Product Description

This book is a general account of the doctrine, worship and life of Orthodox Christians by the author of the now classic The Orthodox Church. It raises the basic issues of theology: God is hidden yet revealed; the problem with evil; the nature of salvation; the meaning of faith; prayer; death and what lies beyond. In so doing, it helps to fill the need for modern Orthodox catechism. Yet this book is not a mere manual, a dry-as-dust repository of information. Throughout the book, Bishop Kallistos Ware shows the meaning of Orthodox doctrine for the life of the individual Christian. Doctrinal issues are seen not as abstract propositions for theological debate but as affecting the whole of life. A wealth of texts drawn from theologians and spiritual writers of all ages accompanies Bishop Kallistos' presentation. They, too, reveal Orthodoxy not just as a system of beliefs, practices and customs but indeed as the Way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36378 in Books
• Published on: 1995-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 164 pages

About the Author
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.

Customer Reviews

A modern spiritiual classic to be read more than once!
"The Orthodox Way," by Bishop Kallistos Ware is the second most frequently recommended book on Eastern Orthodoxy in the English language to date, and the top book specifically on Orthodox Christian spirituality. (The number one book on Orthodoxy is his classic work, "The Orthodox Church," published under his given name, Timothy Ware.

I first read an earlier edition of "The Orthodox Way" many years ago as an Evangelical Christian, shortly after I began looking into the Orthodox Church. At that time it communicated to me that something profoundly spiritual was going on in this church of "smells and bells," robes and formal liturgical worship. It introduced me to the mystery of God, and made me realize that it was important to spend less energy talking about and trying to understand God, and to spend more time getting to know him in prayer. This is where I first encountered the idea that theology in the strict sense of the word is "the contemplation of God himself."

It was this book that explained the importance of the Trinity, not only as part of the Nicene Creed, but that God has been Trinity since before the book of Genesis, and a proper understanding of him will drive how we commune with him. My first reading introduced me to new terms and concepts: apophatic approach (saying what God is not rather than what he is), apatheia (dispassion), passion (any disordered appetite or longing that takes possession of the soul), nous (spiritual intellect), nepsis (watchfulness, sobriety and wakefulness), theosis (deified, or "christified," or "made sharers of the divine nature" [2 Peter 1:4]), and the difference between the "essence" and "energies" of God.

Now, seven years after I began "checking out" the Orthodox Church, and four years after coming home to Orthodoxy, I found myself rereading this volume (revised edition) and discovering how much went right over my head. This time I paid closer attention to the many quotes from liturgical texts, Church Fathers, saints, mystics, monks, historians and theologians. It made me appreciate how much Bishop Kallistos is writing from a rich tradition, that has become my tradition, and how that this Orthodox way, is The Spiritual Way. For fear that this last statement may sound sectarian, it should be noted that this volume has been endorsed by a number leaders and authors outside of the Eastern Orthodox tradition.

God wants all to come to know him, and this volume can introduce the reader to a Way that is well mapped out, but sadly, not often traveled. May God grant me the ability follow this way more closely.

On a closing note, at the time I write this review, Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ" is in the theaters, and causing many to discuss the significance of Jesus' death on the cross. "The Orthodox Way" has perhaps the best brief summary of what Jesus accomplished by his passion and death on the cross, not to mention his birth, life, teachings and resurrection, which are all part of the story.

the best book on Orthodoxy for most people
I first read this book five years ago, and I still remember how uplifting it was. I'd always experienced theology as an intellectual struggle, but this book showed me that theology can be a deep, existential experience of God. As it did so, I saw clearly why Orthodox Christianity does not suffer from the theological diseases of the West. Of course, they have their own problems, but theology isn't one of them. In short, this book revolutionized my view and experience of Christianity. Amazingly perhaps, it's had this effect on other people as well.

Let me describe some other similar books, to help you find what you're looking for. Ware's book "The Orthodox Church" introduces Orthodoxy to a Western audience, briefly covering history and some of the more common misunderstandings Westerners have. Though a little dry, it's most people's first book on Orthodoxy. Another very good book by the same author is "The Inner Kingdom," a collection of essays on various topics. In it, he doesn't cover the fundamentals of Orthodoxy, but he addresses many issues (such as environmentalism, death, confession and so on) in greater depth. And perhaps the best book on Orthodox theology is Olivier Clement's "Roots of Christian Mysticism," which makes the heart and depth of ancient Christian tradition accessible to modern readers. Hopefully one of these books is what you're looking for!

(p.s. In case you are wondering, I am not Orthodox.)

The Only Way
Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware), famous for his companion volume "The Orthodox Church", presents in this offering a comprehensive approach to Orthodox spirituality. While "Church" deals with the history, organization, structure and basic theology of the Orthodox Church, "Way" is concerned exclusively on the Orthodox spiritual life -- the Orthodox "way" of spirituality. Having said that, since Orthodox theology is in its essence mystical and closely related to spirituality, KALLISTOS' book covers much spiritual theology from the Orthodox perspective. This is not a complicated treatise for experts, but a readable, usable guide for everyone wishing to uncover the incomparable glories of Orthodox spirituality. A tremendous guide to Orthodoxy "from the inside out".