More From Mar Cassian's Ministry

Book of Common Prayer of the Syrian church

In The Book of Common Prayer of the Syrian Church, Bede Griffiths, a monk of the Kurisumala Ashram in Kerala, India, presents a rich tradition of biblically based theology articulated through "a wealth of poetic beauty which has never been equaled." Providing an English translation of the daily prayers based on the West Syrian liturgy and approved for use in the Syrian Orthodox and the Catholic Syro-Malankara Churches of South India, Griffiths carefully attends to the rich complexity of the Syriac liturgical tradition. The result is unparalleled access to a distinctively Asian tradition of Christian prayer and theology, prayer and practice, suffused with awe and wonder before the divine mysteries. Originally printed in India, and available only in very limited circulation, Gorgias Press is pleased to introduce Western and worldwide audiences to this rare treasure of the Christian East, presenting Bede Griffiths' The Book of Common Prayer of the Syrian Church to a wide English-language readership of students, scholars, clergy, and laity.

Christ is Calling You! A course in catacomb pastorship

"The time has come, young man, for you to hear a voice which has been calling you..."

With these words, Fr. George Calciu began a series of seven weekly homilies to the youth of communist Romania in 1978. Hundreds of young people risked their lives to hear him, climbing over the walls when the authorities tried to keep them away.

Fr. George knew this would mean his imprisonment and probable death, but he was prepared. Already he had endured sixteen years in the anti-human communist prison system. He was a survivor of the scientific experiment of Pitesti: the most diabolical system of torture ever devised, which attempted to methodically dismantle the human personality. Having had the very foundation of his soul defiled, Fr. George found the inward strength to turn to Christ, from Whom he received not only restoration and healing, but even the superhuman power to love and forgive his torturers. On his release from prison, he gave his homilies out of his desire to! lay down his life for Christ and for young people lost in materialism. Purified in a crucible of suffering, his fiery soul cried out to them, awakening them to the purpose of existence and changing their lives forever. He was again incarcerated in 1979, and after his release in 1984 he was exiled to America. When he returned to Romania in 1989, ten thousand young people came to pray with him, despite concerted efforts by the authorities to stop this event.

Fr. Calciu's sermons and a recent interview are presented here, offering a glimpse into the heart and soul of a genuine pastor and a living confessor of Christ. His sermons render an urgency and set the tone for contemporary Christian pastors under impossible conditions, when no human logic can prevail, but only direct dependence on God.

What do we mean by the word Orthodox?

By St John Maximovitch

Shortly after the doctrine of Christ began to be propagated among the Gentiles, the followers of Christ in Antioch began to be called Christians (Acts XI:26). The word “Christian” indicated that those who bore this name belonged to Christ-belonged in the sense of devotion to Christ and his Doctrine. From Antioch the name of Christian was spread everywhere.

The followers of Christ gladly called themselves by the name of their beloved Teacher and Lord; and the enemies of Christ called His followers Christians by carrying over to them the ill-will and hatred which they breathed against Christ.

However, quite soon there appeared people who, while calling themselves Christians, were not of Christ in spirit. Of them Christ had spoken earlier:

Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven (St. Matt. VII:5).

Christ prophesied also that many would pass themselves off for Christ Himself: Many shall come in my name, sayings I am Christ (Matt. XXIV:5). The Apostles in their epistles indicated that false bearers of the name of Christ had appeared already in their time:

As ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists (I John II:19).

They indicated that those who stepped away from the doctrine of Christ should not be considered their own:

They went out from us but were not of us (I John II:19)

Warning against quarrels and disagreements in minor matters (I Cor. I:10-14), at the same time the Apostles strictly commanded their disciples to shun those who do not bring the true doctrine (II John I:10). The Lord, through the Revelation given to the Apostle John the Theologian, sternly accused those who, calling themselves faithful, did not act in accordance with their name; for in such a case it would be false for them.

Of what use was it of old to call oneself a Jew, an Old Testament follower of the true faith, if one was not such in actuality? Such the Holy Scripture calls the synagogue of Satan (Apocalypse II:9).

In the same way a Christian in the strict sense is he only who confesses the true doctrine of Christ and lives in accordance with it. The designation of a Christian consists in glorifying the Heavenly Father by one’s life.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (St. Matt. V:16).

But true glorification of God is possible only if one rightly believes and expresses his right belief in words and deeds.

Therefore true Christianity and it alone may be named “right-glorifying” (Ortho-doxy). By the word “Orthodoxy” we confess our firm conviction that it is precisely our Faith that is the true doctrine of Christ. When we call anyone or anything Orthodox, we by this very fact indicate his or its non-counterfeit and uncorrupted Christianity, rejecting at the same time that which falsely appropriates the name of Christ.

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Read more: What do we mean by the word ORTHODOX | Preachers Institute

source: http://preachersinstitute.com/2010/04/what-do-we-mean-by-the-word-orthodox/

Introducing the Orthodox Churches

by Paulos Mar Gregorios





For more by him: http://www.amazon.com/Paulos-Gregorios/e/B001ICIZ4M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Sharing God and a sharing world

Another must read from Geevarghese Mar Osthathios

A Beginner's Guide to Prayer: The Orthodox Way to Draw Closer to God

"Fr. Patrick Reardon gives us desperately needed reflections on the saints in a style and substance fit for contemporary people." -- Fr. Thomas Hopko - 

 This is a book for those of us who are struggling to establish an effective prayer life. Written neither for monastics or scholars, A Beginner’s Guide to Prayer speaks to the average man or woman on the street who desires a deeper relationship with God but is unsure how or where to begin. Drawing from nearly 2000 years of Orthodox spiritual wisdom, the author offers warm, practical, pastoral advice whose genius is to be found in its homespun simplicity and straightforward style.