Product Description

ORTHODOX DOGMATIC THEOLOGY is a book written with one purpose: to inspire, to warm the heart, to lift one above the petty preoccupations of earth in order to glimpse the divine beginning and end of all things. This has always been the purpose and intent of theology: to give one the energy and encouragement to struggle towards God and our heavenly homeland.

The original Russian version has long been regarded as a standard source of Orthodox theology and used for many years as a seminary textbook. The English translation by Fr. Seraphim Rose has made this invaluable sourcebook accessible to those who wish to deepen their understanding of Orthodox Christianity.

ORTHODOX DOGMATIC THEOLOGY was written not for academic theologians, but primarily for pastors, and thus it has a practical approach and simplicity of presentation that is missing in many works of contemporary academic theology.

In ORTHODOX DOGMATIC THEOLOGY one may see a characteristic of genuine Orthodoxy that is so often lost in our cold, rationalistic age. Theology is not primarily a matter of arguments, criticisms, proofs and disproofs; it is first of all men's word about God, in accordance with the divinely revealed teaching of Orthodoxy

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #253529 in Books
• Published on: 2006-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 434 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780938635697
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
As briefly as possible I have set forth for you our love of wisdom, which is dogmatical and not dialectical, in the manner of the fisherman and not of Aristotle, spiritually and not clearly woven, according to the rules of the Church and not the marketplace. --St. Gregory the Theologian, 4th Century

Customer Reviews

Excellent Overview of Orthodox Thought
A very complete overview of Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, from a traditional Orthodox perspective. While not as broad in it's scope as other books, such as "The Orthodox Church" by Bp. Kallistos, the smaller scope of the book does allow for a closer examination of the subjects that are dealth with, and Fr. Michael Pomazansky does this quite well.

This book is a systematic examination of Orthodox theology, and for that some have criticized it; systematic, catechism, etc. are four-letter words for some Orthodox. However, one cannot help but wonder why organization as it happens in this book could ever be considered a bad thing. Perhaps only behind "The Orthodox Church" and "The Orthodox Way," this is the book that I would most likely recommend to anyone wishing to have a broad but intellectually satisfying overview of what the Orthodox believe.

I do have two minor issues with the text as it is today. First, it is impossible to tell when footnotes are from Fr. Seraphim Rose (the translator) or Fr. Michael (the author). This has caused a problem at times when I know that Fr. Seraphim feels a certain way about a subject, but I am not sure whether Fr. Michael also feels the same way. A lengthy footnote is sometimes provided, but with no indentification as to who is speaking.

And second, Fr. Seraphim does seem to insert things into the book that were not originally part of the book. While this is not uncommon in books published by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, and while these additions are given in appendices, I still feel like it is an unfortunate move sometimes, as in a case like this book where the appendices bring in a controversial tone to the book that would have otherwise been absent. If I lend or give this book to someone and they have questions about Orthodoxy, I'd much rather try and answer questions about icons or Mary, and not controversial subjects like the Dogma of Redemption.

A model for writing theology
I had been looking for a textbook on Orthodox systematic theology for quite some time before accidently coming across an older edition of this volume while I was in Europe. I am an evangelical who is painfully aware of our tradition's ignorance of Eastern beliefs, and of our dependence on Western conceptions of theological categories and methods. As such I was (and still am) deeply interested in exploring the depths and riches of Eastern theology, and to this end Pomazansky is a gem.

I imagine most pastors have at least one or more volumes of systematic theology in their libraries. Everyone has their favorites: Barth, Calvin, Miley, Mueller, Grudem, Ott, Wenger, etc. Most of us try to have a wide variety of sources at our disposal for the sake of reference. Pomozansky's Orthodox Dogmatic Theology deserves to be on your shelf because I doubt anyone has written a one-volume systematic with the same measure of depth, eloquence, and brevity, let alone from an Eastern Orthodox perspective. Think of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, but with greater clarity, and a even more deeply devotional/pastoral spirit.

That being said, Pomazansky's book is not without its flaws. He is strongest when articulating the faith all Christians share, and in that respect, I would reccomend his book to every student of theology, both lay and clergy. On the other hand, from an evangelical perspective, he is weakest when defending Orthodox distinctives. I think evangelicals will find that some of his arguments are far from convincing because they are exegetically unfounded or suspect. That being said, Orthodox readers probably won't be bothered too much by this apparent shortcoming because Scripture does not have the same place of authority in Eastern traditions as in evangelical traditions.

But even with these (minor) doctrinal dissagrements, this is an eminently useful book that I constantly refer to for inspiration and explanation. In fact, it may be the most dog-eared, highlighted, and underlined systematics I own. You should get one.

Astonishing Depth and Clarity
An excerpt from the book reads:

"Christian faith is a mystical revelation in the soul. It is broader, more powerful, and closer to reality than thought. It is more complex than separate feelings. It contains within it the feelings of love, fear, veneration, reverence and humility. Likewise it cannot be called a manifestation of the will, for although it can move mountains, the Christian renounces his own will when he believes and gives himself over entirely to the will of God. 'May Thy will be done in me, a sinner.' The path to faith lies in the heart; it is inseparable from pure, sacrificial love, working through love (Gal 5:6)."

When I read this, I read it over and over again. It simply astonished me. What Fr. Pomazansky has to share with us in his book in nothing short of the fullness of the Orthodox Church, and its most profound mysteries. And all this is accomplished without elaborate systems, or contexts, but rather with a humble straightforwardness that is reminiscent of many of the Church Fathers such as Saint Clement of Alexandria, or Saint Gregory the Theologian.

I recommend this to every Christian who truly loves God, and wished to know him truly.