The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism) [Paperback]

Clark Clarkton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 27, 2007

Outlines the fundamental differences between Orthodoxy and Protestantism. Written with a broad vision of the historic church; includes instruction to help believers to embrace the fullness of the Christian faith.

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Regina Orthodox Press,Csi (July 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964914123
• ISBN-13: 978-0964914124
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #433,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for Evangelicals, April 11, 2005

By 

P. M Simon "El Simon Asombroso" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism) (Paperback)

Whether you're seeking to become Orthodox or not, if you're an unhappy Evangelical Christian you should find a day to read this well-written and concise volume. It is very scripturally-based and the author does a good job of weaving his own story into the discourse. My wife, raised Freewill Baptist, found this book so stimulating that she devoured it in a few hours and had us off to Vespers at an Orthodox church within 2 days!

The Way's main failing point is that Carlton starts out nasty. Maybe, as a former Baptist preacher himself, he felt that was necessary to get our attention. But it is worth slogging past the first half-chapter and getting into his discussion. Several reviewers have dismised the volume because, well, they missed the point.

Carlton's big point is that Protestants broke from Rome and ostensibly sought to restore the original church of the apostles, but didn't even come close, and, in fact, that Church was there all along in eastern Orthodoxy. He documents this with records dating to 70AD!

Carlton's subsidiary point is that the reason for Protestant failure was that Calvin, Luther, etc. were actually strong individualists with preconceived notions and that Protestants have genrally followed their error of trying to make the church fit them, rather than the other way.

Carlton spends much time on the sola scriptura argument. While there is much to be said both ways, he does a good, meaty summary of the Orthodox position on the relationship and origins of Holy Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. Absent, unfortunately, is a good chapter on Sola Fide; as one Orthodox priest recently told me, "You Protestants and Catholics think it has to be either-or on everything."

So, yes, buy this book. It isn't perfect but it's an excellent, thought-provoking read.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, June 2, 2005

By 

Istanbuldog - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism) (Paperback)

This book is on the whole quite good. However, I do agree with some other reviews in that his view of the Protestant churches is quite narrow, stemming from the fact that the term "Protestant" is such a wide definition that its almost impossible to offer a critique of Protestantism without leaving out a great number of the 30,000 denominations.

I also think he could have been far more thorough on issues such as Sola Scriptura.

Many posters seem to be making some incorrect assertions though:

1. The Coptic Church is not part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is part of the Oriental Orthodox Church, which is something entirely different. The Oriental churches (Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, etc) broke away from the Orthodox Church in 451 A.D.

2. There is no division within the Orthodox Church. There are a number of self-governing juristictions (meaning they can elect their own Bishops and govern their own internal affair) which often differ in non-essential things such as language and music style. However, they have exactly the same Bible, the same Faith, the same Eucharist, etc.

3. "But which one is it then? Catholic or Orthodox?". This is a book about Orthodoxy and Protestantism, not Orthodoxy and Catholicism. There have been written a number of books on the latter subject.

4. Tradition bears witness to the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, as first among equals because Rome was the Imperial city at the time. The Orthodox Church accepts this 100% and if Rome and the Orthodox Church were ever to be reunited, the Pope would once again hold such a place of primacy. However, the Pope's primacy was place of honour only. He never had juristiction over the Eastern churches, nor was he ever infallible.
Primacy not Supremacy!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book IF you can get past inaccurate generalizations, August 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Way: What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church (Faith Catechism) (Paperback)

As a Protestant (Lutheran background) considering/exploring the Orthodox church, I can honestly say that given all the books I've read on the subject, I can't recommend this one to those considering a conversion (at least not as a first read).

The book does contain some good information about the Orthodox church. However, it also contains some very inaccurate observations about Protestants in general (where on earth did he come up with some of this stuff?!?). I wish the author would have spent more time examining the positives of the Orthodox church rather than harping on his perceived negatives of all other denominations in existance. I believe that the author does not try to intentionally mislead. But, it is clear that his background and/or investigation of other Protestant denominations is very limited and subjective.

Despite all the above negativity in this review, I do think this book should be purchased (along with some of the author's other books). However, comments made that are not about the Orthodox faith should be taken with a grain of salt.

I appreciate an honest and blunt book. I believe this author to be very talented, but I hope that he will consider his tone in future books that he writes so as not to "turn away" those who may be genuinely interested in the Orthodox church.