December 1651 near Kiev. His sisters entered the monastery and at age 17 he was tonsured at Kirillov Monastery. After a year, he was ordained a deacon and five years after that he was made a priest. From that time until 1701-2, he was made an abbot at five different monasteries and retired from the abbacy three times. It was at this time that he was finally made a bishop at Rostov where he would spend the rest of his life. His most important work was his Lives of the Saints. However, the works covered in this book are devotional in nature, including prayers and meditations for private use.

There are individual chapters in the book, but the contents are divided thematically too. The first two chapters focus on the Wounds of Christ. The next two chapters focus on communion with the following three on worship. There are also two chapters which focus on defeating blasphemous thoughts, something I know I struggle with. We finally get to the meat of this book with three longer devotions on the Passion, followed by three poems which also focus on the Passion. The book closes with prayers focusing on daily confession of sins. Overall, this was a very enriching book to read. It was hard at times and challenging, but it was a journey that was well worth the read. I highly recommend you check out this book and read it during Holy Week or anytime!

This book was provided to me for free by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in exchange for an honest review.

The Names of Jesus (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Years ago, I used to transcribe podcasts for Ancient Faith Radio. It was an fun side-job, because I was able to trade my services for the books they published. However, in addition to that perk, I also learned a lot because, I had to listen more intently and pay closer attention. To this day, the podcasts I remember most are those of Fr. Thomas Hopko. His speaking style was brisk and brilliant. He made a subject accessible, but also was known for occasionally dropping Greek, Hebrew, and/or Aramaic words and phrases all in the same breath. One of his best known podcasts series was called The Names of Jesus. In 2010, Ancient Faith Publishing published a book by the same name. The book is divided into 53 chapters with each chapter focusing on different names and titles for Jesus in the Bible.

Some of the titles included in this book are Son of God, I AM, Last Adam, Way, Truth, and Life. The chapter that I really liked was Bread of Life. I really wanted to focus on this one when reading through the book, because the Holy Eucharist is the Mystery on which Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism stands This title comes from John 6:35. It is here that the people ask Jesus for bread, and He reveals to them that He is the Bread of Life. We recently read this passage to my son from his children's Bible, and he has stuck with him better than any other story. What stood out to me the most in this chapter was how he explained the differences between the two different feedings of the multitudes. It was truly beautiful to read his explanation on it.

There is a great deal of wisdom in this book, but in a highly approachable manner. Yes, there is a great deal of Scripture and explanations of Greek and Hebrew translations of certain passages, but this doesn't make it difficult but instead illustrates the points more clearly. With each chapter between 3 and 8 pages long, it makes for a manageable reflection length. I personally recommend reading a chapter at the beginning of each week. Then, you can go back and re-visit the chapter or reflect on it all week long. This may mean you have to read the book over the course of the year, but what a year it will be!

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Words for Our Lives: The Spiritual Words of Matthew the Poor (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Abba Matta of Egypt (or Matthew the Poor) was an Egyptian Coptic Orthodox monk and a pivotal player in the revival of Egyptian monasticism. When he was appointed to the Monastery of St. Macarius in 1969, the number of monks was a mere six. Upon his death in 2006, the community had grown to 130. He was also a very brilliant theologian who wrote nearly 200 books. Ancient Faith Publishing has printed two books by Matthew the Poor - Words for Our Time and Words for Our Lives. Back in 2013, I reviewed the former, and today I would like to tell you about the latter. Words for Our Lives is an approximately 200 page book divided into the following twelve sections:

1. Faith in the Impossible
2. How the Bible Changed My Life
3. The New Man
4. Walk in the Light
5. The Tough Road of Spirituality
6. The Meaning of the Psalms
7. The Power of the Psalms
8. The Value of the Psalms
9. The Sinful Woman
10. Holy Week
11. Feast of the Ascension
12. The Holy Spirit and Pentecost

The works were primarily composed in the 1970s with the first one being written in 1981. Topics covered include the Bible (primarily Psalms) and important Feasts throughout the Church Year. In the chapters on Psalms, Abba Matta explains that "The Psalms are given as a light to illuminate man's way to God and reveal the salvation that binds him to God." It is not to be thought of as an exercise, but instead a gift. He explains that the power of the Psalms are that you can hear God's voice in them, and by meditating on them, they can become "our personal worship, the liturgy of our lives." I particularly enjoyed the chapter on how the Bible changed his life. In this chapter, we receive a very personal account of how he struggled in the monastery initially, and that it was his discovery of the Bible that changed his life. He came to view the Bible as a personal book that was written specifically for him. This is an attitude we should all adopt before reading Sacred Scripture.

Another eye-opening chapter was "The Tough Road of Spirituality." In this chapter, he reveals that saintly people are going to have a tough life no matter where they are. Yes, you come to expect it in the secular world, because they do not understand, but he said that it happened in the monastery as well. This was shocking to me, and I'm not really sure why. We read examples of Catholic and Orthodox saints who lived a monastic life, and they were mocked by their peers, the same people who should be encouraging them, because they were "too holy." Reading these words from him was a slap in the face, and made me question if I do that in my day-to-day life.

Even though the works in this book are almost 40 years old, the words of Abba Matta still ring true today. Overall, I found this to be a very profound book and one that I would recommend all Christians read.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

The Office of Primate and the Authority of Councils Volume One (SVS Press)

The Office of Primate and the Authority of Councils is the first volume in a series of books entitled Primacy in the Church. The book begins with a Foreword by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware and an Introduction by John Chryssavgis. In both of these  sections, they stress the importance of the primacy issue, not only for the Orthodox Church but ecumenism, specifically with the Catholic Church. The book is then divided into five parts:

1. Insights from the Early Church
2. Primacy and Councils
3. Theological and Liturgical Developments
4. Contemporary Evolution and Assessment
5. Select Sources from the Recent Past

As evidenced by the topics, it is clear to see that this book is going to take a chronological approach to the issue of papal primacy. Within each of these parts are individual essays written by some major names in Orthodoxy - Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, John Chryssavgis, John Behr, Alexander Schmemann, and John Meyendorff to name a few. Refreshingly, the Catholic and Anglican voices are also represented by Paul McPartlan and Paul Valliere respectively.

As a Roman Catholic, I of course enjoyed reading Paul McPartlan's Catholic perspective. I knew that the recent Popes were making a more ecumenical effort both with the titles with which they referred to themselves as and in the joint-meetings they have had with the recent Ecumenical Patriarchs. What I did not know was that this effort extended as far back as Vatican II and Pope Paul VI. After that I enjoyed reading on Primacy, Collegiality, and the People of God. Perhaps, this is because I am admittedly biased toward Metropolitan Kallistos, but all the times I have heard him speak, the knowledge, holiness, and respectful tone of this sensitive subject just permeates his every being. Overall, I would say that the section which spoke to me the most had to do with the Early Church. It is in these pages where the term "Primacies of Honor" was more fleshed out as well as the Apostolic Tradition and the Early Church Fathers. Near the end of the book, the Ravenna Document is included, which is essential reading for this topic, so I am glad that they chose to include it in the book, rather than make the reader find it independently.

Overall, I found this volume to be a very thorough, objective, and respectful look at the issue of Primacy within the Church. The essays were historical accurate and proved to be a challenging read at times, but after making your way through them, you felt spiritually enriched. I look forward to reading Volume Two of this series and seeing the progression in this topic from one of history and development of the idea of Primacy to a more contemporary nature of the Church and current practices. If this is a topic you have an interest in, like myself, then I highly recommend this book to you.

This book was provided to me for free by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in exchange for an honest review.

Striving Toward God (Holy Trinity Publications)

Anna Mikhailovna Sebriakova joined the Ust'-Medveditskii convent at the age of 17. She was tonsured with the name Arsenia and served as abbess of the monastery for 41 years. Her writings were influenced by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (author of The Arena and On the Prayer of Jesus). Holy Trinity Publications has recently translated her writings and compiled them in a book entitled Striving Toward God. The book is approximately 100 pages and is composed of the following sections:

1. The Notes of Abbess Arsenia
2. The Letters to Peter Alexandrovich Brianchaninov
3. Letters to Other Individuals

Like every Orthodox book I have ever read, the book begins with a short biography on who Abbess Arsenia was. This is a feature I wish more genres would adopt as it proves useful in setting the context of the work. Her notes then begin by speaking on humility. "Humility is the only state of the spirit through which all spiritual gifts are able to enter an individual. There is also talk of a natural yearning for goodness and being still to know God's presence. The whole section is only seven pages long, but contains a depth of wisdom.

Part Two, Letters to Peter Alexandrovich Brianchaninov, is the bulk of the book at over 50 pages and 93 letters. The letters date from 1870 to 1890. These letters cover topics such as the path to salvation, faith, prayer, etc. Her letters seem to offer him spiritual counsel and advice along the difficult journey that life can sometimes be. I would have liked to read his letters too for better frame of reference, but the letters from other people are never provided when you publish someone's letters. The last section is another set of letters, but this one being to various individuals. A lot of these letters have recipients who are only identified by initials, probably to protect their identity. Just like the other letters, we see great spiritual wisdom and depth.

I really enjoyed reading this book, as it introduced me to a holy woman I was previously unaware of. It was also spiritually edifying to read as it provided practical daily advice, which is something we all can use. Lastly, is was interesting to see how useful her advice still proved to be, even though I am in a different country and two centuries removed from her time period. It just goes to show that good spiritual wisdom is timeless.

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

On the Tree of the Cross (Holy Trinity Publications)

The doctrine of atonement is a tricky one as its origin in the English language is due to Tyndale improperly translating the Greek word for reconciliation. But what exactly is atonement? Some see it as the "at-one-ing" of God and man, by Christ's saving work. Others use it in conjunction with terms like expiation (making reparations for the guilt of wrongdoing) and propitiation (the act of appeasing God). When put with words like that, it's no wonder some scholars squirm and feel uncomfortable. In large part, Eastern Orthodoxy has steered clear of the term atonement and viewed it as an incorrect Western notion. However, one man, Fr. Georges Florovsky, devoted his life to clarifying and spreading the Orthodox teaching of atonement and showing that the division between East and West on the subject of atonement isn't as clear cut as many like to make it out to be. The book On the Tree of the Cross tackles this subject.

On the Tree of the Cross is divided into two parts. The first part of the book is a collection of papers which were delivered at the First Annual Patristic Symposium in Honor of Fr. Florovsky. The second part of the book is a collection of Fr. Florovsky's writings on atonement, much from previously unpublished and/or untranslated works. Some authors of the papers from the first part include Fr. John Behr (Dean of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary), Archimandrite Irenei Steenberg (Director of the Institute for Orthodox Studies), and Fr. Matthew Baker (Memory Eternal). In one paper, we see St. Irenaeus' view on atonement, with Jonah as a key example. In another paper, the Ascetic Fathers are our guides to atonement, both personal and intercessory. In the writings of Fr. Florovsky, we are presented with four writings that give us a small sample of his work. They were written over decades of time, but what is clearly seen in all of them is Christ's atoning sacrifice throughout all of Creation.

There were sometimes I had a difficult time reading Fr. Florovsky's works, but I attribute much of that too it being a translation from another language. That quibble aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the papers in the first part of the book. With all the references to Patristic writings, it felt like this book was compiled with me in mind. If you love Patristics, like myself, and want a better understanding of atonement, then I highly recommend this book. I leave this review wondering if there will be future books from other Annual Symposiums in Honor of Fr. Florovsky. I know I would be a customer if so!

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

On the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ (St. Herman Press)

St. Philaret of Chernigov was born in 1805 and the son of an Orthodox priest. He too became a priest and later a bishop. He was said to be extremely spiritual and humble, "an ascetic in the best traditions of Orthodox Patristic spirituality." He became a saint in the Orthodox Church in 2009. Today, I am going to tell you about his book On the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, available from St. Herman Press.

On the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is a book which contains 60 homilies given by St. Philaret of Chernigov during Lent with one bonus homily given on Pascha. The book begins like most Orthodox books with a brief biography of St. Philaret of Chernigov. I always find this feature useful, and I wish more Catholic and even secular books would adopt this practice. We then arrive at the homilies. The first one begins by telling us about the importance of Christ's Passion and the role it plays in Great Lent. He also encourages and implores his congregation to listen to the Scripture and the homilies over these forty days. The homily then transitions its main subject of Jesus foretelling His death and Judas leaving to betray Him. The next homily then takes us to the preparation of the Passover feast that Jesus will celebrate with his disciples, and the third homily is on Jesus washing the feet of His apostles. As you can see, these homilies are going in chronological order.

I noticed that a great portion of the homilies dealt with the words Jesus said, which proved to be most edifying. The homilies that most piqued my interest dealt with Pilate. I always like to read the words of greater minds when it comes to this tragic figure, as I have mixed thoughts on Pilate and his action/inaction. St. Philaret of Chernigov gives several reasons for Jesus' silence in response to Pilate's questions. For starters, Jesus didn't need to answer the questions, because Pilate already knew the answers in his heart. Secondly, by not directly answering the questions, Jesus lessened some of Pilate's guilt. It did not completely remove his guilt though, as he turned Jesus over to be crucified, if only to save political face and not upset Caesar. Part of me still pities Pilate and wonders if he ever repented and converted, but we will have to wait to find that out.

Books of homilies are some of my favorite types of books, and this one did not disappoint. The shortest homilies in this book are six pages with others being twice as long, so this won't be a book you can pick up and read for five minutes a day. You'll have to carve out a bit of time to fully appreciate the wisdom of this saint and the previous saints he draws on for inspiration. What I found most helpful in this book was that each homily had the Scripture passages with them, so you could read the Scripture and then the homily. The only drawback to this book is that there are more than 40 homilies, so you'd have to double up on reading a lot to make it through Lent. You could also, more sensibly, read it one per day and finish when you finish, as this book is good anytime, not just Lent. At $20, this book is an absolute bargain, and I highly recommend it.

This book was provided to me for free by St. Herman Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Orthodox Church (Penguin Books)

If someone asked me, "What is the one book you would recommend to someone wanting to understand Eastern Orthodoxy?" I would answer without thinking The Orthodox Church by Kalistos (Timothy)Ware. I remember reading this book nearly a decade ago, shortly after my conversion to Catholicism. I often wonder if I had read this book before my conversion, if I would have went down a different path and ended up Eastern Orthodox. That's a story for a different day, This book was originally published in the 1960s, and it is still the best introduction to the Orthodox Church. When I saw that it was being re-published by Penguin Books, I knew I wanted to re-read it to see what changed and how I felt reading it ten years later.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part deals with the history of the Orthodox Church and addresses topics like the Ecumenical Councils, the Great Schism, dealing with Islam, and the Twentieth Century. The second part touches on Tradition, God and Humankind, Sacraments, and the Church Calendar. I especially enjoyed reading about the Schism, because if we are going to heal this Schism we need to understand it from both sides. Kalistos Ware presents, in my opinion, the most unbiased view of the Great Schism. Bear with me for a long quote:

"Rome and Orthodoxy since the schism have each claimed to be the true Church. Yet each, while believing in the rightness of its own cause, must look back at the past with sorrow and repentance. [ . . .] And each side, while claiming to be the one true Church, must admit that on the human level it has been grievously  impoverished by the separation. The Greek east and the Latin west needed and still need one another. For both parties the great schism has proved a great tragedy."

In Chapter 16: The Orthodox Church and the Reunion of Christians is a chapter that I felt was sorely lacking in updated material. The part which touched on Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism failed to address the great strides in communication and dialogue, which the past three popes (John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis) have made with the Orthodox Patriarchs. The lack of updates in this chapter are a small reflection of the book as a whole. I feel like there should have been a chapter on the 21st Century as well. The lack of updates aside, this book is still edifying even 50 years after its original publication. The book somehow manages to be broad and deep at the same time, and I was pleased to have found the "Further Reading" section more familiar this time through. There are still many books in it that I want to read, but I am making progress! In conclusion, this is an excellent introduction to Orthodoxy and one you should have in your library. However, if you own the edition from the 1990s, you don't really need this version, unless yours has been read and re-read so many times, it's in tatters.

This book was provided to me for free by Penguin Books in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

H is for Holy and A Gift for Matthew (Ancient Faith Publishing)

One of the greatest joys about being a book reviewer is the children's books that I receive to review. For one, it is nice to have a short book to read amidst all the long ones, but more importantly it is nice to share something I love with my son. If you want your children to love reading, you have to start with them early and place an emphasis on it is important. You not only have to read to them, but they should see you reading as well. So this week, I am going to be reviewing only children's books. Today. I am going to share two selections from my favorite Orthodox publisher, Ancient Faith Publishing.

H is for Holy is a hardcover book that teaches children their alphabet by relating letters to facets of Orthodox Christianity. It isn't a new concept, as I have reviewed a Catholic/Christian one before, but I was intrigued to read through it and see how it compared. The book starts out familiar enough with A for Altar, B for Bread, and C for Cross, but the true test of books like this is what they do with the tough letters. Rightfully so, I is Icon and O is Oil. Catholics don't really think about those two things much, as they receive greater attention in the East, so I liked that! Q is Quiet; X is ICXC; and Z is good ole Zacchaeus (as if there was any doubt). On each page is a further description of each letter's representation, and at the end is the numbers one through ten with Orthodox ways to learn your numbers. The illustrations were done in a watercolor format and helped drive home the alphabet concept. Solid book.

A Gift for Matthew tells the story of a boy who goes to visit Brother Justin in a monastery. Brother Justin had a special gift. He was an iconographer. Brother Justin is going to teach Matthew how icons are made. They begin with a prayer before starting. Then, he showed him how a sketch on paper gets transferred to an icon board. The board was slowly engraved with Brother Justin praying the Jesus Prayer continuously. In addition to learning this, Matthew learned where the colors (pigment) came from and what egg tempera is used for. At the end of the book is a the complete text of the Iconographer's Prayer, which I found very beautiful to read. I found this book a joy to read and I feel like adults can learn as much as children when reading this book. The book did a nice job emphasizing that iconography is more than just art. It is prayer. If you are looking for an approachable way to teach your children about icons and how they are made, I highly recommend this book!

These books were provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for honest reviews. If you found these reviews helpful, please click here and/or here and hit Yes!

The Four Gospels (Holy Trinity Publications)

Recently, I received the book The Four Gospels in the mail to review. I knew the author's name, Archbishop Averky (Tasushev) by name, but I didn't know much about him. However, I have a great love for Scriptural commentaries, so I knew I wanted to read this work. Before I tell you about it though, let me tell you about Archbishop Averky (Taushev). He was born in 1906 to a noble family, and had a deep desire for monasticism at an early age. In 1931, he was tonsured a monk and ordained a deacon. The following year he was ordained a hieromonk. In 1951, he began teaching at Holy Trinity Seminary, and in 1960 he was elected the fourth abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery.

The Four Gospels is a beautiful, purple hardcover book that is billed as Volume I of the series "Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament." For some foolish reason, I thought this volume meant that there were individual volumes for each of the four Gospels, and that Volume I just covered Matthew. However, it instead encompasses all four Gospels in one and weaves them together to arrange the sections chronologically. The volume begins with an impressive 40 page introduction, which covers the New Testament canon, language of the New Testament, when the New Testament was written, why there are four Gospels, and the characteristics of each Gospel. This is one of the best introductions I have read to the New Testament and worth the price of the book alone. At the end of the introduction, Archbishop Averky (Tasushev) tells us about others who have attempted to synthesize the Gospels and the three part natural division of the Gospels - 1. The coming into the world of Jesus, 2. the preaching of Jesus, and the last days of the earthly life of Jesus. The book itself is divided (fittingly) into seven sections:

1. The Coming into the World of the Lord Jesus Christ
2. The Public Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ: Events of His Life Before the First Passover
3. The First Passover of the Public Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ
4. The Second Passover of the Public Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ
5. The Third Passover of the Public Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ
6. The Last Days of the Earthly Life of the Lord Jesus Christ
7. The Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ

At the end of this work are sources, notes, a subject index, and a Scripture index. The two indices prove to be exceedingly helpful. Reading through this volume, you can see the immense knowledge of Scripture that Archbishop Averky (Taushev). For example, we all know that Jesus' ministry was three years, but more light was shed on Jesus' ministry by dividing it into Passovers and proved a useful framework. Some sections are found in all four Gospels, and where this happens Archbishop Averky (Taushev) points out little details that a certain Evangelist noted that the others didn't. Though this book was written by an archbishop of the Russian Orthodox Church, I find it suitable for Catholics and Protestants as well. So whether you have never read the Gospels or read them hundreds of times, you will be spiritually enriched with your reading of this commentary. I cannot wait for Volume II on The Epistles to be released.

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Meditations for Pasca (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Meditations for Pascha is the fourth book in a series by Fr. Vassilios Papavassiliou. The previous three were Meditations for Advent, Meditations for Great Lent, and Meditations for Holy Week. The book begins by discussing the meaning of the week which follows Pascha, also known as Bright Week or Renewal Week. There are three themes for this week - water, light, and renewal. It is in this week that we celebrate all things being made new by Christ's Resurrection. We also begin to get hints of Pentecost, despite it still being more than a month away. The rest of the book dedicates individual chapters to the weeks that follow Pascha, like Thomas Week; Week of the Myrrh-Bearing Women, Week of the Blind Man, etc.

Thomas Sunday was an interesting read. For starters, it is also known as Antipascha, not because it is in opposition to Pascha, but "instead of Pascha." On the Sunday of Pascha, in the evening, there is a Vespers service called the "Agape Vespers." In this service, the Church hears about the first post-Resurrection appearance of Jesus. If people are unable to make it to this service, then the following Sunday, known as "Thomas Sunday," they can hear about Thomas seeing the Risen Lord. Therefore, some of the Church is like Thomas in that he wasn't present when all the others first saw Jesus after his Resurrection. Little things like this are what makes the Orthodox calendar so awesome.

Another section, I particularly liked is the Week of the Paralytic. We all know this Gospel story from John. There was a man who lay at the pool of Bethesda who was paralyzed for 38 years. An angel would go down and stir the waters, and the first person who went in the water was cured. However, for 38 years, someone always went into the water before him, so he never was healed until Jesus came and healed the man Himself. Instead of focusing on the paralytic, Fr. Papavassiliou focuses on those around the man and compares them to us. We are all suffering from some sort of spiritual illness or paralysis. We may try and do good for our neighbors and help them when it's convenient for us. But what about when it comes down to us or them? Will we choose them over us? We like to think so, but unfortunately we are usually selfish and think only of ourselves.

This was another superb book of meditations by Fr. Papavassiliou. I believe there is one more book coming out in this series on the Twelve Great Feasts. After that, I believe the series will be done. I'm not sure the ins and outs of publishing and what kind of response is needed to merit a new printing of a book, but if possible, I think combining all of these Meditations books in a nice leatherette edition would be a nice idea, especially if it is the same quality as The Ancient Faith Prayer Book.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Book of Hours (Holy Transfiguration Monastery)

The Book of Hours is a pocket-sized (4" x 6.5") edition of the Midnight Services and the Hours as printed in The Great Horologion. The Midnight Services include all forms for Weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The Hours included are the First, Third, Sixth, and Ninth Hours along with all of their Mid-Hours and variants for Great Lent. There is also the full text of the Typica, which is a service used for whenever Divine Liturgy is not celebrated, like weekdays during Great Lent or when a priest is not present. The text itself is black for parts that are to be read and red for all instructions and rubrics.

Truth be told, I received this book in error. I actually requested Saint Symeon of Emesa, but received this one in error. I admit to being a bit ignorant when it comes to the Orthodox hours. This book encouraged me to read more about them and learn more about them. There is a similar structure between Catholic and Orthodox daily hours. For example. the Catholic office has Vespers (Evening Prayer), Compline (Night Prayer), Office of Readings, Lauds (Morning Prayer), Daytime Prayer (which can be one or all three), . The Orthodox cycle has Vespers (Evening Prayer), Compline (Night Prayer), Midnight Office, Matins (Morning Prayer), First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour, and Ninth Hour, and Typica.

If you are Orthodox and interested in following the Daily Cycle, this is a great and affordable investment. Of course, you will want to pair it with the pocket Prayer Book and pocket Psalter. Overall, I would highly rate this book both for its affordability and it's high quality craftsmanship. The Holy Transfiguration Monastery doesn't print many books, but the ones they do are made to last a lifetime. The same can be said for their icons. In fact, they are my go to source for icons, as I have purchased at least a dozen from them! Be sure to check them out for your Orthodox needs.

This book was provided to me for free by The Holy Transfiguration Monastery in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Morning Offering (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Abbot Tryphon is both a blogger and podcaster at Ancient Faith Radio. He has recently published a book called The Morning Offering. It shares its name with both his blog and podcast. The book is laid out in the format of a daily devotional with a page devoted to each day of the year. The flaw with this book, as with most daily devotionals, is that they forget February 29th. Sure, this is only an issue once every four years, but it can be very annoying when you want a reading and don't have one.

Here is a sample of one of the reflections. January 1 begins by talking about typical resolutions, like losing weight or saving money. Instead of these cliched resolutions, Abbot Tryphon offers us these words of wisdom. "A better plan would be to pledge ourselves to exercise virtue during the coming year. Doing this means disposing ourselves to do good habitually and firmly. We pledge ourselves not only to perform good acts, but also to give the best of ourselves to others. Virtuous people tend toward the good with all their sensory and spiritual powers and also pursue the good, choosing to do it through concrete actions."

This and the many other great reflections in this book are the perfect way to start your day. Each reading takes only five to ten minutes to read, so you can read it over breakfast or a cup of coffee. At times, you cannot tell this book is Eastern Orthodox, but then he makes references to hesychia, Elder Paisos of Mount Athos, and St. John the Wonderworker.This is neither a criticism nor a compliment, merely an observation. Therefore, you could buy this book for your Catholic or Protestant family and friends, and they would find it approachable and understandable as well. Even though the year is almost one-fourth over, it's not too late to draw closer to God. This book is a simple starting point for doing just that.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

Season of Repentance (Holy Trinity Publications)

Before the season of Great Lent begins in the Orthodox Church, it is preceded by five Sundays. They are Zacchaeus Sunday, the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee, the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Meatfare Sunday (or Judgment Sunday), and Cheesefare Sunday (or Forgiveness Sunday). After Forgiveness Sunday (which is this coming February 22nd), Great Lent has officially begun. If you are Orthodox and still looking for what to read this Lent, then I recommend you the book Season of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of Saint John of Kronstadt. For those unfamiliar with who Saint John of Kronstadt is, he was a presbyter of the Russian Orthodox Church, and one of the most influential Russian saints leading up to the Bolshevik Revolution.

The book, Season of Repentance, begins with homilies for the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible, and unfortunately the Roman Catholic Church only reads it in Church once every three years. In the first homily for this Sunday, he discusses how publicans and Pharisees still figuratively exist in today's day and age. He explains how pride and self-praise coupled with humiliation of others is a disease of the soul. In the second homily for this Sunday, he talks about not judging others sins, because we have our own sins. He also mentions that every time we do a good deed that we should forget it, because as the Bible says, "We have done what was our duty to do." These excerpts/summaries are just the tip of the iceberg with this book.

Most of the Sundays during and before Great Lent have several homilies associated with them, except for the Third Sunday which has one homily and the Sixth Sunday which does not have a homily at all. You can choose to read all of them for that particular Sunday or just read one a year and visit the other homilies the following years. There are also homilies associated with Great Monday, Great Wednesday, and Great and Holy Friday. There is also an epilogue or bonus homily for Thomas Sunday. My only wish for this book is that there were homilies for Palm Sunday and Pascha to accompany these great Lenten homilies. That small wish aside, these are great homilies filled with Scripture and practical advice that still applies one hundred years later. If you are looking for something to read this Great Lent, then pick up a copy of Season of Repentance.

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Mystery of Art (Ancient Faith Publishing)

A quick Google search of Jonathan Jackson pulls up a list of acting and musical credentials. He was Lucky Spencer on General Hospital, a role that landed him five Emmy Awards. He was the title role, Jesse Tuck, in the book-turned-movie Tuck Everlasting. I admit to not knowing him for either of these roles. I actually know him as Ricky Ferris, aka the guy who almost prevented Cory Matthews and Topanga Lawrence on Boy Meets World. Just think, if Ricky and Topanga had ended up together our TVs would have never been graced with Girl Meets World. In all seriousness though, Jonathan Jackson is more than an actor or a musician, he is a Christian (and a convert to Orthodox Christianity), and to his immense credit has never shied away from it like other Hollywood celebrities have. Today, I am reviewing his book, The Mystery of Art: Becoming an Artist in the Image of God.

Jackson begins his book by explaining that the highest form of art is prayer. He quickly clarifies that one does not need to be a Christian to be an artist or vice versa. He does, however, ponder whether one can reach the pinnacle of either (Christianity or art) without being both a Christian and an artist. He then defines the purpose of this book, which is "to open a dialogue between the Christian soul and the mystery of art." Lastly, in the introductory material, we learn a brief bit about his journey to Orthodoxy, the Christian East. He explains his clash with Christian Fundamentalism and their view of art as unnecessary at best and sinful at worst. Unfortunately, he paints the West with a broad-stroked brush with the lines, "The original vision of Christianity was maintained in the East and faithfully passed on from generation to generation. There were no crusades or inquisitions, no papal demands for supremacy, no systematic theology or Reformation." This is a broad statement that is not entirely true. It is also a hurtful and unnecessary shot to take at Roman Catholicism.

Jackson then devotes the rest of the book to explaining what art is and what it is not. For example, art is prayer, beauty, mystery, and sacrament. Each chapter is written in a very personal style with references from Jackson's own life and career. The book also has the feel of a lecture/talk that was given and transcribed (not that is a bad thing). I imagine this would make a fascinating audiobook, especially if Mr. Jackson was the one reading it. In between some chapters is what I call "bonus material." This bonus material are poems that Mr. Jackson has written. Anyone who says that actors lack a brain just need to read this poetry to see that couldn't be further from the truth. The account of St. Genesius of Rome was the perfect way to end this book. So whether you are an artist or a Christian, or just one looking to understand how the two converge, I recommend this book.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes. For great Lenten reading, check out their wonderful selection of Lenten books here.

The Cross Stands While the World Turns (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

Have you ever come back from Mass or Divine Liturgy and felt a little disappointed with the homily? I admit that I have, more than once sadly. It is an unfortunate reality that cannot be avoided. Sometimes there's a guest speaker or a stewardship pitch. Other times, the priest might have had a busy week, and pulled one out of his archives, that might be a bit outdated. What do you do when you feel less than fed by the homily? You have two options. You can either stew over it and gripe about it, or you can do what I do and reach for a book of homilies. I have several, just because I am always trying to soak up other perspectives on specific passages or Feasts. One that I recently picked up is called The Cross Stands While the World Turns.

The Cross Stands While the World Turns is a book of homilies divided into three sections, "The Paschal Cycle," "The Nativity-Theophany Cycle," and "The Theotokos Cycle." In total, there are thirty-five homilies in this book. Most of the homilies are taken from Sundays throughout the Orthodox Church Calendar and the Twelve Great Feasts. The only Feasts days I see missing are Pascha and the Transfiguration. The beauty of this book is that it is not one you have to read all at once or in order. You can pick up this book at any time of the year, turn to the appropriate Sunday, or major Feast Day and be treated to a beautiful homily.

After reading homilies related to the Nativity season, I started thumbing through the book looking for one to jump out to me. Lo and behold, "Antipascha: St. Thomas Sunday," did just that! Poor St. Thomas gets a horrible rap. He will forever be mislabeled as doubting, just like Mary Magdalene will always be mislabeled as a prostitute. In Fr. Behr's homily, he seeks to redeem St. Thomas. "His doubt, and his inquiry, is not out to disprove, but to confirm. There is, indeed, a world of difference between a doubt that is seeking confirmation and a doubt that is basically skeptical. As the Fathers and medieval theologians put it: faith seeks understanding." You'll find insight like this in all of his homilies, as each one is well-researched and well-crafted.

This was a very-enjoyable book and one that I will keep at prominent and easy-to-reach place on my bookshelf. I had a hard time putting it down after reading the homily for one day, and oftentimes found myself reading additional tales just to absorb Fr. Behr's knowledge. The biggest complaint I have with this book is that there was no homily for Pascha. Another minor complaint is that there is no introductory material for each of the three cycles, I referenced in the first paragraph. These complaints, however, do not detract from the wisdom contained in this book and did not cause me to downrank the book either. 5 stars!

This book was provided to me for free by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

The Ancient Faith Prayer Book and The Epistle to the Hebrews (Ancient Faith Publishing)

The Ancient Faith Prayer Book is compiled and edited by Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou, author of several other Ancient Faith titles including Meditations for Advent, Meditations for Great Lent, Meditations for Holy Week, and my favorite Thirty Steps to Heaven. The book begins with instructions from St. Theophan the Recluse on how to use this prayer book. At the end of the book is a calendar of Feasts and Fasts, as well as dates for Pascha for the next decade. In between these useful "bookends" is the spiritual meat of the text - the Prayers.

The prayers are a blend of ancient prayers and contemporary editions. You will recognize the Trisagion Prayers, Morning Prayers, Evening Prayers, Prayers of Thanksgiving, Prayers Before and After Communion, and the Odes. There are also prayers Before and After Work and Before Using the Internet. There are a lot of prayers related to conception, pregnancy, labor, and miscarriages, which is understandable as married couples want (rightfully so) children. The most interesting section to me was St. Chrysostom's Prayers for Every Hour of the Day. I'm not sure I will be able to, but praying these prayers is a goal I would like to set for myself. This is a very useful prayer book for Orthodox, especially, but for others as well. I personally plan to use this prayer book going forward and recommend you pick up a copy and do likewise. Five stars.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is the latest and perhaps last volume of The Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series. The format stays true to previous volumes in that it includes both Biblical text and commentary from Fr. Lawrence Farley. I have been awaiting this volume for a while, because this epistle was always a bit confusing to me for two reasons. Number One, people often misattribute its authorship to St. Paul, and it bugged me that we didn't know who wrote it. Secondly, it was written to a Jewish audience of that time, and since I am not Jewish some of the finer details of this epistle puzzled me.

Fr. Farley however masterfully works his way through this epistle, which explains to us the importance of Jesus. We (and the Hebrew people back then) learn that Jesus is superior to the angels; greater than Moses; like Melchizedek; that He is High Priest of all of Heaven and Earth; and that we must continue to follow Him, even in times of persecution. My favorite part in these books is always the excurses (detailed side notes). Here, Fr. Farley talks about subjects such as the sacrifice of Christ and the Eucharist. Abolition of the Old Covenant, and the Wrath of God. This volume did not disappoint. I feel more knowledgeable having read it, and am glad I received it to complete my collection of this series. I hope that Fr. Farley will consider a new series for the Old Testament, but understand if he will not. A great book and a perfect commentary for anyone, not just the scholarly. Five stars.

If you are looking to deepen your prayer life and your knowledge of Scriptures, you'll want to pick up these two books, as well as some more volumes of The Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series. You won't be disappointed! It is also about that time to order your calendars for 2015, so check out their Icon Calendar, which features a dozen stunning icons of the Theotokos. These books were provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing.