[Mrs. Don-o]

Thank you for these reflections. I want to incorporate more about the East in my History of the Church lesson (which isn't much, just two 90-minute lessons)for RCIA --- and not just apologize for not covering it.

Can you suggest a good basic book or website or summary I can use to get me started?

[GCFADG]

I'm sorry, I can't suggest any one book in particular. I can say to study the East in the Church is to study Orthodoxy. Taking things out of order, I might recommend you look into the story of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, apostles to the Slavs. Theirs is a most amazing story.

I am personally very fond of certain Syriac Christians --- St. Ephrem in particular. There is a book by Sebastian Brock called The Luminous Eye which is a great book about St. Ephrem's poetic theology.

The founding of monasticism -- St. Anthony the Great of Egypt and St. Pachomius. The writings of St. Gregory of Nyssa. St. John Chrysostom's homilies on the epistles of St. Paul. There is a book by Timothy Ware (now Bishop Kallistos Ware) called The Orthodox Church which is well regarded as a historical overview.

I do hope you delve into the early Eastern church -- it's a treasure beyond measure.

Sorry I can't be of more constructive help. Just go back a thousand years and turn right -- can't miss it! :-)