Books For Lenten Reading
Treasure-House of Mysteries: Explorations of the Sacred Text through Poetry in the Syriac Tradition
Sebastian Brock
Why was Cain’s sacrifice rejected, but Abel’s accepted? How did Joseph react when he came home and found Mary with child? Questions such as these served as the starting points for St Ephrem and other poets of the early Syriac tradition in these lively and highly imaginative poems where they explore the deeper spiritual meanings of the biblical text with great insight. Written with considerable verve, these narrative poems and dramatic dialogues offer the modern reader an unusual and refreshing perspective on some key passages in the Bible.
ISBN: 9780881414219 (St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press: $24, not yet available on Amazon.co.uk)
The Mystery of the Church A Course in Orthodox Dogmatic Theology (2012)
Boris Bobrinskoy
In this sweeping survey the author traces the Church’s history from her Old Testament roots to the present. In his enduring devotion to the Orthodox understanding of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit as ‘the two hands of the Father,’ Fr. Bobrinskoy brings his considerable knowledge and experience to bear in witnessing to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church as the instrument of God’s saving grace for all mankind. This work achieves an uncommon balance of exacting scholarship, spiritual depth, and accessibility from which readers at every level are bound to reap great benefit.
ISBN 978-0-88141-388-5 £34.48 (£28.00 used) on Amazon.co.uk
Orthodox Theology in the Twenty-first Century
Metropolitan Kallistos Ware
Metropolitan Kallistos examines the future questions and concerns that await Orthodox Christianity and its theological reflection. Long-renowned for the depth of his theological, historical, and ecclesial work, he maintains that recent Orthodox preoccupation with the church will give way to theological engagement with what it means to be human. In that anthropological endeavour, he argues that Christian theology has steep challenges to meet – but also crucial insights to offer – for illuminating the human condition.
ISBN 2825415715 £12.92 from Amazon.co.uk
The Sublime Life of Monasticism
Bishop Mettaous
The funeral prayer is prayed on the monk during his ordination so as to raise him from the earthly life to a heavenly life. For this reason many people left the world and their family and lived in the deserts and caves longing for this life, the life of Christian perfection. Today many books are published about the lives of these monks which drew many youth To the monastic life, yet one question is repeatedly asked “what are the signs of the Monastic calling?” In this book there are many spiritual experiences of a monk who tasted the sweetness of this life in the wilderness of scetis and we hope that through this book you will find the answer to this question.
ISBN 9780980517163 £8.00 from Amazon.co.uk
Bringing Jesus to the Desert
Bradley Nassif
Who were the Desert Christians of the Middle East ? Why did they live in remote monasteries ? How does their ancient wisdom speak to us today ? A good introductory book on Orthodox monasticism.
ISBN 9780310318309 £8.99 from Amazon.co.uk
