The Epistles and The Apocalypse (Holy Trinity Seminary Press)

Archbishop Averky (Taushev) was the fourth abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. He was one of the leading teachers of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th Century and is probably best known for his exposition on the New Testament. Holy Trinity Publications has published these books in three volumes, and I have been blessed to read and review each volume. Today, I am wrapping up this series with Volume Three - The Epistles and The Apocalypse. The book is a beautiful hardcover, like the previous two volumes and is divided into four main parts:

1. The Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul
2. The Pastoral Epistles of the Holy Apostle Paul
3. The General Epistles
4. The Apocalypse (The Book of Revelation)

Part One contains Romans to Second Thessalonians. Part Two contains First Timothy to Hebrews, which is still debated if Paul wrote or not. Part Three contains James to Jude. Part Four is strictly Revelation. With the Pauline Epistles, we have an introduction that covers the significance of his epistles and why they are difficult to study, a context for the epistles, and a fascinating section covering the life of St. Paul. Each epistle is then given its own specific introduction, which covers subjects such as purpose, place and time, authenticity, structure, and the meat of the book - a lengthy section on exegetical analysis. The section on Revelation follows the same format. However, the exegetical analysis is much more in-depth, and feels verse-by-verse, as opposed to the briefer analysis given to the epistles. I imagine this is because Revelation has been so misconstrued and misinterpreted over the years that it needed an in-depth analysis.

This book is not only beautiful in its presentation and layout, it is also beautifully written. Even though, Archbishop Averky was a wise teacher in his own right, he also drew on the writings of other saints when doing Biblical exegesis. His primary two sources of wisdom and inspiration were St. John Chrysostom and St. Theophan the Recluse. However, for the Apocalypse, he also relied heavily on St. Andrew of Caesarea, who is THE best Church Father to read when it comes to reading the book of Revelation. If you are looking for a brilliant and approachable exposition on the New Testament, I highly recommend this three volume set from Holy Trinity Publications!

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications.

The Acts of the Apostles (Holy Trinity Seminary Press)

Archbishop Averky 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. Two years ago, I read and reviewed a book of his titled The Four Gospels. Now, two years later, I again have a chance to review one of his works, which is a follow-up volume called The Acts of the Apostles.

The book begins by explaining that the second part of the New Testament is composed of books united under their liturgical usage of "Apostolos," which means messenger. The contents of these books are The Acts of the Apostles (historical), twenty-one Epistles (instructional in nature), and Revelation (prophecy). The next chapter gives us an overview of The Acts of the Apostles, which includes the authorship, time and place of composition, content, and significance. We then get to the meat of Archbishop Averky's work which divides the book into two parts - The Church of Christ Among the Jews and The Church of Christ Among the Gentiles. The Jewish chapters are the first twelve chapters in Acts and the Gentile chapters are the final sixteen chapters of Acts.

With each chapter in Acts, Archbishop Averky presents what could be best described as a chapter-by-chapter commentary. With each section, he looks for the natural breaks in Scripture and opens up these passages to us by referencing Old and New Testament and explaining the meaning and significance of each passage. This book, like its predecessor, proved to be an interesting and fruitful read. It was interesting reading Acts in two parts (Peter's and Paul's) and seeing how the early Church not only survived, but thrived despite the persecution they faced from all sides. I look forward to seeing the third volume of this series and reading Archbishop Averky's commentary on the Epistles.

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Seminary Press in exchange for an honest review.

Sasha and the Dragon (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Being a kid can be both scary and lonely at times. What makes those feelings even worse is when you are the new kid in town. That is exactly how Sasha felt in the latest children's book from Ancient Faith Publishing entitled Sasha and the Dragon. The book is written by Laura E. Wolfe and illustrated by Nicholas Malara.

On the outside, you would think that Sasha is a boy like any other. In reality, he is a Russian born immigrant in a strange, new country called America. The children in his neighborhood laugh at him and his accent; his grandmother, whom he loves, is dying, and there is a dragon under his bed. Yes you read that right...a DRAGON under his bed. Being an intelligent boy, he deduces that there are dragons in America, because this was a young country that didn't have a rich history of saints, signs, and prayers. One night laying in bed, the dragon appears, and Sasha (rightfully so) is afraid. He has a choice to make. Does he hide under the covers for another night, or muster up what little courage he has and face the dragon? Sasha chooses the latter, but knows he can't face the dragon alone. He implores the aid of St. Michael and the icon in his room comes to life! St. Michael slayed the dragon, and the next morning Sasha discovered a golden angel feather on his floor. The events and this feather gave the boy courage and hope to face this new land. He reached out to the neighborhood children to try and befriend them and also tried to be closer with his grandmother to provide her comfort and companionship as well.

Sasha and the Dragon is more than just a story of overcoming your fears. It is a lesson in faith in God, the power of prayer, and saintly intercession. Overall, I found the story to be very well-written with the only neutral point being that the resolution felt a little rushed. I felt it could have used one more page/night of turmoil before he got up his nerve to face the dragon. The illustration style was very vivid and popped off the page. I remember children's books from when I was a kid, and these illustrations were nothing like the books I read. I would call it high definition pictures as opposed to the old analog books I read when I was younger. The light and dark were captured wonderfully and complemented the story without overpowering it. Highly recommend this book for your young children.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase this book directly from Ancient Faith Publishing or on Amazon.

On the Apostolic Tradition (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

St. Hippolytus of Rome lived during the 2nd and 3rd Century and was regarded as some to be the most important 3rd Century theologian. He was a disciple of Irenaeus, who was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John. His writings were extensive and the amount of them are said to have rivaled Origen. Much like Origen, his works presently are fragmented or missing. Some of his most important works include On Christ and the Antichrist, and On the Apostolic Tradition, which I am reviewing today. On the Apostolic Tradition is #54 in one of my favorite series in Orthodoxy called the Popular Patristics Series. I've read and reviewed several of these books, and they never disappoint.

The introduction to On the Apostolic Tradition is approximately 60 pages long and includes information on the discovery of this text, the contents and arrangement, the authorship, and a summary of conclusions. The text itself is divided into 43 chapters and discusses topics such as ordination of priests and deacons, the catechumenate, Baptism, and general rules of the community. Some of these rules include distribution of Communion, fasting, and burial practices. The rules on fasting were interesting. It is highly recommended for widows and virgins to fast often, but says laypersons and priests can fast if they want. At the end of the main text is a five page homily on the Psalms, which the translator believes is appropriate to include because it helps to better understand the main text.

On the Apostolic Tradition belongs to a genre called "Church Orders," and while you could find this text for free online, it's not the same. The reason for this is because Fr. Alistair Stewart's second edition of this text incorporated a newly discovered Ethiopic manuscript, and also provides commentary alongside the text to provide explanations for why things in this book are the way they are. I found that to be extremely helpful, because like my comment above, I was scratching my head to the rule of fasting, among other things in the text. Also of interest in this text is all the roles for people. There is a lot to process in this book, and it is not one that you read lightly or casually. This is for the serious student who is interesting in reading a book that has had a great influence on different liturgies today, including some parts of the Roman Catholic liturgy and the United Methodist Church as well.

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!

Two Hundred Chapters on Theology (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

The Popular Patristics Series from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press is one of the most readable and accurate series of early Christian literature available to this day. It contains works from Sts. Athanasius, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Ignatius of Antioch, and John Chrysostom just to name a few. Today, I am going to tell you about one of the latest volumes entitled Two Hundred Chapters on Theology by St. Maximus the Confessor. It is Volume 53 in the series.

The book begins with a biography of St Maximus, but states that accurate biographical information is hard to come by. What we do know is that he was born around 580 A.D. and he was probably part of Constantinople's aristocracy. The Two Hundred Chapters were written between 628 and 630 with themes that include limitations of Creation; mystical contemplations of Scripture; and asceticism. The Chapters in this book contain Greek on one side and an English translation on the opposite page, which is especially handy for those who want to read the original text. The Chapters are also not we would think of as chapters, but short paragraphs whose messages have varying degrees of depth. I would now like to provide a few brief quotes to show you St. Maximus' wisdom.

"The wise man, when teaching and being taught, wills only to be taught and to teach profitable things; but he who would appear wise, hen asking and being asked, propounds only rather pretentious statements."

"A 'heart' is 'pure' that represents its recollections as altogether formless and shapeless before God and stands ready to be imprinted with his characteristics alone, through which he naturally becomes manifest."

These are two of the shorter and more straightforward Chapters. There are other, which are both longer and deeper in content. If you would like to read the words of a great saint, in little paragraph bites, I recommend this book. With 200 Chapters, you will have enough to get you through a little over half of the year with enough time to go back to some of the meatier ones and chew on them a little longer and extract all the spiritual nutrients they contain.

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!

Following Egeria (Ancient Faith Press)

When I first received the book Following Egeria, I wasn't sure what to make of it honestly. I thought to myself, "What kind of spiritual discipline is this Egeria?" I trusted the publisher (Ancient Faith Publishing) and am a fan of the author (Lawrence Farley), so I decided to give the book a chance. Looking at the back of the book, showed how foolish I was to WHO, not what Egeria was. Egeria was a nun from the 4th Century. While she was alive, she made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and kept a diary of her time there. Fr. Lawrence Farley decided to follow in some of her footsteps and recorded his travels in this book.

The places visited by Fr. Farley include Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Judea, Bethany, and Galilee to name a few. Each chapter begins with a quote from Egeria on what she saw when she was there. Fr. Farley then offers his personal reflections on the location, provides Scriptural descriptions of what occurred there, and historical changes that occurred through the centuries. The most interesting chapter for me was "Recovering the Via Dolorosa." In this chapter, Fr. Farley attempts to find the true path that Jesus would have walked from His condemnation by Pilate to His Crucifixion. In this chapter, he debunks the widely accepted Via Dolorosa by telling us stop by stop which churches are wrong n their claims of what happened. For example, the Ecce Homo Basilica is not where the Roman soldiers played dice for Jesus' belongings.

I have read several books on Holy Land pilgrimages in the past year, and I will probably continue to read them until I make it there myself. The concept for this book was unique in that Fr. Farley tried to follow in some of the steps of Egeria. However, I would have preferred if the book was presented in the same order as Egeria's travels. I also think this book could have been better if it came with some pictures that Fr. Farley took. This would have the book more living and breathing. Overall, I'd give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was interesting, but it could have been much more. I would recommend it, but I would recommend reading Egeria's diary as well, either online for free or purchasing from Amazon.

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!

A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy and The Monk Who Grew Prayer

A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy is a pocket-sized, fully illustrated walk through the Divine Liturgy and the Orthodox faith. It is divided into six color-coded sections:
1. Preparing for the Divine Liturgy
2. The Divine Liturgy
3. Salt and Light
4. The Twelve Feasts
5. Words to Know
6. Glossary

The first section includes subjects such as proper attire; preparatory prayers; observations when entering the Church, i.e., lighting candles and kissing icons. The second section illustrates each part of the Divine Liturgy from the opening prayer to the prayer on leaving the church. There are words included in each of these parts. However, the words are sparse because this book isn't supposed to be a missal, but a guide. The author wants you to be aware of the divine taking place and participate fully in the Liturgy, not have your nose in a book the whole time. Salt and Light is one of the shortest of the three sections, but possibly one of the most important ones. This brief section encourages your children to be witnesses to the whole world in words and deeds. The final three sections are a catechism of sorts as they include icons of the Twelve Great Feasts; images of clergy, vestments, and items found in the church; and lastly a fairly extensive list of terms including words like Epiclesis and Proskomedia.

For a book geared at children, I found myself much more knowledgeable after reading this book. As a Roman Catholic, I have attended Divine Liturgy a handful of times, and I admit that I was able to follow about half of it, but felt a bit lost during the other half. Though, I have no plans of converting, I would like my children to be exposed to the Orthodox Liturgy and its beauty, and this book will prove to be an excellent resource for just that. The book is simple, yet stunningly beautiful. I highly recommend this for all Orthodox parents.

The Monk Who Grew Prayer isn't a new book at all. It's over eleven years old! However, each time I read it and reflect on its simple words and pictures I am reminded of perception and reality. The main character is a monk who lives deep in the forest. We see him doing mundane tasks like chopping wood, drawing water from a stream, repairing his favorite chair, etc. These tasks were his prayer. He was not only praying with words, but with his actions as well.

The rest of the book is dedicated to the different hours of the Church, i.e., Vespers, Matins, etc. This book educates subtly and then overtly, but its simple message is one that you and your children will visit and re-visit time and time again. So each time you read it to/with your children, let the message of the book seep in, and remember that even in our busiest and dullest tasks, we can sanctify them and make them prayers to God.

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

Primacy in the Church from Vatican I to Vatican II (NIU Press)

Primacy in the Church from Vatican I to Vatican II is a book written by the Very Reverend Maximos Vgenopoulos, who is the Grand Archdeacon of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. In this book, the author examines the concept of papal primacy from an Orthodox perspective using the two most recent "ecumenical" councils as a guideline. Vatican I issued the Dogmatic Constitution Pastor Aeternus, which defined the doctrine and affirmed papal infallibility. Vatican II issued the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, which reaffirmed Vatican I and also reaffirmed the doctrine of collegiality of bishops.

The book spans four chapters, two on Vatican I and two on Vatican II. Two of the chapters go into great detail on each of the councils, including what led to the councils being called and key declarations on papal primacy. The heart of the book, however, is the other two chapters, which include Orthodox reactions to each council. To my great surprise, there was disagreement among the Orthodox reactions. Each chapter begins with several figures arguing against Catholicism and primacy and then concludes with several other figures, not necessarily arguing for primacy, but presenting a more balanced view. The arguments in this book basically boiled down to several Greek Orthodox people against primacy and several Russian Orthodox people against the Greek Orthodox arguments.

John Zizoulas is the name you will see repeatedly in this book, as he has a unique theology on primacy. He starts by saying that Catholics and Orthodox do not agree on the role of Peter in the New Testament, so using history as an argument for or against primacy is futile. For him, it is the principle of "the one and the many" that will prove to be the most fruitful for discussion and dialogue. He then compares the ordering of local churches to the Trinity, because even though the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are equal, there still exists a hierarchical order with the Father being the first. Zizoulas also agrees with Alexander Schmemann in the belief that primacy is necessary to "express and manifest the unity of the Church at the regional and universal levels."

As a convert to Roman Catholicism, it's easy to see why the doctrine of papal primacy has been a cause of disagreement and discord. I found myself pleasantly surprised reading this book, as it was thought out, balanced, and unbiased. Granted, it was a challenging read and an academic read, but I expected nothing less. For that reason, it took me a bit longer to read this book than I anticipated. I found myself reading and re-reading sections to try and fully grasp what was being said. The general conclusions section in the end proved extremely helpful in making things clearer for me. The real beauty of this book is that Orthodox and Catholics alike can benefit from reading this work.

This book was provided to me for free by Northern Illinois University Press. If you found this review helpful, please click here and hit Yes!

St. George and the Dragon

Every month I get a few emails from authors asking me to review their newly published book. Most of the books are self-published, and it's a pretty even mix of fiction and non-fiction. I have a busy review schedule, so unfortunately I have to turn 99% of them away. Every now and then, a slot appears in my schedule that I can take the time to squeeze one in. Today, I am reviewing Michael Lotti's first novel Saint George and the Dragon.

The icon of St. George slaying the dragon is one of the most recognizable images in iconography. However, apart from legends, very little is known about this saint. Mr. Lotti recognizes this and weaves a story based on the facts and guesses people know about St. George. Therefore, this is a story about St. George, and not the story about St. George. The setting is 300 A.D. in the Roman Empire, and the main character is a soldier named Marcellus, who will eventually become St. George. The audience for this book would be tween to teenage years, though younger adults might find it enjoyable as well.

Throughout the early part of the book, Mr. Lotti paints us a wonderful picture of Marcellus. He is the son of Titus, a former officer in the army of the Roman Empire. Marcellus is also a brilliant soldier, because he has been trained to be a soldier from his youth. He loves and values the Empire above all else, and wants the best for it. He is also engaged to a woman named Regina with a wedding to take place very shortly. In order to get married, he has to take time off from the army and return to his father's estate. It is on this leave that his world is turned upside down. He learns his father is a Christian sympathizer. Titus isn't a Christian, but he allows his slaves to be, and his most loyal slave, Pasikrates, is a big Christian. This was bold for this day and age, because Christians were heavily persecuted by the Emperor Diocletian. Another startling discovery he learns is about a religion that worships a dragon. To make matters worse, Regina is a devout follower, and wants Marcellus to be as well. I won't give away further plot details. You'll have to buy the book and read it to find out.

There are several recurring themes in this book. One major theme is good vs. evil, or God vs. the dragon. The Christians, the local bishop, and the thought of God always seem to put Marcellus at ease. However, the dragon and dragon-worshippers make Marcellus sick to his stomach and feel completely powerless, but not in a good way. The first encounter/conversation Marcellus had with the dragon made me uncomfortable for Marcellus and my stomach tighten up a bit. That's good writing! The other major theme in this book is slavery. Slavery is a common practice in 300 A.D., but Marcellus has a hard time understanding/agreeing with the concept that just because a man is a slave on earth, doesn't make him any less of a person. It is for this reason that he also has a hard time understanding that being a slave for God is one of the best things you can be.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book in all honesty. You never know how an author's first novel is going to turn out. To say the very least, I was pleasantly surprised! It is a great story and a wonderful fleshing out of a legend we know so little about. Additionally, it presents a solid teaching of both Bible and tradition. I also love the fact that it has appeal to both Catholics and Orthodox alike. I hope that this is not the last novel he writes, and I would gladly read another of his books if it's the same quality as this one.

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

Recollections of Jerusalem (Holy Trinity Publications)

Recollections of Jerusalem is the autobiography/memoir of Anya Berezina Derrick. Anya Derrick was born in Yugoslavia in the 1930s. She was named after her grandmothers, both named Anna, and her birthday was close to the feast day of St. Anna. Her mother was a nurse and her dad was stationed at a military base near Belgrade. Unfortunately, he took ill with tuberculosis. Anya and her mother were on a pilgrimage in Palestine when World War II broke out, and Anya's mother was hoping to bring back a garment for Anya's father to wear which had been blessed on Christ's burial place. Unfortunately, they were never able to see him again. They were unable to return to Yugoslavia, and were forced to seek asylum in Palestine in 1939. Her father died in 1944, and her mother died without ever finding out what happened to him or where he was buried.

The book isn't all heartache and tragedy, though there is a bit of it in this book. This book also is the coming of age of a young girl. We see and get to read her interactions with great spiritual fathers and mothers, like Fr. Lazarus Moore, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Mother Mary and Archbishop Antony. We also get introduced to her husband Wayne and her children. She tells a cute story about giving birth to twins, her 13 month old son hearing the birth sounds, and climbing out of his crib to come see what all the noise was. I can't imagine having that many children that young, but she was blessed. Other stories in this book include her visit to the Holy Land with her oldest son, and her family's eventual return to the Holy Land during President Carter's tenure in office.

I'm not really sure how to review this book in all honesty. It's like reviewing someone's life, and how do you do that? In this book I learned a bit about Serbia, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Holy Land in the time of World War II and afterwards. It was an interesting read, and one you should check out if you are interested in any of the subjects I just mentioned.

This book was provided to me for free by Holy Trinity Publications in exchange for an honest review.

The Ascetic Lives of Mothers and One Flesh (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Mother's Day is next week. Every year, it gets harder to figure out what to get your mother or wife. Flowers are overpriced and candy only lasts so long. How about getting them a book or two this year? Today, I'll be reviewing two books from Ancient Faith Publishing. One is dedicated strictly to mothers, and the other is dedicated to marriage. Consider picking up one or both for the woman in your life, and some flowers or candy, because women still like those things too. Onto the reviews!

The Ascetic Lives of Mothers is an intimidating title. My wife took one look at the book didn't like the word ascetic in it. Thankfully, the author, Annalissa Boyd, explains how motherhood is like asceticism on the first page. "Like the ascetics, mothers find themselves in a situation that requires their utter devotion, self-denial, daily emotional exercises, facing extreme challenges and much prayer." She follows this up with the two "rules" of motherhood. 1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 2. Love your neighbor as yourself. We then are presented with the virtues needed for motherhood (and life in general) - Humility, Liberality, Chastity, Mildness, Temperance, Happiness, and Diligence.

We then get to the meat of this book - PRAYER! Chapters Two through Nine provide mothers with prayers for every occasion. There are daily prayers; prayers in times of trouble; prayers for the sick, dying, and dead; confession and the Beatitudes; prayers of blessing and thanksgiving; prayers through the stages of motherhood; prayers for godchildren and "bonus" children; and prayers for the future. You might recognize or know a lot of these prayers, but Mrs. Boyd did a nice job of compiling them and organizing them in one place for easy reference when words escape you. She also includes ample Scripture passages and quotes from the great saints before us with many of our prayers, which I greatly appreciated. I also loved that scattered throughout the book are brief biographies on saints who were mothers, like St. Anna, St. Elizabeth. and St. Sophia to name a few.

This is a solid book on prayer and full of prayers. In fact, one could argue that this book is unoriginal. However, I would say that is not a bad thing, as originality can lead to heresy. And sure, you could find a lot of these prayers in other prayer books or online, but they aren't specifically geared for mothers, nor are they thematically arranged.  So while I might not be the target audience for this book, I can see the value in it. This would make a great birthday, Mother's Day, or just because gift for your mother and/or wife.

One Flesh is an examination of marriage and sexuality in the Orthodox Church. It is written by Fr. Lawrence Farley, who is also the author of the Orthodox Bible Study Companion series. He begins the book by questioning and examining why popular culture believes the Church has such a negative view of sex. He also points out the popular argument of almost all our Saints being celibate, and wonders why so few married people are venerated and honored as Saints. Yes, there are notable examples like Sts. Mary and Joseph, Anna and Joachim, Elizabeth and Zechariah, to name a few, but a large group of "married" saints chose to live instead as brother and sister than as husband and wife.

Fr. Farley then turns to the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Church Fathers, and some Church Councils for a look at how each treats and views sexuality. For example, in the Old Testament he investigates the two Creation stories and the story of the Fall in Genesis. Looking over the text and examining it both in English and the original Hebrew, Fr. Farley concludes that the Old Testament has a positive view of sexuality. In his chapter on the Old Testament, he also cites Jacob's love for Rachel as an example of romantic love. In his two chapters on the New Testament, he examines repeat themes that occurred in the Old Testament and original themes to the New Testament. Some new themes include the equality of spouses, mutual authority of spouses, and consecrated virginity.

I really enjoyed and appreciated the chapter on the Church Fathers, as I have a deep love for Patristics. Fr. Farley does an excellent job presenting both the views of Eastern and Western. To sum up his findings, the Eastern Fathers valued celibacy over marriage. Marriage was considered acceptable, but it had to be a lawful marriage; the partners had to practice periods of abstinence; and sexual activity was reserved for procreation, not pleasure and fun. Western Fathers had a pretty low view of marriage and sexuality. Some even referred to sex between a husband and wife as "voluptuous disgrace, frivolity, impurity." And while Augustine did write a piece in defense of marriage, he still believed original sin was passed on to children through sexual activity of the parents, because all sexual activity originates from lust. Reading through some Patristics, it's no wonder people think the Church has such a low view of sexuality.

Fr. Farley closes with practical conclusions we can draw from marriage and sexuality, which you'll have to buy the book to read as they go a bit in depth. He also briefly explains why "marriage" between two men or two women is not a real marriage at all. This was a very enlightening and fascinating read. I wasn't entirely sure it was going to be my cup of tea, but the honest treatment of the subject matter and the views from both the Christian West and Christian East made it very fair and unbiased. If you are looking for a book to read on marriage and sexuality from an Orthodox perspective, this book is for you.

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

Meditations for Holy Week and The Miracle of the Red Egg (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Another month has come and gone, and we are at the beginning of April. Where did the time go?! Not only is my son almost 1 year old, but Easter is rapidly approaching as well! Today, I have two Orthodox books to share with you. One focuses on Holy Week and is aimed for adults. The other focuses on Easter, and while intended for children, is suitable for kids and adults alike! Without further ado, here are the reviews.

Meditations for Holy Week is the third book in Fr. Vassilos Papavassiliou's "Meditations" series, with the previous two being Meditations for Great Lent and Meditations for Advent. The book is divided into two parts. Part I is "The Bridegroom Service," which covers Great and Holy Monday through Great and Holy Wednesday and Part II is "The Lord's Passion, Death, and Resurrection," which covers Great and Holy Thursday through Great and Holy Pascha.

The book is rich with hymns and readings from the liturgical services of Holy Week, which Fr. Papavassiliou meditates on to draw us deeper into this most sacred week of the Church year. Many will focus on Thursday through Sunday as this is where the "joyful sorrow" reaches its pinnacle with the Crucifixion and Resurrection. That is perfectly fine. There are sections in this book that all Christians, not just Orthodox, would do well to read, particularly Chapter 9 "The Suffering Servant." Many Christians and non-Christians have the wrong idea about Christ's words, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Fr. Papavassiliou first explains that this was a cry of pain. Christ was both fully divine and fully human after all, so to imagine that He experienced no pain on the cross is absurd. We then receive the explanation of Christ's words. He was not despairing, but instead was praying or reciting Psalm 21/22. This psalm is a prophecy of His Crucifixion, but it is not a psalm of despair. Christ was not murdered, but freely sacrificed His life for our salvation.

Despite the depth and beauty of Thursday through Sunday, I felt myself being drawn more to the meditations for Monday through Wednesday. As a Roman Catholic, we don't focus on these days much in our liturgical year. They just kind of blend into Lent until Holy Thursday arrives. For that reason, it was interesting to read how the Orthodox celebrate during this time. I was truly fascinated by the Parable of the Ten Virgins and the theme of Christ as the Bridegroom. Since the Bridegroom theme is one that focuses on Christ's Second Coming, we don't usually make the connection of Lent and Second Coming. However, we must be reminded that "The Suffering Servant will come again as Judge, and so we are exhorted to repent that we may not be shut out of 'the bridal chamber' of Christ (the Kingdom of heaven)."

This is the perfect meditation book to get you through Holy Week and is a worthy companion piece to Meditations for Great Lent. Fr. Papavassiliou once again shows himself to be a brilliant mind. He conveys the beauty of the Church seasons in easy to understand language and does so without watering down the message. We can only hope that he continues this series and give us a Meditations for Pascha or Meditations for the Twelve Great Feasts. Five stars.

The Miracle of the Red Egg is another fabulous children's book from Elizabeth Crispina Johnson. Drawing on tradition, Ms. Johnson explains the story of Mary Magdalene and the first "Easter egg." For those unfamiliar with the story, it centers around Mary Magdalene attending a feast hosted by the unbelieving Emperor Tiberius. Unable to contain her joy of the Resurrected Jesus, she tells guests seated near her, and word quickly reaches the ears of the Emperor. In disgust and disbelief he proclaims, "Do you see this egg? I declare that Jesus can no more have risen from the dead, than this egg could turn blood red." To everyone's amazement, the egg did turn red.

The book is an absolute treasure. It makes a perfect and unique Easter gift for your children instead of peeps and chocolate bunnies. There are beautiful illustrations on every page with what I would describe as colored pencil sketches. Additionally, at the end of the book, your children will see icons for Pascha and Mary Magdalene. There is also the Kontakion of Mary Magdalene and the Blessing of the Eggs. So if you're sick of the Easter Bunny or just want your children to have a more religious meaning behind Easter eggs, you'll want a copy of this book. If you are interested in dying your own eggs red, be sure to check out Ancient Faith Publishing for a $6 kit to get your eggs a deep, rich color. Also, be sure to check out Ms. Johnson's other books, And Then Nicholas Sang and What Do You Hear, Angel.

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

And Then Nicholas Sang & Sweet Song (Ancient Faith Publishing)

I receive over 100 books to review a year. Some are high theology; some are practical books on living a holy life. However, with all the books I'm sent to review, I find the greatest joy in the children's books. Is that weird? Maybe it's the simple, yet beautiful way the faith is portrayed. Maybe, I love the fact that there are so many Catholic and Orthodox options for my son to read and have read to him. Whatever it is, I love these books. So this week, the Children's Corner of my blog is getting TWO days dedicated to it. Not only that, I'm featuring TWO books per day! Today, I'll be reviewing books from Ancient Faith Publishing.

And then Nicholas Sang tell the story of the Trisagion (Thrice Holy) hymn. For those unfamiliar with this hymn, it goes "Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us." Tradition says that Constantinople used to suffer from terrible earthquakes. One day while the people were praying for God's mercy, a boy was lifted into heaven, learned the Trisagion, and came back down and taught the people. Then, the earthquakes stopped. Though the boy is not named in tradition, this book names him Nicholas.

In addition to your children reading about this story, they can also read about the original tradition, which I stated above. At the end a glossary is included, which lists a few key terms and tells a brief history of Constantinople and a short biography about the Emperor Theodosius II. The watercolor illustrations will captivate children of all ages, and the story is masterfully told. It's also hardcover, so it will stand up to some abuse that younger kids might put on it. Five stars!

Sweet Song tell the story of a lesser known saint in the West, Saint Romanos the Melodist. For those of you unfamiliar with this saint, he was a young, humble boy who dearly loved the Lord and worshiping the Lord. Unfortunately, he was a terrible singer. (I can relate, as I'm sure many can.) He tried his hardest every time he was called upon to sing in Church, but he was never any good, and the other singers made fun of him. One Christmas Eve, a miracle occurred, and he was able to sing gloriously at the Christmas Vigil. What happened? Buy the book and find out!

The illustrations in this book are darker than one would expect from a children's book. However, that darkness helps create a nice contrast when young Romanos finally is able to sing like he always dreamed. At the end of this book, a whole page is dedicated to more information about St. Romanos including his feast day, October 1st, and interesting facts. For example, some sources say he composed over one thousand hymns. Unfortunately, only 80 are still in existence. If your child loves music, this is the book for them. It's a beautiful story of our faith, so they will learn while reading and not even know it. Pair it with And then Nicholas Sang and build up their library of faith! Five stars.

These books were provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing. If you found these review helpful, click here and here and hit Yes!

The Acts of the Apostles: Spreading the Word (Ancient Faith Publishing)

There is no book that I love more than the Bible. For this reason, I have always loved Bible commentaries, even back in my Protestant days. I want to know and understand God's Word to the best of my ability, and I can only do that with the help of minds greater than mine. Currently, I am collecting and reading two sets of Bible commentaries - one Catholic and the other Orthodox. Today, I will be reviewing the the latest Orthodox volume called The Acts of the Apostles: Spreading the Word.

The Acts of the Apostles: Spreading the Word is the twelfth volume in The Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series. The series is not intended to be an in-depth word-by-word study, but instead an approachable study you can use either solo or with a group. Fr. Farley begins by explaining that the Acts of the Apostles was written by St. Luke to explain to Theophilus four apologetic points - 1. The Church was not politically suspect; 2. The Church is a legal religion and the True Israel; 3. The Holy Spirit guides the Church; and 4. Gentiles are welcome in the Church as it is God's will. After this introduction, he then dives into the commentary for Acts of the Apostles.

Like every volume in this series, Fr. Farley gives the reader both Scripture and commentary. The commentary provided is scholarly yet approachable. With some passages, he takes time to highlight key words and give their Greek equivalent and meaning. This helps take the passage to a deeper level than one could obtain by just reading the Scripture alone. As helpful as this is, especially for someone like me who is trying to learn Greek, I found the excursuses (or expositions on topics) even more enlightening. A few of the topics addressed in these expositions were the Resurrection of Jesus, Ascension of Jesus, and Lessons from St. Paul's Aeropagus sermon. Each mini-essay gives the reader an extra level of depth, and, since they are asides, the reader has the option to go deeper or just stick with the commentary.

I have been waiting for this one to come out for a few years since one should read Luke and Acts together, and it did not disappoint. Fr. Farley is very astute when he refers to the Acts of the Apostles as both a door and a bridge. It is a door because it gives us a small glimpse of what the Church was like in the First Century, and it is a bridge because it connects the Gospels to the Epistles. If you want to understand Acts better, then this is the book for you. I wholeheartedly recommend it, but I recommend that you purchase it with The Gospel of Luke: Good News for the Poor. Stay tuned in 2014 for the final volume of the New Testament entitled The Epistle to the Hebrews: High Priest in Heaven.

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!

Journey to the Kingdom (Paraclete Press)

For someone who reviews A LOT of books, I rarely speak with the authors of those books. This is due in part to the fact that time is very limited in my schedule. (This blog is not my job, but a side-project of love.) This can also be attributed to the fact that I know authors have busy schedules too, and I don't want to impose on them. This being said, I'll drop them an occasional line to let them know I appreciated their book and to encourage them to keep writing. Every so often, I am blessed to have them respond to my email or, in the case of Fr. Papavassiliou. Fr. Papavassiliou emailed me after I reviewed his book Meditations for Advent and asked me to review his first book Journey to the Kingdom. I, of course, jumped at the chance, and I am VERY glad I did.

Journey to the Kingdom is an introductory guide to the worship service of the Orthodox Church, known as the Divine Liturgy. I hesitate to use the term "introductory" here, because I think it undervalues the book. Just because the text simple to read does not take away from its depth or beauty. Beginning with the opening Blessing and ending with the Dismissal, the reader possesses a step-by-step guide, or walkthrough, of what each part of the Divine Liturgy is and means. As Fr. Papavassiliou points out, though, this book is no substitute for actually attending, experiencing, and participating in the Divine Liturgy.

With all the beauty in this book, it was tough to pick a favorite chapter. It is for that very reason that I picked SIX chapters. The six chapters in this book which talk about the Creed are as good a reason as any to buy this book. In them, Fr. Papavassiliou masterfully explains key tenets of the Creed including Trinity, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, Baptism, and Resurrection. The chapters also explain interesting pieces of Tradition associated with the Creed. For example, the proclamation, "The doors! The doors!" is still declared before the recitation of the Creed, though it is more symbolic than anything today. In ancient days, this proclamation was given to doorkeepers to shut the doors and keep "spectators" from entering the Church. The Divine Liturgy is not a spectator sport, and only Orthodox Christians are allowed to receive Jesus in Communion.

I have had a great love for Orthodoxy for the past five years, and I am always trying to learn more about my Eastern brethren. I had the great joy of attending Divine Liturgy once, and I admit I was a little lost at points. I wish I had Journey to the Kingdom prior to attending. This is a must-read book for both cradle Orthodox Christians looking to deepen their faith and potential converts who are in the inquiry stage. It's also wonderful for people like me who just want to know more about Orthodoxy, how they celebrate, and what they believe. I love everything about this book, except for the presentation of the illustrations. They are black and white, and I wish they were in color instead.

If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

Meditations for Advent (Ancient Faith Publishing)

There are a few authors out there who have a special way of writing, a way that touches the reader's heart. They paint a picture with their words and shine new light onto subjects we have been statically observing our whole life. Vassilios Papavassiliou is such a writer. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of reviewing his book Meditations for Great Lent and it deepened my appreciation for the season of Lent. Today, I am again blessed with the opportunity to review one of his books, Meditations for Advent.

In Meditations for Advent, Fr. Papavassiliou begins by distinguishing Catholic Advent from Orthodox "Advent." I put Advent in quotations here because it is a Western term and not widely used in Orthodoxy. The three differences are start date (November 15th for Orthodox vs. 4th Sunday Before Christmas for Catholics), focus (Incarnation/First Coming for Orthodox vs. First and Second Comings of Jesus for Catholics), and the fact that it marks the beginning of the Church Year for Catholics, whereas September 1 is the start date for Orthodox Christians. After Fr. Papavassiliou makes these distinctions, we embark on a four part journey which focuses on Spiritual Preparation, the Scriptures, the Icon of the Nativity, and the Incarnation. The careful reader will notice that Fasting is missing, and that is because it was so thoroughly covered in Meditations for Great Lent that Fr. Papavassiliou didn't want to re-hash the same information in this book.

The first section of the book, Spiritual Preparation, is a quick stroll through the season and important feasts on the calendar. Each chapter in this section is chock full of hymns that will help expand your knowledge and deepen your appreciation of the beauty of Christmas. Section Two, which addresses the Scriptures, references Christological foreshadowing in Old Testament stories such as Jonah and the Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace. We FINALLY arrive at the section I was itching to read, a discussion of the Icon of the Nativity. I would have loved if Fr. Papavassiliou had addressed all aspects of the icon, but instead he focuses on the manger, the animals, and the star. The explanation from St. John Chrysostom on the star was mind-blowing to me and I will never view the star the same way again. The last section deals with Christ as the New Adam and coming into world as the Light that shines in the darkness of the world.

If you are an Orthodox Christian, then this is an essential book for your library. Even if you're not, reading this book will increase your understanding of Advent and, more importantly, increase your appreciation of what Christmas really is about. I would like to close with a quote from the book. "The Feast of the Nativity is a celebration of divine weakness overpowering human strength, of good conquering evil, of the light of divine knowledge dispelling the darkness of ignorance. This is not just a cause for an annual celebration, but is the strength of our Christian faith and the joy of divine Light which the darkness of evil can never extinguish."

I received this book for free from Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

When God Spoke Greek (Oxford University Press)

Kids today are learning foreign languages at an earlier age and with better grasp than my generation or my parents' generation ever did. Frankly, I must admit that I am jealous of them at times. I also feel at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to this skill set. Anytime I try to learn a language, and I have tried several times, I get burnt out and quit before making much progress. Recently, I have been trying to teach myself Greek using this website, in order to be able to read the Bible in Greek. I fell in love with the Septuagint years ago and it is my go to source for the Old Testament. Needless to say, when I heard that Oxford University Press was releasing a book on it entitled When God Spoke Greek, I knew I had to read it.

When God Spoke Greek is a scholarly work dealing with the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) and the making of the Bible as a whole. How scholarly is it? Let's just say the book is 216 pages long, but 40 of those pages are notes, further readings, and the index. After a brief introduction, which includes terminology and the aim of the book, Dr. Law takes us on a brief but thorough history of the Septuagint. The book begins with how Greek became the language of choice and ends (as much as something with an open-ending can) with Jerome and Augustine.

As someone who grew up Southern Baptist, I was taught that Scripture never changed and the words on the pages of my Bible were the same words on the original scrolls. This way of looking at things and takes a great deal of faith to believe that there wasn't one translation or transcription error in all the centuries that past. It wasn't until years later after my conversion to Catholicism that I learned that this is a very naive perspective. Dr. Law elaborates on this very matter by explaining the use of textual plurality by early translators and transcribers By pulling from several different manuscripts, these men sought to show what the Scriptures were saying and convey it to us.

There are so many fascinating sections in this book that I had a hard time deciding on what to highlight as my favorite section of the book. Eventually, I decided that I greatly appreciated the numerous comparisons between the Masoretic and Septuagint texts. The differences in the two texts range from a few words being different to whole books being rearranged. There are even some chapters that are different in length depending on which source you use. Where this would have once scandalized me, I feel more mature in my understanding and appreciation of the Bible. It was also enlightening to learn that the New Testament authors primarily read and used the Septuagint. Dr. Law includes examples of this in his book as well.

Overall, this was a very edifying book that increased my love for the Septuagint, which I didn't think was possible. It wasn't a quick read, like I originally expected. However, like most good things, it was worth the effort of a careful and slow reading. I hope Dr. Law continues to write books about the Septuagint and that each one will delve deeper and deeper into this beautiful text. If you're looking for an thoughtful and well put-together introduction to the Septuagint, you will want to read this book!

If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

The Queen and the Cross (Pauline Books and Media)

Pop Quiz! Tomorrow is an important feast in the Universal Church Calendar (Catholic and Orthodox). What is it? (Find the answer at the end of this paragraph.) Throughout the year, the Catholic Church celebrates six great feasts, the Holy Days of Obligation.   Similarly, the Orthodox Church recognizes twelve feasts that have a special place in their Church Calendar. This doesn't include Easter which is the Feast of Feasts. I love that the Orthodox Church recognizes exactly twelve Great Feasts, as twelve is an important Biblical number.  I wish the Catholic Church took a cue from our Orthodox brethren. We designate some important Feasts, including the one tomorrow, as optional in the name of convenience, when we should look forward to the opportunity to celebrate these momentous occasions with out Church family. Ranting aside, did you come up with tomorrow's Feast Day? It's the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. My review today relates to tomorrow's Feast Day.

The Queen and the Cross is a wonderful children's book that tells the story of St. Helen and her quest to find Jesus' cross. For those of you unfamiliar with who St. Helen is, she is the mother of the Emperor Constantine. Constantine is given credit for making Christianity legal in 313 with the Edict of Milan. In this book, one gets a full picture of the finding of the Holy Cross. We see why Helen wanted to find the Cross; her meeting of Macarius, the Bishop of Jerusalem; the finding of three crosses (Jesus' and the two thieves'); and how she determined which cross was THE Cross. You'll have to read the story to find out.

The book starts with a prayer from the Stations of the Cross (Catholic) and ends with a Hymn from the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Orthodox). I appreciate the inclusion of both West and East as parents from both sides will appreciate the message of this book.  I also appreciate that the book mentioned where pieces of the Holy Cross are worldwide, in case you get the urge for a pilgrimage. However, since St. Helen is the patron saint of archaeologists, I wish the book would have addressed some of the other great relics St. Helen found, like the remains of the Magi, but it did not. That is not a dealbreaker for me, though, and I still give this book 5 stars.

If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!

CUA Press: A Service of Love

Welcome back to Stuart's Study! I am very excited to announce that Catholic University of America Press has agreed to let me review one of their books. Those of you who love the Church Fathers should be very familiar with their Fathers of the Church series. It was this series, which I first discovered at Auburn University's Library, that kept calling my name as I made my first few tentative steps on my journey to Catholicism. While I only own a few books in this impressive collection, I have a goal to one day own them all. Today, I will be reviewing A Service of Love, which I hope will be the first of many reviews for this wonderful publisher!

Ecumenism, or perhaps one day even reunion, between the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church has long been hindered by a few sticky subjects in high theology. These issues serve as points of disagreement and contention between people on both sides. Some of the major issues that plague these two groups include the primacy and infallibility of the pope and the Filioque as it relates to Trinitarian procession. Rev. Msgr. Paul McPartlan, a professor of Systematic Theology and Ecumenism at the Catholic University of America, addresses some of these issues in his work A Service of Love.

With fewer than 100 pages and only three chapters in this book, one might infer that this is a quick read. Don't be fooled by the relatively small size, though. Rev. Msgr. McPartlan packs these pages with depth and insight. Throughout this book, we are shown the contrast between primacy and collegiality through the millennia. For example, Pope Innocent III was the first to use the papal title "Vicar of Christ." Before him, all other popes used the title "Vicar of Peter." The book also states that Pope Innocent III believed that all bishops were "the members of the body of which he was the head." This contrast of primacy and collegiality led to the issue of jurisdiction. Cardinal Ratzinger offered a possible solution to the issue of primacy; he suggested the use of papal titles from the patristic era, such as, "first in honor."

To me, the most fascinating section in this book was the discussion of the Council of Vatican I. The only thing people really remember about that council was that papal infallibility was established/defined at that time. However, since Vatican I was cut short for political reasons, the bishops never had a chance to read and debate Tametsi Deus, which dealt more fully with bishops and the Church at large and was supposed to complement Pastor Aeternus, the document that dealt with the primacy and infallibility of the Pope.

This is a superb book, which is easily worth 5 stars. I consider myself of average to above average knowledge with regard to the subjects of papacy, primacy, and ecumenism, but I learned a great deal from this little tome. What I most appreciated about this book was that it didn't just present problems. It also offered possible solutions. We must come to accept and embrace that the primary ministry of the Bishop of Rome is "a service to the Eucharist, and to the ecclesial communion that flows from it." If you would like to better understand the subjects in the above paragraphs, this is the book for you. In fact, I would recommend it to Catholics and Orthodox alike. May the Eucharist unite what has been separated, and may there be unity of East and West in our day.

If you found this review helpful, click this link and hit Yes!

Conciliar Press: Words for our Time

Another month is ending, and it's time for an Orthodox book review. I know I say this every month, but this will be my last Orthodox book review for a while. No, I mean it this time! I do have a couple of Orthodox books that might make it into the "Children's Corner" section of this blog, but for now consider this my final Orthodox book review. With that in mind, I can't think of a better title to review than Words for Our Time by Matthew the Poor, so thank you Conciliar Press for making it possible for me to review this work.

The back of this book starts by saying "Abba Matta of Egypt, known in the West as Matthew the Poor, is widely regarded as the greatest Egyptian elder since St. Antony the Great." Let that sink in for a minute. This is not a statement you make haphazardly. St. Antony the Great is regarded as the Father of All Monks, and it was his biography (written by St. Athanasius) that helped spread the idea of monasticism. To compare a 20th century monk to arguably the greatest of all monks is high praise! You can learn more about him in the introduction, but Matthew the Poor was also a prolific writer, who is credited with authoring 181 books in Arabic. Sadly, very few of them have been translated into English. However, Words for Our Time is not one of his books. It is instead a selection of his informal talks to monks and visitors.

This book is not presented chronologically, but is instead divided into four sections: 1. Spirituality, 2. Christian Living, 3. On Scripture, and 4. On Feasts and Fasts. Most of the talks in this book are from 1973 to 1979, but one was in 1987. I'm not sure why this decade was chosen to highlight, but it stood out to me, so I felt it was worth mentioning. Topics touched on are love, the Resurrection, the Epistle of Romans, etc. Looking at the Table of Contents, I honestly thought that I would be drawn to the section on Scripture. However, Abba Matta surprised me and instead fascinated me with his talks on Christian Living.

The talk/chapter that most spoke to me was called, "A Word to Married Couples." In this talk, there is much discussion about how a husband and wife become one. He states, "This union continues in Heaven," and, "The bond that links spouses is spiritual and eternal." That was very beautiful to read and made me appreciate my wife all the more. Later in this talk, he also tells us that we must give up our "self" to love our spouse more and that we are responsible for the salvation of our spouse and children. For someone who was never married, Matthew the Poor was spot on with his advice. I hope to take it to heart and practice it better with each passing day.

This is a 5-star book and a great introduction to Matthew the Poor. I look forward to seeing what future titles Conciliar Press will release, and if there will be any others by Matthew the Poor. If you would like to read more of Matthew the Poor, you could check out works such as "The Titles of Christ," or "Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way."

If you found this review helpful, please click the link and hit Yes!