Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology

by Andrew Louth

Publisher:

SPCK

, 2013

Overview

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest church in the world, with 300 million members. Formally splitting from the Catholic Church in 1054, through the centuries the Eastern tradition grew more distinct. In this introductory volume, Andrew Louth surveys the rich tradition of the Eastern Church. Accessible to the newcomer and helpful to the faithful, Louth’s work is a valuable addition to the library of any Christian.

Key Features

• Surveys the theology and history or the Orthodox Church
• Details the distinctive characteristics of Eastern Orthodoxy
• Introduces readers to the Orthodox Church in one accessible volume

Contents

• Introduction: Who Are the Eastern Orthodox?
• Thinking and Doing, Being and Praying: Where Do We Start?
• Who Is God? The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity
• The Doctrine of Creation
• Who Is Christ?
• Sin, Death, and Repentance
• Being Human—Being in the Image of God
• Sacraments and Icons: The Place of Matter in the Divine Economy
• Time and Liturgy
• Where Are We Going? The Last Things and Eternal Life

Top Highlights

“If there is anything distinctive about Eastern Orthodoxy, it is not that it is an exotic belief, remote from what Western Christians believe Rather, its distinctiveness is to be found in the way in which the traditional faith of Christians is upheld among the Orthodox. For Orthodoxy sees its faith as expressed, and tested, in prayer and worship.” (Page xix)

“But for Eastern Orthodoxy it is in prayer and worship of God that our faith is defined and refined: a God who created the world and loves it, whose love is expressed in his identifying himself with his creation, and especially the human creation, made in his image, through the Incarnation and the cross, a love that is manifested in its transfiguring power through the resurrection. The centrality of prayer and worship prevent us from narrowing down our faith to some human construction, however magnificent.” (Page xx)

“encounter with Christ entails opening ourselves to an inner transformation, to a fundamental repentance.” (Page 7)

“Fundamentally that is the case, because such truth is not so much a matter of getting things right, as genuine encounter with the Person of Christ, witnessed in the Scriptures, safeguarded in the definitions of Church Councils, and experienced in the sacraments and the Church.” (Page xix)

“The creed, we need to remind ourselves, is not a list of things to believe, it is itself a liturgical text, belonging, first of all, to the baptismal liturgy.” (Page 2)

Endorsements

This is an exceptional introduction to Orthodoxy. Instead of presenting a summary of church history, teachings and practices, Andrew Louth grounds his account of the Church and her theology in the encounter with God in liturgy and prayer, expounding historical controversies and theological themes as they arise out of that encounter. The result is both personal and profound, inviting readers to explore and experience for themselves the mystery of God in Christ.

—John Behr, dean and professor of patristics, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

Andrew Louth has produced a humane, wise and very accessible introduction to the teaching and practice of Eastern Orthodoxy. He explains difficult doctrines in such a way that they make sense, and places a particular emphasis on prayer and worship. This is a truly excellent introduction, full of memorable passages, and ideal for anyone who has wondered about Orthodoxy and wishes to have its main features explained.

—Averil Cameron, professor of late antique and Byzantine history, University of Oxford

Andrew Louth brings a lifetime of superior patristic scholarship to this volume, but casts aside all the usual academic cares to offer us a direct, personal vision of Orthodoxy as he knows and loves it. Central to the endeavor is the crucible of prayer: this is the touchstone for everything he wants to commend in the tradition he has embraced as his own.

—Sarah Coakley, Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge

Product Details

• Title: Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology
• Author: Andrew Louth
• Publisher: SPCK
• Print Publication Date: 2013
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Orthodox Eastern Church › Doctrines
• ISBNs: 9780281069651, 9780281069668, 9780830895359, 0281069654, 0281069662, 0830895353
• Resource ID: LLS:NTRDCNGSTRNRTHD
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:29:57Z

About Andrew Louth

Andrew Louth is professor emeritus of patristic and Byzantine studies at Durham University, England, and visiting professor of Eastern Orthodox theology at the Amsterdam Centre of Eastern Orthodox Theology (ACEOT), in the Faculty of Theology, the Free University, Amsterdam. He is also a priest of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh (Moscow Patriarchate), serving the parish in Durham. His recent publications include Introducing Eastern Orthodox Theology, Greek East and Latin West, AD 681-1071, Maximus the Confessor and The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition.