The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, 2 Volume Set

With a combination of essay-length and short entries written by a team of leading religious experts, the two-volume Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodoxy offers the most comprehensive guide to the cultural and intellectual world of Eastern Orthodox Christianity available in English today.

• An outstanding reference work providing the first English language multi-volume account of the key historical, liturgical, doctrinal features of Eastern Orthodoxy, including the Non-Chalcedonian churches
• Explores of the major traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy in detail, including the Armenian, Byzantine, Coptic, Ethiopic, Slavic, Romanian, Syriac churches
• Uniquely comprehensive, it is edited by one of the leading scholars in the field and provides authoritative but accessible articles by a range of top international academics and Orthodox figures
• Spans the period from Late Antiquity to the present, encompassing subjects including history, theology, liturgy, monasticism, sacramentology, canon law, philosophy, folk culture, architecture, archaeology, martyrology, hagiography, all alongside a large and generously detailed prosopography
• Structured alphabetically and topically cross-indexed, with entries ranging from 100 to 6,000 words

Africa, Orthodoxy in

Akathistos

Albania, Orthodox Church of

Alexandria, Patriarchate of

Ambo

Amnos

Anagnostes (Reader)

Analogion

Anaphora

Anastasimatarion

Angels

Anglicanism, Orthodoxy and

Anointing of the Sick

Antidoron

Antimension

Antioch, Patriarchate of

Apodeipnon

Apodosis

Apolysis

Apolytikion

Apophaticism

Aposticha

Apostolic Succession

Archdeacon

Architecture, Orthodox Church

Arianism

Armenian Christianity

Artoklasia

Artophorion

Asceticism

Assyrian Apostolic Church of the East

Asterisk

Australasia, Orthodox Church in

Baptism

Barlaam of Calabria (ca. 1290–1348)

Berdiaev, Nikolai A. (1874–1948)

Bible

Bioethics, Orthodoxy and

Blessing Rituals

Bogomils

Bulgakov, Sergius (Sergei) (1871–1944)

Bulgaria, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of

Caerularios, Michael (d. 1059)

Calendar

Canon (Liturgical)

Canon Law

Canonization

Cappadocian Fathers

Catechumens

Charity

Chastity

Cheesefare (Sunday of)

Cherubikon

China, Autonomous Orthodox Church of

Chorepiscopos

Chrismation

Christ

Church (Orthodox Ecclesiology)

Communion of Saints

Confession

Constantinople, Patriarchate of

Contemporary Orthodox Theology

Coptic Orthodoxy

Council of Chalcedon (451)

Council of Constantinople I (381)

Council of Constantinople II (553)

Council of Constantinople III (680–681)

Council of Ephesus (431)

Council of Nicea I (325)

Council of Nicea II (787)

Cross

Cyprus, Autocephalous Orthodox Church of

Cyril Lukaris, Patriarch of Constantinople (1572–1638)

Czech Lands and Slovakia, Orthodox Church of

Deacon

Deaconess

Death (and Funeral)

Deification

Deisis

Desert Fathers and Mothers

Diakonikon

Divine Liturgy, Orthodox

Dormition

Dostoevsky, Fyodor Mikhailovich (1821–1881)

Doxastikon

Eastern Catholic Churches

Ecology

Ecumenical Councils

Ecumenism, Orthodoxy and

Education

Eiletarion

Eileton

Ekphonesis

Elder (Starets)

Eleousa (Umilenie)

Eothina

Epiclesis

Episcopacy

Epitrachelion

Eschatology

Estonia, Orthodox Church in

Ethics

Eucharist

Euchologion

Evangelism

Evlogitaria

Exaposteilarion

Exarch

Excommunication

Exorcism

Fasting

Fatherhood of God

Feasts

Filioque

Finland, Autonomous Orthodox Church of

Florence, Council of (1438–1439)

Florensky, Pavel Alexandrovich (1882–1937)

Florovsky, Georges V. (1893–1979)

Fools, Holy

Georgia, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of

Glykophilousa

Gnosticism

Gospel

Grace

Great Week

Greece, Orthodox Church of

Hades

Hagiography

Healing

Heirmologion

Heresy

Hesychasm

Hexapsalmoi

Hieratikon

Hodegitria

Holy Spirit

Holy Trinity

Horologion

Humanity

Hymnography

Hypakoe

Iasi (Jassy), Synod of (1642)

Iconoclasm

Iconography, Styles of

Iconostasis

Icons

Idiomelon

Imiaslavie

Incarnation (of the Logos)

Incense

Islam, Orthodoxy and

Japan, Autonomous Orthodox Church of

Jeremias II, Patriarch (1572–1595)

Jerusalem, Patriarchate of

Jesus Prayer

Judaism, Orthodoxy and

Judgment

Kalymauchion

Katavasia

Kathisma

Kazakhstan, Orthodoxy in

Khomiakov, Aleksey S. (1804–1860)

Kollyva

Kollyvadic Fathers

Kontakion

Lance

Latvia, Orthodoxy in

Lithuania, Orthodoxy in

Liturgical Books

Logos Theology

Lossky, Vladimir (1903–1958)

Love

Lyons, Council of (1274)

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church

Mandorla

Maronites

Marriage

Maximus the Greek (1470–1555)

Megalomartyr Saints

Men, Alexander (1935–1990)

Menaion

Mesonyktikon

Metanie (Metanoia)

Meteora

Military Saints

Miracles

Moghila, Peter (1596–1646)

Moldova, Orthodoxy in

Monasticism

Monophysitism (including Miaphysitism)

Monothelitism

Mount Athos

Music (Sacred)

Myrobletes Saints

Mystery (Sacrament)

Name (Name Day)

Nativity of the Lord

Nativity of the Theotokos

Nestorianism

New Martyrs

Newly Revealed Saints

Niptic Books (Paterika)

Non-Possessors (Nil Sorskii)

Ode

Oktoechos

Old Believers

Old Testament

Optina

Ordination

Oriental Orthodox

Original Sin

Orthodoxy and World Religions

Orthros (Matins)

Ottoman Yoke

Panagia

Pantocrator Icon

Papacy

Paradise

Paraklesis

Paraklitike

Parousia

Passion Bearers

Patristics

Pentarchy

Pentecost, Feast of

Pentekostarion

Perichoresis

Phelonion

Philokalia

Philosophy

Pilgrim, Way of the

Platytera

Poland, Orthodox Church of

Pontike, Evagrios (ca. 345–399)

Possessors (Joseph of Volotsk)

Prayer

Priesthood

Prokeimenon

Proskomedie (Prothesis)

Protecting Veil

Protodeacon

Psaltes (Cantor)

Psilanthropism

Psychosabbaton

Quinisext Council (Council in Trullo) (692)

Relics

Repentance

Resurrection

Rhipidion (Fan)

Romania, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of

Rome, Ancient Patriarchate of

Royal Doors

Russia, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of

Scholarios, George (Gennadios) (ca. 1403–1472)

Semandron

Serbia, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of

Sexual Ethics

Sinai, Autocephalous Church of

Solovyov, Vladimir (1853–1900)

Sophiology

Sophrony, Archimandrite (1896–1993)

Soteriology

St. Andrei Rublev (ca. 1360–1430)

St. Antony of Egypt (the Great) (ca. 251–356)

St. Athanasius of Alexandria (ca. 293–373)

St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

St. Basil of Caesarea (Basil the Great) (330–379)

St. Constantine the Emperor (ca. 271–337)

St. Cyril of Alexandria (ca. 378–444)

St. Dionysius the Areopagite

St. Dorotheos of Gaza (6th c.)

St. Elizaveta Feodorovna (1864–1918)

St. Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306–373/379)

St. Filaret (Philaret) Drozdov (1782–1867)

St. Gregory of Nazianzus (Gregory the Theologian) (329–390)

St. Gregory Palamas (1296–1359)

St. Gregory the Great, Pope (ca. 540–604)

St. Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807–1867)

St. Isaac the Syrian (7th c.)

St. John Cassian (ca. 360–ca. 435)

St. John Chrysostom (349–407)

St. John Klimakos (ca. 579–ca. 659)

St. John of Damascus (ca. 675–ca. 750)

St. Macarius (4th c.)

St. Mark of Ephesus (1392–1445)

St. Maximos the Confessor (580–662)

St. Nicholas Cabasilas (ca. 1322–ca. 1391)

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite (1749–1809)

St. Paisy Velichovsky (1722–1794)

St. Photios the Great (ca. 810–ca. 893)

St. Romanos the Melodist (6th c.)

St. Seraphim of Sarov (1759–1833)

St. Sergius of Radonezh (1314–1392)

St. Silouan of Athos (1866–1938)

St. Symeon the New Theologian (949–1022)

St. Theodore the Studite (759–826)

St. Theophan (Govorov) the Recluse (1815–1894)

St. Tikhon (Belavin) (1865–1925)

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk (1724–1783)

Stăniloae, Dumitru (1903–1993)

Stavrophore

Stethatos, Niketas (ca. 1005–1085)

Sticharion

Sticheron

Sts. Barsanuphius and John (6th c.)

Sts. Constantine (Cyril) (ca. 826–869) and Methodios (815–885)

Stylite Saints

Syrian Orthodox Churches

Theophan the Greek (ca. 1340–1410)

Theophany, Feast of

Theophylact of Ohrid (ca. 1050–1108)

Theotokion

Theotokos, the Blessed Virgin

Tradition

Triodion

Troparion

Ukraine, Orthodoxy in the

United States of America, Orthodoxy in the

Unmercenary Saints

Vespers (Hesperinos)

Vestments

Virgins

War

Wealth

Western Europe, Orthodoxy in

Widows

Women in Orthodoxy

Appendix: Foundational Documents of Orthodox Theology

“The paperback edition is a valuable and affordable resource, which I recommend as a compendium for historians, religionists, and theologians alike.” (Religious Studies Review, 4 June 2015)

“In short, this Encyclopedia, is a useful tool that offers valuable basic information on many aspects of the Orthodox world.” (Journal of Eastern Christian Studies, 1 March 2014)

“The encyclopaedia as a whole is a remarkable achievement: not, perhaps, completely reliable, but nothing is. The preface by the editor, Fr John McGuckin, is a masterpiece.” (Theology, 1 September 2012)

“His monumental work and Leustean’s indispensable reference book provide a wealth of knowledge about global Orthodoxy during historical cycles of growth, repression and renewal.” (European History Quarterly, 2012)

“By this token, then, the encyclopaedia is a timely value for money product, for those with deep pockets and deep minds.” (Reference Reviews, 2012)

"The stated intention of producing an authoritative, scholarly reference work has been realized in a work that will have the greatest utility for researchers at every level. In 30 years of studying Orthodox Christianity, this reviewer has been no comparable work. Summing Up: Essential. Reference collections supporting lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty, and general readers. " (Choice, 1July 2011)

"In the preface editor McGuckin expresses his joy in bringing together this two-volume reference - a resource that breaks ground by making accessible comprehensive coverage of a religion that is rising once again after enduring some of the greatest challenges of its history - the 20th-century repressive regimes of eastern Europe." (Booknews, 1 April 2011).

"The stated intention of producing an authoritative, scholarly reference work has been realized in a work that will have the greatest utility for researchers at every level. In 30 years of studying Orthodox Christianity, this reviewer has seen no comparable work. Summing Up: Essential. Reference collections supporting lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty, and general readers"(CHOICE, July 2011)

John Anthony McGuckin is Nielsen Professor of Early Church History at Union Theological Seminary, and Professor of Byzantine Christian Studies at Columbia University in New York. A Stavrofor priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church in America, Professor McGuckin is the author of more than twenty books on religious and historical themes, including The Orthodox Church (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008), and is widely considered one of the leading experts on Early Christian and Eastern Orthodox traditions writing today. The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is an outstanding reference work providing the first English-language multi-volume account of the key historical, liturgical, and doctrinal features of Eastern Orthodoxy, including the Non-Chalcedonian churches.

The Orthodox churches are extensive families of ancient Christianity that derive from apostolic times and took much of their external shape in the Byzantine era. Today they are reemerging after generations of suppression and state persecution in eastern Europe, and now have a growing presence in western Europe. Their voice is that of the largest single block of world Christians after contemporary Roman Catholics, but it is a voice, so far, largely unheard in the West.

Uniquely comprehensive, this two-volume reference work is compiled and edited by one of the leading scholars in the field, and brings together a large panel of internationally respected writers. It explores the major traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy in detail, including the Armenian, Byzantine, Coptic, Ethiopic, Slavic, Romanian, and Syriac churches. Spanning the period from late antiquity to the present, it encompasses key subjects such as history, theology, liturgy, monasticism, sacramentology, canon law, philosophy, folk culture, architecture, archaeology, martyrology, and hagiography. With helpful illustrations, it also includes a valuable Appendix outlining the foundational documents of Orthodox theology.

The Encyclopedia is structured alphabetically and is topically cross-indexed, combining essay-length articles and brief, informative notations on hundreds of topics central to the history and theology of Eastern Orthodoxy. This invaluable new work will appeal to both academic and ecclesiastical groups, and represents a major resource for anyone interested in exploring the full breadth of topics surrounding the Eastern Christian world.

"This is a monumental Encyclopedia, in both breadth and depth. It is sure to become a standard reference work for generations to come."
—V. Rev. Dr. John Behr, Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary