Eastern Orthodoxy Through Western Eyes

by Donald Fairbairn

Book Overview

In the last decade, Eastern Orthodoxy has moved from being virtually unknown to Western Christians to being a significant presence on the religious scene in North America and Great Britain. In light of Orthodoxy's growing presence, this book will introduce Western Christians to the Eastern Orthodox vision of the Christian life by examining Orthodox theology and worship and will also alert readers to the cultural and historical factors that shape any...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0664224970
• ISBN13: 9780664224974
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Length: 216 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Highly Recommend

I would highly recommend this book for someone who wants to understand the Orthodox church. The Orthodox church and the Evangelical church use very similar language, but the meanings are very, very different. Fairbairn clearly presents the beliefs of the Orthodox in ways that make sense to "western-minded" Christians. While at the end he does point out some weaknesses, overall this book isn't meant to criticize as much as to educate. I found it very helpful!

Good Academic Comparison

In Eastern Orthodoxy through Western Eyes, Donald Fairbairn gives us a relatively easy to understand look at Orthodoxy, both at its best, and also when it is distorted in certain, common ways. His outsiders view is certainly useful to those who are interested in things Orthodox. Overall, I liked Fairbairn's book. It was informative, and was willing to do some very fair comparative work between Eastern and Western approaches (while admitting the entire time that such is, in fact, an over simplification to a great degree). However, I fear that his intended audience and the level of theological understanding required to read the book may be somewhat at odds. The book appears (though in all fairness does not claim) to be a lay person's introduction to Orthodox theology. This, however, is not the case at all. One must already be somewhat informed about Western theology's terminology and approach for this book to make much sense, as Fairbairn does not shy away from using theological jargon rather freely throughout. So, if you are not already familiar with theological vocabulary, this is probably a book left set aside for now. That said, if you are familiar with theological terminology, then this is a great book for understanding, from a fair comparative standpoint, the major differences between Eastern and Western theological thought and spirituality. In short, if you're looking for a good (though largely academic) comparison between Eastern and Western theology and an evaluation of what each can learn from the other, then this is a good choice. If you're looking for an exposition of Eastern Orthodoxy that a Western, theologically-uninformed layman can understand, you should look elsewhere.

Good for both

As has been alluded to already by other reviewers, the author does give the impression of "how can we help these poor lost souls?" when referring to the people of Orthodox persuasion. But he does state up front that it is not his personal conviction so it is expected. I sometimes wonder why Christians seem to spend a disproportionate amount of their time attempting to convert each other rather than focussing on winning new converts but, of course, the assumption is that the other guy cannot possibly be a "real" christian. I happen to share the author's reformed protestant background but I am, with the help of this book among others and the help of some fine Orthodox friends, beginning to understand their position and their strengths. Despite that underlying presupposition, I found the book quite helpful in understanding and admiring the Orthodox position. I like how the author identified some key paradigms in thinking that differ between east and west and then building on those to identify the effects of those differences. More often than not, the differences are in matters of emphasis - for instance, is truth an abstract concept found by the individual or is it the person of Jesus and his work in the community of his people? Mr. Fairbairn has done a great service in identifying and expounding on these key differences that have developed over the centuries since Constantine. I think this book is helpful for anyone of either persuasion to find understanding and challenge in their own Christian life as well.

Essential reading on the Eastern Orthodox church

An excellent and objective book that is worth its weight in gold for anyone interested in the Eastern Orthodox church. Contents include: Introduction - Double Vision Part I - The Source of the Orthodox Vision: Tradition Part II - The Heart of the Orthodox Vision: Union with God Part III - The Orthodox Vision and Its Distortions Conclusion - Single Vision?

Sheesh! The Orthodox ARE Christians.

Like the reviewer below, I found Prof. Fairbairn's dialogical approach to be both sympathetic and enlightening. He may miss a minor point or two (e.g., Mt. Athos is the site of 20 monasteries, not a single monastery), but the heart of the matter--the heart of Orthodoxy--is well expressed. Unlike the reviewer below, the idea of juxtaposing "the Orthodox" with "Christians" strikes me as painfully ignorant; fortunately, such a division does not figure in Prof. Fairbairn's important book.