A saint and Equal of the Apostles of our own modern times, St. Nikolai personifies the ethos of Orthodox Christian evangelism.  Many are familiar with his Grace-filled and  tremendously fruitful mission in Japan, but little has been available in English until now.

This publication of Divine Ascent Press presents for the first time a collection of writings in English introducing the reader to St. Nikolai and the culture he encountered in Japan just as it was opening its doors to the world around it.

Articles written by several scholars and believers in Japan give new insight into his life and the struggles he faced as he tirelessly sought to fulfill the  call of the  Gospel.  We see St. Nikolai mirrored in his diaries, as well as in the  lives of his disciples, who were forever changed by their discovery of Orthodox Christianity through his  unique mission.

The Christological Controversy describes the turmoil of fifth-century Christianity seeking to articulate its beliefs on the person of Christ. The policies of the Theodosian dynasty and the conflicting interests of the patriarchal sees are the context of the controversy between Nestorius of Constantinople and Cyril of Alexandria, a bitter dispute that racked the entire oecumene. The historical analysis expounds on the arguments of both sides, particularly the Christology of Cyril, which was adopted as a standard.

There is a relatively small, but determined group of people who call themselves true Orthodox, or the Church in Resistance. Having separated themselves from the large body of Orthodox Churches, they accuse the leaders of Orthodoxy of steering the Church away from the Faith of the Fathers. These self-proclaimed defenders of Orthodoxy charge that the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar, more modern clerical attire in public, efforts to develop relations with non-Orthodox and other minor changes from nineteenth century forms of Orthodoxy have compromised the essential dogma of the Church. The author, a priest of the Antiochian Archdiocese, with the blessing of Metropolitan Philip, and valuable input from several Orthodox clergy, refutes these charges and presents the truth of Orthodoxy.

Not until now has the ancient wisdom of Lao Tzu been presented alongside the otherworldly revelation of Jesus Christ in a way that encompasses the full significance of both. Avoiding the common pitfalls of religious syncretism, CHRIST THE ETERNAL TAO shows Lao Tzu’s Tao Teh Ching as a foreshadowing of what would be revealed by Christ, and Lao Tzu himself as a Far-Eastern “prophet” of the Incarnate God. Inspired by Fr. Seraphim Rose’s early studies of the Tao Teh Ching, this book draws from the unpublished translations and teachings of Fr. Seraphim’s Chinese philosophy teacher, Gi-ming Shien, in order to uncover the esoteric core of the Tao Teh Ching. Then, through the transmission of mystics of the ancient Christian East, Lao Tzu’s teaching is brought into a new dimension, exploding with new meanings. Part I contains a “New Testament” of the Tao Teh Ching, which looks at Christ through the eyes of Lao Tzu and presents the Gospel in Lao Tzu’s own intriguing way. Part II unfolds the history of the revelation of God, from the creation of man, through the fall, primordial civilization, Lao Tzu, Confucius, and the ancient Hebrews, and finally to God’s Incarnation in Jesus Christ and His ultimate revelation of His Being as Three Persons. Part III offers practical advice from Eastern Orthodox teachers on how to unite oneself to Christ the Incarnate Tao/Logos and acquire His Divine Grace (in Chinese, Teh). Much more than a mere study in comparative religion, CHRIST THE ETERNAL TAO uses Lao Tzu’s intuitive realizations as a springboard by which to catapult the spiritual seekers of our day all the way into the mystical depths of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

From Metropolitan Philip, Primate, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America:The History of Orthodoxy in the New World can, we believe, be divided into three the first is the era of the second is the era of organization and the third is the present era of spiritual renewal and maturation. Father Theodore's present work, Christ in Our Midst, eloquently addresses the concerns of this present era.... It deserves the widest possible circulation.

St. John Chrysostom delivered nine homilies on repentance in Antioch of Syria sometime between 386 and 387. With conviction and certitude, he preached that repentance was a necessity for both the sinner and the righteous man. This volume presents Chrysostom's homilies on repentance and includes a sermon on almsgiving that he preached in Antioch during the winter months in 387.

Chrysostom's work reveals that repentance is an indestructible pillar of the All-Holy, Universal and Immutable Church of Christ. He believed that repentance is the liturgical tool that rejuvenates sinners and admits them into the life-giving Eucharist where they experience fully and dynamically the concrete presence of God.

The powers of repentance have rich biblical roots, and Chrysostom masterfully weaves his teaching with a plethora of Old and New Testament citings. From Scripture, the reader learns that repentance is never confined to the eucharistic context―it becomes a way of life for the believer. The daily applications of repentance, such as almsgiving, fasting, remorse over personal sins, humility, prayer, and attending Church, suggest that a person's entire life has an ecclesial character. Chrysostom preached that the whole experience of a true life in Christ is repentance that culminates in metanoia―the total change and renewal from the heart and mind of sin to "the mind of Christ" (1 Cor. 2:16).

In his introduction to the homilies, Fr. Gus Christo includes a succinct biography of Chrysostom within which he sets the homilies in their chronological context. He also provides an overview of repentance and discusses the ecclesiological nature of Chrysostom's theology.

Gus George Christo is a priest of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, under the spiritual direction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and is currently a pastor of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity in Lansing, Michigan. He received his B.A. in religious studies from the University of Virginia and his M.A. and Ph.D. in theology from the University of Durham, England. This volume is part of Fr. Christo's ongoing research and translation of the works of early Church Fathers, especially the works of St. John Chrysostom.

"This volume successfully draws readers' attention to the importance of 'repentance' in Greek theology and ecclesiology. It also sheds new light on 'preaching' as an important activity in the life of the Early Church. . . . The precise and concise sketch of the life of Chrysostom in Father Christo's Introduction helps set his sermons in their historical context. . . . This volume is a rich source of spiritual nourishment. Moreover, it is highly recommended for those who are interested in the different ways by which the Church Fathers approached and interpreted the Scripture."―Koinonia―Princeton Theological Seminary Graduate Forum

This is the definitive biography in English of one of the most famous and best-loved saints of the Orthodox Christian church. Russian by birth, St. Seraphim, (c. 1759-1833) has often been compared with St. Francis of Asissi in the West, both being known largely for their unique relationships to animals and their palpable love of all people. Beyond granting us a rich telling of this man s luminous life, Fr. Lazarus Moore additionally opens the door to the eastern Christian spirituality of the Orthodox church, often still unknown in English-speaking countries. From firsthand accounts of mystical and miraculous experiences, to deep discussions of spiritual practices and theology, the very detailed account of St. Seraphim s life is a must-read for any student of spiritualilty or person of faith. Clearly, this is not a biography in the ordinary sense. Fr. Lazarus interaction with the flame of Sarov is felt on every page. It is as though he were at St. Seraphim s side, learning from his Elder s acts and words. St. Seraphim is not only set before our eyes, but is brought into our very hearts. Fr. Lazarus leads us to an invocation of the Saint himself; we feel his presence and receive a taste of that extraordinary peace, sweetness and joy for which he is known and loved by so many. The body of this book is identical to that published in 1994 by New Sarov Press (now defunct) under the title: St. Seraphim of Sarov: A Spiritual Biography; However, this present edition has an entirely new design and offers a number of new features: a foreword by Bishop Hilarion of the ROCOR diocese; original artwork; added footnotes and editorial notes; a reflection on Fr. Lazarus Moore by his caregiver at the end of his life; a history and technical notes on the manuscript; a collection of St. Seraphim's Prayer Rules given to his spiritual children; and an Akathist Hymn to St. Seraphim translated by Fr. Lazarus.

The Correspondence between the Tubingen Theologians and Patriarch Jeremias II of Constantinople on the Augsburg Confession.

Augsburg and Constantinople was the crowning achievement of the late Very Reverend Father George Mastrantonis, a distinguished Orthodox clergyman and prolific author. First published in 1982, this book remains a work of vital interest to scholars of all faiths. The correspondence between the Lutheran theologians of Tubingen and Orthodox Patriarch Jeremiah II may be seen as the first substantive ecumenical dialogue of the post Reformation era. More than four hundred years later, these exchanges continue to have value well beyond the purely historical. In preparing this translation and commentary, Father Mastrantonis believed that these documents are "especially important today when a movement toward better understanding among churches is taking place."

Since the early days of the Church, Christians have struggled to come to terms with Christ's words of peace and His example of peace. In Christ's life, as recorded in the New Testament, it is striking that He neither killed anyone nor summoned any of His disciples to kill. Indeed, the final miracle Christ performed before His execution was to heal an enemy's wound, an injury caused by the Apostle Peter in an attempt to defend his master. Yet, in the course of more than twenty centuries of Christian history, we see Christians often involved in war and, in surveying the calendar of saints, find not only those who refused to take part in war but also those who served in the military, though no one has been canonized due to his skill as a soldier. Besides the millions of Christians who have fought in armies, often against fellow Christians, we also find many priests, bishops and theologians who have advocated war and blessed its weapons. Our subject is an urgent one. Many people today live either near conflict areas or are directly touched by war or in areas where terrorist actions may suddenly occur. Everyone on the planet is in some way affected by wars in progress or wars in the making as well as the consequences of wars in the past. Every day thousands of Christians struggle in thought and prayer with some of the most difficult of questions: May I fight injustice by violent methods? Am I allowed to kill in combat? Are there limits on what I can do in the defense of my country? Am I as a Christian allowed to disobey demands that I believe are unjust or violate the Gospel? When the demands of my country seem at odds with the demands of the Kingdom of God, how do I respond to this conflict? Rarely do we find easy answers to these and similar questions. Thus, those of us in the Orthodox Christian tradition search for help in Holy Scripture, the canons provided to us by ecumenical councils, the witness of the saints, the writing of the Fathers of the Church as well as theologians of recent times. Imitation of saintly forebears alone, however, will not solve our problems. Different eras have adopted different attitudes. Also many of today's problems never existed before, not least the changed character of war in an era of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and mass propaganda. Yet knowledge of the thought and action undertaken by the Orthodox Churches on the issues of war and peace in recent decades surely can help us find ways out of the dead ends that many communities are experiencing today. This is the aim of this book.

The Byzantine liturgy, with its beauty, its richness, and its depth, intrigues, inspires, and fascinates a great number of today s Christians; and yet it remains for many almost inaccessible if not incomprehensible.
The Typikon, the liturgical book that contains the order of the liturgical celebration, is complex, whence the necessity of decoding it both for recent converts and for cradle Orthodox Christians desiring to deepen their liturgical observance.
And that decoding is the goal of this book. Developed from courses given at the Institut Saint-Serge in Paris, it covers the celebration of the offices throughout the Byzantine liturgical year. The organization and composition of the liturgical offices are first situated in the context of their historical development, and then are analyzed in detail from a practical point of view.
This explanation of Byzantine liturgical practice, the first of its kind in English, includes an extensive bibliography and comprehensive glossary.

One of the greatest orators of his age, St. Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory Nazianzus), is considered among the most central of Church fathers. His work, and that of St. Basil the Great, did much to win the day for the Nicene Creed (by God’s grace) and to secure its completion at the first Council of Constantinople, where the Creed received its final and present form. He is not as easy to read for moderns as Augustine or some of the Latin Fathers. But is well worth the read. Below is a portion from his Second Paschal Oration in which he asks the question: “To whom was the ransom (Christ’s death on the Cross) paid?”

Our venerable father Mark the Ascetic thrived in the year 430. He was a disciple of Saint John Chrysostom, according to Nikephoros Kallistos (vol. 2, bk. 14. ch. 53), and was a contemporary of Saint Nilus and Isidore of Pelusium, who were famous ascetics. Diligent in the study of the Scriptures, he wrote many discourses full of abundant learning and spiritual benefit. Of these, 32 are mentioned by Nikephoros Kallistos, which teach the entire path of the ascetic life, though they have not been preserved. Only eight of his discourses survive, different from the above, which are mentioned by both Kallistos and the critic Photios (codex 200). Of these, the discourse "On the Spiritual Law" is first, "On Those Who Think They Are Made Righteous by Works" is third, both divided into short chapters, and "To Nicholas the Monk" is eighth. These discourses were included here as more useful than the others and why all three belong to the spiritual law. The venerable martyr Peter of Damascus and Gregory of Sinai and the most holy patriarch Kallistos and Paul the Evergetinos and many other Fathers also mention his books. All of them have studied his works and urge us to study them as well. The Holy Church of Christ honors his memory on March 5 and praises his ascetic struggles, the wisdom of his words and the grace given to him by God. From Philokalia, vol. 1. Translation by John Sanidopoulos.

The primacy of the bishop of Rome, the pope, as it was finally shaped in the Middle Ages and later defined by Vatican I and II has been one of the thorniest issues in the history of the Western and Eastern Churches. This issue was a primary cause of the division between the two Churches and the events that followed the schism of 1054: the sack of Constantinople by the crusaders in 1204, the appointment by Pope Innocent III of a Latin patriarch of Constantinople, and the establishment of Uniatism as a method and model of union. Always a topic in ecumenical dialogue, the issue of primacy has appeared to be an insurmountable obstacle to the realization of full unity between Roman Catholicism and the Orthodox Christianity. In this timely and comprehensive work, Maximos Vgenopoulos analyzes the response of major Orthodox thinkers to the Catholic understanding of the primary of the pope over the last two centuries, showing the strengths and weaknesses of these positions.

Covering a broad range of primary and secondary sources and thinkers, Vgenopoulos approaches the issue of primacy with an open and ecumenical manner that looks forward to a way of resolving this most divisive issue between the two Churches. For the first time here the thought of Greek and Russian Orthodox theologians regarding primacy is brought together systematically and compared to demonstrate the emergence of a coherent view of primacy in accordance with the canonical principles of the Orthodox Church. In looking at crucial Greek-language sources Vgenopoulos makes a unique contribution by providing an account of the debate on primacy within the Greek Orthodox Church. Primacy in the Church from Vatican I to Vatican II is an invaluable resource on the official dialogue taking place between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church today. This important book will be of broad interest to historians, theologians, seminarians, and all those interested in Orthodox-Catholic relations.

It is impossible to understand either the New Testament doctrine on marriage, or the very consistent practice of the Orthodox Church without seeing Christian marriage in the context of the Eucharist ... The very notion of marriage as a sacrament presupposed that a man is not only a being with physiological, psychological, and social functions, but that he is a citizen of God's Kingdom, i.e., that his entire life and especially its most decisive moments involve eternal values and God Himself. -- John Meyendorff, from the book

This excellent study on Christian marriage is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the Orthodox perspective on marriage. John Meyendorff examines marriage in the Church from the contexts of Judaism and the New Testament, the early Church and Roman law, sacramental life, and contemporary society. Specific issues discussed include: second marriages, "mixed" marriages, divorce, abortion, family planning and responsible parenthood, married clergy, celibacy, and the monastic life. Essential reading for all pastors, it is also useful for parents, newlyweds and those preparing or the sacrament of marriage.

This is a revised and expanded version of a book that has appeared in French, Italian, and Greek. It focuses on themes central to Eastern Christian worship and spiritual life and serves as an introduction to the series of six volumes of Bishop Kallistos' collected works.

The opening chapter recounts the author's journey to Orthodoxy. The next two chapters provide profound and illuminating insights on death, bereavement and resurrection in Christ, and on repentance. Chapters four through seven invite us into the world of the desert ascetics and hesychast monks. Combining scholarly rigor with practical counsels on prayers, Bishop Kallistos makes the wealth of the Orthodox tradition accessible to today's Christians. The next three chapters concern personal vocation, martyrdom, spiritual guidance, and the strange path of the fool for Christ's sake. There follows a brief essay on time and eternity. The final chapter is a challenging discussion of Origen and Ss Gregory of Nyssa, Isaac the Syrian and Silouan the Athonite, and in conversation with them Bishop Kallistos asks, "Dare we hope for the salvation of all?"

A teacher at the University of Oxford who lectures around the world, Bishop Kallistos speaks equally to laypeople and specialists, on both timeless mysteries and urgent contemporary concerns.

“For He hath looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” —(Luke 1:48) A right understanding of Mary, the Mother of God is essential for a right understanding of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God. When her image is distorted, the image of her Son also becomes distorted. This concise little book is a classic exposition of how the Orthodox Christian Church has venerated the Mother of God throughout the ages, and on the chief errors that have sought to change or undermine this veneration: both ancient heresies and the later deviations of Western Christendom. It clearly tells why the Virgin Mary should truly be called the Mother of God and should be honored by all generations, and why at the same time She cannot be said to have been unable to sin, or considered a Co-Redemptress along with Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world. Written by a miracle-worker of modern times who was in close spiritual contact with the Mother of God - St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896-1966) - this work was translated by an American convert to the Orthodox Faith who was a beloved disciple of St. John: Hieromonk Seraphim Rose of Platina (1934-1982).

n this book, Oliver Clement comments on three traditional prayers. The first, which is known to us all, is the ""Our Father."" The author's intention is not to rival prestigious works but to discern, within the depths of the text itself, a Trinitarian revelation, the ways of communion--the ""prayer of fire"" of which St John Cassian spoke. There follow two other prayers that are familiar the Eastern tradition: first the prayer of the Holy Spirit (""O Heavenly King"") which, in the Byzantine rite, precedes any liturgical action, and on a more personal level, and work of reflection or witness. It celebrates the tremendous Breath of God which conveys to us the resurrected life. Finally, the ""Prayer of St Ephrem"" is characteristic of the services of Great Lent and sums up the interior struggle for trust, humility, and respect for others.

St Maximus the Confessor (c. 580-662) beautifully expounds the meaning of the Divine Liturgy in this work, which had a profound influence on the subsequent tradition, beginning with St Germanus of Constantinople (PPS 8). Maximus' vision of the liturgy contemplates the interpenetrating relationships of all things with each other and with Christ, in whom all things cohere. The church building and the human being and the cosmos are all mutually related and symbolically reflect each other. Further, in the liturgy we enter into the mystery of Christ. As St Maximus puts it, "Let us not be absent from the holy Church of God because she contains such great mysteries of our salvation according to... and she reveals the gift of adoption that is given through holy baptism in the Holy Spirit and that perfects each one into the image of Christ."

Preface - "Meanings in Gospel discourse are formulated in the Holy Spirit and therefore with enduring value and a view to eternityl. Every teaching, parable, story and description, as well as every phrase, every words, and every 'detail' contained in the Gospel of Christ is of greatest depth and significance. These are not exhausted by a mere superficial interpretation, the most our own poor spiritual measure can conceive. this is also true of the God-given prayer known to us as 'Our Father,' which the Lord Himself gave to His Church as an example of prayer for all of us. Our Holy Fathers lived the Gospel of Christ. They kept His holy commandments. Their life, their discourse, became extensions of the Gospel, and their experience in the Spirit of God enriches the holy Tradition of the Church. They reveal the great depth of the saving words of the Lord Jesus Christ and prove that His commandments 'are not heavy' but can be applied by Christians in any age, and thus they keep control over our lack of faith, neglect, and sloth..."

This work by Nicholas Cabasilas is a remarkable product of Byzantium's last great flowering of theology. At a time when secular humanism was increasingly asserting man's complete autonomy, Cabasilas proclaimed that man's true life lies not in himself, but in Christ. For him, man's redemption in Jesus Christ is not just a matter of history, which can be elucidated simply by scholarly endeavor; it is a saving event in which man is called to participate here and now, in body and spirit as well as intellect, through the sacramental life of the Church. The present translation makes this devotional classic available for the first time in English, while the extensive introduction by Boris Bobrinskoy assesses its place within the history of eastern spirituality.