Orthodox Brothers and Sisters...help

[Qoheleth]

Please, help me find an online source for Orthodox doctrine, teaching, theology and so on...

Please help me understand the differences in Orthodox churches (i.e. Greek, American, Eastern... ).

Aside from the liturgy, do Orthodox study the bible (bible studies) or fellowship outside of Sunday liturgy??

I have many, many questions, I hope to find my answers here.

[The Prokeimenon!]

Hi Q!

You've come to the right place to ask questions! :)

As far as differences, there are no real differences between the canonical Orthodox churches - little things like whether to kiss the chalice after communion, one prostration or three etc, yes - but we are united in our 2000 year old faith and tradition. I can just as easily go to a Russian church as a Greek or Antiochian or what have you - and the service and doctrines will be the same in all of them.

My website has some good articles for those just learning about the faith, since you asked for on-line resources - these are articles that were very helpful to me: http://stienekel.tripod.com/

And the answer to your last questions are a definite YES and YES! :)

Welcome to TAW!

Katherine

[brewmama]

There are lots and lots of online sites. I'll have to look some up for you, usually just typing in Orthodox or Orthodox Church is a good way to start. I'm sure someone here will share some favorite sites. Are you American? I assume Protestant?

Just for a place to start, there are more services in church than just the Liturgy, for instance we have Vespers the first Sat of each month (we're small), and more often during Lent and Advent. We also have Bible studies and other various studies.
There are differing patriarchates, or jurisdictions, in the Orthodox Church, and they very often fall along ethnic lines, but the Liturgy and doctrine is the same. Each of the varying jurisdictions has a heirarchy that goes up to a Patriarch, such as ours in Damascus (Antiochian), a Russian one in Moscow, Greek in Constantinople, etc. Again, all the major ones are considered to be in communion, (although there are lots of splinter groups-don't need to go there now)

[Akathist]

Go to your local library and get the book "The Orthodox Church" by Timothy (or Kollistos) Ware. My library had more than one copy of the book and this is a small city. (And also you can buy it used at amazon.com for very little as well) This was the best explaination of the history and discussed some of the theology. The other book by Ware "The Orthodox Way" (not sure of title exactly) teaches more on doctrine.

Fredereca Matthewes-Green has written several books and my Priest highly recommends her.

These three off line resources was what my Priest recommended for me.

Be careful about just doing an on line search. There are wolves mascrading as sheep out there that will tell you falsehoods to confuse you. I am sure that the websites listed in this thread would be safe.

I have a long list of websites I have read (or want to). www.oca.com (http://www.oca.com) is for the OCA church. That is the church I attend (Orthodox Church of America). But that is the only choice were I live so you would want to look at others.

By the way. No reading of material replaces attending worship. The worship teaches so much! Go visit a church. (They rarely bite newcomers!)

[Akathist]

Oh, yes, I did find the resource I wanted to share...

This is a "Catachism" by the Greek Orthodox: (there would be very very few differences between what is taught here and done at any other Orthodox church.)

http://www.gocanada.org/Catechism/catech.htm

[Oblio]

Go to your local library and get the book "The Orthodox Church" by Timothy (or Kollistos) Ware.


The Orthodox Church (http://www.intratext.com/X/ENG0804.HTM) online.

On Orthodox Faith and Life (http://www.fatheralexander.org/page6.htm) is another good site.

[ExOrienteLux]

http://www.goarch.org has some good articles on faith for inquirers. It the Greek American Archdiocese's website, and helped me a lot when I first got interested in Orthodoxy. The OCA's site is good as well.

And if you plan on going to a Liturgy anytime soon, here's something you should read: http://www.antiochian.org/theology/first_visit.htm

Hope this helps, and God be with you on your journey!

His sinful and unworthy servant,
Josh

[Qoheleth]

Thank you all, these sites are most excellent starting points. I will be spending a few days reading all this information as it is very new and exciting.

Peace and Blessings to all of you

[Matthias]

I'm glad you have found them to be exciting.