Living an Orthodox Life: The Orthodox Family
The Christian Marriage and Family
: Four Audio Lectures by Fr. Josiah Trenham.
The Orthodox Christian Marriage
, by Priest Alexey [now Hieromonk Ambrose] Young.
Marriage: The Great Sacrament
, by Archimandrite Aimilianos of Simonopetra, Mount Athos. This is an excerpt from
The Church at Prayer: The Mystical Liturgy of the Heart
. Many consider this to be the best statement on Orthodox marriage they've ever read.
The Orthodox Family
: many
articles containing information for Orthodox Christian families.
Homilies by St. John Chrysostomos that Discuss Marriage:
Homily XII
on Col. 4:12-13,
Homily XX
on Eph. 5:22-24, and
this homily
entitled "That No One
Should Despair of Himself, or Pray Against His Enemies, or Give Up When He Does Not Receive What He Asks For; And To Husbands, On Maintaining Peace Towards Their Wives."
Articles on marriage
from the
Orthodox America
Web site.
New Age Philosophy, Orthodox Thought, and Marriage
, by Archimandrite Luke of Holy Trinity
Seminary in Jordanville, NY. This article/review includes critical comments on a chapter entitled "The Mystery of Marriage", found in an Orthodox
catechism called
The Faith
, by Clark Carlton. Additional comments by Hieromonk Patapios are also included.
The Orthodox Family
: by Archbishop Chrysostomos.
Excerpts from
Family Life
, by Elder Paisios the Athonite. This is a selection of passages translated by Fr. Luke Hartung, never before seen in English. It is a work-in-progress.
Admonitions for Parents
: Lessons by Our Holy Father John Chrysostomos on Raising Children.
The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord Jesus Christ
: Humble Comments and Suggestions.
Offend Not These Little Ones: On Toys and Children
, by Rassaphore-monk Hilarion.
Children In Church
, by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky.
Children and Television
: by Novice Joseph. From the first
few issues of
Orthodox Tradition.
On Television
: Comments by Various Saints and Holy Elders.
The Challenges of Orthodox Youth Ministry
, by Protopresbyter David Cownie.
On Same-Sex Unions
: Epistle of the ROCOR W. Diocese Clergy (2004).
An Orthodox View of Abortion
: The Amicus Curiae Brief submitted to the Supreme Court.
Problems of Bioethics
, i.e., Abortion, Contraceptives, Cloning, Homosexuality, Etc. An official statement
of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Menstruation, Emissions, and Holy Communion
: an
Orthodox Tradition
Q&A.
Concerning the Sin of Self-Abuse (Masturbation)
, by Archbishop Chrysostomos and Dr. Thomas Brecht.
Sexual Relations
, by Father Josiah Trenham.
Choosing a Spouse
. From
Orthodox America
, Feb. 1998.
Recommended Books
Orthodox Christian Parenting: Cultivating God's Creation
: This is a wonderful compilation of excerpts from the writings of Holy Elders, covering a variety of subjects related to parenting. An invaluable resource in any Christian home! Read
excerpts
on the publisher's site.
Foreward, Preface and Introduction to
Marriage As A Path to Holiness
, by David and Mary Ford (South Canaan, PA: St. Tikhon's Seminary Press, 1999).
Love, Sexuality and the Sacrament of Marriage
, by John Chryssavgis (Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1998).
On Marriage and Family Life
, by St. John Chrysostom (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997).
We have been given an important securitychildren. Therefore we shall take care
of them, and take every precaution that the evil one may not steal them from us.
Meanwhile, we do everything backward. We make every effort to insure that our
fields be in good hands. We seek out the most experienced mule drivers and
overseers, but we take no such precautions for what is the most precious to us
and through which all other good things come, namely, that we might entrust our
son to a man that would preserve his chastity. We take care to provide him with
property, but take no care for him himself. Do you see what insanity has taken
control of us! First of all educate your son's soul, and he will acquire
possessions later. If his soul is bad he will not receive the slightest benefit
from money. And vice versa, if he has been given the proper upbringing, then
poverty will not harm him in the least. Do you want to leave him wealthy? Teach
him to be good. For children who have not received the proper upbringing poverty
is better than wealth; it will keep them even against their will within the
bounds of virtue. However, wealth, even for one who does not wish it, does not
allow one to live a chaste life, but lures him into a countless multitude of
crimes.
St. John Chrysostomos in
Admonitions for Parents
.
If you have a child with a reactionary character, whatever you want to say to him, say to God first. Kneel
before God, and through the grace of God, our words will be conveyed to your child.... Another child may
listen to what you say, but though he hears he easily forgets. Therefore, you will kneel and ask for God's
grace again, so that our fatherly words will fall upon good soil and bear fruit... Don't pressure your
children. Whatever you want to say to them, say it with your prayers. Children don't listen with their ears.
They will only listen to what we want to tell them when divine grace appears and enlightens them. When you
want to say something to your child, say it to the Panaghia instead and she will do all the work. Your prayer
will become a spiritual hug, which embraces your children and captivates them.
Elder Porphyrios of Athens