Books

If you’re unfamiliar with the Orthodox Church, don’t feel overwhelmed! Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to help you learn about the deep knowledge of our church.

To begin your reading in the Scriptures, it is highly recommended to use the Orthodox Study Bible, providing quotations and commentaries from the Early Church Fathers.

New to Christianity

1. Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells, by Matthew Gallatin

Catechism

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

2. Orthodox Thought and Instruction: In the Orthodox Church, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

3. THE ORTHODOX CONCEPT: TRADITION AND ORTHODOXY, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

4. THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS: The Catechism of the Coptic Orthodox Church - Book III, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

5. COPTIC CHRISTOLOGY PAST AND PRESENT, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

6. GOD: The Coptic Orthodox Church & The Dogmas, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

7. THE COPTIC ORTHODOX CHURCH & THE DOGMAS: ALEXANDRIA AND CHRISTIAN DOGMAS, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

Understanding Orthodoxy

1. Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith, by Fr. Peter Gillquist

2. Comparative Theology (Free PDF), by H.H. Pope Shenouda III

3. For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy, by Alexander Schmemann

4. Salvation in the Orthodox Concept (Free PDF), by H.H. Pope Shenouda III

5. The Inner Kingdom, by Bishop Kallistos Ware

6. The Faith: Understanding Orthodox Christianity, by Clark Carlton

7. The Orthodox Faith (Free PDF), a compilation of writings by the SUS Diocese. Topics include Holy Tradition, Theology, Christology, and other topics.

8. The Orthodox Church, by Timothy Ware

Learning About the Coptic Orthodox Church

These books are available in PDF for free:

1. Introduction to the Coptic Orthodox Church, by Fr. Tadros Malaty

2. Understanding the Liturgy, by Fr. Athanasius Iskander

Spiritual Growth

1. Beginning to Pray, by Anthony Bloom

2. Orthodox Prayer Life: The Interior Way, by Matthew the Poor

Marriage and Family Life

1. Preserve them, O Lord by Father John Mack

2. Two Become One: An Orthodox Christian Guide to Engagement and Marriage by Father Antonios Kaldas

3. Parenting Toward the Kingdom, Orthodox Principles of Child-Rearing, by Philip Mamalakis

4. Blueprints for the Little Church: Creating and Orthodox Home, by Elissa Bjeletich and Caleb Shoemaker

5. Bringing Up Girls, by James Dobson

6. Bringing up Boys, by James Dobson

Additional Resources

Articles and Homilies

Discovering Orthodoxy (Fr. Peter Farrington)

• Spiritual Journey to Orthodoxy

• Orthodox Catechesis

• Why do I need to be baptized?

• Orthodox Way of Prayer

  • Orthodox Way of Prayer – Silence

  • Developing a Pray Rule

• What about icons?

• An Introduction to Orthodoxy – Bishops

• The Virgin Mary and Orthodoxy

• Liturgical Worship and Orthodoxy (Part 1 | Part 2)

• Hyper-grace is no Grace

Early Church Documents

• Guide to Early Church Documents

• Early Church Fathers

• The Church Fathers

• St. Pachomius Library

• Apostolic Canons