The Mind Of The Orthodox Church

by Hierotheos Vlachos, Esther Williams (Translator)

The chapters making up this book were talks given to the Catechists of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens in the year 1989-90, and they examine what the Church is and what the real dimensions of the mind of the Church are. At the beginning of the book the chapters "Origin and Revelation of the Church" and "Definition and Characteristics of the Church" emphasise that the Church is not a human organisation but a Divine-Human Organism. It is the Body of Christ and a "communion of deification". The source of the Church is God Himself. The characteristics of the Church (One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic) are analysed, as well as the aim of the Church, which is man's deification and salvation. An explanation is given of who the real members of the Church are. In the chapter on "Orthodoxy according to the Holy Fathers" it is made clear that Orthodoxy is the true faith and the real Church, because only within the Church is the salvation of man made sure. The unity between the Church, Orthodoxy and the divine Eucharist is underlined, since the holy Fathers stress that Orthodoxy is the true faith of the Church and the divine Eucharist is the true action of the Church. The chapter entitled "The Church and the Divine Eucharist according to St Maximos the Confessor" looks in detail at the teaching of St Maximos the Confessor on the Church and the Divine Eucharist in a work of his called "Mystagogy". The divine Eucharist points to the whole work of the divine Economy and signifies the soul's journey to acquiring true knowledge. Within the Holy Temple (the Church building) and the divine Eucharist Christians have the living experience of the unity of the Church.

Genres: Theology, Faith

247 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

His Eminence Hierotheos, Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlassios in Greece, is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on the Orthodox spiritual life. A prolific writer, he has authored more than fifteen books, many of which have been translated into English. His Eminence’s theological vision may be summed up in the following quotation, taken from his The Science of Spiritual Medicine: “The whole therapeutic method of the Orthodox Church is not aimed simply at making human beings morally and socially balanced, but at re-establishing their relationship with God and one another. This comes about through the healing of the soul's wounds and the cure of the passions through the Sacraments and the Church's ascetic practice.”

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fundamental book for beginning to understand Orthodox Christian theology and an entrance to deeper reflections about the writings of the Holy Fathers. A reflection that cannot be dissociated from a ascetic life of the Orthodox Church.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are of the church insofar as we are of the Holy fathers. Page 239.

[Yanni · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times a poor translation - but the spirit is captured in this somewhat uncompromising catechism: in occasion it is harsh compared, say, to the catechistic writings of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, for example. But then, well, I guess, a catechism is a catechism...

[Mina Talaat · Rating 5 out of 5]

الكتاب جيد للغاية , علي الرغم تحفظي لبعض الاشياء التي ذكرها المتروبوليت فلاخوس
اعتقد عنما اتعمق في بعض الاشياء سوف اكون ردود عليه
غير ذلك فهو جيد و يعبر عن الايمان الصحيح , ليس من وجهة نظري او بما اعتقد بل لما هو يتوافق مع الاباء و الكتاب المقدس
انصح بقراءته و قراءة باقي اعمال الكاتب