Intended as a sequel to the widely acclaimed and highly popular The Living God, these two volumes present a new catechetical model, derived from the Church's liturgical year. Utilizing scriptural readings, hymns, and icons of the feasts of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, the authors, comprised of Orthodox theologians and pastors, draw us deeply into the mysteries of the faith as experienced in the cycle of feasts and fasts. This is a multilevel catechism intended for use in classrooms and study groups, and is particularly designed for individual edification and growth.
Like The Living God, the present work draws on all the rich resources of the Orthodox tradition to present a holistic vision of the faith: a vision accessible to believers precisely because it derives from their own experience of the Church. Scripture, theology, hymnography and iconography that accompany the text were commissioned specifically for this edition. These images represent an attempt to present to the people of God a small part of the vast treasury of images from the iconographic tradition of the Church.
This incredibly rich catechetical work is organized into two volumes. Volume I, organized around Advent, Christmas and the Theophany cycles, including chapters of the Nativity and Presentation of the Virgin, the Holy Ancestors, angels and the circumcision. Volume II, primarily focusing on Great Lent and the Resurrection, also covers Ascension, Pentecost, and Dormition. Each volume, in addition to a complete index, has an extensive useful glossary explaining liturgical, scriptural and theological terminology.
