Orthodoxy: What I'm Learning

Online Resources

Are you interested in learning more about Orthodoxy?

I have good news! There are TONS of resources available online!

Here are just a few:

The OCA (Orthodox Church in America) website! This website contains lots of information. They have a Q&A section, where you can read an Orthodox priest's answers to questions submitted by random people and even email the priest yourself with questions (he responds fairly promptly!). They have The Orthodox Faith on their website, which is a 4-volume book written to provide a comprehensive overview of what Orthodoxy is, through discussions of doctrine, worship, Church history, and spirituality. On their website you can also find a directory of all OCA parishes, daily scripture readings and Saints, liturgical music and texts, reflections on living as a Christian, and a variety of other things! (visit: https://oca.org )

Y2AM (Youth and Young Adult Ministries; run by the Greek Orthodox Church): They have a YouTube page on which you can find several different series. There's Be the Bee, a catechetical series of short videos containing information on... pretty much any topic you have questions about! They also produce a series called The Trench, which I haven't looked at much, but I've heard it's very good. I think it's mainly aimed at how Orthodox Christians live out their faith day-to-day, as opposed to Be the Bee which is aimed at teaching Orthodox and non-Orthodox about what the Church does and believes. The other series they produce is called Live the Word. Live the Word has slightly longer videos, ranging from 10-15 minutes, discussing the weekly Church readings and feasts and providing connections from them to our spiritual life. (visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/y2am )

Ancient Faith Radio (online radio stations- one for podcasts and Scripture readings, one for Church music): This is one service Ancient Faith Ministries provides. They have an app as well, compatible for both Apple and Android. On their website you can find archived podcasts, listen to live radio, and look up the schedule for when they air live call-in programs (so you can ask questions). Their podcasts range from sermons to discussions of how Orthodox live their daily lives to... well, lots of things. Sometimes the topics are incredibly specific. Once I listened to a podcast about how priests can coordinate with funeral homes and graveyards to prepare bodies for burial according to Orthodox tradition. (visit: http://www.ancientfaith.com/radio )

Various catechetical apps: You can find a few good catechetical Orthodox apps if you know what to look for. One I found that I really like is called Orthodox Learning (by Athletis Pty Ltd). It uses a multiple choice-quiz format to present to you what the Orthodox teaching on various things are. After you answer (or choose not to answer) the app provides you with a very brief discussion of the correct answer. I also use Daily Readings Lite (the free version of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America's Daily Readings App), which contains information on what, if anything, the Church is fasting from on any given day, what Saints and Feasts are commemorated on that day, what the Church readings are for that day, and a few prayers (which change depending on whether you view the app in the morning, afternoon, or evening).

Coffee with Sr Vassa: An Orthodox nun's reflections on various feast days, liturgical topics, and more! She has a YouTube page and a website- you can find various videos on YouTube and daily reflections following the Church calendar on her website.

YouTube: Look up liturgical music! Look up the troparions (or main hymns) for different feasts. Look up videos about Orthodox salvation. Or just use Google!

Theoria: a Youtube account that publishes a variety of things related to Orthodoxy

(video published by Theoria from the Welcome to the Orthodox Church series ^)

St. Symeon Orthodox Church (they have a Youtube page with lots of liturgical music; it's very beautiful! see below for a few samples)

Do you know of other resources? Feel free to mention them in the comments section! This is far from a complete list!!