Suggested Reading List
All of these titles can be ordered through the St. Sophia Parish Bookstore.
For Initial Inquirers
The Orthodox Church - Metropolitan Kallistos Ware - The classic introduction to Orthodox history, theology, and worship. Essential first read.
The Orthodox Way - Metropolitan Kallistos Ware — A more spiritually reflective companion, exploring God, prayer, and the Christian life.
Becoming Orthodox - Peter Gillquist - An accessible, personal account of a community's journey into Orthodoxy; very appealing to Western converts.
A Basic Guide to Eastern Orthodox Theology - Eve Tibbs— A clear and accessible introduction recommended especially for those new to Orthodox theological categories.
Orthodoxy: Faith & Life (2 volumes) - Bishop Gerasimos of Abydos - A comprehensive catechetical resource covering the breadth of Orthodox belief and practice.
Orthodoxy and Catholicism: What are the Differences? - A concise guide for those coming from a Roman Catholic background or wishing to understand the key points of divergence between the two traditions.
Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Finding the Way to Christ in a Complicated Religious Landscape - Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick - An indispensable guide for converts and inquirers navigating the modern religious landscape, comparing Orthodoxy with Protestant, Catholic, and other traditions with charity and clarity.
A Faith Encouraged: A Devotional Guide to Being Orthodox on Purpose - A warm and practical guide for those wishing to live their Orthodox faith intentionally and not merely by habit or convention.
Light from the Christian East - James R. Payton Jr. — A helpful bridge for those coming from Protestant backgrounds.
Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven - Saint Innocent of Alaska — A brief, warm, and spiritually rich guide by one of America's great missionary saints; wonderfully accessible.
On Worship & the Liturgy
For the Life of the World - Alexander Schmemann — A widely beloved and beautiful theological exploration of the sacraments and how Orthodox Christianity sanctifies all of life.
Introduction to Liturgical Theology - Alexander Schmemann — For those wanting to go deeper into the why behind Orthodox worship.
The Meaning of Icons - Leonid Ouspensky & Vladimir Lossky — The authoritative introduction to Orthodox iconography and theology.
Seeing the Gospel: An Interpretive Guide to Orthodox Icons - Eve Tibbs— An excellent practical and theological guide to reading icons as windows into the Gospel.
Blessed is the Kingdom- Stavros N. Akrotirianakis — Reflections on the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom - Simply reading and praying through the text of the Liturgy itself is invaluable preparation.
On Orthodox Theology & Doctrine
Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind - Eugenia Constantinou — Addresses the crucial challenge of developing a genuinely Orthodox mind rather than merely adopting Orthodox practices while retaining Western theological assumptions. You will learn and think about things you never have before!
The Religion of the Apostles: Orthodox Christianity in the First Century - Stephen DeYoung — Demonstrates the deep continuity between Second Temple Judaism, the Old Testament, and Orthodox Christianity. Especially valuable for those from Evangelical backgrounds.
The Whole Counsel of God: An Introduction to Your Bible - Stephen DeYoung — An excellent Orthodox introduction to reading and understanding the whole of Scripture within its proper tradition.
Arise, O God: The Gospel of Christ's Defeat of Demons, Sin, and Death - Andrew Stephen Damick — A powerful exploration of the cosmic dimensions of the Gospel - Christ's victory over the powers of darkness - grounded in Scripture and the patristic tradition.
God Is a Man of War: The Problem of Violence in the Old Testament - Stephen DeYoung — Addresses one of the most challenging questions in Christian apologetics with theological depth and patristic grounding, showing how the Church has always read these difficult passages
Apocrypha: An Introduction to Extra-Biblical Literature - Stephen De Young — An invaluable guide to the deuterocanonical books accepted by the Orthodox Church and their place within the broader scriptural tradition.
Elements of Faith: An Introduction to Orthodox Theology - Christos Yannaras — A rigorous and rewarding introduction to Orthodox theology from one of Greece's foremost theologians.
The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church - Vladimir Lossky — A more demanding but rewarding study of Orthodox dogmatic theology.
Orthodox Theology: An Introduction - John Meyendorff — A concise academic overview of core theological themes.
The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity - Clark Carlton — Written especially for Western converts; clear and catechetical in tone.
Know the Faith - Fr. Michael Shanbour — Presents Orthodox Christianity in a way Western Christians can understand, grounding each point in Scripture and patristic theology, with comparisons to what Catholics and Protestants believe.
On Mission & the Church in the World
Mission in Christ's Way - Archbishop Anastasios of Albania — A theologically grounded and practically visionary account of Orthodox mission. Archbishop Anastasios is one of the great missionary figures of our time.
Facing the World - Archbishop Anastasios of Albania — Explores how Orthodox Christianity engages contemporary society, culture, and global challenges with the fullness of the Tradition.
On Prayer & the Spiritual Life
The Thunderbolt of Ever-Living Fire - Archimandrite Vasileios of Iveron — A luminous and poetic work on the nature of Orthodox prayer and liturgical life from the Abbot of /veron Monastery on Mount Athos.
The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology - compiled by Igumen Chariton of Valamo —An indispensable treasury of Orthodox teaching on prayer, drawing from the Philokalic tradition; more accessible than the Philokalia itself as a starting point.
The Way of a Pilgrim - Anonymous — A beloved Russian classic on the Jesus Prayer and the inner life.
Beginning to Pray - Archbishop Anthony Bloom — Practical. warm, and deeply accessible guidance on Orthodox prayer.
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica — A profoundly gentle and life-giving collection of teachings from a beloved Serbian elder, centred on the transformative power of our inner thoughts and attitudes. Accessible to all levels.
Wounded by Love: The Life and the Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios — The spiritual memoir and teachings of one of the greatest elders of the twentieth century - a figure of extraordinary love, discernment, and joy. Deeply beloved by Orthodox Christians worldwide.
The Forgotten Medicine / The Mystery of Repentance - Archimandrite Seraphim — A rich reflection on the sacrament of Confession as the heart of the Christian life - relevant for both inquirers approaching their first Confession and the faithful seeking to deepen their practice of repentance.
Lives of the Saints & Patristic Reading
Saint Silouan the Athonite - Archimandrite Sophrony — Profoundly moving biography and spiritual teachings of a twentieth-century Athonite saint.
Saint Nektarios: The Saint of Our Century- Sotos Chondropoulos — The life of St. Nektarios of Aegina, one of the most beloved saints of modern times. canonized in 1961 - a figure who speaks powerfully to contemporary Orthodox Christians.
The Ascetic of Love - Nun Gavrilia — The remarkable life of Saint Gavrilia Papayannis, a Greek nun and world traveler whose radical love for all people made her a living icon of Christ. One of the most extraordinary spiritual biographies of the modern era.
On the Incarnation - St. Athanasius the Great — A short patristic masterpiece; C.S. Lewis's preface in some editions is a wonderful bonus.
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers (Apophthegmata Patrum) — Short, pithy wisdom from the early monastic fathers; perfect for daily reading.
My Life in Christ - St. John of Kronstadt — Spiritual diary of a great nineteenth-century Russian parish priest; ideal for daily devotional use.
Marriage, Parenting & Youth
Conversations with Children - Sister Magdalen — Warm, wise, and beautifully written conversations about the Orthodox faith addressed to children and youth— equally enriching for adults. Sister Magdalen writes from the monastic tradition of the Holy Mountain in a way that is gentle, honest, and deeply theological.
Building an Orthodox Marriage - Bishop John & Nicholas Mamey — Very helpful explanation of Orthodox Christian marriage that offers much practical guidance and wisdom.
Prayer Books & Practical Resources
Orthodox Christian Prayer Book (Newrome Press) — A comprehensive prayer book for daily Orthodox Christian life - morning and evening prayers, service texts, and devotional material. The standard edition for home and church use.
Orthodox Christian Prayer Book: Travel Edition (Newrome Press) — A compact version of the above, ideal for carrying on travels, commutes, or keeping in a bag. An excellent gift for inquirers and catechumens.
The Orthodox Study Bible - St. Athanasius Academy — The Scriptures with Orthodox commentary and the LXX Old Testament; essential for any catechumen.
Introducing the Orthodox Church - Anthony Coniaris — Simple, warm, and parish-friendly; often used in formal catechesis.
A Suggested Reading Path
These books are companions to - not substitutes for - life in the parish. The most important 'reading' remains attendance at Divine Liturgy and regular conversation with your priest or catechist.
For the New Inquirer - Begin Here
Ware, The Orthodox Way
Schmemann, For the Life of the World
Tibbs, A Basic Guide to Eastern Orthodox Theology
Bloom, Beginning to Pray
Going Deeper - Theology & Scripture
Constantinou, Thinking Orthodox
DeYoung, The Religion of the Apostles
DeYoung, The Whole Counsel of God
For the Soul — Saints & Spiritual life
Elder Thaddeus, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives
Elder Porphyrios, Wounded By Love
Archimadrite Sophrony, Saint Silouan the Athonite
Nun Gavrila, The Ascetic of Hope
Chariton of Valaamo, The Art of Prayer