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Orthodox Christianity: A Very Short Introduction explores the history, beliefs, and practices of the Orthodox Church. Although it is Christianity's second largest denomination, Orthodoxy remains shrouded in mystery and misinformation. This Very Short Introduction lifts that shroud to show Orthodoxy for what it is--a living, breathing way of being Christian embraced by some 300 million believers worldwide.
List of contents
- List of illustrations
- 1. In the beginning
- 2. Byzantines and Franks
- 3. Constantinople and Moscow
- 4. Persecution and resurrection
- 5. Sources of Orthodox thought
- 6." I believe"
- 7. One, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church
- 8. "We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth"
- 9. The mysteries
- 10. "Pray unceasingly"
- References
- Index
About the author
A. Edward Siecienski attended Georgetown University before earning his M. Div/STL from St. Mary's Seminary and University and his PhD from Fordham University. He is Associate Professor of Religion and Clement and Helen Pappas Professor of Byzantine Culture and Religion at Stockton University and the author of The Papacy and the Orthodox: Sources and History of a Debate and The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy.
Summary
To many in the West, Orthodoxy remains shrouded in mystery, an exotic and foreign religion that survived in the East following the Great Schism of 1054 that split the Christian world into two camps--Catholic and Orthodox. However, as the second largest Christian denomination, Orthodox Christianity is anything but foreign to the nearly 300 million worshippers who practice it. For them, Orthodoxy is a living, breathing reality; a way of being Christian ultimately rooted in the person of Jesus and the experience of the early Church. Whether they are Greek, Russian, or American, Orthodox Christians are united by a common tradition and faith that binds them together despite differences in culture. True, the road has not always been smooth--Orthodox history is littered with tales of schisms and divisions, of persecutions and martyrdom, from the Sack of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch, to the experience of the Russian Orthodox Church under the Soviet Union. Still, today Orthodoxy remains a vibrant part of the religious landscape, not only in those lands where it has made its historic home (Greece, Russia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe), but also increasingly in the West. Orthodox Christianity: A Very Short Introduction explores the enduring role of this religion, and the history, beliefs, and practices that have shaped it.
Additional text
Orthodox Christianity: A Very Short Introduction covers a remarkable gamut of topics...it is intended to introduce the topic, to spark interest, and to inspire readers to go deeper on their own...it is indeed a success.
