The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism)

Rating:
Summary: Good Primer for Inquirers - Seasoned Veterans Go Elsewhere
Review: Clark Carlton's "The Way" is a solid text with good analysis on the diferrence between Protestant denominations and Eastern Orthodoxy. Though some reviewers have critized the text about Clark's understanding of Protestantism and the Southern Baptists Convention (SBC) in particular, they have not addressed the schisms in the Baptist faith (and Protestantism) nor have they been fair to Clark's text. The groups who have left Orthodoxy are much diferrent in dynamics than the splits in Protestantism (for one, when one leaves Orthodoxy, they are no longer Orthodox; but a schismatic Protestant is still a Protestant and is the logical outworking of Protestent doctrine).

As a former Baptist, I found nothing in error with Clark's review of the SBC. His review on other issues like 'sola scriptura' and 'tradition' are above average chapters, however, his refutation of 'sola' proof texts used by Evangelicals is average and I wish more detialed analysis on the texts were used. The chapter is only 15 pages and many texts have been dealt with more througohly by some of the Catholic Apologists. I assert he goes on a red herring in saying that Paul was only asserting the Old Testament when writing about the sufficiency of scripture- yes, that is a given, but the New Testament is still inspired scripture and when he finaly deals with this, his conclusion (which I agree with) is not as forceful as it should be.

I wanted to give this book a higher approval rating because I essentially agree with him on almost all points, but the book is too small and many other essenial tenets of Orthodoxy are either not discussed or barely touched such as Theosis. This book is probably very good for someone who is just being introduced to Orthodoxy and is him or herself at wits end with the heresies and schisms of Protestantism. For the seasoned reader looking for an apologitic to aid in articulating the faith, there is much better material elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: On a scale from 1 to 5 this is a 100
Review: Despite my low rating of this book, I do believe it should be widely read, for no other reason than that it is an excellent example of how propoganda is structured. The previous reviewer's comments on distortion of Baptist belief, his/her observations about the sweeping, self-righteous attitude, etc., are all quite accurate. It appears that Orthodoxy appeals to those who prefer to have their worldview imposed upon them, rather than reason it out themselves.

Rating:
Summary: Protestants need to know
Review: Mr. Carlton is a former seminarian from the southern baptist convention tradition. He explain his rather intence dissatisfaction with the SBC which led him to examine the numerous christian dictrines of theology. He raises many questions that all hardcore protestants should ask themselves. However, a protestant with a casual interest might be put off by Mr. Carltons zealousness for orthodoxy. There is also a companion speech by Mr. Carlton on CD. Clark Carlton has also written "The Truth: What every Roman Catholic should know about the Orthodox Church" and "The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity."

Rating:
Summary: Excellent if Polemical
Review: The "numerous factual errors" referred to by the previous reviewer are actually only disagreements between the author and the reviewer.

The author's statement that for Baptists "truth is what each individual says it is, and any attempt to suggest otherwise is a violation of individual freedom." Is perhaps strident in its tone, but IS factual. While it is true that Baptists state that truth claims must be judged against scripture, the proliferation of Baptist denominations and "non-denominational" fellowships underscores the authors point. To say that "Carlton has no idea what Baptists really believe" is simply the reviewers way of attempting to out-polemicize the Baptist seminary trained author.

The "numerous other deficiencies in this book" can be summed up by stating that the author is an Orthodox Christian and not a protestant like the reviewer.

Carlton does an excellent job of tracing the outline of his thought processes in his conversion to Orthodoxy, though I would have striven to be less strident and connect the dots a little better.

Rating:
Summary: Why isn't the WEF a "church?" Who are the real Jews?
Review: The author takes essentially the same tact as Roman Catholic apologists in "refuting" Protestantism - that Protestants have many different denominations, even within a single tradition such as the Baptists, and such divisiveness proves that Protestantism isn't really Christian.

Oh, please. What a bunch of mularky. Anyone who has investigated liturgical church traditions knows that they're just as divided as Protestantism - and often display far greater theological diversity. The Coptic Orthodox Church, for instance, is recognized as a valid apostolic faith by the Greek and Russian churches, yet this branch of "orthodoxy" rejects the dual nature of Christ and recognizes the Book of Enoch as inspired scripture. That says nothing of the Dominicans, Franciscans, and literally hundreds of thousands of "orders" within the Catholic church who quite often hate each other. Since Eastern Orthodoxy is in fact divided into nationalist churches that form a common "fellowship," than why aren't Protestant churches united through the World Council of Churches or the World Evangelical Fellowship, the latter of which has nearly as many members as Orthodoxy? If institutional unity is vital, then why do our benefactors in monotheism, the Jews, not display it themselves? Did Jesus spend one second trying to figure out which Jews - Pharisees, Saducees, Essenes, etc. - were the "real" Jews with Mosaic succession? No. Judaism today is divided into at least four main branches (with roughly the same propensity to split per population ratio as the Baptists) and practices a congregational polity similar to "low" evangelical churches. The "unity" of liturgical churches comes at the expense of government enforcement of religion and the trampling of basic human rights - any objective survey of church history, east or west, will confirm this. (The Inquisition isn't just a Roman mishap. The eastern church has plenty of blood on its hands, too, especially the Russian branch. In fact, the eastern church is even more reprehensible because unlike the Pope, the Orthodox have never apologized.)

Rating:
Summary: Why isn't the WEF a "church?" Who are the real Jews?
Review: The Way provides a concise overview of Orthodoxy along with a critique of and a comparison to Evangelical Protestant theology.

The author makes it clear that his work is polemical, ending the book in a Baptist "altar call" style by asking the reader to investigate and join Eastern Orthodoxy.

What isn't as clear, however, is that his critique and comparison focuses on Evangelical theology and other Protestants may not find their own traditions discussed adequately. They may even find themselves exclaiming, "Protestants believe that!"

Evangelical Protestants unfamiliar with Orthodoxy will find a method, language, and structure they can understand. Others will find the succinct descriptions of Orthodoxy very useful.

Rating:
Summary: Which way?!
Review: This book has a catchy title, it just begs that an "unsuspecting protestant" may pick up this book and read and reason into realizing that their faith is in vain, repent and head for the nearest orthodox church. Scott Hahn (fundamentallist to catholic) also has a lot to say that points out the lack of substance or basis for protestant christianity (well o.k. I guess their really saying that it can't be christianity). But which one is it then? Catholic or Orthodox? It seems that this is an very interesting argument for churchmen. But those who believe that Jesus had a mission beyond setting up an earthly ecclesiastical order and institution will sense the bluntness of the letter of the law.
I would recommend this book for anyone who is drawn to the orthodox church and wants to be further convinced and justified. As far as making the claim "The Way" . . . Jesus is still the way, - plus nothing!

Rating:
Summary: Great Book for Protestants
Review: This book really gets to the heart of the matter that separates Orthodoxy from protestantism: sola scriptura. Carlton's argumentation on the subject is reasonable and excellent. However I wish he could have handled 2 Tim. 3:16-17 a little better (go and buy Not By Faith Alone by Robert Sungenis for a more thorough discussion of this passage). He also does a fine job of showing that the early Church's structure and worship was not protestant at all. In response to another reviewer that stated that "Carlton didn't make a strong enough case for tradition" I would simply point out that one of Carlton's major points in the book is that the Canon of scripture is itself the product of the councils of the Church and her tradition. What better argument for tradition is there? The fact that we wouldn't know which books were inspired outside of the authoritative teaching of the Church and her tradition that has been passed down throughout the ages through the succession of bishops. Buy the book, it is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Good book IF you can get past inaccurate generalizations
Review: Whats with the negative reviews? The title is "What every protestant should know" NOT "More fadder for protestants" I doubt the reveiwer Kenneth L. Herfurth knows what he's talking about because when someone who was a Methodists leaves the Methodists Church and starts visiting a Baptists Church the Baptists will consider him a former Methodists not a current protestant. Also if someone leaves the Orthodox Church the Orthodox don't consider that person a protestant but a former Orthodox or maybe an Orthodox that hasn't desided if they're Orthodox or not?