(Greek Orthodoxy book critical of Protestantism that I read for Lizard King.)
I’ve finished the book. While I wasn’t terribly impressed, I believe the author was sincere and it’s clear he worked hard on it. (For example, even with my autism as a former copy editor I noticed only a single typo.) In recognition of that spirit, I’ll give it a charitable review. A couple of good sections were the preface and the argument against eternal security, but I was already on his side re: the latter. Everything else ranged from unconvincing to…we’ll say “frustrating”.
There are two main reasons I believe the arguments didn’t land. 1) I wasn’t the real audience. It’s actually a primer in Orthodoxy for recent Protestant converts and it does that job quite well. 2) Eastern Orthodoxy, as I understand it, prefers the apologetics method of punching critics which, while “based”, doesn’t lend itself to the culture of analytical rigor to which I’m accustomed. So it’s likely they haven’t sharpened their average level of debate and even more unlikely that Mr. Anthony of the Desert is Orthodoxy’s equivalent of William Lane Craig, although he makes an admirable effort to bridge the cultural gap with us autistic NW Europeans.
In closing, I’d ask for another, better book that addresses the two main problems above. 1) Make it something more appropriate for a Westerner who wouldn’t trust a Greek with $10, much less absolute obedience, and 2) skip to the end and refer me to your best advocate this time.
Aeoli Pera 