Top 5 Best Orthodox Books for Protestant Inquirers
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2024
- #orthodoxy #protestantism #theology #inquirers
What are the top resources for diving into Orthodox Christianity? There are many good books but the ones named here are some of the best! On this episode of The Transfigured Life, we dive through some key reading for inquirers.
(Disclaimer: You can't read yourself into the faith. We highly encourage visiting a local Orthodox Church and discussing with an Orthodox Priest)
Like & share your thoughts below!
![Lp. Последняя Реальность #99 ПОСЛЕДНИЙ СЕКРЕТ [Санчез] • Майнкрафт](/img/1.gif)
I'm not a Catholic, Protestante nor Ortodox. I was an atheist who found the absolute truth that GOD does exist. I'm trying to find the right denomination. Could you pray for GOD to help me find the truth and lead me and my family to salvation?
As a former protestant I would highly suggest Eastern Orthodox. I know its not what you asked but if you want heavenly beauty and poetry this is the place to go meet Her.
For those inquirers that are not too sensitive and wants straight claims to evaluate:
1. Rock & Sand - Fr Josiah Trentham
2. The Way - Clark Carlton
Haha, I had a feeling these two would be in your top 5
Father Josiah mailed to me the Clark Carlton book in 1999, he inscribed it. I still have it and it has my pencil notes as my first two years we ( the Orthodox Mission ) still needed our Priest. I was nominated to Sing in the Choir from my first visit, a Christmas Carol night. ALL of our theology is in our hymns. I was welcomed into the Faith in 2003/27/12 Glory to Jesus Christ……Glory forever 💖💙💚
‘The Way’…that brings back memories from my Orthodox-inquirer days. (In fact I once had all four of Carlton’s books in that series)
Rock and sand was profound for me!
you know its a good day when Fr and Luther upload
💯
Thanks for the plugs, my friends!
Our pleasure Father!
On another note. We're excited about your two YT channels! Let's go!! ☦️🔥🔥
The plug for the realest! All day!
Jonathan Pageau was my plug!
Alan Watts helps like a stepping stone but his goal is to be forgotten not to be followed.
What two YT channels??@@TheTransfiguredLife
Coming from a very low church, iconoclastic, reformed Presbyterian Church into ROCOR, the top 2 would be:
1. Religion of the Apostles by Father Stephen De Young (theology)
2. Rock and Sand by Fr. Josiah Trenham (history)
I have a lot of those books. Fortunately, "Know The Faith" and "Becoming Orthodox" are both offered in digital form for FREE from Ancient Faith. Rock and Sand and Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy are definitely on my list of books to get.
I have becoming orthodox good book
One of my favorite channels. I have all of the books you mentioned and will be sure to share this one. Thanks!
I also enjoyed "Thirsting for God in a land of shallow wells".
Thanks brother! And absolutely love that book! ☦️🔥🔥
That book basically convinced me of the Truth of Orthodoxy, thank God!
I'm still a protestant learning about Orthodoxy but some of my favorites (that weren't mentioned have been:
Truth Matters, Life Matters More
The Mountain of Silence
Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future
I have Truth Matters but I just need to prioritize reading it. Thanks for sharing. What protestant tradition are you a part of?
@@TheTransfiguredLife currently LCMS Lutheran, born and raised Southern Baptist.
@@chrisj123165 Gotcha! Well wishes on your journey! ☦️
The first book my dad read was Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future. He loved it. He went from a biker to an acolyte in just a few years. :)
My 5 for protestants are in this list. Fantastic lists!
🔥🔥🔥
Excellent lists! I will add the one by St. John of Damscus to my own reading list. A few others that really helped me were Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Frederica Mathews Greene, Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos Markides, A Basic Guide to Eastern Orthodox Theology by Dr. Eve Tibbs, and finally, the text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Crysostom. Nothing speaks stronger and more effectively than the Liturgy itself. ☦️😊
Frederica Matthews Green is amazing! Can't believe her & "Thinking Orthodox" by Dr.Jeannie wasn't mentioned between the two of us.
@TheTransfiguredLife ah Dr. Jeannie, YES. I missed that one too. So many wonderful Orthodox writers!
Love the energy of this duo! So much of orthodoxy is serious and I really appreciate the fun yall have with this. Well done.
We appreciate that! Thank you! ☦️
Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells by Matthew Gallatin was greatly influential on my journey to Holy Orthodoxy.
That was probably my favorite back during my Orthodox-inquirer days about 20 years ago.
Great recommendations, thanks.
I would add the first two volumes of Fr. John Strickland's Paradise and Utopia as they are imperative to understanding that rome and protestantism are two sides of the same coin. Especially for those with an interest in history.
Y’all really nailed the RUclips algorithm thumbnail haha love to see it!
Haha thx! 😂
Arise O God and Rock and Sand. I’d encourage to listen to Rock and Sand, it just hits different.
It is amazing how many introductory books there are now. Thirty years ago there was just Introducing the Orthodox Church, Becoming Orthodox, and Fr. Thomas Hopko's "rainbow" series. As a new Orthodox, I remember getting a lot out of Journey to Heaven by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk.
An Orthodox YT where the host Luther says "Sup Father"? It seems the algorithm knows me far too well 😅 love it
😂💯💯
Just a note about Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy- be sure to pick up the second edition. It has a lot of new material in it as well as re-edited material.
I'm subbing, not because of the content but because of the positive vibes I'm getting from the two of you.
Keep sharing the good message
❤☦️🙏🇦🇺
We appreciate that! ☦️
I’m currently reading St. John’s On the Orthodox Faith. So much treasure in that book. I do confess that I found it to be very dense in many parts and it is taking me quite awhile to get through it but I am blessed to be able to read this.
Mine are: Thinking Orthodox, Faith of the Apostles, The Orthodox Way, The Age of Paradise, Division, Utopia & Nihilism (4 Volumes), Rock & Sand
New sub. Religion of the Apostles is definitely a good read.
Can we get a pinned comment with the list of both of your guys's recommendations
I recently asked my priest which of the Church Fathers would he recommend as the first to read by an enquirer or catechumen. He instantly replied "St John of Damascus", for the very same reasons Luther explained in the video.
When I was enquiring, over 30 years ago, as a former Roman Catholic, the 2 books recommended to me were 'The Orthodox Church' and 'The Orthodox Way' by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware.
These are very straightforward books dealing with the history and the faith of the Church in great detail. That's the sole reason for the books, and they are very easy to read.
They were my first books, and I'd highly recommend them to anyone.
Dancing Alone by Frank Schaefer I think is way underrated. It is a very strong polemic against American evangelicalism, so it's not for everyone. I understand Schaefer is controversial and has gone astray, but if you can look aside from that, it's great.
I agree with you. That book is so underrated. I recommend that one only to some people since we live in such a sensitive age.
A friend of mine told me his ex- protestant pastor got offended after reading "Rock and Sand" by Fr.Josiah Trenham 😐
@@TheTransfiguredLife
Many were offended in John 6 as well.
We shouldn't be afraid to offend by simply telling the truth.
Thinking Orthodox by Dr. Eugenia Constantinou has been hugely helpful to me as a convert on so many levels.
Have you seen her Bible study? I love it!
@@DustyBooks2020 it's excellent, but I can't remember where I left off.
Glory to God ❤
Great list!
For protestants, these were my top 5 that seem to explain the faith particularly to protestant inquirers not in any specific order.
1. The orthodox veneration of the mother of God -St. John Maximovich
2. Christ the conquerer of hell - Metropolitan Hilarion
3. Truth matters, life matters more - Hank Hannegraph
4. Orthodoxy and the religon of the future - Fr. Seraphim Rose
5. The mystical theology of the eastern orthodox church - Vladimir Losskey
But... if we were talking writtings of the earliest saints that speak to the faith without protestantism in mind id say
1. Apostolic fathers
2. 50 spiritual homilies - St. Macarius
3. Conferences - St. John Cassian
4. Philokalia
5. Eccumenical councils
Love recommending Protestant inquirers to read our contemporary saints on what differentiates Orthodox Christianity from their understanding of the Faith. For example, A Protestant’s Walk Through an Orthodox Church by Hieromartyr Daniel Sysoev is excellent!
Great books! Thanks! Another new one i am reading now that could be added to the list is, Journey to Reality, Sacramental Life in a Secular Age, by Zachary Porcu.
"Light From the Christian East"
By Western Christian!
Great chapters on Icons and "grace" and Theosis and the mysteries etc!
My top 5 were: Thinking Orthodox by Dr. Jeannie Constantinou; The Orthodox Way by Kallistos Ware; Silence on the Mountain and also, Gifts of the Desert, by Kyriacos Markedis; Religion of the Apostles by Fr. Stephen DeYoung.
I have never read St. John of Damascus in its entirety. Although I have read the chapters on terminology many many times.
Hello!
Where do y’all get your books? I’ve seen some Orthodox book that have been suggested for over $200 on Amazon. Is there a better place to order them?
Thank You!
I have only read one Orthodox book so far and it made me return to Christianity. That book is The Orthodox Way by Kallistos Ware.
That's much to celebrate! Amen! ☦️
As a Protestant inquirer into Orthodoxy, my literary journey began with Daniel B. Clendenin's two-part series *Eastern Orthodox Christianity* and Eastern Orthodox Theology. They are from a "Western perspective," but the second volume in particular is mostly essays by Orthodox theologians.
I have read *Know the Faith* and appreciated it for the same reasons Luther enumerated.
*Becoming Orthodox* by Fr. Peter Gillquist is another one.
*On the Incarnation* by Athanasius has also been very influential for me.
I listened to Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick's *Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy* lectures in podcast format.
I need to go back and re-read the Apostolic Fathers from a perspective of inquiring into Orthodoxy. But St. Ignatius' comment on the real presence in the Eucharist hit me hard when I read that. From my own exegesis of John 6, I would say Jesus is clearly speaking metaphorically there. But when I read St. Ignatius, a disciple of John the Apostle, attesting to the real presence at the turn of the second century, I have to consider that I have missed something. That I could very well be wrong.
Fr. Lawrence Farley just released “Living Faith: An Orthodox Christian Conversation with Evangelicals.” Excellent resource.
good video
What church is shown at 17:19?
What version of The Apostolic Fathers do you recommend? There are a lot of options online and I'm not sure which to get.
Hey! If possible get the one by Jack Sparks!
The letter that made me think was "Preaching Another Christ" by St. Theophan the Recluse. It's very blunt.
The other one I recommend is "Religion of the Apostles" By Fr. Steven De Young.
Very blunt! Thanks for the reminder I need to come back to that one! ☦️
Where can I buy the book of Saint Theophan.. everywhere it says sold out or not available..
@@Road2Heaven123
I bought my copy from St. Anthony's bookstore in Florence. You could give them a ring Tuesday
@@acekoala457 thank you, I live in Germany.. looks like a big mission to get one of them 🙂
@@Road2Heaven123
You may also be able to find a version online. It's not a long letter.
Would you guys like to do a collaboration at some point?
Would love to collab Father. Let's do it! ☦️🔥🔥
Orthodoxy is the one and true church. The one and only church God created and promised to preserve until the end of times. Glory to God ❤
In my hometown we have an Antiochian Orthodox church, guess what it was before? Evangelical Orthodox. St Peters of Madison MS. I did not know the story behind the book "Becoming Orthodox", with how it was former leaders of CRU then Evangelical Orthodox and then finally Orthodox, though I would really like to read it now. I mean St Peters Church is right up the street from my parents place maybe 5 minutes, always drove past it and never gave it a second thought, how cool.
I am a protestant inquirer.
Coming to Orthodoxy in 2000 when many books were not available yet and the internet just took off with America Online, my OCA priest gave me:
1- The Truth (Clark Carlton)
2-Of Water & The Spirit (Fr. Alexander Schmemann)
3- The Orthodox Church (Kallistos Ware)
Thanks for the lists. Will check out Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy. My Top 2 are "The Orthodox Church" by Timothy Ware and "The Religion of the Apostles" by Stephen de Young.
I want to add to this list “The Orthodox Understanding,” by Phillip Lebsack and James T. Dolemen. I made videos about it on my channel.
Never heard of it. Are you the author?
Can you please provide the list? Book names , authors , links to purchase? Thank you 🙏
Hello sincere questions.
As I'm on this journey as an Evangelical Pastor exhausted.
I am faced with the challenge of is it Catholic or the Orthodox church for me?
Both claim they are the original, historic, founded by Christ church.
It becomes for me a consideration of man's ability to corrupt things in an organization.
Proverbially. There were 5 Brother Patriarchs leading the churches in their care.
Which sin occurred between these brothers:
The sin of pride of the Bishop of Rome, claiming he had all the authority over the four brothers, or the sin of rebellion and scisim where the four brothers wouldn't submit to Romes central leadership?
As a Protestant I have seen BOTH these play out in churches on a much less global and historical scale. Pastors leave, throwing off authority and leadership, establishing their own works. Or some pastor gets a big ego thinking he's in charge of other pastors and everyone is appalled by the arrogance and over stepping.
Please pray for me.
This was really enjoyable to watch, God bless.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! ☦️
The apostolic fathers book - who is it by? I can’t seem to find that one
It's a bit pricey these days ⬇️
www.ebay.com/itm/285861983154?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1ZYxq2mh7QGKiRv2gbfM_8A24&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=285861983154&targetid=1583904486842&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9011546&poi=&campaignid=19894961968&mkgroupid=148855406073&rlsatarget=pla-1583904486842&abcId=9307911&merchantid=113075919&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyJqzBhBaEiwAWDRJVDN1f_0nsNg8Y1cKAkOargu8H4b0fLa1PjpU__7Vk-hfOFoBhW-DNhoCpGIQAvD_BwE
But you can read the writings for free online. 😊
@@TheTransfiguredLife thank you so much! I will see about finding them online.
Great recommendations but several of the ones they suggest are way too expensive (i.e. The Apostolic Fathers and The Way).
Good point. A more affordable alternative is "Thinking Orthodox by Dr.Jeannie Constantinou"
$71.39 for The Apostolic Fathers used on Amazon!!!
Im curious how people in the Orthodox Church feel about Ben Shapiro. Just as a person. Only asking because my orthodox friend starts to shake and turn red when he speaks about him.
Hes a Zionist jew who has been abandoned by God and will be subjected to his judgment the end times
I currently have no label other than Christian. Grew up Pentecostal Church of God. Been part of different denominations and non-denominational churches. Seen so many different things that I just have to go by what my Bible says as it’s the only sure thing. I believe the Reformation and Protestantism got a lot of things wrong. Like Luther said, created a whole other religion. EO intrigues me. I can honestly say we are brothers and sisters in Christ. But I have a hard time accepting things that aren’t at least expressed in some way in scripture. I see the Trinity in scripture, but I don’t see Calvinism. I see water baptism as a practice of those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through their faith, I don’t see that that water baptism itself does the regenerating. I have so many questions and no one to ask. There isn’t an EO church in my area. I’d love to hear Luther’s story on his journey to EO. I’ll find one of these books as well.
Thanks for sharing! And in this video I share a little bit of my journey to Orthodoxy ⬇️
ruclips.net/video/NL5RMYzkXO4/видео.htmlsi=cL-s67pK0liEqk-4
Clark Carlton’s The Way for $47.64 Amazon price.😮
Some of them are out of print. But we have some more affordable books on this list. Arise O' God and a few others will be a more affordable alternative.
KJV Bible + 1828 Dictionary
Done!
IMHO what my brothers in Christ who have converted to Orthodoxy to stop doing is intellectualizing Christianity. No one knows God better than Satan. Knowledge of God is not going to save our souls. We have to try to live the life of Christ. The beauty of Orthodoxy is that its teachings bring us closer to Christ. This is why the lives of the saints are so important for our spiritual growth. They explain to us why important aspects of spiritual growth, like humility, are necessary. They become our role models on how to handle adverse situations. These are the books we should be reading.
Did you read the disclaimer in the show notes?
@@nariamenard9117 The disclaimer says you should not just read but attend church. The topic of this video is important books to read in Orthodoxy. “you will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:16) What better way to teach others about the beauty of Orthodoxy than to talk about our saints. That when people follow the teachings of the Orthodox Church (like fasting and noetic prayers) they can achieve theosis. They then receive special gifts from Christ like clairvoyance and the ability to partake in God's energies. We are also called to become saints.
☦️☦️☦️
Top 66 books for pagan Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox enquirers; the Bible 📖. 😉
I read the Bible.
I became Orthodox partly because it is the only Body with a Consistent Scriptural Exegesis since Pentecost.
@@acekoala457 That is a very simplistic reason. The Roman Catholics will say they have authority and more consistency than your sect. You guys broke away from them and therefore you left and started your own religion.
@@truthdefenders-The 4 other patriarchs started a new religion? 😂
@@truthdefenders-
Except they don't have a more consistent Exegesis of Scripture and that's historically Demonstrable, no matter how much they protest.
But for the Protestant Worldview it's necessary that Rome was on the right side of the Schism since much of their own Theology is borrowed from them, like denying infants the Sacraments.
@@truthdefenders-
Who changed?
Because it wasn't the Orthodox.
Roman Catholics are your mother church, not ours.
Our Faith hasn't changed since Pentecost.
If God's real and wants worship why do we have to go looking for the right way to do it in a dusty old book?
Millions of goofballs writing their contradicting opinions about God, meanwhile he stays suspiciously silent on the issue.
Except He isn't silent. God works through the Holy Spirit in His Body, the Church, which has no Contradictory opinions about God.
*footnote on the Channels ‘Disclaimer’ > Orthodox Christians learn to think with our HEARTS and stay out of our HEADS.
*Learning all about you from a essay is not meant to replace having a cuppa with you. ☦️♥️🌀☕️
Best book for them is Answering Orthodoxy by Michael Lofton 😃
Nice try!
I can understand the demand for the book. It seems like almost every day Roman Catholics are entering our parishes in droves seeking to leave so they can join Holy Orthodoxy.
So in regards to the RC inquirers specifically, maybe directing them towards "Two Paths" by Michael Whelton and "The Truth: What every Roman Catholic should know about the Orthodox Church" by Clark Carlton. 😉
@@TheTransfiguredLife and then they leave a year later when they find out Orthodoxy was all talk and sold them a bill of goods. Or they don’t make it through the door because they are told they have to get rebaptized and thereby treated as if they were a pagan. I refuted Carlton in the book btw. He is atrocious and it shows how poor orthodox apologetics is. ✌️
This is sad
@@Cthuski What is?
@@TheTransfiguredLife Lofton plugging his book here and thumbing up his own comments
If you want to know God. Get a KJV bible.
I agree. I have been Orthodox for 35 years and use nothing else. It is the only translation that uses both the Orthodox text of the NT and translates it literally, with only a few mistranslations.
Luther, you do not know Jesus' teachings by proving it just from the beginning of this interview. Matthew 23:9 KJV: "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
1 Corinthians 4:15 Amplified Bible (AMP)For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation].
@@jeanoxley5383 You do not have to prove me that Paul was a pharisee, so I am not surprised he contradicted Jesus's "call no man your father upon the earth..." Jesus spoke against pharisees and priests, Paul reinstituted them. What a shame it is, you can see how they have twisted and divided teachings of the Master.
@@dariuslembert8717 It's just a shame that Paul must be outside the scope of our Lord's promise that the Holy Spirit would lead His Apostles into all truth. Not.
@@tclearytcleary Paul was an agent of Pharisees who cooperated with Roman authorities in order to maintain their status quo. They twisted Jesus Christ's teachings 180 degree. Where do you see the truth my friend???