Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind

by Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou

What does it mean to "think Orthodox"? What are the unspoken and unexplored premises and presumptions underlying what Christians believe? Orthodox Christianity is based on preserving the mind of the early Church, its phronema. Dr. Jeannie Constantinou brings her more than forty years' experience as a professor, Bible teacher, and speaker to bear in explaining what the Orthodox phronema is, how it can be acquired, and how that phronema is expressed in true Orthodox theology -- as practiced by those who are properly qualified by both training and a deep relationship with Christ.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Theology, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Spirituality

Audible Audio

First published November 15, 2020

Reviews

[Max Berendsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not have wished for a better book to guide me further on my path towards Orthodoxy. In "Thinking Orthodox" Doctor Constantinou writes about the process of acquiring the Orthodox mindset or "Phronema". The process of aquiring or rediscovering the Orthodox Phronema is an immense challenge for "Cradle" Orthodox Christians and converts to Orthodoxy alike.

The book is divided into three parts wherein the first part functions as an explanation of the Orthodox phronema by way of educating the reader in the history and the day-to-day aspects of Orthodoxy and how these have come to shape the Phronema at the beginning and early stages of the Orthodox Church and continues to maintain it up to today.

The second and third part focus on the shaping of the Phronema through Orthodox theology and the application of Orthodox theology in general, respectively. While at first glance these two chapters seemed a bit overwhelming for a lay catechumen like myself, they were very well written in a clear and approacable manner and I found them very helpful, interesting and informative.

One little downside may be that Dr. Constantinou can be a bit repetitive, but this is easily forgiven since we're not dealing with an easy subject here.

A must read for all Orthodox Christians, converts to Orthodoxy and enquirers!

[Marcas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can't finish. Really disappointing. I hope I am not being too harsh, but Thinking Orthodox is repetitive and filled with strawmen against the 'west' and unfalsifiable claims about 'the Orthodox mind'. Which is apparently so elastic that it can include anything and everything. Anyone who disagrees is portrayed as just 'not getting it'. This is not the serious scholarship I was expecting.
IMHO, Fathers John Behr, Andrew Louth, and Michael Plekon, or laypersons like Dr Guroian, Paul Ladouceur are much better. Likewise, Adam AJ DeVille of Eastern Christian books or Fr Dragani.

Eugenia does rightfully critique the crude convert to Orthodoxy, a most unfortunate by-product of the internet age, who sees everything through rose-tinted glasses. However, she falls into many of the same traps herself.
Her call for humility is welcome and her desire for better theological training, but her elastic Orthodox 'phronema' doesn't really provide any serious bulwark against this convertitis or armchair theologising. In part because, she says that Orthodox 'don't have definitions', don't or shouldn't use logic 'like the westerners', etc. That is ludicrous.

This valorised vagueness only allows armchair theologians to peddle their nonsense and present it as the 'true Orthodoxy' every bit as much as Dr. Constantinou presents her chosen and arbitrary constructs as 'the Orthodox mind'.

No. There are many Orthodox minds, and many better books on Orthodoxy than this one.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must start this review by saying that I wish this book had been in print 20 years ago when I entered the Orthodox Church, it would have likely saved me some struggle, or not, but it would have been very beneficial. Now this book is available it will be very useful for those seeking to enter the Orthodox Church, for a convert or cradle Orthodox, or those who want a better understanding on the differences between the Orthodox and Western Christian mindset, or phronema. Our phronema impacts how we do theology, our mindset, and how we interact with the world around us. We all have one, and Dr. Constantinou carefully lays out what it is, how it is developed and nurtured, some of the differences between the Orthodox and Western Christian phronema and how these differences developed. Conversations between Eastern and Western Christians are often fraught, and this book provides context to understand why that is.

The second part of the book focuses on the Orthodox understanding theology itself, what it is, and what it is not. This is one of those differences between East and West. Attention is given to why “armchair theologians”, (those who dabble in theology and provide opinions and criticisms yet have only a cursory understanding and no formal training in Orthodox theology), can place themselves in spiritual danger and potentially others as well. While this is not new, in these days of social media the number of armchair theologians has increased exponentially, I really appreciated the discussion. There are times to speak, and times to be silent, and this is addressed as well.

Dr. Constantinou obviously went to great effort to make this book as accessible as possible for the average reader, Orthodox or not. Deep topics are discussed clearly and placed in context with clear sources and a great bibliography and index are provided. This is not a book you will read once and set down, it is thought provoking and you will return to it time and time again.

[Yuri Zbitnoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The first two-thirds or so is pretty solid. I agree that it is very important for Orthodox Christians to cultivate a proper phronema and Dr. Constantinou has performed a great service for the Church by writing this book. This is a very difficult concept to grasp in the 21st century. The phronema of the Church is a parallel universe to the modern world. In contrast to the countries of the ancient world which had centuries of Orthodox tradition, America was founded upon Enlightenment ideals. Acquiring the phronema of the Church can be elusive, and there are things that can only be understood by submitting oneself to the life of the Church. Dr. Constantinou does a great job sketching the contours of the Orthodox phronema in a straightforward manner.  


The latter third, however, is a different story. 

While I don't dispute her theological credentials, I sense a bit of gatekeeping around matters of Holy Tradition and theology that has a politicized air about it.  On the whole, her sources are unimpeachable and solidly in line with Tradition, but she tips her hand on pg. 250 by directing her readers to "trustworthy sources" when it comes to matters of theology. Oddly, her list of "trustworthy sources" excluded ROCOR, but instead only listed GOARCH, OCA, Antiochian.org, and her publisher, Ancient Faith, as "trustworthy".  


Why is this a big deal? The past couple years have put the world of Orthodoxy to the test. This is not a dispute over who has the most sterling credentials. It's a matter of those who are IN the world versus those who are OF the world. In other words, who has the phronema of the Church and who has the phronema of the world? 


Dr. Constantinou admonishes us to refrain from getting out over our skis on matters of theology, but, as she points out repeatedly, this is a lived faith. Our phronema affects out outward behavior. At what point does the phronema of the world infect and conflict with phronema of Church? Beyond "theologizing", does she think there's a red line anywhere else? On pgs. 238-9, she contends that bad theologians would just be "ignored" should anyone spread heretical teachings, yet she has taken it upon herself to castigate the untrained masses to refrain from any attempt to discuss theology. The first question that must be asked is are any of the targets of her ire paying attention?  Does she really expect everyone to accept that the most pressing issue in the Orthodox world is "theologizing" without proper training? 


To the best of my knowledge, the Church does have formal mechanisms for rooting out heretics and schismatics. It's called excommunication. We can pray for a Synodal Council, but presently, there are many issues of great theological importance, many of which are at the level of the episcopacy, that must be addressed regardless of whether Dr. Constantinou approves. Many Orthodox Christians, Catechumens and Inquirers have no other recourse but to engage in online discourse to air these issues. There are no moves being made by the hierarchs to address matters of dogma that are creating confusion and disunity. Dr. Constantinou's attempt to just throw a wet towel on discourse in the absence of leadership from Church hierarchs feels tone deaf to the current state of affairs. 


There are three whole pages devoted to the danger of compromise, conformity and cowardice.  In light of the enormity of the challenges facing Orthodox Christians throughout the world, this would-be rallying cry feels especially unsatisfying when contrasted against the dozens of pages of chastisement that comprise this book. 


More importantly, does she believe the laity have any right to exercise discretion around matters of faith and theology when the laity and hierarchs are in disagreement? She concedes that we don't hold a doctrine of papal infallibility, but there is an aura of "Trust the Experts" to her arguments that mirrors the mantras of secular progressives and has more than a whiff of papism.


She spends an excruciating 100 pages on all of the pitfalls of misguided and misinformed theologizing, but it would have been more fruitful to spell out the theological errors that she feels are so rampant. She comes across like the Catholic scold she found so offputting from her own experience. The anecdotes she does offer feel like fallacies of composition or guilt by association inferences. As though the hot headed Orthobros and clueless Facebook mods she cites are representative of the entire online Orthosphere. The genie is out of the bottle, Dr. Constantinou. You may not approve of the fact that people are discussing theology without the credentials that you consider legitimate, but grousing about it in a book isn't going to change that. 


I'll concede the potential for pitfalls in online discourse, but it's as though she refuses to see any potential benefit to these discussions or that these forums are completely graceless. It's fine to dedicate a book to articulating a difficult and abstract concept, but once identified, the deeper questions of bringing this phronema to bear on issues of the contemporary world take priority.  


Is it an expression of a true Orthodox phronema to allow churches to close when the civil authorities declare them "not essential"? Is it an expression of a true Orthodox phronema to just blindly accept the "expertise" of civil authorities who clearly do not have Orthodox views and likely hold Christians in contempt? How is it consistent with an Orthodox phronema to just endorse an untested medical procedure when the conflicts of interest, politicized morality and dubious agendas of those behind it are apparent to a significant portion of the Orthodox world? Does a correct Orthodox phronema require that the dispensation of the Holy Mysteries needs to change in the name of "public health" simply because the civil authorities have proclaimed it?  Does she think that Holy Communion given on multiple spoons is a departure from Orthodox phronema? Does she think policing the laity for proof of certain injected medical procedures is a proper expression of Orthodox phronema?


She explains in detail how Western Christianity differs from Orthodoxy, but does Dr. Constantinou think ecumenism is a antithetical to the Orthodox phronema? Are there any elements among the episcopate that she identifies as experts making concessions towards ecumenism? What does the ecclesiastical schism in the Ukraine teach us about the preservation or abdication of the Orthodox 

phronema? How does one bring to bear the Orthodox phronema in a world where secular thinking permeates every institution?  Perhaps these questions are beyond the scope of what she intended to convey, but if having correct theology and a solid phronema are paramount, then it follows that one must address the questions of their practical application. 


Much like secular progressives, Dr. Constantinou decries the state of online Orthodoxy as a cesspool of misinformation and bad faith actors. She cites an exchange she had on Facebook as though it is representative of the entire online landscape. This is a gross distortion of the reality. At this point, there are a wide variety of Orthodox content creators who not only have unique gifts and perspectives, but in many cases possess a high level of scholarship or are themselves members of the clergy. There is a robust online Orthosphere with people who are making substantive content. This was true during the time the book was written, but even more so now. To just blithely dismiss the various content creators as uninformed dolts who possess no genuine expertise is wildly uncharitable. Furthermore, among the most well known online content creators, none of them are saying that their content is in any way a substitute for Divine Services, Confession, reading Scripture, studying the lives of the saints, or participating in the life of the Church. Nor is anyone that I'm aware of discouraging seeking the actual sources or consulting with a Spiritual Father. If anything, spending any time in the Orthosphere is likely to multiply the number of books in your reading queue and encourage your desire to go deeper into the faith.  Dr. Constantinou may not like it, but I was moved to pursue conversion and baptism by God's grace after listening to many online Orthodox apologists.  To say that these various actors are just leading people into prelest and delusion is a petty and niggardly appraisal of the state of the Orthosphere.  


Orthodox Christians are intelligent people who, by God's grace, possess powers of discernment regardless of their theological credentials. We are in a phase of history where it is apparent to many that the phronema of the world is completely in opposition to the phronema of the Church. No one disputes that Dr. Constantinou is an expert, but despite her best efforts to de-emphasize the cold intellectualism of Western Christianity, it almost feels as though she has fallen into that trap by default. There are fleeting concessions to Orthodox saints who had no education, but the overarching message seems geared toward inculcating a deference to an elite intelligentsia within the Church. Admittedly, very few will be called to the level of asceticism of St. Mary of Egypt or St. Joseph the Hesychast, but they are saints because the world was crucified to them and they were crucified to the world. May God grant us a fraction of that kind of devotion, but this is the phronema that no quantity of formal theological training can give. We can always work to improve our knowledge and pray that God will grant us deeper insight, but we must never lose sight of the fact that the ultimate source of faith is our mystical communion with Christ through the sacramental life of the Church, a repentant heart and continuous prayer. 


Dr. Constantinou dismisses deductive reasoning and Western style argumentation as foreign to the Orthodox phronema, but to dismiss it completely deprives us of a powerful apologetic tool. Admittedly, the secular world has overwhelmingly adopted a desanctified and scientistic view of the world that runs contrary to the mystery of the faith and the Church. It isn't necessarily an approach that's appropriate for everyone, but to the degree that you are engaging with someone who is interested in a good faith debate, it may be necessary to defend the faith using classical techniques of argumentation.  The Orthosphere has a number of apologists who are making powerful cases for the truth of Orthodoxy from a variety of perspectives. Orthodoxy is not a philosophy, but that shouldn't preclude the possibility of classical apologetics. We mustn't cede the entire realm of rationalism to atheists nor apologetics to Western Christians. Rationalism is only possible in Christ; not through the fallen autonomous mind. It's clearly what Dr. Constantinou cautions us against, but sadly, we don't agree on everything. May God grant us an illumined heart and mind as we work through the difficult challenges facing Orthodox Christians everywhere.  


The assertions of her would-be opponents on pgs. 246-7 may actually reflect the responses she's received from ill informed mods, but they feel like straw men in 2022. No one in the online Orthosphere is saying these things.  Furthermore, the people who have a big following online are generally willing to engage in one on one debate and discussion. If this is really just a matter of correcting poor theology, then she has nothing to lose by asking for an opportunity to set the record straight.  I'm not so sure the overriding issue amongst Orthodox Christians is people arrogating the status of "theologian". Orthodox Christians are concerned about whether or not their parish is going to close down when the next CDC mandate comes down. They're worried about whether they're being coerced by their employer to undergo a medical procedure using a product with a very dangerous safety profile. Dr. Constantinou's book was published in November of 2020, but despite its useful content, already feels wildly out of step with the urgent and legitimate concerns of Orthodox Christians throughout the world. 

UPDATE 1/31/2024

On 1/30/24, Ancient Faith Radio, one of the most reliable authorities on the Orthodox phronema according to Dr. Constantinou, hosted a roundtable discussion on the restoration of the office of Deaconness.

Here, we have full confirmation that Dr. Constantinou has chosen not to apply her prodigious theological expertise to any of the issues listed in my review. On the contrary, she has chosen to put her thumb on the scale on an issue that is being pushed by the most modernist voices and is considered DOA by the most prominent online clerical voices. Considering that there are current issues that are of far greater importance (e.g. the OCU/UOC schism, a certain baptism performed by Abp. Elpidophoros) that pertain more directly to the Orthodox phronema, what does this tell us about her priorities and biases?

Until someone can provide evidence to the contrary, she sounds more and more like a progressive reformer than an authority on the Orthodox phronema.

UPDATE 2/3/24

AFR posted the full ten hours of interviews that were culled for the aforementioned podcast. After listening to Dr. Constantinou's full interview, I acknowledge that my appraisal of her position was ill informed. To her credit, she registered clear opposition to the introduction of the ordination of Deaconnesses. She rightly suggested that it would be even more divisive than the usage of multiple spoons during the pandemic.

AFR appear to be the bad actors by clipping a quote in which Dr. Constantinou was referencing the usage the word "apostolos" in reference to certain women in the Book of Acts.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being a Protestant pastor for almost 30 years, I agree with most of her theology expressed in the book, but was disturbed by her criticism of the Western Church; which, includes my denomination. I’m grateful that John Wesley was influenced by the Orthodox Church as well. While I was reading, I felt her writings paralleled and acknowledged Protestant theology. Very similar. It is unfortunate she begins criticizing other faiths that believe in the same fundamental beliefs such as the Trinity, Justification , sanctification, calling of ministers, inspired Word (logos), total depravity of humanity (original sin), resurrection, communion, baptism , …essential doctrines of faith in the church. I wish she would have continued defining the Orthodox Church rather than damaging the reputation of the western church. The first couple chapters she did an excellent job explaining the Orthodox Church but the remaining chapters describing great Christian attributes of the Orthodox mind was often overshadowed by contradicting messages and views contrasting the Christian attributes defined as Orthodoxy.

[Jolanta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is very informative, but I wouldn’t read it again or recommend it to others due to its judgmental and often aggressive tone.

I listened to the audio version narrated by the author herself, and although she’s clearly very passionate about the subject, there was so much judgment and harshness towards anything outside Orthodoxy. At times, her authoritative tone felt almost like a personal attack, as if, according to Orthodoxy, I was breathing wrong. I mean, I don’t mind being wrong—I would like someone to teach me better, and this book did bring some useful insight into Orthodox practices. However, the manner in which the author conveyed these insights did not align with the mindset of Jesus that she was advocating. The chapter on self-righteousness felt quite quite hypocritical.

I also wish she never touched on political issues. People like her are the reason why many feel alienated from Orthodoxy. This is coming from someone who’s an Orthodox Christian herself.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good beginning to understanding

This is a comprehensive work yet, I realized as I completed it, no more than a strong beginning to my coming to grips with a healthy understanding of the Orthodox mind and faith. While I am just at the start of thinking things through, and have many questions and cautions, I do find their theology as presented here helpful to me personally and I think ought to be engaged far more by the other Christian traditions.

[Kereya Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read!
Very rarely does one have the opportunity to read such a gem that tackles difficult topics with such ease and grace. Dr. Constantinou has a gift of speaking about God with an obvious fear and awe of God and the Church. You can feel her passion discussing Church tradition and theology, and that emanates to the reader. The book is edifying and informative. It not only discusses topics such as theology, dogma, tradition, but also the spirituality of the person who may wish to delve into these. All in all, this has changed the way I think of the Tradition of the church, and has given me pointers on when to speak about such topics and when to stay silent. Truly a beneficial read.

[Katie McBratney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, but not one I would read again. I found it to be repetitive through the middle as it strayed away from its title “The Orthodox Phronema”. The first few chapters were very informative and enlightening, but the majority of the book afterwards could be summed into this phrase: “nobody should attempt to theologize without proper education.” If you want to challenge that phrase, read the book. If you already believe that phrase, I wouldn’t bother reading past the first few chapters.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been Orthodox for many years (33) and I found this very interesting and informative. I saw her on a Zoom meeting where she was discussing this book and she mentioned that a convert like me usually needs 10-20 years to completely gain the Orthodox phronema. I think I'm still gaining it. It was helpful to have her explain what it was, and the section on being a theologian was reassuring. I still have the Protestant mind set that I need to talk to others about my beliefs, but it was never comfortable for me. Living an Orthodox life is more accessible and more powerful for me. I enjoyed this book.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listen to Presbytera Jeannie's podcast, so none of this is new, nor is it a perfect book. However, the thesis that there is a worldview of Orthodoxy, the Phronema, that cradle Orthodox know from absorbing the faith through attendance at church services is absolutely phenomenal, and it is a good reminder that, even after many years as an Orthodox, I still am working on gaining this worldview.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

No matter how long you have been Orthodox, it is almost certain that when you read Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind by Dr. Eugenia Constantinou, you will lower the book and say, “Really? I had no idea!” at least once. I certainly did, and not just once but a number of times. For this reason, I strongly recommend this new work from Ancient Faith Publishing: it brings to light the essential components of Orthodoxy, which can enrich the reader’s understanding of the Church, its relationship with Tradition, and the nature of its theology.

Dr. Eugenia Constantinou has taken on a formidable challenge in writing about the process of “thinking Orthodox.” Some readers may approach the book unaware that thinking Orthodox is even a thing, but others may have realized that the Orthodox faith stamps its adherents with a distinctive mindset or approach. This realization is the starting point of Dr. Constantinou’s 380-page book in which she explains, to converts and cradle Orthodox alike, the elements that characterize the particular nature of Orthodox thinking.

Given the scope of the task, there might be the danger of a reader becoming lost; however, the book is laid out in a highly structured fashion to guide the reader through the book’s argument. Part 1 of the book discusses the Orthodox Phronema (more about that in a bit), Part 2, Orthodox Theology and the Shaping of Phronema, and Part 3, the Application of Orthodox Theology. In brief, phronema is a Greek word which can be translated as “mentality,” “stance,” or “approach.” The Orthodox phronema, according to Dr Constantinou, is “the foundation of Orthodox Christianity.” Moreover, “[i]t is usually unexpressed and unexamined, and rarely discussed, but it affects not simply what we believe and why but—above all else—how we think” (15).

Besides this central concept of phronema, the other fundamental ideas in this book are Tradition and theology. They are intertwined and complex, and Dr Constantinou carefully examines many aspects of each. The value of the book lies not only in its ideas, but also in the erudition the author brings to the topic and her clear, forceful writing style. Still, the book is not a quick read. The academic in Dr Constantinou requires in-text footnotes and, as the book progresses, increasingly more and lengthy quotations from Church Fathers and other theologians. These will reward the patient reader but may frustrate the reader looking for a quick dose of theology. Nevertheless, for those who are willing to dedicate themselves to the task, Dr. Constantinou fills the book’s chapters with so many thought-provoking ideas that they will surely wish to read the book again, to gain even more insights from it.

The first two-thirds of the book will be of great interest for its treatment of Orthodox phronema and Tradition. The last third of the book, devoted to the topic of theology, may be more relevant to a person who wishes to practice theology or make theological pronouncements. In this last section, Dr. Constantinou rebukes armchair theologians and “dabblers,” particularly those who show off their theological acumen (or lack of it) online. To an extent, she is taking on Internet culture, in which “everyone’s an expert” (p. 250). She brings the Church Fathers to bear on the topic of the theological dangers and responsibilities of those who claim to be theologians, and treats this topic at length. No wonder she opens her book with a quote from St. Gregory: “I think it is dangerous either to accept the responsibility for other souls or to take up theology.” The book issues a warning to those who would confuse theology with democracy, and in a larger sense rebukes our Internet age, where a little knowledge is easily gained and anyone who wants a platform for their knowledge can readily procure one.

Dr. Constantinou’s book is a valuable resource for those wishing to come to a deeper understanding of the faith and the Church. It is staunchly, unapologetically Orthodox, and as such will probably be more influential to readers who are already on the path to Orthodoxy rather than to loyal Catholics or Protestants, whose beliefs come in for some sharp criticism. (Speaking of Anselm of Canterbury, the author states, “And yet Anselm’s theology is crude, faulty, shallow, simplistic, and manifestly inferior to the understanding of salvation among the Church Fathers” (71).) But for Orthodox-leaning readers, Thinking Orthodox should be a richly rewarding work that they will turn to time and again.

[Alex of Yoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful and absolutely timely book on what it means to think and be an Orthodox theologian. This should be required reading in every seminary, and absolutely every Orthodox Christian should consider reading this book.

In the day and age of Google and social media, this book helps redirect the reader to shut out the screaming of the web and our inner desire to vomit up whatever ideas or opinions we possess. Instead, we should stop and consider what is true, where truth originates, and, most importantly, how to live the truth. The author begins by diving into the differences between Eastern and Western thought and worldview and how these differences cause misunderstanding today in the wider religious sphere. She then explores the historical role of the theologian and urges any who dare to dabble in theology to know themselves first. She gives a plethora of examples from the Church Fathers of how a theologian should speak and behave, reorienting the reader to live the spiritual life, not just talk about it.

This book was an absolute mic drop against one of my pet peeves (and one of the main reasons I've left most social media): the "armchair theologian" or the person who does not hesitate to give their opinions and arguments on the web to anyone and everyone regardless of their actual expertise in theology. The author describes the dangers of dabbling in theology when you have only the basic understanding of it, and the difficulties of discerning if what you're reading on social media actually comes from a true and reliable source. This doesn't just affect Orthodoxy and the discussion of God, but nearly every subject imaginable. Today, everyone has an opinion on everything whether it be God, the Church, medicine, psychology, politics, science, you name it. And preference is given to one's own opinion regardless of its accuracy or effectiveness. Everyone is suddenly an expert in all things whether or not they've actually spent the time and money studying the subject, and the result has been nothing short of ugly and hurtful in all aspects of our society. Theology is, above all, the most sacred of topics in that one is daring to talk about God, and this book argues that such a discussion should not be entered into lightly or by just anyone. We make the pearls of our faith out to be cheap when we cast them about without discernment, especially discernment of ourselves and our own ignorance and inabilities.

It's refreshing to read such a well-researched and scholarly work written by a female theologian with all the credentials to back her up. There are not enough women in this field, and I was so excited to read her work. It truly is a timely book. As technology shrinks our world and media makes the exchanging of ideas so rapid and vast, we need a book like this to help enlighten Western readers on the Eastern worldview and challenge the modern Christian internet debater to rethink their approach.

This book is masterfully written. I came away both encouraged and convicted. If you're Orthodox and enjoy discussing theology, go read this now.

[Sarah Geana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking Orthodox: Understanding and Acquiring the Orthodox Christian Mind by Dr. Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou is an amazing book. Replete with gems of wisdom gleaned from Scripture, prominent theologians and the Fathers; this book will not fail to enlighten the reader and guide him or her on the path to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the joy and truth that is Orthodox Christianity.
From the first few pages where she defines, “Being Orthodox in mind requires that one accept ambiguity, uncertainty, mystery and paradox,” to the final analysis: Humility, Humility, Humility! Dr. Constantinou encourages the reader to embrace the deeper wisdom found within the Orthodox phronema, or mindset. This mindset crashes through normal boundaries between the merely academic to the personal and the behaviors necessary for salvation. It’s a complete package. We need it all: knowledge, understanding, prayer, almsgiving, and participation in the liturgical life. What does it mean to have an Orthodox mind? It means to accept that all Truth was given, once and for all, at Pentecost. That Christ came and His disciples and those directly following in their footsteps are those who possess the greatest possible grace and wisdom and direct experience and only by following humbly in their footsteps will we “modern” Orthodox Christians hope to remain faithful and true to Christ and His path of salvation.
If you ever wondered, what the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism are and do they really matter? This is the book for you. If you ever wondered, “How can I know if I am following Christ truthfully and well?” This book is for you. If you ever felt that being an Orthodox Christian meant you were constantly feeling like the odd man out. This book is definitely for you. This book reads like a clarion call to all Orthodox Christians everywhere to not lose hope. There is solidarity in knowing you are not alone in choosing to go against the mainstream. While it can be hard to be Orthodox and know that there is not some higher authority on earth who will tell us exactly what to believe and how, nor is there the apparent freedom to embrace whatever seems good to you as an individual; what we do possess is freedom in the ultimate sense. Freedom that comes from embracing the uncertainty and ambiguity and paradox and realizing that, “perhaps it is that uncertainty that encourages us to evaluate ourselves constantly, remain humble, not judge our brothers and sisters, and continually seek the Lord.”
This is a truly wonderful book and I would encourage every Orthodox Christian to add it to their library. A must read for all.

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should probably be in your top 5 to-read-books about Eastern Orthodoxy.

As an Orthodox priest, many people ask me what the difference between Orthodoxy and western Christianity is, and I've found it's hard to explain (and, no, we're not all the same). But this book does a good job of explaining what those differences are and why it's hard to articulate those differences.

In the end, it all comes down to our "phronema," our mindset. In other words, Orthodox Christians come to know God through experience, our way of life. This includes prayer, scripture reading, but also participation in the "mysteries," and being responsible for how we live.

By coming to know God in this way, we reach our goal: finding union with God (as opposed to "going to heaven," which the Bible doesn't state as an end goal anywhere).

In contrast, western Christians try to get to know God through a rational process. Instead of seeking "who he is" through a manner of living, the west seeks "what he is" through scholastic thinking and explanations of salvation. This process has a multitude of problems and often terminates in a spiritual dead-end.

Though the author is sometimes repetitive (she does give us fair warning, though), she does a good job of putting social media "theologians" in their place. These so-called "theologians" are eager to share their knowledge of Orthodoxy, but many of them lack a proper Orthodox phronema. As a result, they end up spreading a gospel of hate instead of The Gospel, which is one of love.

In all, this book is a peek behind the curtain of the Orthodox mindset and way of life--a connection to the mind of the apostles and the early church.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book and should actually be mandatory reading for inquirers before making the step to convert. It is beneficial for cradles are people who have already converted to the faith too to set them on the path of acquiring the phronema of the Church. I remember as a protestant when I first learnt about Orthodoxy I had many doubts about it in my mind but in my spirit and heart something was deeply drawing me to the Church and I never could put my finger on it and I was this. The phronema of the Church as evidenced in its life and practices was what attracted me. The author said many things I could not put into words for all these years when I resisted the urge to convert, yet I was still inquiring and learning about the faith. The current state of the Church does to look ideal but knowing what we need to acquire from the tradition is the first step. I'm grateful to the author for writing this useful book. Do give it a read for gaining proper focus and a sense of direction in your spiritual life.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Potent Quotables:

The Orthodox think of sin not as an offense against God that demands punishment or restitution, but primarily as an illness that needs healing… The problem of guilt was central and an ingrained starting point in the West, whereas for the East, the focal point was not human sin but human destiny: to become godlike.

Augustine made a distinction between the inclination to sin after the Fall (the Eastern view) and an inherited legal liability of “guilt” before God for Adam’s sin. Because Protestantism emerged from the Catholic Church, Protestants share the Catholic conception of sin. Since Western Christianity emphasizes that Christ paid the “debt” owed to the Father, it is hardly surprising that many Protestants reject any need for the Church or a sacramental life. [Sergius Bowyer writes], “Atonement theology effectively makes the Roman Catholic Church the means of legal justification which pronounces ‘not guilty’ through the sacraments, rather than a process which restores the innate goodness of man.”

Sin distorts the relationship between the human person and God and between human beings. It is impossible for us to imagine that any human action, no matter how heinous, could detract from or diminish the glory or majesty of God. Furthermore, sacramental forgiveness in the Orthodox Church is always complete and immediate. The relationship with God is completely restored with no penalty remaining to be paid.

Christ came for the life of the world (John 3:16), not to pay a price demanded by the Father, not because somehow the majesty of God was violated, and certainly not because an imbalance occurred in the universe that could be corrected only by payment in blood through the death of the Son. Those are distortions and exaggerations rooted in medieval thought. Christ sacrificed Himself out of love, not out of necessity. If anything is understood in Orthodoxy by the “blood,” it is the union of the believer with Christ, sharing His life through the Body and Blood.

In brief, the nous is not a “thing” that exists within you but the capacity to know God, to have a relationship with God. All human beings possess the capacity to know God as part of our human nature, since we were created for that purpose. As a result of the Fall, however, the nous was darkened. Through illumination of the nous we can know God and achieve theosis, or union with God.

“If one must… apply concepts to the life of the Church, the most appropriate concepts would be not juridical and archeological ones but biological and aesthetic ones… The Orthodox taste, the Orthodox temper is felt but is not subject to arithmetical calculation. Orthodoxy is shown, not proved. This is why there is only one way to understand Orthodoxy: through direct Orthodox experience… To become Orthodox it is necessary to immerse oneself all at once in the very element of Orthodoxy, to begin living in an Orthodox way. There is no other way.” Pavel Florensky

The Lord often spoke of the importance of virtues such as meekness, purity of heart, forgiveness, mercy, love, and humility. Atheists can also have these characteristics, but the behavior has a different meaning and a different context than when that same virtue is manifest in a Christian. Without Christ, it is not a spiritual virtue, and since it does not come from a nous illuminated by God, it does not have the same effect.

Virtue requires effort and struggle. If we have certain virtues as part of our natural disposition (for example, if we are naturally patient), that is not admirable, nor does it result in any reward from God. Saint John Chrysostom explains that virtues which come naturally to a person are not truly virtues because they did not require any effort to acquire.

Christ does not ask us to submit to Him, but to hear Him and to do or to keep His words. Orthodoxy never equates obedience with compulsion. An Orthodox Christian freely chooses to be obedient to the Tradition, to observe its way of life. The Orthodox Christian freely chooses to be obedient to a spiritual father, to place himself or herself under his direction. The spiritual father applies the appropriate remedies for spiritual healing for that particular individual, just as a doctor would consider the individual health of each patient. Our relationship to God, the Church, and our spiritual father is based on free will.

“Remember that the intellect is the servant of the heart, which is our life; if it leads the heart to truth, peace, joy and life, then it fulfills its purpose, it is true; but if it leads the heart to doubt, disturbance, torment, despondency, darkness, then it does not fulfill its purpose, and is absolutely false—knowledge, falsely so called.” John of Kronstadt

Father Theodore Stylianopoulos astutely observed, “Memories and traditions neither arise nor endure without a community.” For this reason, the Scriptures are correctly understood and interpreted only within the Church and do not stand as a body of knowledge or teaching separate or apart from the Church or from Tradition.

The New Testament itself is a theological interpretation of the person and ministry of Christ. It never pretends to be an objective account of historical events. For this reason, attempting to interpret the New Testament apart from the Church and Tradition is quite unnatural and will fail to uncover the true purpose and meaning of the text. Christ did not establish Scriptures, but a Church. The Church existed before the New Testament, and the apostolic Tradition, preserved by Orthodoxy as a sacred treasure, is the only context in which the Scriptures are correctly understood.

Augustine changed the understanding of the Fall and original sin from that of the early Church, forever influencing the West’s conception of sin, forgiveness, and spiritual perfection. Augustine was also responsible for introducing the idea that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son, as well as belief in the progress or development of dogma. He furthermore changed theological methodology by the application of imagination and conjecture and the conformity of theology to reason, which had never been the practice of the Greek Fathers.

Chrysostom and other Fathers were very aware of the limitations of biblical language and the fact that the Bible described God in ways that are entirely inappropriate for Him, for example saying that God gets “angry.” The Scriptures are God’s “condescension” (synkatabasis) to our human weakness. He lowers Himself down to our level. The Bible is written with human language and concepts so that we can understand it, but we must not think of God in human terms, nor should we expect to understand His ways by the application of human reasoning.

All religious systems have a way of life and a phronema. But only Orthodox Christianity has faithfully preserved the true phronema of the ancient Church, a visible and consistent way of life and manner of thought unbroken and unchanged from the time of the apostles.

[Areti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and insightful work on the mind of the Orthodox Church!

It is seldom to encounter such a well written and thorough examination of the concept of Orthodox “phronema”, or the mindset of the Church (which is the Mind of Christ Himself), as is presented in this book. Dr. Constantinou tackles this most daunting subject both efficiently and faithfully. She offers an in-depth study and analysis of what comprises the Orthodox phronema, drawing heavily from Scripture, Holy Tradition, and the writings of the Church Fathers, as well as examining the liturgical and personal spiritual practices which serve as a whole to make up this unique mindset. Further, much attention is paid towards comparing, contrasting, and analyzing the differences between the mindsets of Orthodox Christianity versus those inherent in Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, concentrating much on the historical developments and attitudes which served to shape Western Christianity. Attention is also paid towards the unique challenges in forming and nurturing an Orthodox mindset faced by modern “cradle” Orthodox in comparison to converts to the Faith.

This is not a book you merely read through once and then set aside. It beckons you to study its assertions further and to engage the teachings within. Infused with scholarly research, as well as various personal and practical reflections and accounts, this work serves as a treasury of wisdom on the subject of defining and forming an Orthodox mindset. I cannot recommend this work enough. Without a doubt, this should be required reading for not only Orthodox Christians, but also for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the Mind of Christ and the phronema and spirit of Orthodox thinking and worship. I can personally attest that upon encountering the teachings here presented, my own knowledge and understanding was greatly deepened and challenged. A must read indeed!

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like other reviews have mentioned, this one is a mixed bag, with a lot of good information, yet mixed in with her “soap box” about who is or is not “qualified” to discuss theology on the Internet. I also listened to Michael Hyatt’s podcast lessons (from “At the Intersection of East and West”) and found his Sunday School class lessons on this book quite helpful.

The first two-thirds of the book have a lot of good info – though even here a lot of repetition and comments interspersed about how terrible it is that people on the Internet discuss theology and discuss what they do not understand. Granted, in general I agree that the Internet, especially discussion groups on Facebook, often are bastions of foolishness and arrogance, of people with only superficial knowledge of a subject acting like they are experts. Such debates online end up being mostly a waste of time with people who are set in their own prejudices and incomplete information – and what Dr. Constantinou describes as a Western phronema. But I tend to see this as general common knowledge that comes from online experience. Is it really necessary to keep beating on this same subject, over and over – and also for the most part “preaching to the choir,” since the people who are likely to read her book are those who already understand this much and would also agree with her? The last third of the book takes this rather weird turn and focuses only on that matter of who ought to be able to discuss theology on the web.

While in general agreement, and appreciating what the author has to say about an Orthodox Phronema, this book also has comments on one particular doctrinal topic that are off-putting. I have seen this a lot since I started reading books from current Orthodox writers, and I am getting somewhat annoyed at this great level of ignorance and historical revisionism. The author of this book (and she is not the only one, many other modern Orthodox authors are also saying this) claims that not all of the early Church Fathers believed in chiliasm (premillennialism), that some believed in amillennialism, and thus this was an aberrant belief of some of the Church Fathers but not of the consensus—and of course the early Church Fathers were not infallible. They made mistakes.

To set the record straight, for any who happen to read this review: the Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431 AD did NOT declare chiliasm a heresy. Read this article with all its detailed source material, an in-depth look at the publication evidence and history of this false claim: https://bible.org/article/phantom-her...

Further, in fact, amillennialism was invented by Augustine, who himself believed in chiliasm earlier in his life and then later, through the heavy use of allegory, came up with amillennialism (set forth, notably, in his “City of God” work). (Some have attributed early development of the ideas of amillennialism, to Origen’s very highly allegorical approach to scripture; but it was Augustine who actually put that type of thinking into his own idea of fully formed amillennialism. And of course the Orthodox Church later declared Origen as heretical, and Origen is not considered a saint.) As the author of “Thinking Orthodox” points out, Orthodox Christians generally do not highly esteem Augustine’s work – and rightly so, as Augustine was the one who invented a lot of Western teaching such as original sin and put forth the idea of faith and reason. So it is quite ironic that Orthodox Christians want to disregard Augustine for his other doctrinal inventions, yet do their own historical revisionism and insist that not all of the early Church (pre-Augustine) were chiliast, that only a very few early Fathers were chiliast – and thus “drink the Koolaid” of Augustine’s teaching of amillennialism.

In “Thinking Orthodox,” only a few sentences/pages after her comments against chiliasm and how only a few of the early Church Fathers were chiliast and they were wrong – she discusses an online incident with some “Internet theologian” who had quoted John Chrysostom in defense of his own reasoning about studying the Bible and studying scripture; and then she proceeds to explain how that person had taken Chrysostom out of context. Again the irony, at least in the placement of these two issues: Chrysostom also was premillennial/chiliast; a fact that fits in the correct timeline, since Chrysostom was a generation before Augustine.

I “get” where modern Orthodox Christians are coming from, in their zeal against anything that is of “Western” Christianity and especially of Protestantism. I have been a lifelong Protestant who only recently discovered Orthodoxy, and have come to love Orthodoxy, more and more as I continue to learn about it and put it into practice in my daily life. This book, Thinking Orthodox, has added to my understanding, with its many positive and helpful insights. I also recommend Michael Hyatt’s podcast series on this book.

My observation at this point, though, is that many of today’s Orthodox Christian converts (and cradle Orthodox in America, such as this book's author)– in their great zeal against American Protestantism – are ignorant of the true history of chiliasm. Since premillennialism has been an over-emphasized teaching associated with American Protestantism, and especially the pre-trib dispensational version – some people are veering too far to the other side, to the point of rewriting history and making claims about chiliasm / premillennialism that are patently false. Again, what I strongly urge and pray for, for anyone reading this review -- is, read the article I linked above https://bible.org/article/phantom-her... and carefully consider the true history of the doctrine of premillennialism. Yes, there were a few fringe groups in the early centuries that taught a weird, extremist variation of chiliasm, and these groups were condemned as heretical -- because of their other ideas that were heretical and which included their false ideas of chiliasm. But that was not the true chiliasm, the chiliasm that was affirmed by Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Chrysostom and the others of the pre-Augustine church. (And the early Church did NOT teach a view of chiliasm that included a pre-trib rapture, etc.)

[Natnael Tefera Mulatu · Rating 1 out of 5]

A problematic book that misrepresents Catholicism. This and many other books paint the picture of the modern Eastern Orthodox Church finding its identity from opposing Catholicism; more the anti-Catholic, anti-western Church than being simply Eastern Orthodox.

This book mislead me to think and paint a negative picture over Catholicism, until I read and learned about the Catholic Church from herself which cleared the misconceptions presented here.

Faith and Reason are not against each other, and there is nothing wrong in thinking through reason and finding evidence, in fact thats the one tool both Christian’s and non-Christian’s have as a common ground.

Also, the criticism she makes about scholasticism in the Catholic Church is funny because before scholasticism, was the aristotelean way of thought that dominated the world, and where Eastern Orthodox fathers like the Cappadocians and others thrived by learning it and addressing the learned of their generation. When scholasticism became the mainstream, Catholics just continued to follow and use the method of the age to show that the Christian faith still remains true, and addressed the issues of their times.

Thus, making EO something outside reason is a funny argument and one that fails to communicate the message of Christianity for its age. The best Christian’s are those who understand the “current” or (wave) of their generation and use it to show Christianity is true and address what seems not to fit together. Those who do that save lives. Those who don’t stay in ignorance developing conspiracies about others.

Overall, beware not to paint your image about 50% of Christian’s in the world with the image that this book paints. For Eastern Orthodox authors, please don’t write another sectarian (divisive) book that divides Christian’s, we have divided enough already.

[Conor McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written and very respectful book.

A must-read for all Christians looking to deepen their understanding of the faith. Very detailed explanations on how to better understand scripture, the Church, and how to return our focus to spiritual understanding rather than always resorting to Western philosophical reasoning. Her use of the Church Fathers and other Orthodox theologians is insightful and very educational.

[jes olga alspach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thinking Orthodox is a comprehensive look at the fundamentals of praxis in Orthodox Tradition and theology. The life of the Westerner and the life of the Orthodox very different in application just because of how each operates out of theological understanding.

What I really appreciate about this book is the balance Dr Constantinou employs in each facet of praxis: she identifies and addresses both extremes in Orthodoxy. No one is left without commentary for corrective reproach.

This is a valuable tool for catechumen who are more theologically minded (especially for those who come from more extreme Western backgrounds, like Reformed theology); for any Orthodox who desires to grow in their theological understandings of the Faith, and to find the appropriate balance of patience and zeal. If you are not very theologically-minded, this may potentially confuse you.

I recommend reading with someone, as I did with my best friend. We made good sounding boards for each other as we came from different ends, both desiring the balance of the middle. And as always, it is of eternal importance to consult your priest with all things theology!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to distill Thinking Orthodox down into one thesis, it would be this:

“Rather than focusing on such things, what is needed is to live the faith and apply the therapeutic methods of the Church that are designed for our spiritual healing. These practices are what heal the soul and draw us closer to God, not the proper understanding of mental concepts.” (p 309)

This ambitious book is a bridge for those steeped in Western theology and culture, bringing us to the Eastern way of thought that is in the very root structure of Orthodoxy. I use the word ambitious both to describe the author’s accomplishments here, but also to describe my feelings diving in as a reader. As someone who is not especially steeped in theology and generally avoids discussing it (particularly online), even the table of contents was intimidating. But in Dr. Jeannie’s capable hands, I made it through. She says right in the Introduction that the book employs frequent repetition of certain concepts, which I found comforting because it paralleled the way most of us Orthodox learn our faith—through hearing the same gospels year after year, homilies covering core concepts over and over, and living through the annual cycle of fasts and feasts.

For the most part, this book also bridges the gap between academic writing and nonfiction intended for a general audience. I absolutely loved the use of footnotes throughout the book to provide additional color and clarity. Although there are many well-reasoned and researched arguments, they’re explained in a way that doesn’t require a degree in theology to grasp.

About two-thirds of the book tackles Orthodox theology—how it came to be, how to study it, who should talk about theology, and the many dangers of doing so. This part bogged me down because I actively avoid those online, “armchair theologian” discussions—but I also see the need for it. In short, Dr. Jeannie has little respect for people spilling a lot of online ink about Orthodox theology when they lack the qualifications to do so. Although nothing is truly new in the world, our online era seems to offer a new platform for distorting the faith, and I hadn’t really considered how frustrating that must be to today’s serious theologians. Throughout the book we hear from many church fathers, and I was blown away by how precisely they addressed exactly what’s happening on the Orthodox corner of the internet.

My only wish for this book is that more of Dr. Jeannie’s personal stories of the faith had been included to help reinforce the truth that Orthodoxy is a lived faith. My introduction to her was at a talk she gave on the subject of Orthodox phronema over a year ago. Much like when I read the table of contents for this book, I went into the talk expecting her to be completely over my head. Instead she was warm, funny, and relatable. I see the vital need for a book like this to address the problems with casually theologizing, and I also feel hungry for the countless examples of living as a faithful Orthodox, particularly in our modern times. The book absolutely addresses the lived nature of the faith, but it spends far more time on the dangers inherent in unqualified theologizing.

That being said, there’s something for just about everyone in this book, probably even those with an Eastern phronema wishing to better understand the West. It’s well worth the mental effort to read it.

Ancient Faith Publishing provided me with a copy of Thinking Orthodox in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Constantinou seeks to explain “the Orthodox mind” — how and why Orthodox Christians have a markedly different worldview and thought process and its basis in Orthodox doctrine and theology.

“This difference in the way Orthodox Christians think is nearly impossible to convey to Western Christians and extremely difficult for Orthodox Christians even to articulate (loc 263) ... The primary purpose of this book is to articulate what it means to think Orthodox, to explain how our phronema makes the Orthodox Christian mind and attitude distinctive, and to help the reader understand why it is important to acquire, cherish, and preserve this phronema (loc 291).”

I have often heard Orthodoxy described to the non-Orthodox as “a state of mind” in an attempt to explain that the Orthodox aren’t just Eastern Catholics with icons and without a pope who celebrate Easter — and possibly Christmas — on a different date. What sets Orthodoxy apart from other Christian denominations isn’t just that they have different rules and beliefs. It is that they do not possess a modern Western mind. They have, as the author spends hundreds of pages describing, “an Orthodox phronema” (loc 224).

This causes all sorts of problems in interactions with non-Orthodox Christians because they cannot grasp that the Orthodox are operating on a completely different set of premises in which deductive reasoning plays no role. And the Orthodox’s refusal to capitulate to “logical” arguments or positions is often met with hostility where members of other religions would be treated with tolerance.

“Orthodoxy is characterized by unity of the faith and preserving that faith unchanged across generations, languages, cultures, and believers ... Unity of the faith is possible only because of the Orthodox phronema: a specific approach to theologizing.” (loc 283)

Orthodoxy’s big claim is that it never changes. This is often misunderstood by the non-Orthodox who think the Orthodox mistakenly believe that they are literally practicing Christianity exactly as it was practiced in the First Century AD. What is actually means is that Orthodoxy has preserved the apostolic faith unchanged, and it is the Orthodox phronema that enables Orthodox Christians to be of one mind with those who lived and practiced thousands of years ago in different civilizations, different cultures, and different languages.

The author describes the characteristics of the Orthodox Phronema. The most notable of these are acceptance of mystery, ambiguity, and paradox, the lack of concise definitions, the relaxed adherence to rules, and the resistance to intellectualizing religious beliefs. She then spends an extensive amount of time discussing what she views as the primary sources of the Orthodox Phronema: tradition, the scriptures, and the Fathers. This is followed by an explanation of the Orthodox stance on theology, who has the authority to theologize, and why armchair theologians and "dabblers" are a danger to both themselves and others.

I found this intellectual exploration of “the Orthodox mind” both interesting and enlightening. The long term consequences of sola scriptura introduced by Martin Luther, coupled by the de-emphasis on tradition, explained a lot especially about the increased fragmentation of Protestant denominations.

I also appreciated this book because the author has had similar experiences to mine, and it’s always nice to know that one is not alone. Of course, she is much more articulate and knowledgeable than I am and is able to identify and explain the root of the problem while I was simply baffled.

This book would be useful for academically minded individuals interested in Orthodoxy and converts struggling with the mental gymnastics required to shift from rational rule-based religious practice to Orthodox spiritual practice.

[Matthew Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is my belief that Thinking Orthodox should be in the hands of every orthodox catechist, academic, and especially converts who, full of zeal, desire to be teachers and Theologians. Thorough, well researched and articulate, this is a much needed book for Orthodoxy in the age of mass communication.

The central thesis of the book is that Orthodoxy has a unique mindset, worldview, and way of being (termed with the greek *phronema*) that is unique from the rest of Christian tradition. And if it is not understood, distorts the faith and causes many pitfalls and dangers. Dr. Constantinou, an experienced bible scholar, author and podcaster, is well equipped to write this book.

And what a difficult book to write! Orthodox definitions of things like "Tradition" and "the Fathers" are notoriously slippery, and yet Dr. Constantinou navigates it with expertise, care, and clarity. She explains the unique Orthodox worldview, as it contrasts with the broad protestant and Catholic perspectives, and provides the historical basis for them all. She never tries to "dress up" the orthodox perspective to make it more palatable to a modern mind, but presents it in all its pre-modern beauty.

She sometimes hits hard, though never callously, especially against self styled internet theologians. But I think her critique is warranted, and much needed. If there is any critique I can level, it is that the last two or three chapters can become a bit repetitive as she drives home her point. But it is a point well worth driving home.

I came away from this book with a better understanding of the faith, its beauties and its challenges. Also, I came away chastised, in a very positive sense. Much of my own carelessness in "theologizing" was made apparent. This book consistently made me want to put it down and go pray, because it made it abundantly clear that the good of a theologian is utterly dependent on his or her relationship with God. And, if "The true theologian is he who prays" I cannot think of a higher compliment to give.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's start with her credentials:
Ph.D., Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec
ThM Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA
ThM Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA
MA University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
JD Pepperdine University, Malibu, CA
BA University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

Then throw in her amazing podcast: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts...

What is this book about? It's about the Orthodox Phronema - the mindset/worldview/imagination of an Orthodox Christian. When I was Roman Catholic but convinced of the truth of Orthodoxy, I still took my time converting because the two churches seemed so close to one another, why make the switch? And from a Roman point of view, the two are similar- but now, now that I'm on the other side of the divide? The differences are huge. And the differences really rest in our differences of mindset- our phronema.

She starts off by talking about the Protestant and then the Roman Catholic phronemas- and then comparing them to Orthodoxy. The section on protestants wasn't as convincing as the one on Roman Catholics - but with the huge diversity of protestantisms, it's hard to fault her. She's studied and taught in Catholic universities for years, so her understanding there was very convincing.

Several times she comes around to the sorts of people that like to argue about Orthodoxy on the web, and she has no patience for these people, at all. They turn faith into a parlor game, and one they aren't particularly good at. If you know a young convert, or even a cradle that has gotten all ramped up, this book might serve as a tonic to calm them down. Hopefully. In the mean time, take away their internet access.

How do you learn to think Orthodox? Go to church. Go to confession. Read the lives of the saints. Don't worry too much about "deep theological questions." Respect the piety of little old lady at church that probably didn't have much schooling, but says her prayers.

This was delightful and I'll be reading it again.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way we think dictates how we process the world, the choices we make, the things we value. As Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica said, “Our thoughts determine our whole life.” It stands to reason that if a person wants to be an Orthodox Christian they need to learn to think like Orthodox Christians. Thinking Orthodox by Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, Ph. D. does an excellent job discussing what thinking like an Orthodox Christian means. All of which she backs up with the Tradition of the Church. It tackles the difficult task of explaining how to engage in a life informed by an indescribable faith. Among the many important topics of discussion are over-reliance on reason, unity of faith without canons, true theologians, scriptures, tradition, etc. All these topics are briefly touched on to give the reader a sense of the whole picture of what makes up an Orthodox mindset.
Dr. Eugenia Constantinou tackles these topics in ways that were new for me as a recent convert. It has really helped to finally fit some of the puzzle pieces together. I believe that reading Thinking Orthodox has been a beautiful way to tie together everything that I have come to learn and accept since I began my journey. Also, I am positive that those who have been a part of the faith for a long time will benefit from it as well. There is a great wealth of knowledge contained through all the reputable sources Dr. Constantinou pulls from, and she uses established tradition to guide the reader to correct interpretation. I enjoyed Thinking Orthodoxy immensely, and I am deeply grateful for its insight on how to live a humble Orthodox life.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to “Thinking Orthodox” was an eye-opening or rather “mind-opening” experience. Even though I have been an Orthodox Christian for almost forty years, Dr. Constantinou’s book helped me realize that my twenty or so years of being a Protestant Christian affected my thinking in ways I hadn’t realized – mostly good but sometimes limiting my ability to fully embrace some of the joy and freedom found in Orthodoxy.
I especially enjoyed that Dr. Constantinou read the audio version of her book. Her voice was familiar from listening to her podcast, Search the Scriptures, and her personal experience of Orthodoxy along with her years of academic study and teaching comes through in her voice.
Part I describes the Orthodox mindset or phronema and how it colors and affects our understanding of both Scripture and Tradition in important ways. The chapters in Part I were the most profound and easily understood of the three parts. Among other things, Dr. Constantinou discusses how the Orthodox phronema helps one avoid the temptation of a pharisaical approach to the Orthodox lifestyle.
Parts II and III were very interesting but I think would be better understood in printed form – easier to review and use the material in the footnotes. Because of the depth of this material, I would recommend acquiring the printed or e-book along with the audio version of this book.
Dr. Contantinou’s frequent references to quotes from the Church Fathers throughout the book are pearls of wisdom that many of us may not have had a chance to hear before. This is a long book, but well worth the time to listen to and to read.

[Paul Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

To a recovering Calvinist Protestant, and Western-science-trained modern like myself, this book is nothing less than a software update for the mind.

From the Introduction, Dr Constantinou starts overwriting the dominant Western ways of thinking: Rationalism, which is no more than a surrender to the Enlightenment and its human-centric way of approaching every question, whether earthly or divine. Protestantism vs Catholicism, which is an argument between close cousins sharing the exact same frame of reference and terminology. And on it goes - and the reader starts to realize that the mental ground on which he or she stands is not as stable as it feels.

In contrast to the rationalistic, Western worldview (which, again, encompasses both atheistic scientism and evangelistic Protestantism), Dr Constantinou reveals the Orthodox phronema: a model of the world in which Scripture is a product of the Church, the Church is the direct product of God’s own grace, and Christ interprets all of reality, not the other way around.

It’s a difficult software update to explain. But this is, without exaggeration, a mind-shifting book.

It is not always an easy read. Though Dr Constantinou, despite her many degrees, no doubt had every intention to make it approachable, the book is at times pretty slow going, especially for readers who may not be familiar with basic philosophy or theology. Still, the labor is worth it. The reader will come away with a clear realization of just how far the Western water in which we swim has crept into the cracks of one’s way of thinking.

[Micah Chisholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many wonderful books that have been written about Orthodox Christian history, theology, liturgy and spirituality. This book, though it touches on all of those things, sets out with a different goal: to describe the thought process of the Orthodox Church. There is a marked difference in the way that the Orthodox Church thinks and approaches all of the above names subjects and this is the Orthodox phronema. This way of thinking is often felt by those encountering Orthodoxy, though perhaps they haven't been able to quite put their finger on what to call it. In Thinking Orthodox Dr. Constantinou sets out to describe this Orthodox phronema. I think the real strength of the book comes in the chapters dedicated to helping individuals apply the theory and practice it in their own lives, shaping the way they think (or rather allowing their thinking to be shaped by the mind of the Church). As an Orthodox priest I certainly see real value in this book, especially for those who are new to the Orthodox Faith who are desiring to not simply learn a system of beliefs (an important step) but who also want to enter into the mind of the Church and think with Her. I see this book a good foray into the subject matter at a time when we need to be addressing this topic within the Church. There is a markedly different way that we as Orthodox think about our faith and as our Churches prepare to welcome and receive non-Orthodox seekers we need tools like this book to help them more fully engage the faith which we treasure.