This important work offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of the Orthodox Church available, providing a detailed account of its historical development, as well as exploring Orthodox theology and culture Written by one of the leading Orthodox historians and theologians in the English-speaking world Offers an in-depth engagement with the issues surrounding Orthodoxy's relationship to the modern world, including political, cultural and ethical debates Considers the belief tradition, spirituality, liturgical diversity, and Biblical heritage of the Eastern Churches; their endurance of oppressions and totalitarianisms; and their contemporary need to rediscover their voice and confidence in a new world-order Recipient of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title for 2009 award

Table of Contents:
Preface xi List of Illustrations xiii List of Abbreviations xiv Note on Sources xv Introduction: Strange Encounters 1 1 The Pilgrimage of the Orthodox through History 5 A Brief History of the Orthodox from the Apostolic Era to the Middle Ages 5 Perspectives of history 5 Earliest Christian foundations 7 The development of ecclesiastical centres 12 The age of the Fathers 14 Creeds and councils 17 East and West: the parting of ways 20 The Slavic mission 23 The Organization of the Orthodox Churches from Medieval to Modern Times 24 The extension of the Orthodox Church 24 Synopsis of the organization of the Orthodox churches 30 The ancient patriarchates 31 The Orthodox Church of Cyprus 44 The Church of Sinai 46 The Russian Orthodox Church (patriarchate of Moscow) 47 The wider Russian heritage 55 The Orthodox Church of Greece 61 The patriarchal Church of Bulgaria 62 The patriarchal Church of Serbia 65 The patriarchal Church of Romania 66 The Church of Georgia 70 The Church of Poland 71 The Church of Albania 72 The Church of the Czech lands and Slovakia 73 The three autonomous Orthodox churches 73 The various Orthodox diaspora communities 76 The Orthodox Church in America 80 2 The Orthodox Sense of Tradition 90 The Holy Tradition 90 Sources of Authority in Orthodoxy 100 Orthodoxy's Reading of the Scriptures 102 An ecclesial reading 103 The principle of consonance 106 The principle of authority 108 The principle of utility 109 Patristic and Conciliar Authorities 110 The Symbolical Books 111 The Pedalion (Holy Canons) 115 Tradition and Revelation 116 3 The Doctrine of the Orthodox Church I: The Glory of the Lord 120 The Christian God 120 The Holy Spirit 126 The Lord Jesus 141 The Immortal Father 158 The Holy Trinity 166 4 The Doctrine of the Orthodox Church II: The Economy of Salvation 182 Humanity and its Sufferings 182 Salvation and the Call to Ascent 198 The Song of Creation 204 The Blessed Theotokos: Joy of All Creation 210 The Dance of the Blessed: The Angels and the Saints 222 Outside the Gates: Demonology and the Enigma of Evil 234 The Church: Bride of the Lamb 238 5 The Holy Mysteries and Liturgies 277 Greater and Lesser Mysteries 277 The mystery of baptism 282 The mystery of chrismation 285 The mystical supper: communion in the Holy Eucharist 288 The eucharistic liturgy 296 The mystery of metanoia 300 The mystery of the great anointing 306 The mystery of marriage 309 The mysteries of ordination 323 The lesser blessings of the church 335 The services of prayer 336 The Trisagion prayers 338 The daily offices 339 Personal prayers 346 Traditions of Orthodox Prayer and Spirituality 346 Methods of prayer 347 Prayer of the heart 349 The Jesus Prayer 351 Hesychasm 352 Fasting and feasting 353 The Holy Icons: Doors to the Kingdom 354 Sacred art 354 The Orthodox vocabulary of worship 356 Icons and iconoclasm 357 Icons of the Lord 361 Icons of the Virgin 362 Icons of the saints 363 6 'The God-Beloved Emperor': Orthodoxy's Political Imagination 380 Caesaro-Papist Caricatures 380 Byzantine Models of Godly Rule 381 The Ambiguity of Scriptural Paradigms of Power 384 The Concept of the Priestly King 388 Dominion as Apostolic Charism 390 Patristic Ideas on Symphonia 391 New Polities in the Aftermath of Byzantium 395 7 Orthodoxy and the Contemporary World 399 The Poor at the Rich Man's Gate 399 The Grace of Peace and the Curse of War 402 Freedom in an Unfree World 408 A New Status for Women 411 Biological and Other New Ethical Environments 415 Sexual Ethics and Pastoral Care 420 Ecumenism and the Reunion of the Churches 424 Religious Pluralism in the Global Village 426 Evangelism in a New Millennium 430 Glossary of Orthodox Terminology 436 Select Bibliography 443 Index 453