Historical Dictionary of the Orthodox Church by Michael Prokurat, Alexander Golitzin, and Michael D. Peterson

Abstract

Historical Dictionary of the Orthodox Church. By Michael Prokurat, Alexander Golitzin, and Michael D. Peterson. [Religions, Philosophies, and Movements, No. 9.] (Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. 1996. Pp. xvii, 440. $89.00.) Students of the Christian Church may avail themselves of such fine reference works as the three-volume Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church (1965), the eighteen-volume New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967 et seq.), the eight-volume Coptic Encyclopedia (1991), or the renowned Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church,written largely from a British and Anglican perspective (1786 pp.; 3rd ed., 1997). The book here under review is a more modest but entirely welcome reference work on the Orthodox tradition and meets a long-felt need. Of the three authors Dr. Prokurat and Dr. Golitzin are both assistant professors of theology, while Mr. Peterson is a professional librarian; all three are associated with theological institutions in the United States. An introductory essay discusses, among other things, the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (without the Filioque) as the basic statement of Orthodox belief, the world-wide distribution of Orthodox believers, the perception of Orthodoxy by contemporary Western historians and the media, and future challenges; among the latter the authors see a need for a united witness of Orthodoxy on the international scene. It is one of the strong points of this book that it does not limit its coverage to the Greek-speaking Orthodox churches, but rather gives equal attention to the Orthodox churches of the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Thus we find articles not only on John Chrysostom or Photius, but also on the Doukhobars or Alexander Nevskii. While biblical matters have been excluded-justifiably so, given the ready availability of various Bible dictionaries and commentaries-the chronological scope is also impressive: from Justin Martyr or Gnosticism in the second century to Archbishop Iakovos or the ecumenical movement in the twentieth century. The last 150 years receive, relatively, more attention than earlier centuries; thus the article on Georges Florovsky takes up a whole page, that on Constantine the Great only half a page. There are articles not only on historical figures and events but also on theological concepts, liturgical practices, and religious institutions. Important personalities of the West, such as Augustine of Hippo or Charlemagne, are not overlooked. Some technical terms are explained such as autocephalous, Filioque, or Kyrie eleison. Controversial subjects are not avoided; thus it is pointed out that the meeting of the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras (q. …