At the Corner of East and Now: A Modern Life in Ancient Christian Orthodoxy

by Frederica Mathewes-Green

A fascinating exploration of the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christianity's oldest faith, combines a light-hearted chronicle of the author's journey from hippiedom to being a pastor's wife, with an illuminating meditation on her church, its liturgy, and its tenets. Reprint.

Genres: Religion, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Spirituality, Theology, Memoir

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on a roll these days getting books by Frederica Mathewes-Green from the library.

Frederica is an interesting woman. Raised nominally Roman Catholic, she became angry in her teens at the "skip Mass and go to hell" message that was communicated to her, and promptly became an atheist. She wandered in the garden of "design your own religion" until she became a Hindu. Not really because she thought Hinduism was true, but because it was so "other" that it was attractive to her and she was a rebellious hippy who liked being on the fringe. When she and her husband were on their honeymoon in Europe, they visited a church and she had heard Jesus speaking to her while she looked at a statue of Jesus with his hands held out. That began her journey into accepting Christianity as true. Her husband became a Christian also after a philosophy teacher had their class read one of the Gospel's and he realized that Jesus spoke with authority! Eventually their Christian journey brought them to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Her husband is now an Orthodox Priest, and she is the wife of an Orthodox Priest! In the Orthodox Church, this "father and mother" model provides balance to the church in allowing not just a father figure, but also to be nurtured by a mother. She even has a special title "little mother" which is translated from Arabic or Russian or Greek, depending on what type of Orthodox church you are visiting.

Frederica's books are educational to Western Christians who do not understand much history or mystery from an Orthodox Christian perspective. I will admit I am one of those. This particular book is taken as kind of a "walk thru the Orthodox services" at different times of the year. These chapters are interspersed with chapters of Frederica and her family traveling, shopping in thrift stores, or events where she is attending an event to interview someone or report on the event (a Christian music festival, a Christian women's outreach to women in prison who have had abortions, etc.).

Chronologically, this book takes place after her book "Facing East", which details her conversion and her family's path to Orthodoxy in more detail.

Several sections that were very interesting and helpful to me were these:
One portion of the book explains the "Forgiveness Vespers" that occurs at the beginning of Lent. The congregation stands in a circle in the church. (Orthodox ALWAYS stand! ) The priest goes to a member, asks forgiveness from that person and then receives it. That person then asks forgiveness from the priest, and receives it. Then each of them turn to the next person beside them, and continue this. By the end, every person in the church has asked forgiveness from every other person in the church and received it.... and has also given forgiveness to every other person in the church. WOW! I admit that this must be a very powerful service. What a wonderful habit of reconciliation and forgiveness! What roots of bitterness that must be literally dug up and thrown away in these services?!

The section on the "filioque" portion of the Nicene Creed has helpfully informative in good ways. The original Nicene Creed was agreed upon in 325 at the first of the seven ecumenical councils. The "and the Son" portion was not in that original creed. Pope Benedict in 1024 added the filioque clause to the creed, without benefit of an ecumenical council, but because of his authority as pope. Orthodox disagree with the phrase being added to a creed that had been agreed upon in ecumenical councils hundreds of years before, and disagreed with the Pope exerting authority as an individual bishop, one among many. I had not realized the length of time from the codifying of the written Nicene Creed and the declaration of the Pope, but I find myself falling on the side of the Orthodox in this. St. Vincent in 434 AD said that church doctrine, like the human body, develops over time while still keeping its original identity: "In the Catholic Church itself, all possible care must be taken, that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all." From the beginning of the church, the "filioque" has not been professed, and the superiority of one bishop over another has not been their either.

Another interesting section was on a married priesthood, which of course Orthodox allow but Roman Catholics do not. Again as St. Vincent said, "that we hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all." Obviously a celibate priesthood has NOT been "believed everywhere, always, by all". Even in Old Testament Israel, the priesthood was certainly not celibate, but was an entire tribe, the Levites. In this regard, I find myself falling also on the side with the Orthodox. Even the apostle Peter was married.

The section on icons was thought-provoking. Icons were created primarily for people who were not literate. Now that we are literate, do we need to continue to act as though we are not literate? I understand that involving all the senses is important, but icons seem to be to the illiterate what the Bible is to the literate. Is the emphasis on icons over knowing the Bible a proper emphasis to have, I wonder?

In speaking of the church service, Frederica says that the church service is for worship and that study is left to times outside of the church service -- Sunday school or Bible studies, I assume. However the idea struck me that the study of the Bible by lay people is not an Orthodox habit (nor a Roman Catholic habit), but is a result of having the Bible translated and made available in your own language...... a very wonderful result of the Protestant Reformation! So while enjoying the ancient worship, I think it would be appropriate to appreciate also the blessing of having the very words of God as recorded in the Bible too.

I found the book very worthwhile. Frederica writes with great skill, and even has a great section at the back of the book called "First Visit to an Orthodox Church: 12 Things I wish I'd known". I plan to go through her "for further reading" section and try to pick up a few of the books she recommends.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love Mathewes-Green's writing. She is wise and humble and funny, and most of all real. I would read anything she wrote, even if it was about paperclips or the color orange.

[Stephen Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first FMG book, and it was a delight. Breezing in and out of the Eastern Orthodox Divine Liturgy and the life (and life of faith) of the author, it managed to feel both weighty and insubstantial at the same time. The conceit of using the progression of the liturgy as a way into discussing the substance of the Orthodox faith proved especially useful. And FMG has a gift for striking turns of phrase: from describing how an experienced drummer "scorched the skins" (p. 80) to how a decrepit single-wide decomposing in a tangle of southern kudzu "is weeping and bleeding rust in the grip of green vines" (p. 256) and more. Recommended for those wanting to learn more about Eastern Orthodoxy through a thoughtful, engaging read.

[Alex of Yoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing on my slow journey to read all of Frederica's published books, I've finally arrived at this much-acclaimed work! It was full of the reasons I love her: wit, good writing, and a conversational tone to discuss deep truths.

This book is a juxtaposition of worlds. Every other chapter takes you through the author's every day life with scenes from a thrift store, a buffet table, a prison ministry, a concert, etc. But in between these ponderings about the world around us comes a glimpse of the world beyond as the author also contemplates the Divine Liturgy and what it looks like to be part of an Eastern, ancient faith in a Western, modern culture.

As always, Frederica is just so accessible. Anyone can read this and understand what's being said. Her style is engaging, at times funny, at times thoughtful, but always conversational as if you're sitting with her discussing these things over coffee. She has the rare gift of being able to communicate complicated ideas through simplicity, and she does not shy away from saying that there are some things she doesn't understand and is still wrestling with herself. I love the soft introduction to Orthodoxy and the glimpses into other social spheres of life where most don't tend to look. I also appreciate that she doesn't demand anything of the reader: she gives her story and perspective without assuming everyone will feel the same way.

My only complaint is that it was hard for me to find a thread of commonality that linked the book together. The tension between the every day and the sacred was the central theme, but I'm not sure it was stressed enough. If I think it through, I can see the point she's making, but at first blush it feels pretty random. Really good, informative, and engaging, but random. It's also a bit dated. I'd love to see her go back and give a revised edition now that she's further along in her journey. See if any thoughts or perceptions have changed.

All in all, I heartedly recommend this to anyone who is religious and curious about Orthodoxy but not in the mind-frame for just a cold, theological study. This is a warm, easy read that will have you asking deep questions and thinking about life and faith a little differently.

[Isaiah the Ox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goos book. The writing style takes a little while to get used too... sometimes she's trying too hard to sell an analogy in my oppinion. I liked how simply and shortly she explained so many different Orthodox topics, and then would just move on, when most authors would spend chapters on them. I didn't really get the connections of the "real-life chapters," but I guess they were just stories to introduce different truths she wanted to discuss. I enjoyed the Orthodox perspective, and learned many things i didn't know. I also appreciated Matthews-Green's balanced views on more controversial issues like abortion and an all-male Priesthood. Definitely worth reading- pushing past writing style if it bugs you like it did me.

[Emily Mishler · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and informative look into the Orthodox faith. For someone unfamiliar with Eastern Christianity it was a good introduction to the liturgy and certain aspects of the faith and how different wings of Christianity developed and diverged. There were some parts that definitely grated a bit from a feminist point of view but not so much that I didn't gain anything from the book as a whole.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man this book is dull. Every other chapter is memoir-ish, while the in-between chapters are inside-looks at Orthodox practice (the bit I was interested in). I also think the book is bizarrely dense for as thin as it is in terms of length. It's okay, and some of the insights are nice, but I wouldn't recommend it. All that being said, Eastern Orthodoxy is super interesting, and entirely foreign to anyone (like me) who has grown up in a more westernized, protestant Christianity.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frederica has a way of writing that makes you feel like you are best friends with her. Her writings are easy to understand and comprehend.

She incorporates her everyday life while explaining an Orthodox Church service.

Unfortunately for me I read a newer book by her before reading this one. So I found that some of the stories in this book was a repeat. At the same time there were new things I learned. It was a good refresher.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best spiritual autobiographies I have ever read. The author takes us on her personal religious journey while explaining concepts of the faith she chose, in this case the Eastern Orthodox Church. She talks about icons with a friend who makes them, she goes into liturgy, the ancient saints and the spirituality of Orthodoxy. I learned a lot!

[NormaCenva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great re-reading. Always a joy!

[Hank Beyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and very well written. Explores the Orthodox faith both in its liturgy and history. Some biography as well. Easy reading like a Bill Bryson book.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well written. I love the authors sense of humor. I was laughing and learning with every page. A great insight into Eastern Orthodoxy and the history of Christianity as a whole. Loved it!

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

ON THE CORNER OF EAST AND NOW is a lightweight introduction to Orthodox Christianity and its worldview by Federica Mathewes-Green, wife of an Orthodox priest and noted commentator on contemporary religious issues. The book is geared toward non-Orthodox readers interested in the Orthodox faith who would be intimidated by more substantial introductions such as Bishop Kallistos Ware's classic THE ORTHODOX CHURCH.

The book is built around the Sunday-morning service. Each chapter begins by examining a portion of Matins or the Divine Liturgy before branching off into other topics. Some of the facets of Orthodoxy that Mrs Mathewes-Green discusses include the organization of the Church, the settlement of the ancient disputes in ecumenical councils, the use of icons, and the role of Mary. She also talks about other current religious trends, such as evangelical Protestant megachurch worship, Christian death metal bands, proselytizing, etc. A large part of the book is about life in her own parish, with characters readers may know from her earlier book FACING EAST. The narrative has a somewhat "feminine" tone to it with its emphasis on small-town (or, rather, small-parish) life, like the novels of Miss Read.

While some of Mathewes-Green's observations are interesting, and she is generally an entertaining writer, I think that the work ultimately fails as an introduction to Orthodoxy. There's just not that much here, and at the end the reader knows little more than if he had read one of the pamphlets a church keeps in the entrance. If you have a family member interested in Orthodoxy, they might not want to tackle something like Bishop Kallistos' book now, but taking them to an actual service would do more for them than handing them Mrs Mathews-Green's work.

[CEGatling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a warmly written and easily read book about Eastern Orthodoxy and the Divine Liturgy. I say “warmly” because Khouria (priest’s wife) Frederica has a very good voice for reading and especially her own work. Her voice kind of wraps you in a blanket and gives you a cup of tea and let’s you know, it’s going to be okay.

I read a hard copy of this book several years ago, just before my own conversion to Orthodoxy and found it to be a bit syrupy because I could not imagine having that much love and adoration for the elements of a church service. Church is whole, right? Why break it down like this? But now, ten years after my conversion, I get it. The Divine Liturgy is not “a church service” and the individual components of the liturgy are what make it whole. Separated, the components are like the coal in the bucket next to the stove: “Dusty, dark, cold, and hard, coal has no beauty of its own…” but when the Holy Spirit comes down on those individual parts, “it is consummated by fire it is beautiful and becomes what it was designed to be.” This is what the Divine Liturgy is.

I do recommend this book to newcomers to the Divine Liturgy and to folks who have been around for a while. For the newcomer, you will find a description of what is happening in each part of the liturgy, what the priest is doing, what the words he says mean, and how they come together. People who have been part of the Church for a while will have a new understanding as to the different components of the liturgy and be able to see how they blend to form the beautiful whole of it.

Definitely worth reading. Truly worth hearing.

4.5 Stars

Full Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity to do this, AFP!

[Gary Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I most enjoyed the book's windows into the author's life as a happy convert to Orthodoxy. There are lots of very helpful explanations of things a visitor would find baffling or off putting. An appendix packages 12 such things she wishes she'd known before her first visit to the Divine Liturgy; this can also be found on her blog, and as a brochure in some Orthodox parishes.

The book is less successful when looking at other forms of American Christianity through those same convert's eyes.

There are many pleasing vignettes about the parish she and her husband, an Orthodox priest, were then starting. These reflect her joy in her faith community, which is lovely. However they seem to present the feelings common to those in a shared mission or project as a kind of argument for Orthodoxy itself. I suspect many an Orthodox parish would have much in its community life that is quite parallel to the shallowness and mundane squabbles of a mainline Protestant congregation.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love to have a cup of tea with Mathewes-Green. She's a smart writer, a deep thinker, and she's got a dry wit -- all things that I value. The structure of this book is fantastic. It's essentially essays about Orthodoxy and what it means to live out that faith in a modern world, but she's woven it so that she takes the reader through a Divine Liturgy in the process. I can't decide if I like Facing East or this text better, but they will remain on my shelf as handy references. Mathewes-Green seems to be a great gateway writer for those looking to read on a deeper level about the Orthodox faith. Highly recommended.

[Rebekah Leland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written as a sort of sequel to FACING EAST (though I read this one first and it didn't seem to matter), this book is written in the same tone (as a sort of memoir) and is just as beautiful and compelling.

[Maureen E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for both the baptized Orthodox and those interested in finding out more about it. [Nov. 2008]

[Muriel Hammond-teusink · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating blend of description of the Orthodox service of worship and liturgy intertwined with understandable explanations to the non-Orthodox.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I don't think this is as strong as "Facing East," it is still a great read and explores a lot of interesting topics.

[Vinnie Santini · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those seeking what the Orthodox Church is about in a readable and personal tone, this is a good place to start.

[Coleen--Marie Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I'm not a fan of the "folksy" approach to matters of faith, so far I am really enjoying Matthews-Green's blend of the quotidian and the sacred.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.