“It is very likely that for those not yet Orthodox, the first experience of the Divine Liturgy will be a stunning surprise. This is especially true for the Protestant and others with little or no exposure to liturgical worship.”

These are the opening lines of Orthodox Worship: A Living Continuity with the Synagogue, the Temple, and the Early Church, by Benjamin D. Williams and Harold B. Anstall, and they describe the experience of my first Orthodox Divine Liturgy almost perfectly.

In this updated version of their book, Williams and Anstall seek to explain to the reader two very important and related topics. In Part I, they delve deep into the origins and development of the worship and services of the Orthodox Church, particularly the Divine Liturgy, as well as their direct connection to the Jewish worship traditions of the Old Testament. In Part II, they take you on “A Journey through the Liturgy” itself, explaining the significance behind not only the beautiful and intricate steps of the Liturgy service, but also the church and altar where it is celebrated.

My family attended our first liturgy in the summer of 2015, and to say it was a “stunning surprise” for me would be no exaggeration. Having grown up in a formerly Pentecostal Assembly, currently non-denominational church, the only experience with any form of liturgical worship I had experienced was the occasional service we had attended with my husband’s Presbyterian family. Even that seemed more familiar than the sights, sounds, smells, and actions we experienced in our first liturgy. Months of reading, researching, and watching YouTube videos about this new (to me) faith still had not fully prepared me for my first Liturgy.

The authors predicted that for many, it would “likely raise questions and may well provoke an inner struggle.” For me, this was absolutely true. So many aspects of the service went against years of doctrine I had been previously taught. I knew in my heart that this was the True Faith, but I had been taught that the veneration of the Theotokos and the Saints was akin to idol worship, that all you needed was “Jesus, my bible, and me,” and that confession to anyone other than Christ was usurping his position as High Priest. It took many more months of study and prayer to overcome these inner struggles, but through God’s grace, my family and I were joined to the Church through Baptism and Chrismation on Holy Saturday, 2017.

Despite all my reading and study, I still had many questions regarding the history and development of the church. My experience with church history as a Protestant Christian was essentially that the Church slowly fell into an age of darkness after the Apostles passed, culminating in the corruption of the Roman Catholic Church that prompted Martin Luther to write his 99 Thesis and subsequently usher in the Reformation. There was an understanding that it was all but impossible to find any record of what early Christian worship looked like, and it was generally agreed upon that it must have been small home-group meetings with little to no formal structure or worship.

Discovering the rich history the Orthodox Church possesses in the writings of the Church Fathers and Mothers has been a beautiful, faith confirming revelation for me. Yet questions about the development and meaning behind the Divine Liturgy still remained. Questions I deeply longed to answer so that I could better explain this new, strange faith to my Protestant family and friends.

Orthodox Worship has been the God-send that has answered all these questions and more for me. It is written in a manner that is easily accessible for the average lay-person, yet answers questions thoroughly enough to satisfy those longing for a deeper theological and historical understanding.

Through the authors’ words, I have come to a deeper appreciation and love for the Divine Liturgy, as well as for the Orthodox Church itself. This is not a faith created by man, with dusty rituals and traditions continued simply because “we’ve always done it this way.” It is a living, breathing, life-transforming Faith which was begun in the Old Testament through the revelation and imitation of Heavenly Worship itself; fulfilled and perfected through the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; and protected and cultivated through the teachings and guidance of His Apostles, their disciples, and every generation of His Church since.

I cannot begin to tell you what a blessing Orthodox Worship has been to me, and I am eternally grateful I was given a chance to read and review this beautiful book. It is the perfect addition to our homeschool theology curriculum, along with other wonderful books such as Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, and Know the Faith by Rev. Michael Shanbour. All three of these books would top my list of recommendations to other Protestant Christians curious about the Orthodox Faith, with Orthodox Worship perfectly filling the need for an understandable, yet thorough, explanation of the beauty and significance of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy.

I would recommend this book not only for seekers or converts such as myself, but also for cradle Orthodox looking to deepen their love and appreciation for the Church and the Divine Liturgy, as well as anyone curious about the history and development of the Christian faith that occurred in the 1500 years before the reformation.

A book everyone should read. It touches on all aspects of relationships - heterosexual and bisexual - in the light of theology and the relationship of God with man. Short chapters make it a quick read, but a lot to ponder.

Good but a bit different since we are OCA and not Antiochian. Still worth having it though

I love it I buy 5 so far . They make great gift for people that's looking forward to read God's word.

perfect gift

Well written, good information

Excellent reference, very easy to follow.

This was a very interesting read; Fr. Gilquist and his companions went through a long and arduous journey to find the Church--which is something that in and of itself makes it worth buying this book. I only wish there had been more details written about the journey the Evangelical Orthodox Church went through--the book gives an overview, but it lacks character development. For many of us, we may have heard about Fr. Peter Gilquist and the EOC; it would have been wonderful to understand more about him and his life. However, overall, after I read the book I passed to it my mother who thought it was very well written. She has taken more of an interest in the Church here in America as a result. God Bless you, Fr. Peter and all the wonderful priests who came from the EOC. May your memory be eternal!

Perfect for our Law of God classes. My children even wanted it read to them before bed, which surprised me.

This was a gift for my husband. He is very happy, so convenient to have everything all in one place.

So helpful, so we’ll written! Absolutely wonderful book, which I will read again.

I am really enjoying this book. The examples and explanations are very good! We will be using it for our church’s book club:)!

Profound

This was my first real introduction to Orthodoxy. I first read it three years ago. I was Chrismated 18 months ago. I recommend the book to all seekers!

A friend of mine gave me this book, and I in return have given it to others. It's not a book I could read in one sitting or over a week's time. Instead, I have incorporated this book into my daily reading. The entries are short, but thoughtful and always pointing out the work of God in ordinary life. I have even passed this on to non-orthodox as a lighter introduction into the perspectives of the church. Thank you Father Aiden for sharing this everyday insight with us!

I greatly enjoyed both The Nightmare Tree and The Edge of Mysterion. I was hooked! I have younger kids, and this is not for their age. I am not entirely sure what age group these are targeted towards. The youth in the books are about ages 14-17. As an adult, I enjoyed them. I was a bit surprised by the content in The Edge of Mysterion which included domestic abuse, drug addiction, and some language. Sadly, it won't be unfamiliar for many of our youth who may be grappling with these these issues. Wonderful reads, and I look forward to others in the series!

Since becoming an American Orthodox Christian in 2012, I have been especially intrigued and inspired by the saints who braved the harsh & beautiful Alaskan wilderness to bring their ancient faith to the United States. Their resilience and dedication to me is super-heroic.

Fr. Michael Oleksa is among the ranks of those travelers called to that distant part of the United States. His book, EVERYDAY WONDERS, is a collection of stories and lessons that not only give the reader intimate and detailed glimpses into the traditional cultures of Alaskan villages, but tell of how he came to be in Alaska from ancestral roots that began across the continents. The stories Fr. Oleksa tells give the reader the sure sense that human beings are all connected and that coincidence is always more than just coincidence.

Fr. Oleksa’s stories range from explaining traditional Alaskan fare & hunting practices, to escaping death because of a painting project, to describing the robust Ethiopian celebration of Theophany and how to transport some treasured gym shoes across the ocean. Fr. Oleksa also gives some inspiring accounts of some “everyday” saints like Matushka Olga Michael who lived a simple yet faithful life of service to others. Fr. Oleksa’s stories made me laugh out loud, or just be still and thoughtful, or even audibly exclaim “No way!”

I “read” this book by listening to the audiobook edition and often would listen during bouts of insomnia in the middle of the night. EVERYDAY WONDERS would often help me get back to sleep - not because it was uninteresting or dull - but because the stories are genuinely full of faith and hope and they were calming to my over-thinking, anxious nighttime mind. The stories are told simply and are easy to follow and I often felt as if I was sitting with Fr. Oleksa in my living room just having a chat about some of his “everyday” adventures. Sometimes the quality of the audio would change but, to me, this just added to the authenticity.

This book is a fun read (or listen!) for anyone who is intrigued by “happenstance” and enjoys good storytelling. It will help any reader remember that human beings are really just a global family and that what may seem like random coincidence is really an “everyday wonder.”

It was a gift to my daughter in law

Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy is very similar to Rock and Sand, though to me at least, it is a clearer and easier read. Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy contains clearer explanations, and more of them of Orthodoxy vs Protestantism and Catholicism; for example, Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy also covers the restorationist movement while Rock and Sand seems to exclude it.

Have you ever seen one of those photo mosaics that combine hundreds of smaller images to create a new image when viewed from a distance? If so, you are well on your way to understanding what this little book is about. Life for a person of faith is filled with happy coincidences that seem unconnected and Insignificant, like the individual photos in the mosaic. Maybe you just read an article about how to deal with a particular challenge, and then a friend approaches you with their struggle with that very thing and you feel better prepared to listen and help. Perhaps your wedding ring goes missing when you are doing the dishes, and shows up again in the most unlikely way in another room. Maybe an insurance refund check or a gift from a friend arrives just when you’ve had an unexpected expense. None of these moment rise to the exalted status of “miracle,” and, indeed, many of them could easily be dismissed as just “how life goes,” but when you take a step back and look at them all together as part of the fabric of a life oriented towards God, you can discern the hand of God in every single moment, in each “everyday wonder.”

This beautiful little memoir, written and recorded by Fr. Michael Oleksa, is a collection of moments that add up to a clear picture of God’s mercy and providence in his life, stretching across his experience as a young man with an abiding love for the native peoples of this continent and a longing to live and work among them, and later as priest in Alaska with a thriving ministry. I have had the privilege of hearing him speak in person, too, and encountering him in the book took me back to that evening, as I sat enraptured as he shared from his rich knowledge and personal history about the saints that walked Alaska and touched so many lives with their love for Christ and people, and about his experience serving there himself.

The book is worth reading if only for the account of the life of Matushka Olga Michael, whose extravagant generosity and piety have been an inspiration, and who provides so much comfort, even after her repose, to women suffering from the effects of abuse, in particular. The other stories in the book, however, are equally encouraging and hint at the miraculous intervention in the life of an unassuming priest who discovered, rather profoundly, the rewards of sacrificing his own will in service of others, and other valuable lessons, the learning of which which he retells with humor and grace.

I recommend the book as an easy read or listen. It is episodic—which makes it possible to put down for a while if need be—but also engaging and enlightnening, and rather hard to put down after all, because each story delights. I’m grateful that Fr. Michael took the time to record for us the beautiful moments of his life that can help us to see and appreciate the hand of God in our own lives.