John Anthony McGuckin An engaging, sophisticated yet accessible, account of the Orthodox Church—its self-understanding, theology, sacramental life, and history. . . . One of the best introductions available.”—John Behr, author of The Mystery of Christ An insider’s account of the Eastern Orthodox Church, from its beginning in the era of Jesus and the Apostles to the modern age “Lucid. . . . Engrossing . . . [A] thorough history.”—Publishers Weekly In this lively and intimate account of the Eastern Orthodox Church, John McGuckin tackles the question “What is the Church?” His answer is a clear, historically and theologically rooted portrait of what the Church is for Orthodox Christianity and how it differs from Western Christians’ expectations. McGuckin explores the lived faith of generations, including sketches of some of the most important theological themes and individual personalities of the ancient and modern Church. He interweaves a personal approach throughout, offering to readers the experience of what it is like to enter an Orthodox church and witness its liturgy. In this astute and insightful book, he grapples with the reasons why many Western historians and societies have overlooked Orthodox Christianity and provides an important introduction to the Orthodox Church and the Eastern Christian World. Praise For The Eastern Orthodox Church: A New History… “Lucid . . . engrossing . . . [a] thorough history.”—Publishers Weekly “A succinct history . . . approachable and interesting.”—Mark Lardas, Ricochet “An approachable, readable account that illuminates not only the history of Orthodoxy but also its practices . . . A welcome contribution.”—David Barshinger, Exploring Church History (blog) “[A] worthwhile book . . . [McGuckin] knows how to address a non-Orthodox audience, presenting in a relatively short book most of what needs to be known about two millennia of Christian history.”—Diarmaid MacCulloch, New York Review of Books “A triumph . . . A book that will be read and pondered for decades to come.”—Andrew Louth, Los Angeles Review of Books “An engaging, sophisticated yet accessible, account of the Orthodox Church—its self-understanding, theology, sacramental life, and history—from the time of the New Testament through its long pilgrimage in the East and more recently into the West. One of the best introductions available.”—John Behr, author of The Mystery of Christ “This is a rich, fascinating history, from the beginning of Christianity to Patristics and contemporary Orthodoxy, by an outstanding scholar. It includes inspiring intellectual and mystical figures, importantly...