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This page contains information about the Orthodox Christian Faith. There are three sections. The first contains links to the on-line edition of the four volume series on the Orthodox Faith by Fr. Thomas Hopko. The second contains links to various webpages about contemporary Orthodox Christian life and activities. The third contains a set of articles "About Orthodoxy" that were complied and edited by a monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery (OCA) in Pennsylvania. 

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Orthodox Faith by Fr. Thomas Hopko -- Four Volume Series

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Information about the Orthodox Faith on the Internet

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About Orthodoxy--Compiled and edited by a monk of St. Tikhon's Monastery

The Orthodox Faith by Fr. Thomas Hopko (OCA)

This section provides links to the on-line edition of the four volume series on the Orthodox Faith (1967-1984) by Fr. Thomas Hopko. A second edition was published in 2016. This material is published on the Website of the Orthodox Church in America, with this note: "The Orthodox Faith series is intended to provide basic, comprehensive information on the faith and life of the Orthodox Church."

Preface  (Written by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon)

 

Volume I - Doctrine

    Sources of Christian Doctrine

Topics include:  Revelation, Tradition, Bible, The Liturgy, The Councils, The Fathers, The Saints, Canons, Church Art 

    The Symbol of Faith

Topics include:  Nicene Creed, Faith, God, Creation, Angels and Evil Spirits, Man, Sin, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Incarnation,

Redemption, Resurrection, Ascension, Judgment, Kingdom of God, Holy Spirit, Church, Sacraments, Eternal Life

    The Holy Trinity  

Topics include: The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, The Holy Trinity Revealed, Wrong Doctrines of the Trinity, One God, One Father, One God: One Divine Nature and Being,

One God: One Divine Action and Will, One God: One Divine Knowledge and Love, The Three Divine Persons, The Holy Trinity in Creation, The Holy Trinity in Salvation,

The Holy Trinity in the Church, The Holy Trinity in the Sacraments, The Holy Trinity in Christian Life, The Holy Trinity in Eternal Life 

    The Bible 

Topics include: Bible, Word of God, Authorship, and Interpretation 

    Old Testament 

Topics include: Law, History, Wisdom, Psalms, Prophets

    New Testament 

Topics include: Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Letters of Saint Paul, Letters of Saint James,

Letters of Saint Peter, Letters of Saint John, Letter of Saint Jude, Book of Revelation 

    Salvation History 

Topics include: Word and Spirit, Pre-History, Abraham, Passover, Kingship, Priesthood, Prophecy, Holiness 

    Resources vol. 1 

Topics include:  Selected Bibliography, Doctrine Questions and Reflections for Discussion, Doctrine Answers and Reflections for Discussion

 

Volume II - Worship

    The Church Building 

Topics include: Church Building, Altar Table, Oblation Table, Icons, Sign of the Cross, Vestments, and Christian Symbols

    The Sacraments 

Topics include: The Sacraments, Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Holy Unction, Marriage, Holy Orders,  Funeral, and Monasticism

    The Daily Cycles of Prayer 

Topics include: Prayer; Vespers; Matins; Hours, Compline and Nocturne

    The Church Year 

Topics include: Church Year, Pre-Lent, Great Lent, Lenten Fasting, Lenten Services, Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, Sundays of Lent,

Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, Holy Week, Holy Thursday, Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple, Holy Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday: The Holy Pascha,

Post-Easter Sundays, Ascension, Pentecost: The Descent of the Holy Spirit, Nativity of Christ, Epiphany/Theophany, Meeting of the Lord,

Transfiguration, Annunciation, Nativity of the Theotokos, Dormition of the Theotokos, Elevation of the Cross, Other Feasts

    The Divine Liturgy 

Topics include: The Divine Liturgy, Prothesis, Blessed is the Kingdom, Great Litany, Antiphons, Small Entrance,

Epistle, Gospel, Fervent Supplication, Offertory: Great Entrance, Love and Faith, Eucharistic Canon: Anaphora,

Epiklesis, Rememberances, Our Father, Communion, Thanksgiving, Benediction and Dismissal

    Resources, vol. 2   

Topics include: Selected Bibliography, Doctrine Questions and Reflections for Discussion, Doctrine Answers and Reflections for Discussion

 

Volume III - Church History (Revised and expanded, Dr. David C. Ford, 2016 edition)  

   First Century

Topics include: Christ and the Apostles, The Church

   Second Century 

Topics include: The Persecutions, The Apostolic Fathers, The Apologists, Protecting the Church from Falsehood and Heresy, 

The Quartodeciman Controversy, Church Order and Liturgy

   Third Century 

Topics include: Persecution, The Lapsed, Development of Theology, Liturgical Development

   Fourth Century 

Topics include: Constantine, The Donatist Schism, Arianism, The First Ecumenical Council, Saint Athanasius and his defence of Nicea, New Heresies, The Second Ecumenical Council, Liturgical Development, Monasticism, Saint John Chrysostom

   Fifth Century 

Topics include: Inner Struggles, Third Ecumenical Council, The Robber Council, The Fourth Ecumenical Council, The Monophysites, The Henotikon, Canons of the Councils, The West

   Sixth Century 

Topics include: Emperor Justinian I and the Non-Chalcedonians, The Fifth Ecumenical Council, The Oriental Orthodox Churches, Emperor Justinian I and Reform, Liturgical Development, Five Patriarchates, The West

   Seventh Century 

Topics include: Monoenergism / Monothelitism, Saint Maximus the Confessor and Saint Martin of Rome, The Sixth Ecumenical Council, The Council of Trullo or the Quinisext Council, Theological Writings, Liturgical Development, Relations with Rome, The Rise of Islam

   Eighth Century 

Topics include: Iconoclasm, Liturgical Development, The West

   Ninth Century 

Topics include: The End of Iconoclasm, Saints Cyril and Methodius—“Evangelizers of the Slavs and Equal to the Apostles”,

The Papacy, Saint Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Liturgical Developments, New Law Code, The West

   Tenth Century 

Topics include: Cultural Renaissance, Church and State, Bulgaria, Saint Vladimir of Kiev, Liturgical Development, The West

   Eleventh Century 

Topics include: The Great Schism, Pope Gregory VII, The First Crusade, Kievan Russia, Other Developments East and West

   Twelfth Century 

Topics include: Major Trends, Kievan Russia, Serbia, The West

   Thirteenth Century 

Topics include: The Fourth Crusade, The Second Council of Lyons, Serbia and Bulgaria, Russia, The West

   Fourteenth Century 

Topics include: Saint Gregory Palamas, John Cantakuzenos, Emperor John V Paleologos and Rome,

Russia, The Serbs, The Bulgarians, Liturgical Developments, The West

   Fifteenth Century 

Topics include: The Great Schism in the Papacy, and the Conciliar Movement, The Fall of Byzantium,

The Establishment of the Rum Milet, Russia, Other Developments in the West

   Sixteenth Century 

Topics include: Russia, The Union of Brest-Litovsk, The West, Patriarch Jeremias II and the Dialogue with the Lutherans,

The Greek Orthodox under the Ottoman Turks

   Seventeenth Century 

Topics include: Russia, The Unia, Saint Peter Mogila, Cyril Lukaris, The Greek Church under the Turks, The West 

   Eighteenth Century 

Topics include: The Greek Church, Russia, Mission to Alaska, The West

   Nineteenth Century 

Topics include: Russia: Spiritual Renewal, Russia: Missionary Activity, The Spread of Orthodoxy in the Lower 48 States in America,

Eastern Europe and Greece, Western Europe and America, Roman Catholicism, Relations between the Churches East and West

   Twentieth Century 

Topics include: Orthodoxy in America, Part One: From the Russian Mission to the OCA, Orthodoxy in America,

Part Two: Other Orthodox Jurisdictions, The Orthodox Church in Russia, The Church in Greece, The Ecumenical Patriarchate,

Other Orthodox Churches, Ecumenical Movement, Protestant Fundamentalism and Protestant Liberalism,

Protestant Neo-Evangelicalism, Major denominational mergers among Protestants, The Pentecostal/Charismatic Movement, The Roman Catholic Church

 

Volume IV - Spirituality 

    Orthodox Spirituality

Topics include: Spirituality, God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, Man, Sin, The Devil, The World and the Flesh, The Church, The Sacraments, The Kingdom of God

   The Beatitudes

Topics include: The Beatitudes, Poverty in Spirit, Blessed Mourning, Meekness, Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness, Mercy, Purity in Heart, Peacemakers, Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake, Rejoice and Be Glad

   The Virtues

Topics include: The Virtues, Faith, Hope, Knowledge, Wisdom, Honesty, Humility, Obedience, Patience, Courage, Faithfulness, Self-Control, Kindness, Gratitude

   The Greatest Virtue is Love 

Topics include: God is Love, Love of God, Love of Neighbor, The New Commandment, The Gift of Love

   Prayer, Fasting and Alms-Giving 

Topics include: Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer, Intercessory Prayer, Unceasing Prayer,

The Jesus Prayer, Liturgical Prayer, Meditation, Prayer in the Spirit, Fasting, Alms-Giving

   Sexuality, Marriage and Family 

Topics include: Sexuality, Marriage, Family

   Sickness, Suffering and Death 

Topics include: Sickness, Suffering, Death

   The Kingdom of Heaven

Topics include: The Final Judgment, Heaven and Hell, The Kingdom of Heaven

 

   Resources vol. 4

 

Topics include: Selected Bibliography, Doctrine Questions and Reflections for Discussion, Doctrine Answers and Reflections for Discussion

 

Information about the Orthodox Faith on the Internet

This section is currently under construction. Please check back later.

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