Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader

Rating:
Summary: Orthodoxy as Worship, Tradition, and Apophatic Theology
Review: A Wide Spectrum Apetizer:
Eastern Orthodox theology, a Contemporary reader is a thoughtfully recommended introductory book to the novice Western Orthodoxa-phile, and all those born again AmericOrthodox. This book was designed as a companion reader to the author's apologia for looking into Orthodoxy, its history and theology. This introduction, of few concise essays providing enough information to get the reader briefedon various topics without the editor directly commenting on the content of the essay itself.
This reminds me of the man who asked Rabi Akiba to instructs him in Judaism while standing on one foot, Akiba's reply though informative is neither sufficient nor definitively qualifying.

An Orthodox Roaster: by a Protestant Editor
Daniel Clendenin, an Evangelical student of Eastern Orthodoxy, who knows enough to amaze most of the Orthodox Eastern and Orientals, is on InterVarsity staff at Stanford University. Clendenin included a balanced selection by some outstnding Eastern Orthodox theologians: Florovsky, Lossky, Meyendroff, and Schmemann, His selection from Greek theology was short of Zizioulis and Staniloae. He may have never heard of Orintals like fr. Matta, patriarch Ignatius, or metropolitan G. Khedr.

Essays Selection and Appreciation:
The book's editor, proved authentic and knowledgeable of petrified Orthodox practice when he wrote; Why I'm not Orthodox, Christianity today, Jan. 6, 1997. Although I am just a lay theologian ( Didaskalos or teacher of Faith) in the missionary Church of Alexandria, interested in learning what "diophysites" Orthodox had to say, since my early teenage. I came to know, specially the Neo Orthodox of St. Serge of whom Fr. Lev Gilet was very influential in the revival of Oriental Orthodox movement in the Middle east. Saying so, I could be less critical of some of the expressed views. No lesser an Orthodox than the Editor, I heartedly recommend this collection of essays as a broad spectrum introductory readership to Eastern Orthodox Doctrine: teaching
(Doctrine: from Doctor i.e. Teacher of the church, Didache: basic teachings), inspite of being a monotonic essays rather than Chatechetical dialogue (in the Alexandrine sense it should be Q & A dialogue)

Controversial Orthodoxy?
Whether this book is a full spectrum representative of contemporary Orthodox thinking? Sure it is, even though some of the authors are suspect and their opinions controversial in ecclesiastical Orthodox curia. The chapters are very well selected and cover a basic roaster of topics. Since the editor is Evangelical he skillfully included most of the issues of particular concern to Protestants, covering everything from the importance of the liturgy to the role of sacraments and Orthodox stances on the nature of God and such issues on salvation as Theosis (deification), the Eucharist, intercession of saints, praying with icons, and hesitant ecumenical relations with the Romans, and at least upper Church Protestantism.
Some of these articles may look somewhat controversial; that is because Oriental and Eastern Orthodoxy has a minimum of dogmatics, leaving more space for personal views, united by the long patristic tradition, since there is no central or strict doctrinal control in the traditional archaic sense.

So What is Orthodoxy?
Although I am reservedly fascinated with 'Byzantine' ontological theology yet this is remote from authentic Orthodoxy, the spirit of the desert fathers and their mysticism. Proff. Thomas Torrance expresses it well: the knowledge of God comes through the remarriage of Ontology with Epistemology. Surprisingly, they have never been divorced in real AlexandriAntnochine Orthodoxy. Alexandria cataphatic based apophatic allegory, biblical mysticism garnished with Nitria's practical Christianity of partaking in divine nature (Theosis) through ego mortification to self forgiveness, and being in continuing presence of the Lord,in praying unceasingly the arrow prayer of Macarius (adopted as the Jesus prayer): this is the only authentic Orthodoxy of sharing our being in Christ Victor.
Alas they were both (onto/Epistemology) very much dead although miticiously conserved like Saints relics, even petrified in ritualistic iconography, incense, and candles, etc.

Recommend Companion Readings;
1."Being as communion", by Bp. Ziziolas
2. Communion of Love, by Matthew the Poor
Christocentric essays of the contemporary Coptic abbot of St. Macarius
3. Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way

Rating:
Summary: Great Selection, Eminently Readable
Review: First I must note that I am not Orthodox, and neither is the book's editor. So I can't begin to guess whether this book is fair representation of Orthodox thinking. I happen to know that some of the authors and opinions are controversial in Orthodox circles. But I think the book is great. The selections are very well written and cover a broad variety of topics, including most of those of particular concern to Protestants, such as icons, saints, deification, and ecumenical relations. The introductions to each essay provide just enough information to get the reader oriented without intruding on the content. I have rarely enjoyed a thelogical book so much. The essays by Lossky alone are worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: Good collection of essays on orthodox thought
Review: This book was my first-ever purchase from Amazon.com 4 years ago. Although not a member of the Orthodox church, I pay some attention to theology and was interested in learning what the Orthodox had to say. I found this an excellent introduction to Orthodox doctrines, covering everything from the importance of the liturgy to the role of sacraments and Orthodox stances on the nature of God and ecumenicism. The anonymous reader from Northern California states that some of these articles are controversial; regrettably, I don't have information on that. Perhaps it is hard to avoid controversy in modern theology. In any case, if you're interested in the title subject, this is a good starting point.