Bibliography
Digging a Little Deeper
Suggestions for further study
The following list are books that I have personally
found helpful in my attempts to grow closer to God. They represent
all levels of spiritual reading from beginner to advanced. Many
can be purchased from Light and Life books.
A catalog can be ordered from their web site.
- The Holy Bible
- The Apostolic Fathers - a collection of first
and second century writings excluded from the New Testament but
held in high regard. New Testament books were required to be attributed
to one of the apostles, these letters are not. Edited by Jack
N. Sparks, Light & Life Publishing.
- Ante-Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers - The
definitive 38 volume collection of the Patristic writings from
the early council period in English. A. Cleveland Cox, DD, Hendrickson
Publishers inc. Also available on the web at The Ecole Initiative:
www.evansville.edu/~ecoleweb/index.html.
- Philokalia - The four volume collection of
later Patristic writers. This is mostly writings on the spiritual
life.
- The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha - The collection
of literature that was not included in the Hebrew scriptures (Old
Testament). The documents were composed in various styles and
places from the return from the Babylonian exile till the first
century BCE. Many of the stories we know about the devil, the
life of Moses and other famous people are found here. James H.
Charlesworth, Doubleday.
- The Dead Sea Scrolls - English translation
and commentary on some of the most important religious literature
contemporaneous with Christ Until the discovery of the scrolls
very little was known about this major Jewish sect. G. Vermes,
Penguin books.
- Philo of Alexandria - A first century Jewish
theologian and historian whose works were preserved by Christians.
His work in allegorical interpretations from the Hebrew scripture
was of the same model used by Patristic writers. C. D. Yonge,
Hendrickson Publishers.
- Josephus - First century Jewish Historian
whose works were preserved by Christians. He was a military leader
during the Jewish revolt that ended with the destruction of the
Temple in 70 CE. His "Antiquities of the Jews" contain
many detailed stories of the political intrigues as Israel developed.
Four volume set-William Wiston, Baker Book House.
- The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible
- A five volume set that is a mini-encyclopedia on biblical and
church themes. George Arthur Buttrick, Abingdon Press.
- The Face of Christ in the Old Testament -
A look at Old Testament themes and stories that Patristic writers
have traditionally associated with Jesus. Georges A. Barrois,
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.
- Reading the New Testament - General introduction
to the New Testament books. Pheme Perkins, Paulist Press.
- The Book of J- a comentary on the "J"
source that was used as part of the basis for the book of Genesis,
Exodus and Numbers. J is shorthand for early Judean. These sections
of the Torah distinquished by the use of Yahweh as the name for
God. J is the earliest section of the written bible,David Rosenberg,
Random House.
- The Essential Talmud- An introduction to
the history content and method of interpretation of Jewish law,Adin
Steinsaltz, Bantam books.
- From Ezra to the Last of the Maccabees: Foundations
of Post biblical Judaism-A brief history of post-exhilic
Judaism and the emergence of the major parties at the time of
Christ. Elias Bickerman, Schoken Books.
- The Old Testament A Byzantine Perspective--
A look at how the Eastern Churches use the Old Testament in liturgy
and teaching. Short history of Old Testament as used by the Byzantine
Catholic Church suitable for introductory adult education classes.
See Old Testament Class on this web
site. John S. Custer God With Us Publications.
- The Religious World of Jesus - A look at
the religious history of Israel and how it affected religious
thought during Jesus' earthly life. Frederick Murphy, Abingdon
Press.
- Byzantine Rite Rusins in Carpatho-Ruthenia and America
- A comprehensive look at the religious history of the Union of
Uzhorod and the immigration to America. Walter Warzeski, Byzantine
Seminary Press.
- To the Ends of the Earth: Aspects of Eastern Catholic
Church History--Short history of the Eastern Catholic
Churches suitable for introductory adult education classes. See
Church History Class on this
web site. God With Us Publications.
- The Christian Tradition - A four volume set
of Church history with Volume One covering 100-600 and Volume
Two devoted to the eastern Christian development. Jaroslav Pelikan,
University of Chicago Press.
- The Churches the Apostles Left Behind - A
careful examination of the period between the death of the Apostles
and the beginning of the mainstream church in the second century
based, on scriptural evidence. Raymond Brown, Paulist Press.
- The World of the New Testament - A look at
the major cultural influences during the time that the New Testament
was written. Sean Freyne, Michael Glazier, Inc.
- The Bible as History - An examination of
the archeological evidence for events in the Bible. This is very
helpful for placing bible stories in their cultural context. Werner
Keller, Bantam Books.
- Saints and Sisterhood - Brief biographies
of four women saints for each month of the year from the Eastern
Church Calendar. Eva Catafygiotue Topping, Light & Life Publishing.
- With Eyes of Faith - A brief introduction
to the major dogmatic themes in the Eastern Church and their development
over the years. God with Us Publications.
- Light For Life: Part One The Mystery Believed
- Part one of the Eastern response to the Roman Catholic Catechism.
An introduction to Eastern theology and spirituality. God with
Us Publications.
- The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church
- This is a more in-depth study of the theology outlined in "With
Eyes of Faith". Vladimir Lossky, St. Vladimir's Seminary
Press.
- The Face of God - An overview of the major
spirituality themes in the Eastern Church in a straightforward,
easy to read style. Like a living room chat with a spiritual director.
Archbishop Joseph Raya, God with Us Publications.
- Theology of the Icon - A history of the development
of the icon and church architecture in the east. Leonid Ouspensky,
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.
- The Primacy of Peter - Four short essays
by leading Orthodox theologians on their understanding of Roman
primacy. The Faith Press.
- Life and Worship - An overview of the worship
cycle, structure and development in the Eastern Church. God with
Us Publications.
- Light For Life: Part Two The Mystery Celebrated
-Part two of the Eastern response to the Roman Catholic Catechism.
An introduction to worship cycles and their connection with the
theology and life of the church. God with Us Publications.
- The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom
- A section-by-section commentary on the Divine Liturgy. Basil
Sheregy, Byzantine Seminary Press.
- The Liturgical Year of the Byzantine-Slavonic Rite
- A brief history of all the major holy days and their organization
on the Calendar. Basil Sheregy, Byzantine Seminary Press.
- Instruction for applying the Liturgical Prescriptions
of the code of canons of the Eastern Churches - This
at times terse and dry listing of over 100 instructions on how
to practice the faith in our church is issued by the Vatican to
help us recover our traditions. While written primarily for the
religious it makes for an interesting commentary on the state
of the liturgical life of our church. Congregation for the Eastern
Churches, Eastern Christian Publications.
- Introduction to Liturgical Theology - An
in-depth look at the development of the Divine services and what
they mean for the life of the church; designed for a first class
in Liturgy at the seminary. Alexander Schmemann, St. Vladimir's
Seminary Press.
Biblical Greek Studies
Biblical Studies Resources
Byzantine Sources in Translation
Byzantine Catholic Church
Early Church Documents
Early Church Fathers
Ecole Initiative Early
Church Documents
Jewish Orthodox Union
Jerusalem Yeshiva Torah study
