The Friend of God: An Illustrated Manual of the Jesus Prayer

By Daniel M. Rogich

“The Friend of God: An Illustrated Manual of the Jesus Prayer was born out of a years of practice and teaching and a generous impulse to pass on lessons from the Eastern Christian Spiritual Tradition to lay people so as to help them achieve a more ardent and fulfilling spiritual life. In this book, Fr. Daniel outline eight stages of the practice of the Jesus Prayer, quoting over 100 Holy Spiritual Guides covering topics like repentance, humility, use of the Prayer Rope, postures and breathing in prayer, and Prayer on the Lips, in the Mind, and of the Heart. A perfect guide for all spiritual seekers to sit with and enjoy and spiritually profit from again and again.”

Toolkit for Spiritual Growth: A Practical Guide to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving

By Fr. Evan Armatas

“Are you a new Orthodox Christian, confused about what you need to do to grow in your Faith? Or perhaps you’ve been Orthodox for some time but could use a refresher course in basic spirituality. Popular podcaster Fr. Evan Armatas explains the fundamentals of the three-legged stool of Orthodox practice – prayer, almsgiving, and fasting – in terms that everyone can understand and implement. Let Fr. Evan help you establish your life in Christ on a firm footing.”

Mary As the Early Christians Knew Her: The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts

By Frederica Mathewes-Green

“Mathewes-Green opens up “The Gospel of Mary” to see her early life, offering a window into her centrality to the Christian Faith in new and sometimes startling ways. Christians have alternatively raised the status of the mother of Jesus to that of her Son or ignored her entirely. Behind all of the images is a girl who grew up to be the mother of Christ.
How did the first Christians view her?
What were the commonly understood facts about the Blessed Mother’s early life, before the Annunciation?
How did Mary, the mother of Jesus, become the Theotokos?

This book gives some surprising insights.”

Orthodox Christianity (5-Volume Set)

By Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev

“This monumental five-volume series is a detailed and systematic exposition of the history, canonical structure, doctrine, social and moral teaching, liturgical services, and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church. The purpose of this series is to present Orthodox Christianity as an integrated theological and liturgical system, in which all elements are interconnected. This has been the law of the Church from ancient times: lex orandi, lex credendi, “the law of prayer is the law of faith.”

Volume One focused on the history and canonical structure of the Orthodox Church, Volume Two on the fundamental teachings of the Church, grounded in Scripture and Tradition, and Volume Three on the unique aspects of Orthodox art as expressed in its architecture, icons, and liturgical music. In Volume Four the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church—the history, structure, and meaning of the daily, weekly, yearly, and festal services—was explored in all its richness. Volume Five is dedicated to the mysteries (or sacraments) of the Orthodox Church—baptism, chrismation, the Eucharist, confession, ordination, unction, and marriage—in addition to the services of monastic tonsure, Christian burial, the blessing of water, and the consecration of a church building, which were also regarded as mysteries by some of the fathers of the Church. The volume also explores non-sacramental church services or rites that fall outside the daily, weekly, and annual liturgical cycle, such as molebens and akathists, and various blessings for people, objects, and occasions.”