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With What Zeal: Curated Essays on the Western Rite in the Antiochian Orthodox Church
This volume is a compilation of documents and essays which are intended to describe the mission, history, and practice of the Western Rite Vicariate in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. The book consists of four Foundational Documents; History of the Western Rite; Liturgical Practices; Select Essays. In addition, the complete "Ordinary and Canon" of the Rite of St Gregory and the Rite of St Tikhon are included, as well as a Select Bibliography. Nearly all of these essays have been published in various magazines or journals, most of which are readily available on the internet but are collected here for convenience' sake. Some new essays also appear, which were commissioned where there were obvious lacunae. Where deemed necessary, brief explanatory notes precede select essays.
396 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2023
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November 6, 2024
As per recommendation: This was a very informative read, something I think all Orthodox Christians should at least be familiar with. I'd love to see more work published on this topic.
This is a collection of essays, articles, and speeches given regarding the little known Western Rite of the Orthodox Church. It's broken into three sections: the history of the Western Rite, the practices of the Western Rite, and miscellaneous articles reflecting on the importance of the Western Rite.
There is so much misconception about the WR and its legitimacy in Orthodoxy, and this book endeavors to clear up those ideas by presenting to their Eastern kindred exactly why this Rite should exist, its canonicity, ancient heritage, and its value to the Orthodox world, especially in North America. There is so much I did not know or understand until I read this book, and I think it does a great job of explaining why the Western Rite has been accepted by the Eastern patriarchs and should be welcomed by the rest of the Eastern laity. I personally know some Eastern Orthodox people who look down on the WR as "inferior" and that's truly just ignorance and arrogance speaking. The Western Rite has just as much to offer as the Eastern one, and both together are a beautiful depiction of Christ, as this book makes very clear.
On a literary note, I think the editing of this book could use some work. I found a number of typos and misprints. Some pieces are more technical than others and not as easily understood by the average reader. I would love to see this book become a stepping stone for a more comprehensive and cohesive work on the practices and history of the Western Rite as opposed to just a collection of essays, since there is some redundancy in the different articles.
This is really just a book for the Orthodox reader and probably more for one who is curious about the Western Rite in particular or questions its legitimacy. It's more of a historical defense and exploration of Western Rite and not entirely something the casual reader would enjoy. As someone who regularly dips my toes in the Western Rite, I think every Eastern Orthodox person should be aware of the basics about it, especially so that the air of suspicion and negativity surrounding it can be dissolved. While I personally see myself as an Eastern rite person, I've enjoyed getting to explore the WR and completely back their mission, especially in this country. It may just be the shot in the arm that our culture needs!
This is a collection of essays, articles, and speeches given regarding the little known Western Rite of the Orthodox Church. It's broken into three sections: the history of the Western Rite, the practices of the Western Rite, and miscellaneous articles reflecting on the importance of the Western Rite.
There is so much misconception about the WR and its legitimacy in Orthodoxy, and this book endeavors to clear up those ideas by presenting to their Eastern kindred exactly why this Rite should exist, its canonicity, ancient heritage, and its value to the Orthodox world, especially in North America. There is so much I did not know or understand until I read this book, and I think it does a great job of explaining why the Western Rite has been accepted by the Eastern patriarchs and should be welcomed by the rest of the Eastern laity. I personally know some Eastern Orthodox people who look down on the WR as "inferior" and that's truly just ignorance and arrogance speaking. The Western Rite has just as much to offer as the Eastern one, and both together are a beautiful depiction of Christ, as this book makes very clear.
On a literary note, I think the editing of this book could use some work. I found a number of typos and misprints. Some pieces are more technical than others and not as easily understood by the average reader. I would love to see this book become a stepping stone for a more comprehensive and cohesive work on the practices and history of the Western Rite as opposed to just a collection of essays, since there is some redundancy in the different articles.
This is really just a book for the Orthodox reader and probably more for one who is curious about the Western Rite in particular or questions its legitimacy. It's more of a historical defense and exploration of Western Rite and not entirely something the casual reader would enjoy. As someone who regularly dips my toes in the Western Rite, I think every Eastern Orthodox person should be aware of the basics about it, especially so that the air of suspicion and negativity surrounding it can be dissolved. While I personally see myself as an Eastern rite person, I've enjoyed getting to explore the WR and completely back their mission, especially in this country. It may just be the shot in the arm that our culture needs!
Displaying 1 of 1 review