Orthodox books you have read or currently reading, reviews.

Arsenios said:
I spoke with my Spiritual Father about this topic recently. He told me that this withdrawal of grace is necessary for our growth. We need to struggle and suffer to see that God is our only hope. It builds humility which then attracts the Grace of the Holy Spirit. My spiritual Father said that even when this Grace is withdrawn we can be assured God is even more present. He gave the analogy of a child learning to walk. We have to let the child fall on his own but we’re there all the same to save them from serious trouble.
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This is interesting because even though I'm aware of at least a number of my sins, which are pretty constant (due mostly to sex drive, in my view), I've had some interesting revelations during the times I consider to be "less than ideal." I think the biggest weight of modern life is how we are so distracted, and even addicted to stimulation (or places like here, sadly, where there is information, it's interesting, etc). Isolation is big too. All of these things weigh on thoughtful forum types, because we have very few outlets to talk to people who either understand, or are interested in such things. Even older people, who are in touch with religious things, think particular complaints about life are silly or they are relatively dismissive about them. I don't hold it against them, but I do find that theology, since it is interesting, can be something similar, when not applied to the current world.
 
Orthodoxy and the religion of the future, by Seraphim Rose.

Aliens, UFOs, demons, magic, the occult, hinduism etc etc... Nothing to watch on a Friday night? This is the book for you.
 

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Way of the Ascetics by Tito Colliander

Its a short read but concisely lays out the Orthodox path of asceticism with examples from modern, every day life to illustrate the points, which makes it a lot more accessible than works written from a monastic viewpoint
 
A good book to read on the topic of UFOs and aliens from an Orthodox Christian perspective. It is a very recent book, written about 2-3 years ago, so it is very relevant to our time and age. The book also covers research by secular and occult people who have researched aliens and UFOs. It also talks about how some Protestant groups and the Roman Catholic Church are willing to accept the appearance of extraterrestrial beings. It talk about UFO abductions that people have experienced and the psycological and mental impact its had on these people, for example, confusion, depression and even suicide.71T01o7vDIL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_FMwebp_.webp
 

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I recently finished Невидимые Пустыники Афона, or “invisible desert-dwellers of Athos.”

There is a long-held tradition on Athos that there are 12 (some say 7) ascetics who lead lives of such perfection that they have the gift to appear only to whom they, or God wishes. It is said that the final Divine Liturgy before the Last Judgement will be served by them on the summit of Mount Athos. When one dies, another ascetic is invited to take their place. There is usually a spiritual father, who leads a pure life, who is chosen as the one who administers the Holy Mysteries to these ascetics, however, it has been known that if there is no one available, then they can appear to a lowly Hieromonk for communion (this is the source of many of the stories, they visit a monk, who then tells others of this amazing secret and the ascetics admonish him before leaving to find another confessor.) sometimes they have even appeared to pious pilgrims on the mountain

The book is essentially a collection of anecdotal evidence about their existence. Saint Paisios is the most explicit, saying that he personally knew several of them. It also details the existence of numerous hermits, who, while perhaps not invisible, nevertheless lead extraordinarily severe lives; dedicating themselves to praying for the entire world.

It made me realise how important this is. Non-orthodox might pour scorn on these hermits, but I truly believe that when there are no more monks praying for the world night & day, the end will be very near.
 
I am currently reading The Illness and Cure of the Soul in the Orthodox Tradition by Hierthos Vlachos and about halfway through. Coming from a Catholic/protestant background, this book has not only been informative on the nature of the soul, but also (I hate to use the phrase) earth-shattering. It dismantles so much of what I learned in evangelical protestantism over the years. I've always struggled with a vicious cycle of sin and the resulting guilt. This book is really illustrative of the true issues of the soul. Vlachos is a proponent of asceticism as a cure to the ills of the soul, as well as making the point that the Orthodox Church is a hospital.

I'm coming from years of having read so many self-help style books like Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen, or Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer. At best, the teaching methods of these books could only teach you to polish turds in your thinking and in your mind, which is not where issues truly lie.

The Illness and Cure of the Soul is profound and really illuminates the mechanics of what our issues as fallen humans are.

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The book Created in incorruption is a very insightfull short 100 page book on creation, it talks about the state of man, the animals and the cosmos before the fall. It explains that there was never bad weather, the fruits never perished or spoilt, man never had an imagination and didnt have any bodily needs or passions, there was no sexual intercoarse and no using the bathroom etc, it also exaplins that the entire cosmos also changed and we no longer have the same sun and moon etc, I was blown away when I read this about 2 years ago.
 
iu


Great book of Orthodox prayers / poetry.

I'm also reading the Wisdom of Sirach for the first time. I definitely recommend that for those who haven't read it yet.
 
Knight.of.Logos said:
I'm also reading the Wisdom of Sirach for the first time. I definitely recommend that for those who haven't read it yet.
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I just started that last night. There are some great sayings in the Wisdom of Sirach even though it's an often overlooked book. All the wisdom books of the Old Testament are like nourishment for the mind and soul.
 
Knight.of.Logos said:
iu


Great book of Orthodox prayers / poetry.

I'm also reading the Wisdom of Sirach for the first time. I definitely recommend that for those who haven't read it yet.
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I havent read the extra books of the old testament that the Orthodox Church has that the protestants dont have when Queen Elizabeth removed them so looking forward to that some day👍🏻
 
I read "On the Priesthood" by Chrysostom recently.

CHURCH FATHERS: On the Priesthood (John Chrysostom)

Featuring the Church Fathers, Catholic Encyclopedia, Summa Theologica and more.
www.newadvent.org www.newadvent.org

Bit long-winded in some parts, but an exceptional breakdown on the challenges of becoming a priest.

I know my own soul, how feeble and puny it is: I know the magnitude of this ministry, and the great difficulty of the work; for more stormy billows vex the soul of the priest than the gales which disturb the sea.
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The Synaxarion, The Lives of Saints of the Orthodox Church is edifying and inspiring, and it's what I read most mornings before I say my prayers. It has almost all the saints, a very good index for looking them up by their names or dates of commemoration, and its entries are longer than the Prologue of Ohrid, but shorter than The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints. Patristic Nectar recorded the entire set and you can listen for free on their mobile app.

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The Synaxarion, The Lives of Saints of the Orthodox Church is a 7 vol. set by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra, Mt. Athos, published by Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady Ormylia, Chalkidiki, Greece. It's $350 USD inside the USA.
Distributor in USA: Sebastian Press
Distributor in Canada: Alexander Press
Distributor in Australia: Apostle Paul Bookstore

The Prologue of Ohrid is a 2 vol. set by Sebastian Press that costs $135 USD in America.
This collection by St. Nikolai only has short entries for two or three saints each day, so it's short but includes hymns, a reflection, and a homily from Saint Nikolai of Zhicha (1880–1956), aka St. Nikolai Velimirovich.

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The Prologue is also available online:
Today's reading on the old calendar
Choose your date
Prologue daily readings audio

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dmitri of Rostov is a 12 volume set of about 500-600 pgs each, written by St. Dmitri and published by Chrysostom Press or The Brotherhood of St. Herman. It contains full length, unabridged lives of the saints for each day of the month. Each volume is available in soft or hard cover for $28-33 USD, plus the cheapest shipping inside the USA is $7 ea.
Some entries from The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints


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There are also two more online sources that I use a lot:
Mystagogy Resource Center Saints and Feasts
Orthodox Church of America Lives of the Saints
 

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Read_Lives_of_Saints said:
The Synaxarion, The Lives of Saints of the Orthodox Church is edifying and inspiring, and it's what I read most mornings before I say my prayers. It has almost all the saints, a very good index for looking them up by their names or dates of commemoration, and its entries are longer than the Prologue of Ohrid, but shorter than The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints. Patristic Nectar recorded the entire set and you can listen for free on their mobile app.


The Synaxarion, The Lives of Saints of the Orthodox Church is a 7 vol. set by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra, Mt. Athos, published by Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady Ormylia, Chalkidiki, Greece. It's $350 USD inside the USA.
Distributor in USA: Sebastian Press
Distributor in Canada: Alexander Press
Distributor in Australia: Apostle Paul Bookstore

The Prologue of Ohrid is a 2 vol. set by Sebastian Press that costs $135 USD in America.
This collection by St. Nikolai only has short entries for two or three saints each day, so it's short but includes hymns, a reflection, and a homily from Saint Nikolai of Zhicha (1880–1956), aka St. Nikolai Velimirovich.


The Prologue is also available online:
Today's reading on the old calendar
Choose your date
Prologue daily readings audio

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dmitri of Rostov is a 12 volume set of about 500-600 pgs each, written by St. Dmitri and published by Chrysostom Press or The Brotherhood of St. Herman. It contains full length, unabridged lives of the saints for each day of the month. Each volume is available in soft or hard cover for $28-33 USD, plus the cheapest shipping inside the USA is $7 ea.
Some entries from The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints



There are also two more online sources that I use a lot:
Mystagogy Resource Center Saints and Feasts
Orthodox Church of America Lives of the Saints
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Thank you for the breakdown on these, I've been wanting to find some books on the Lives of the Saints, but something that is a bit more comprehensive about each life and it sounds like Rostov's compilation is a good one to get.
 
You're welcome!

St. Rostov's Great Collection must be at least twice the length of The Synaxarion. I know a guy who has both and he says the longer one is just too much for him in regards to the time it takes, but he has four kids, so maybe it's better for bookworms and speed readers.

Now that I've had The Synaxarion for a few years and have read most of the entries at least once, I would love to have the Great Collection as a reference for when I want to read more about a particular saint.
 
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