Seeds of the Word: Orthodox Thinking on Other Religions (Foundations Series)

By John Garvey

Having read and loved Prematurely Saved and Other Varieties of the Religions Experience, I was very interested in what John Garvey would have to say about Eastern Orthodox perspectives on various religious traditions. I was disappointed.

Even so, this thin book is handy for a brief overview of the major world religions, which takes up about well over half the book. I felt, however, that this was something that I could have used the internet for. The title didn't indicate anything about those chapters and the book could have done without them altogether. So the heart of the book for me began on page 79 (out of 126 pages of text, excluding bibliography and further reading). Honestly the first 2/3rds felt like filler now that I think about it. He could have just given the list of suggested readings and left it at that. (I know this is just a matter of taste and expectations and not a flaw in the book per se). So chapter 3 onwards does a very fine job of outlining the various ways that EO has thought about and presented itself to the outside world, beginning with the Greeks and moving on to Islam, which was often very uninterested in any dialogue with Eastern Christians. Of course exceptions can be found in all camps (like St Gregory Palamas and St John of Damascus), but on the whole a militaristic offense/defense mentality prevailed.

Not much else is really offered in the terms of history. Garvey then concludes with a general "how to approach others" piece that is useful to the extent that it soundly rejects relativism, as is so often proposed by others (but not Orthodox, usually). He correctly asserts that we are all actually closer to each other when we hold fast to our deepest convictions, rather than trying to have a least-common-denominator approach, since at that point we are seeking truth, not compromise, and God is of truth. Although I would certainly not purchase this book again, that is owing to my misconception of what it would contain rather than any error or fault on the author's part.

I would add that Orthodoxy has the luxury of not painting itself into a theological corner by declaring everyone else damned either by some predestination of God or by a "you never called upon the name" theory. For Orthodox, salvation is not a game or magic, but the grace of God in the hearts of men, many of whom do not "claim the Name" in this lifetime, but are much holier than some who do. God loves all and calls all, and, as St Paul says in Romans, each will be judged according to their ability to know. Of course we believe that the EO is the fullness of God's revelation in Christ and the Spirit, but we are limited by the holy mysteries, God is not. If you have any suggestions for books along these lines, please let me know. One that I have found to be useful, although brief, is Face to Face: A guide for Orthodox Christians Encountering Muslims by Fr. Ted Pulcini. Of course, the perennial philosophy books have much to say as well.