What a timely and almost prophetic piece of literature. As I sat and read this book the Government sits closed with millions of people not getting assistance. The most marginalized in our society suffer, as the Church of Christ heralding His Kingdom, what are we to do? This book might not have all the answers, but I believe has helped to build a foundation for others to use to help build programs to assist the Church in Her mission in the world.
This book packs in a lot of information as it discusses social thought, the Bible, Church history, and finally landing in the realm of economics. While at times this book can almost feel as if you’re drinking from a fire hydrant, it has a layout which is conducive to being able to slowly digest the information. The layout of each chapter starts with a story that captivates the reader, followed by the meat of the matter, the chapter then ends with a section of recap and Q&A. This to me is great as it gives your brain some needed breaks from some of the deeper academic portions in the “meat” section. As accessible and well laid out as the information is, however, this book is not for everyone and I do believe basic knowledge of history as well as economic theories can prove to be beneficial in keeping up with the information being presented.
At times however I personally would have liked to see more concrete “next steps” even though that admittedly wasn’t the author’s aim. I hope to see more work in the future in regard to this as Orthodoxy grows in America and can start hopefully putting some of these ideas into practice in furtherance of the Kingdom.

A popular item in our church bookstore and

This book is one of the best reads. I was first introduced to St. Theophan while reading the Philokalia and I was in awe of his writings, his letters. I encourage anyone who is interested in learning from the ancients and are walking the spiritual path to read this book. A great writer and teacher.

This marvelously rich and detailed historical and spiritual book came out just as I was preparing a slide show in n a visit to Lithuania earlier this year, and I only wish I’d read it first. As it is, it gave me much deeper understanding of what I saw, the people I met, the churches we visited, and a people’s struggles and achievements. Very readable and approachable for all its thoroughness.

I ordered this for our beloved Parish Priest because it is a necessary item for him. He is very busy and this is his appointment book.

I am only halfway through the first book, but inhave found the content to be very thorough, and extremely well written. I was raised Baptist, but have come to love Orthodoxy. These books are very helpful and enlightening to me in my journey.

I very much appreciate this book. I found it very readable with very little academic mumbo jumbo. I have a MA, Ph.D., and Th.D. So really like that it’s written for the layman. The book is short but it covers the subject well without a lot of fluff. I appreciate the author insights and interpretation of Scripture. Being a convert from the Protestant faith I can see the value of the interpretation from an Orthodox perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone struggling to understand the false teachings of Pagan religions which have their origins in the world of Satan.

I already had the paperwork version and use it every day but I wanted a better binding so it would last longer. I also have the audible version so everyday, a couple times a day, I play the audio and follow along in the book reading aloud. It's a wonderful experience and easier to stay focused. I'm not sure I could make it through a day without spending some of it in the Psalter.

How to Read the Holy Fathers: A Guide for Orthodox Christians is a truly wonderful companion for anyone beginning to explore the writings of the Church Fathers. As someone still new to reading them myself, I found Fr. Lucas’s guidance both approachable and deeply rooted in the Orthodox thought. There were moments when I had to slow down and reread certain sections to take it all in, but each time I did, I came away with a clearer understanding and deeper appreciation. This is one of those books I know I’ll return to again and again for encouragement and direction.

Timely delivery, we'll packed.

A great into to Orthodox faith. I will definitely recommend for anyone.

These are so beautiful, any color. They are so well made .

The author looks at the Christian faith from a full reality viewpoint both the visible and invisible natures of the Lord’s Kingdom. It has deepened my faith.

I love having a "Church Planner" that provides the calendar dates and space to leave notes and tasks and also provides information on feasts and provides space for more spiritual pursuits. Great job! Please continue doing this.

What a wonderful book! I am new to Orthodoxy and I found this book invaluable!!

Continuities and discontinuities between Second Temple Jewish and early Orthodox Christian worship clearly defined and explained. Enhancing my understanding and appreciation of worship in general.

Note: I received a review copy of this book, but all opinions are my own.

Very soon into this book, I figured out that I was not the target audience for. It read much more like an academic thesis than I was expecting at first glance. However, I read all of it for the purposes of making an accurate review. As someone who has grown up in a country where capitalism is celebrated, Dr. Pahman made some points that lead me to question what I had always been taught. He gives thorough analysis to scripture, church history, economics, non-Orthodox Christian thought, and more in order to give a wide range of views of social thought; yet, still managed to keep it under a lens of Orthodox Christianity. I personally felt that he leaned too much into the ecumenism at the end, but that isn't his fault. If you love economics, or even different spheres of social thought, this book will be a great read for you.

The Christmas card with the icon of Our Lady and the Baby Jesus shows the true meaning of Christmas.

Father Stephen has the gift of explaining the mysterious supernatural world with unbelievable ease. So insightful and interesting that once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down until it was complete.

Embarrassingly, I could not have confidently placed Lithuania on a map before reading this book, but after plunging into its fierce and bold history, this little country holds a special nook in my heart. Deepening one’s knowledge of a place often precedes deepening one’s appreciation and love, and the astonishing depth of the authors’ research and storytelling ensured the former and encouraged the latter. While at times the deluge of facts, lineages, dates, and battles was overpowering, and chapters whipped back and forth between unrelated events, there was almost always a personal story or engaging myth providing a narrative breath of fresh air. Orthodox saints, pagan conquerors, and warring nations trounce across the pages, seemingly tossing the lands of Lithuania around in a never-ending vie for supremacy. Once you make it through the mostly dense history, there’s a lovely focus on Orthodox saints of the land in the final chapters, directly after a more personal story from Fr. Andrew.

The end of the book truly sparkled with Fr. Andrew’s touching account of reconnecting with his extended family: both across the world in Latvia and Lithuania, but also right in his American backyard of an abandoned cemetery in Connecticut. His pious dedication to restoring broken lineages through extensive research and silent prayer inspired me to learn more about my own extended family in the neighboring Baltic state of Estonia. My paternal great-grandmother, Janina Zanko, emigrated from Estonia as a young girl, and the research from my 6th Grade Ellis Island project painted a colorful backdrop to the old babushka with whom I’d shared an occasional Thanksgiving (spiced windmill cookies and dry stuffing loom largest in those memories). I’m now inspired to visit and pray at her grave several states over.

My advice for readers of this book: immerse yourself in the rich history of a distant nation brimming with heroes and martyrs, then reach out to your own family and embrace them with your intentional prayers and love, appreciating their proximity in spirit and in truth.