Daniel B. Clendenin (ed.): Eastern Orthodox Theology

Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader
2003, ISBN 0-8010-2651-2

Helps to understand the way, the Orthodox see and do theology and to see some of the pronounced differences between Orthodox theology and classical and modern Catholic and Protestant theology.

The book is a collection of essays on the important features of Eastern Orthodox theology written by leading Eastern Orthodox theologians of the 20th century:

• Sergius Bulgakov
  
• George Florovsky
• John Karmiris
  
• Vladimir Lossky
  
• John Meyendorff
• Bradley Nassif
• Leonid Ouspensky
  
• Alexander Schmemann
• Christoforos Stavropoulos
  
• Timothy (Kallistos) Ware
• Timothy P. Weber

The book covers four areas with several essays by different authors:

• Theology as Worship: Liturgy and Sacraments: liturgy, sacraments, icons, the Virgin, saints, angels
  
• Theology as Tradition: Councils and Fathers: tradition, authority, ecclesiology
  
• Theology as Encounter: God, Christ, and Humanity: apophasis, trinity, the filioque, theosis
  
• Theology as Mission: Orthodoxy and the West: ecclesiology, ecumenical relations, conversions
  

Eastern Orthodox Theology is written by Eastern Orthodox theologians for western readers, The editor selected aspects which are important for westerners, but they are described as seen by the Orthodox.

The book shows that orthodox theology is not monolithic and very much alive in our time. Most of the essays are understandable for a non-specialist like me, though some aspects of the trinity theology did take me out of my depth.

Many essays demonstrate that western theological and ecclesiological categories often do not fit for the orthodox church - an aspect the western church is usually not even aware of in ecumenical relations.

I'd consider this book mandatory reading for any westerner who is in contact with Orthodoxy, especially in ecumenical relations.

Meic Pearse: The Age of Reason

The Baker History of the Church, Vol. 5,
ISBN 0-8010-1278-3, 2006

The Age of Reason describes the church history from the Wars of Religion to the French Revolution, , covering the time period from 1570 to 1789.

Highly recommended - an eye-opener.

This is not an edifying book, on the contrary: it's mainly the history of fights between and within churches and denominations. The book makes very clear that the age of reason was not an age of Christian tolerance and it is honest about it - there is no covering up of the "not so nice" behavior of Christians of all creeds during that time. And that makes it, in my view, a very important book to read: to get an honest look without at where one's own denomination (whichever it is) is coming from.

I own quite some books on church history, but none of them did treat this era as thoroughly and impartially as this one, most have a tendency to treat only the nicer or the more heroic parts (whichever those are in their view).

The book is written more from an historical than from a theological point of view. Not only historical but also theological developments are described historically - there is no right or wrong creed.

This history of the church has a feature rarely found in church histories: it is not written from a denominational viewpoint, at least it was not possible for a (critical) reader to find out which that could be. The positive and problematic aspects of the denominations during that time are shown impartially - which can make it difficult but also eye-opening for people who like to see theology and history exclusively or mainly from the viewpoint of their own denomination.