Saint Methodios of Constantinople: A Study of His Life and Works
By Rev. Dr. George Peter Bithos

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Paperback (January 2009)
ISBN: 978-1-933275-30-7
Price: $19.95 + S&H (USD)

Saint Methodios of Constantinople: A Study of His Life and Works is the first full-scale study in English of the life and work of the great Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Methodios the Confessor (843-847). It was under him that the end of the second and final stage of the iconoclastic dispute came about. Patriarch Methodios was also responsible for establishing the "Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy," through which the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the restoration of the use of icons in the Church (1st Sunday of Great Lent) and solemnly reaffirms the famous Synodikon of Orthodoxy. The present volume provides details on the life and times of this great Patriarch, the events that led to the triumph of Orthodoxy and the celebrations of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, including the Synodikon. It also provides a thorough and scholarly discussion of the consequences of the restoration of the icons and of the criticism which the Studite monks raised against the Patriarch. More importantly, it discusses the ecclesiological issue that was connected with the iconoclastic dispute, involving such church personalities as Patriarchs Germanos I, Tarasios, Nikephoros I and Methodios, as well as Theodore the Studite. In the last chapter, entitled "Literary Harvest," the author explores through detailed analysis and discussion the various literary productions of the Patriarch. All of these, and especially the hagiographical and liturgical texts, reveal the great ecclesiastical and pastoral personality of St. Methodios, as well as his pivotal role in resolving the iconoclastic crisis and specifying the course of the church's path and mission in history.

Epiphanius of Salamis, Doctor of Iconoclasm? Deconstruction of a Myth
By Rev. Dr. Steven Bigham

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Paperback (December 2008)
ISBN: 978-1-933275-28-4
Price: $15.95 + S&H (USD)

Epiphanius of Salamis, Doctor of Iconoclasm? Deconstruction of a Myth represents a thorough examination of the dispute over the authenticity of five relevant texts of St. Epiphanius between iconoclasts and iconophiles in the 8th/9th century and between modern scholars in the 20th century: i) The postscript of a Letter of Epiphanius to John of Jerusalem; ii) The treatise of Epiphanius ... against those who make images of Christ, the Mother of God, the Angels and the Prophets; iii) The Dogmatic Letter; iv) The Letter to Epiphanius to the Emperor Theodosius; and v) The Will of Epiphanius addressed to the members of his Church. Following a brief introduction to Epiphanius' history, literary works, theology and the dispute over the alleged iconoclastic texts (ch.1), the author provides: an English translation of the above five documents (ch. 2); an analysis of the "Byzantine Controversy," which focuses on the arguments (against authenticity) of St. John Damascene, of the Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (787), of St. Nicephorus of Constantinople and of St. Theodore the Studite (ch.3); an analysis of the modern controversy focusing especially on the debate between Karl Holl (for authenticity) and George Ostrogorsky (against authenticity), including the reactions of several scholars (ch. 4); and, finally, a critical evaluation of the arguments for authenticity, which concludes that such arguments "are sufficient to justify their rejection." Fr. Bigham has convincingly argued that Epiphanius's so-called iconophobia, a notion that is present in the popular imagination and in scholarly works for nearly a century, is only a myth ... and, therefore, "the Christian tradition has been and remains fundamentally and essentially iconophile." This reexamination and reevaluation of the critical studies of the recent past is an excellent example of a post-modern criticism of criticism.

Saint Jean Chrysostome et l'Homo oeconomicus
By Nicoleta Acatrinei

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Paperback (May 2008)
ISBN: 978-1-933275-20-8
Price: $14.95 + S&H (USD)

Le voyage que propose Nicoleta Acatrinei, guidée en cela par son maître et inspirateur, saint Jean Chrysostome, va directement à l'essentiel puisqu'il touche au coeur de l'homme. C'est là en effet que l'homo oeconomicus cherche à se faire une place. Ni l'avarice ni la cupidité ne sont naturelles à l'homme, selon saint Jean Chrysostome. Toutefois elles envahissent l'âme dès que la volonté leur entrouvre la porte. Cela arrive aujourd'hui, comme cela arrivait à Antioche aux temps de sa grandeur. Selon le grand saint, c'est une des pires choses qui puisse arriver à l'homme. Une fois asservi à la matière, l'homme trahit sa nature et sa vocation ; il se métamorphose pour devenir intégralement « oeconomicus », sourd aux appels de la raison et aveugle à l'autre, capable ni de miséricorde ni de charité. C'est pour prévenir cette dégénérescence que saint Jean Chrysostome élève sa voix puissante et claire.

The Church's Identity Established through Images according to Saint John Chrysostom
By Protopresbyter Gus George Christo

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Paperback (March 2006)
ISBN: 1-933275-05-7
Price: $22.95 + S&H (USD)

Since the topic of ecclesiology is central to current theological dialogues, the rich ecclesiological doctrine of St. John Chrysostom provides an invaluable contribution to such discussions. This work establishes Chrysostom's conception of the Church through various human, social and natural images. The unquestionably scriptural nature of Chrysostom's imagery offers a clear perception of the Church's origins, connections with the Old Testament, and its relationship to the Triune God, the Saints and Martyrs of both Covenants, humanity and creation in general. All things are renewed in the unconquerable Church of God. This new creation embodies the apostolic faith in Jesus Christ, the correct manner of worshipping God and interpreting Scripture, and has christological and apostolic roots. Furthermore, the Church's blameless, virtuous, orderly and sacramental character, its oneness, nobility, heavenly setting and way of life, its exclusion of all sin, heresies and the devil, and its positive and saving effects upon people and the cosmos, are all concretely revealed and experienced in the local Church under the oversight of a canonical, orthodox bishop.

Greek Orthodox Patrology: An Introduction to the Study of the Church Fathers
By Panagiotes K. Chrestou
Edited and translated by Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas

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Paperback (October 2005)
ISBN: 1-933275-04-9
Price: $19.95 + S&H (USD)

The late Professor Panagiotes K. Chrestou of Aristotle University of Thessalonica, Greece, is justly regarded as the leading Greek Patrologist of the twentieth century. The present volume is a foretaste of Professor Chrestou's Greek Patrology. Its great value will be realized by anyone who decides to delve into these pages. It provides a bird's eye view of Greek Orthodox Patrology, and elucidates in a thorough and succinct way such basic topics as: who the Fathers are; the historical context of patristic literature; the nature and characteristics of Greek patristic literature; and the seven major periods of patristic literature from AD 90 through 1453, the capture of Constantinople.

The Lord's Prayer according to Saint Makarios of Corinth
(in English and Modern Greek)
By Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas

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Paperback (June 2005)
ISBN: 1-933275-01-4
Price: $10.95 + S&H (USD)

The Lord's Prayer, commonly known as the "Our Father," is the supreme prayer of the Christians, since it was delivered to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, following a request of his holy Disciples and Apostles. The Fathers of the Church have delivered many and profound explanations of this prayer, which constitutes the pinnacle of the introductory "trisagion" which opens every Orthodox supplication. The present explanation of this prayer by St. Makarios of Corinth (1731-1805) is the spiritual distillation of his study of the patristic explanations. It helps us to understand how this prayer is the key to our manner of life in Christ.

Saint Athanasius of Alexandria: Original Research and New Perspectives
By Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas

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Paperback (June 2005)
ISBN: 1-933275-00-6
Price: $21.95 + S&H (USD)

St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Athanasius' great successor, tells us: "Our Father Athanasius, of hallowed memory, who adorned the throne of the Church of Alexandria for the whole of forty-six years and arrayed an unconquerable and apostolic knowledge in battle against the sophistries of the unholy heretics and greatly gladdened the world with his writings as by a most fragrant perfume, and all bear witness to the accuracy and piety of his teaching . was a man worthy of trust and deserving a confi dence, since he did not say anything not in agreement with Holy Scripture."

The present volume consists of a collection of essays which represent original research into the writings of St. Athanasius, Patriarch of Alexandria (295-373). Th ese essays respond to challenges arising out of the contemporary scholarly studies of St. Athanasius' theology and writings. Th e new perspectives in Athanasian studies, which these essays off er, are closer to the original theological legacy of this great Alexandrian Father of the Church who has come down in the history of the Church as the "canon of orthodoxy." Modern "critical research and discussions" have too oft en tended to obscure the Athanasian legacy and bar contemporary theology from the amazing blessings that this great ecumenical teacher and Father of the Church has bequeathed to all Christian generations.

Against Those Unwilling to Confess that the Holy Virgin Is Theotokos
(Original Greek Text and English Translation).
By Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Edited and translated with an Introduction by Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas

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Paperback (September 2004)
ISBN: 0-9745618-7-8
Price: $13.95 + S&H (USD)
READ THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

The term Theotokos helped to establish the truth that Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was the preexisting Son of God who also became man without ceasing to be God in order to recapitulate in Himself the entire humanity and work out an eternal salvation for it. The point here is that Jesus Christ is the same Son of God who as true God "was born" ineffably and eternally from the Father and as true man was born in time and according to the flesh from the Virgin for the completion of the ages. Jesus Christ is one person who unites in Himself two natures, the divine and the human, and thus deifies the human by leading it to participate in the perfections of the divine. The term Theotokos brings out all these aspects of the mystery of the Incarnation and stresses its soteriological import. St. Cyril was not the first to use this dogmatic term Theotokos in a Christological dogmatic sense. Several theologians before him, including St. Athanasius and the Cappadocians, as well as conciliar Church documents, had used it in their writings. St. Cyril defended its propriety and explained its dogmatic significance for the Church's doctrine of Christ, because Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople denounced it as unacceptable. In the debate that ensued, it became obvious that Nestorius entertained a false doctrine of Christ, which eventually led to his condemnation. It was he who became an innovator and deviator from the Church's Tradition and not St. Cyril as some contemporary scholars have asserted. The present text can be described as a model of Patristic theological discourse. It is an anti-heretical treatise, which refers to a central dogma of Christian theology, the doctrine of Christ. Its importance lies, first, in that it demonstrates that dogma and exegesis are intertwined in Patristic theological thought and discourse; and second, that it shows that Patristic dogma is rooted in the biblical witness, and that the Fathers handled the Scriptures in a different way than the ancient heretics and many of our contemporary biblical scholars.

On the Priesthood and the Holy Eucharist
According to St. Symeon of Thessalonica, Patriarch Kallinikos of Constantinople and St. Mark Eugenikos of Ephesus.
By Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas
(with a Preface by Metropolitan Nicholas of Amissos)

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Paperback (February 2004)
ISBN: 0-9745618-2-7
Price: $9.95 + S&H (USD)

This book presents three patristic texts on the Priesthood and the Holy Eucharist by Saint Symeon of Thessalonica (A Discourse on the Priesthood to a Pious Monk, who Had Become a Deacon and Priest and Later Became a High Priest), Patriarch Kallinikos of Constantinople (A Guide for Priests and Deacons on How They Must Serve in the Church, How They Should Prepare for the Sacred Service of the Divine Liturgy, and How They Should Amend Sudden Eventualities and Difficulties that Emerge in the Course of Rendering such a Service); and Saint Mark Eugenikos of Ephesus (Exposition of the Church's Acolouthy). These texts serve as a reminder to clergy and laity that prayer and liturgy are primary functions of priests and are designed to put forward in a constant way the Mystery of Christ, which constitutes the basis of the Church as the Arc of salvation.

St. Cyril of Alexandria's Teaching on the Priesthood.
By Protopresbyter George Dion. Dragas
(with a Preface by Metropolitan Methodios of Boston)

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Paperback (January 2004)
ISBN: 0-9745618-1-9
Price: $9.95 + S&H (USD)

St. Cyril of Alexandria offers us here the clearest Biblical understanding of the Orthodox Priesthood on the basis of a Christian exposition of the Old Testament Priesthood. The general principle that Christ did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill, holds true for the Priesthood of the Law as well. St. Cyril explains how the Priesthood of the Law is fulfilled and renewed in the Christian Priesthood. His exposition offers Orthodox clergy a profound explanation of what they stand for and highlights many aspects of their sacred ministry.