What God is Not discussion

Have a book recommendation for your fellow podcast listeners? Post it here!

The Orthodox Way this is the first book my wife and I read that touched on eastern theology. Fairly short so can be read quickly. Great introduction to some of the basics of eastern theology which is exactly what we were looking for as potential converts to the faith. His writing style really drew us in - felt much more like a love story and less of a heady theological book.

Christ – Our Pascha - good learning resource - as a catechism it is longer and not really a book you would normally just read cover to cover. Been a great resource as a potential convert to Eastern Catholicism but would also be a great resource for any eastern catholic as well - regardless of which particular church you belong to. Plenty of citations/sources if you need additional resources for a deeper dive into a topic.

I just finished Sr. Clare Crockett: Alone with Christ Alone and it's a phenomenal read. Sister Clare was raised Catholic but didn't really practice and didn't have a super strong faith life. She had a movie-like encounter with Christ on Good Friday, and it changed everything.

I like this book because it's raw. You read Sister Clare's writings and can see her grow in her spiritual life. She's real, and because she's so young she references things the rest of us struggle with daily. Also she's exactly 1 week older than me so I felt a connection there.

There's also a YouTube video of her life that's worth watching. I watched "out of order" but don't let that hold you back from reading or watching!

Thank God Ahead of Time: The Life and Spirituality of Solanus Casey

Looking for a good book on St Joseph from an Eastern perspective. Any suggestions?

Big fan of history. A few years ago I read When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers and it changed how I viewed things I took for granted. More importantly, it helped me form the many of the 'why we do, what we do' answers that I've always had. That then turned me to The History of the Church: From Christ to Constantine and Patristics generally. Both of these books helped me make better historical connections of the Church through time back to Christ.

Christopher wrote: "Big fan of history. A few years ago I read When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers and it changed how I viewed things I took for granted. More importantly, it helped ..."

Thanks for the recommendations! I haven't read nearly as much of the Patristics as I'd like to (just some random bits of writings here and there) and those look like fabulous resources.

My Rosary Companion - Praying the Rosary with the Christian East by Kenneth Chrusch

Forms of our prayers have been undergoing some change over the recent years. We see this in some liturgical adaptations as there is an effort to de-latinize or refocus some of our practices. While praying the Rosary has traditionally been a devotion in the West, we have embraced it in the East.

It's like really good food, it doesn't matter where it comes from or who made it, it's still really good.

In the forward of this book (a guide really), the author spends time not on differences but what we agree on. How even though some things may appear different in reality, they are the same. He reviews the forms of the prayers and points us to a more eastern form of the 'Hail Mary' - what is more of an English translation of the Slavonic 'Bohorodice Devo'. The "Byzantine Beginning Prayers" prayers are more familiar to us from the Liturgy/Typica services.

The really good bits are that at each recitation of the Hail Mary in every decade, there is a call out for reflections from Eastern theology through parts of our Matins, Vespers and Compline(s).

There are a lot of comments I read about differences within Catholicism, and I think this guide does a wonderful job of bringing our traditions together in honoring the Theotokos.

Published by Eastern Catholic Publications (ecpubs.com)
https://ecpubs.com/product/my-rosary-...

The Life of St. Francis of Assisi by Saint Bonaventure is an extremely under appreciated work. Saint Francis is so misunderstood by so many and it is important to know what he was really about: being living witness to the Crucified Christ. I think Eastern Christians should read this book in particular because it will give them a sense that western Christians are no strangers to Asceticism and mysticism.

I recently finished Pray for Us: 75 Saints Who Sinned, Suffered, and Struggled on Their Way to Holiness by Meg Hunter-Kilmer and it is incredible. She groups various saints together based on characteristics and encourages you to read "out of order" if that helps. Throughout the book she reminds the reader that sainthood is for everyone, is for the ordinary person who "just" goes to work every day and comes home to help with the dishes and put the kids to bed. I've already given this book out as a gift to two different people and will continue to do so. It's a worthwhile read and a great addition to any library.

All you holy men and women, pray for us!

I've only just started reading it but Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich is definitely worth reading. Her account is inspiring and thought-provoking. It has helped me quite a bit with my spiritual life. I might post an update once I've read more.

I recently finished Mary Shelly's Frankenstein and I was actually really moved at the spiritual depth I got out of it. The story had two profound messages, I thought. One of which was the monster only became a monster after total and universal social rejection and ostracism. But more deeply, I found, was the monster speaks in the middle and he expresses depressing reality of knowing he is despised by his own creator. It made me consider more deeply what it means to be loved so deeply by God, our creator, and how devastating it would be for it to be otherwise.

Right now I’m re-reading “On The Prayer of Jesus” by Ignatius Brianchaninov. It is a superb guide to the Jesus Prayer and gives great advice from Byzantine spiritual masters.

I just started reading “I Believe in Love “ by Father Jean CJ D’ Elbee. It has changed the game for me spiritually theologically and practically. Given my sins, my addiction and the shame that results I often feel inadequate spiritually when I have committed grave sins. We need to believe more in merciful love, there is never a good reason to lose peace. God will blot our sins and shame if we make a good act of contrition and go to confession, and keep coming back every time we fall.

Currently reading The Philosophical Act Leisure: The Basis of Culture: Including the Philosophical Act. As somewhat who grew up in a family with a deeply-ingrained work-centric mentality, this book is hitting deep. The Philosophical Act, I guess you could say, is a companion to Leisure, The Basis of Culture by Josef Pieper, which I have finished, and is excellent.

Currently reading "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. I never read a compilation of short stories. I am absolutely loving it, the moral and ethical dilemmas that she beautifully writes. I am also a sucker for character studies rather than plot, so I am really enjoying her stories so far.

Right now I am reading The Iliad by Homer (Richard Lattimore translation). It is awesome that we have access to these stories that shaped our civilization in such ready availability. It is interesting to see that the same motifs run throughout all great storytelling.

The shallows by Nicholas Carr is a worthwhile read.

The Power of Silence Against the Dictatorship of Noise, by Cardinal Robert Sarah.
Eye opening book about how silence leads us to God.

Christopher wrote: "Big fan of history. A few years ago I read When the Church Was Young: Voices of the Early Fathers and it changed how I viewed things I took for granted. More importantly, it helped ..."

Curious if others have read “When Church Was Young…..” and if it could be useful with daughter in law on understanding Catholic faith from a Protestant background. Thanks for bring forward Christopher.

Tyler wrote: "The Orthodox Way this is the first book my wife and I read that touched on eastern theology. Fairly short so can be read quickly. Great introduction to some of the basics of eastern t..."
added to my Christmas list

Hi, everyone! I recently found this podcast and heard about this group. I found Mother Natalia and Father O'Loughlin through Matt Fradd's "Pints with Aquinas" podcast (he's been a guest on "What God is Not" as well and if you haven't heard of him, I strongly recommend you go check him out and especially his podcasts with Mother Natalia, Mother Gabriella, and Father O'Loughlin). Here's a list of books that Mother Natalia, Mother Gabriella, and Matt Fradd have recommended on "Pints with Aquinas!"

Talking Back: A Monastic Handbook for Combating Demons by Evagrius of Pontus (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Conferences by John Cassian (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Cantata of Love by Blaise Arminjon (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Origen by John Chrysostom (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Ladder of Divine Ascent by Climacus (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis (recommendation by Matt Fradd)
Mountain of Silence by Kyriacos C. Markides (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Wounded by Love by Elder Porphyrios (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
How to Profit from Your Faults by Joseph Tissot (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Searching for and Maintaining Peace by Jacques Philippe (recommendation by Matt Fradd)
With God in America by Fr. Ciszek (recommendation by Mother Gabriella)
For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann (recommendation by Mother Natalia)
Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives by Elder Thaddeus (recommendation by Mother Gabriella)

I hope you all find this helpful!

Theology of Prayer by Fr Joseph Hardon SJ is a beautiful little book. It would be great for beginners in the spiritual life. It was given to me by a Maronite Monk.

To all Catholic Sci Fi lovers:

„A Canticle for Leibowitz“ a work of absolute genius and informed by a very Catholic author.

„Anathem“ by Neal Stephenson. If you ever want to see the implications of neonplatonic philosophy combined with the many worlds interpretation of quantum physics wrapped into a novel that can be both slow and thoughtful and thrilling, this is your book.

Hello, everyone! Since many of you love books, I would love to know if any of you have recommendations for picture books on the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. I homeschool my young kids and we do "liturgy class" a couple times a week; we are Roman Catholic and have already gone through a lot of wonderful resources on the RC Mass. I would love to go through a Byzantine liturgy book with them, if that exists-I saw that Ancient Faith has an Orthodox one, but from what I saw, the pages didn't have as much information on the liturgy as I'm looking for (it looked more like a book of pictures for a child to hold at liturgy, with sparse text). Do any of you have recommendations?

Christ Amongst Us: an Easy to Understand Commentary on the Orthodox Divine Liturgy https://a.co/d/2zgAbSE

We bought this book but have not used it yet. But we are in the same situation, we are Roman Catholic but attend DL when we can and I homeschool my children. I am always looking for good Byzantine resources but it seems like most of the resources on the DL are orthodox. I hope this helps!

AnneMarie,
Here are a few options of Orthodox ones:

THE DIVINE LITURGY of Saint John Chrysostom: A Guide for Orthodox Children
https://a.co/d/68rVLSc

A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy
https://a.co/d/byxkOQa

The Divine Liturgy
https://a.co/d/h1ZBXcw

Not the same as having a dedicated Byzantine one, I realize. Anyone know a children's book author who is Byzantine and looking for a project? :)

Hi there! We recently transferred "rites" and have found that there is definitely a lack in Byzantine Catholic books for children. In most cases, the Orthodox books are just wonderful for the purpose though. My children use an Orthodox book at liturgy. I wonder of you have checked out Byzi Mom's resources? I pull most of my religious ed stuff for my kiddos from her.

And perhaps this resource will help as well. They are definitely dated, but solid. I'm pretty sure all ECF programs use this series :) https://shop.printtechofwpa.com/godwi...

Hope that helps!


AnneMarie wrote: "Hello, everyone! Since many of you love books, I would love to know if any of you have recommendations for picture books on the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. I homeschool my young kids and..."

I am currently rereading The Gulag Archipelago (Abridged version). It is absolutely essential if you want to understand the 20th century and our contemporary world.

Oh and it’s by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn who is in my opinion one of the top five greatest writers of all time in the 20th Century.

I am currently reading Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. I'm a part of a book club. We are reading The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. I have read it and really liked it.

I also really liked My Son Carlo: Carlo Acutis Through the Eyes of His Mother by Antonia Salzano Acutis (St. Carlo Acutis's mother). There is also A Man of the Beatitudes: Pier Giorgio Frassati by Luciana Frassati (St. Pier Giorgio Frassati's sister).