New Scripture Commentary Available

If you are interested in learning more about Scripture and want to be fed and nourished with good exegetical teaching then look no further. The Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS) has published a new commentary on the writings of the Prophet Ezekiel. Father Paul N. Tarazi's thorough analysis of the text will provide the reader with food for the journey.

Below is a description about the book from the OCABS website.

Scroll down further for ordering information

Quick Overview

In this volume, the author, Paul Nadim Tarazi, explains that "The most striking aspect of [Ezekiel's] message is that the exile has been willed by God...as a teaching lesson." Instead of heeding God's instruction, "under Solomon and his successors, [the people of Israel] treated Canaan as another Egypt where, this time round, they would be 'masters' of their own destiny. Little did they realize that neither they nor the Pharaohs are 'masters' of their fate. God alone is the Lord and master of all. Thus, it is God himself who calls upon the new 'Egyptians,' the Assyrians and the Babylonians, to punish Samaria and Jerusalem."

To learn more about OCABS and to order a copy of this book click here

More on Father Schmemann

Off and on for the past seven years I have been reading, re-reading, and writing about the life and legacy of Father Alexander. It's like spending time with a close friend. Unfortunately I never had the chance to meet Father Alexander, he died in 1983, but after reading so much about him I do feel at least like I know something about him, just a little maybe.

People ask me why I find his writings inspirational. Well, for starters he speaks the truth. Just read a few entries from his published journals and you'll see why. He rails against false spirituality and putting on airs when it comes to Church matters, for example, wearing long prayer ropes in plain eye sight of others, drawing attention to oneself at services, and the various reductions of Church life such as fasting and long services as if we can reduce the gospel message of the Kingdom to a few obligatory things.

Father Schmemann has been a breath of fresh air to me, the light and salt that I so desperately look for these days in the arid ecclesial life in which I find myself.

Also, Father Schmemann speaks a lot about the joy of life, that Christ came to bring joy to the world through the cross and through the Last Supper, the Eucharist. We gather together and share fellowship with one another. We share the goodness and grace of Jesus' love for us.

If you have not done so I encourage you to read some of Father Alexander's writings, there are several good articles on a website dedicated to him which you can find below and also I have a few links to his writings.

Take some time during this Lent or after Easter and read some of his writings, hopefully you'll be inspired as I am!

A website with writings and pictures of Father Alexander click here

To order a copy of Father Alexander's Journals click here

To order a copy of his most popular and best-selling book For the Life of the World click here

Coming Soon: Saints As They Really Are

I am thrilled to announce that Father Michael Plekon's new book, Saints as They Really Are: Voices of Holiness in Our Time will be published in May by The University of Notre Dame Press. Father Plekon is also the author of Living Icons as well as his most recent book Hidden Holiness also published by The University of Notre Dame Press.

The cover art is beautiful, contrasting the iconographic image of the late Dorothy Day, writer, editor, philanthropist, and servant of the poor with a real photo of her below.

Below are some comments about Father Plekon's new book. Further down you will find more information about Father Michael as well as ordering information.

“This is the third in a progression of books by Michael Plekon that have served to expand our understanding of saints and holiness. In this new book, he has taken yet a further step in relating holiness to ordinary or everyday life by showing the contours of grace, or the harmonics of holiness, revealed in the Christian journey of a number of contemporary Christian memoirists. He shows how the gospel story of death-resurrection is written in the journey of ordinary Christians.” — Robert Ellsberg, author of All Saints

“In this profoundly engaging and moving book, Michael Plekon looks at a range of contemporary writers who have charted their own paths in ‘holy living’ in the context of a fast-changing church and world. He introduces us to the three-dimensional reality of some of those who have explored God’s ways with us in recent decades and distills a great deal of significant theological and spiritual wisdom. And, above all, he boldly argues that what he has been describing is seriously good news about the future of Christian discipleship in the supposedly secular North Atlantic world. This is a book to unsettle us and inspire us: that is, it is a Christian book.” — Archbishop Rowan Williams

“Actual saints, Michael Plekon reminds us, don’t come with ready-made halos. They struggle and fail just as we do, endure bitter disappointments, and are at times nailed to the cross by the church itself. One of Plekon’s main themes is the problem of dysfunctionality in religious institutions. Too often those entrusted to lead ‘poison our hunger for God, discourage our desire to serve God and the neighbor, even disorient our vision of human relationships.’ Even so, saints—few of them formally canonized—continue to arise, partly thanks to the church, partly despite it. Plekon’s book challenges the reader’s very idea of sanctity.” — Jim Forest, author of All is Grace: A Biography of Dorothy Day

You can order a copy of Saints As They Really Are by clicking here

To learn more about Father Michael click here

New Book Coming Soon

I am glad to announce that after several years of research, writing, editing, and waiting, my doctoral dissertation, Church, World, and Kingdom: The Eucharistic Foundation of Alexander Schmemann's Pastoral Theology will be published this coming Fall by Hillenbrand Books, a division of Liturgical Training Publications.

While many students and scholars have studied Schmemann's liturgical theology, my book is the first to investigate his thoughts and ideas on the interconnectedness of liturgy and pastoral care.

Father Alexander's writings contain much food for thought for priests, lay leaders, and teachers regarding the pastoral life, ministry, and our common vocation to offer our prayer and praise to God, which is fulfilled in the Eucharistic celebration.

In the coming months I will share more information about the book, but for now, I just wanted to put the word out.

Publication details regarding Church, World, and Kingdom will be forthcoming.

For more information about the life and legacy of Father Schmemann click here.

Blog interview

My friend and colleague Dr. Adam DeVille interviewed me recently on his excellent Eastern Christian book blog which you can find below. Happy reading.

Click here for the interview

To read an excerpt from my new book and for ordering information you can click here

New Book Published

I am happy to finally announce that my new book, Encountering Jesus in the Gospels is being released today for publication. The book is a series of easy to read pastoral reflections on basic Gospel images of Jesus: Jesus the Bread, Jesus the Vine, Jesus the King, and so forth. Each chapter has a series of questions for personal reflection, for spiritual journaling, or for small group discussion. The book is a great resource for personal and group Bible study and sermon preparation.

You can read a sample chapter on my website if you click here

You can also order a copy directly from amazon.com if you click here

Bulk order copies for parishes or book clubs/studies can be ordered directly from my publisher if you send them an email info@orthodoxresearchinstitute.org

Happy reading!!!

Advanced Praise for Encountering Jesus in the Gospels:

In this welcome and wonderfully accessible book, Father William Mills very skillfully cuts through the fog of the current Jesus wars and helps readers discover for themselves the richly diverse answers provided in the gospels to Jesus’ own question: “Who do you say that I am?”"

Adam DeVille, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Theology

University of Saint Francis

"At first glance this book is a study of the names and titles of Jesus, proves to be far more, as each name proves, in the author's related experience to be a point of meeting with the Lord. Surely people will have a deeper intimacy with Christ from this brief, but life touching, book."

Bishop Seraphim Sigrist

Book Review: Between Heaven and Mirth

I have a love/hate relationship with Father James Martin, well, it's probably more love than hate actually. I love him because he is ruthlessly honest, truthful, funny, and has a great writing style. I devoured all of his books in one or two sittings. Then why do I hate him you ask? For all of the same reasons! Just to be honest Father James is my idol, my mentor, my muse, I want to be just like Father Martin (I'm kidding of course).

Father Martin's latest book is called Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life (Harper One, 2011). You need to go out now and get a copy of this book today. Read it once, twice, even three times. Read it in your adult class at Church. Give a copy to your pastor. Buy a copy to your grumpy neighbor. They'll thank you for it later.

Between Heaven and Mirth explores the importance of humor and joy in healthy spiritual development. I agree with Father Martin's thesis that a healthy spiritual life needs humor. Humor is everywhere, in the Bible, in community life, in ones own family. The problem is, and Martin mentions this several times throughout his book, is that we take ourselves too seriously and when we do this we loose sight of Jesus and the Kingdom.

Martin draws on a host of examples from both the Old and New Testament's, from the writings and lives of the saints, and from his own personal anecdotes. He also draws some examples from Jewish, Buddhist, and Islamic religious traditions, although these examples were not as abundant as the examples from the Christian tradition. The pages turned so fast that I forgot where I was in the book. Page after page Martin shares with readers the mental, physical, and spiritual necessity of humor. In one particular passage Father Martin highlights the importance of humor for bishops and priests. He asks (and I'm paraphrasing here): "why not require our leaders to have a sense of humor, after all isn't that an important quality to have in leadership?" How true. Having a sense of humor and joy means that we are in tune with God. This does not mean that we are crack jokes all day, i.e humor for humor's sake, but that we see ourselves from God's vantage point. After all, just look around you, there is humor in everyday life, we just need, as Jesus says the eyes to see and the ears to hear.

I could go on and on but I won't. Father Martin has written a thoughtful, inspirational, and funny book about living a life of joy. If you want more joy in your life and lightness than start today! Also, while you're at it, buy a copy of Between Heaven and Mirth, read a chapter a day and you'll see how your life begins to change.

For more information about Father Martin and Between Heaven and Mirth click here

To pre-order a copy of Between Heaven and Mirth click here