Eastern Orthodoxy: A Way of Life [Paperback]

Anthony M. Coniaris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1966

Hailed by Patriarch Athenagoras I as a spiritual milestone! Acclaimed by Dr. Nicholas Zernov, Archbishop Iakovos and numerous other Orthodox clergy and lay people. Here is a book that makes the teachings of the Orthodox Church personal and practical.

Product Details

• Paperback: 175 pages
• Publisher: Light & Life Pub Co (June 1966)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093703214X
• ISBN-13: 978-0937032145
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basics of Christian Faith Explained Clearly and Simply, June 3, 2000

By 

OrthodoxNet - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eastern Orthodoxy: A Way of Life (Paperback)

An excellent book for all anyone looking for finding meaning in life or a solid foundation in faith. Each chapter clearly and beautifully explains the basics of Christian faith and life.

The author, Fr. Coniaris, has the ability to communicate the essence of God and Jesus Christ in a language and style that everyone can understand and relate to. Similar to C.S. Lewis' approach , yet with a more concise and succinct flavor, Fr. Coniaris presents us with a brilliant exposition of what truly matters in life. He offers a clear foundation for legitimate thought on the Truth of Christianity, something noticeably absent from most contemporary literature and thinking.

Each chapter of this book presents the reader with a specific Christian topic and issue relevant to many different aspects of our lives; from meaning of life, to Truth, spirituality, repentance, Christ's divinity, marriage, peace, and especially Christian living and responses to many secular and human issues.

Even though I have read this book a few times, I still come away with new insights and fresh understanding each time. I highly recommend it!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Makes a fine example, but is far too dated for use now, January 20, 2007

By 

Christopher Culver - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Eastern Orthodoxy: A Way of Life (Paperback)

I was quite surprised upon finding Anthony Coniaris' 1966 book EASTERN ORTHODOXY: A Way of Life. Here is a book targeted at the general reader, decades before conversion to Orthodoxy took off, and it was put out by the publishing house of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, usually attacked as being too ethnic and uninterested in mission.

Coniaris' book is a series of thirty-nine chapters, each on a general theme of Christianity. Coniaris' points are generally illustrated by anecdotes: "In the early days there was a king who decided to test the character of his people...", "The keeper of a lighthouse in France was boasting of the brilliance of his lamp...", "Look magazine [recently] published an article entitled 'Morality U.S.A.'...". Because of this constant use of cute examples, some of which unfortunately are urban myths, the book can get quite exhausting if read straight through, but if one reads a single chapter a week, the book could be a thought-provoking series of essays.

Still, I'm unsure that the book is useful for Orthodox Christians today. One major problem is that the book is quite dated. References to fear of the Bomb, amazement at the powers of the submarine Nautilus, and complaints about "Negro" segregation show this to be a product of a long-ago decade. I was also uncomfortable with his frequent quotation of non-Orthodox religious leaders, such as Anglican bishops. Of course endless reference to Eastern saints might intimidate the non-Orthodox reader, but there is no reason that Coniaris had to specifically look to leaders of sects instead.

Conairis' book could serve to inspire a contemporary Orthodox evangelist to write in the kind of folksy, down-to-earth tone that Protestants are tuned in to, but the book is far too dated to be used in mission now.