Living Faith

An Orthodox Christian Conversation with Evangelicals

By: Lawrence R. Farley

Narrated by: John Maddex

Length: 3 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Much has been written about the similarities and differences between the Orthodox and Evangelical faiths. In this book, Fr. Lawrence Farley provides a concise and non-confrontational summary of the major issues that divide the two. Evangelicals inquiring into Orthodoxy, Orthodox Christians who want to speak knowledgeably with evangelical friends, and Orthodox Christians who simply wish to understand and appreciate their own tradition more fully will find this book useful and accessible.

©2023 Lawrence Farley (P)2024 Ancient Faith Publishing

A good book in a crowded space

I was given a review copy of this book, but the thoughts of the review are my own.
This book is a brief primer hitting on the major points of disagreements between Evangelicals and Orthodox. The tagline seems a bit strange because it reads more as if it was written to Orthodox to point out differences they’ll run into when dialoguing with Evangelicals. This is also a crowded space with many books already written contrasting differences between Protestantism and Orthodoxy. Its existence begs the question of do we really need another one of these books written? My guess is this book is Fr. Farley’s attempt at fixing a few shortcomings with other popular titles in this genre and presenting a better alternative, and if that’s the criteria to grade the book on I think he’s quite successful. This book distinguishes itself in some notable ways to justify another interfaith book being added to the pile. First off this book is quite short while still being information dense, I think this will definitely help people when giving it to a friend so you aren’t giving them too much homework. Secondly, another notable difference is this book isn’t written at all in a combative fashion, it simply presents the author’s points and moves along. The average reader likely will not find anything new or compelling in these pages, which is totally fine given the purpose of this book, and can probably skip it.

Quick listen, comprehensive but approachable too

The audiobook was a super quick listen that felt comprehensive, but also approachable for someone who isn't deeply knowledgeable about theology. I think a lot about Constantinou's Thinking Orthodox and the idea that when you're steeped in the Orthodox tradition, it can be hard to see from outside of your own phronema. In many ways, Living Faith did that for me.

Thank you to Ancient Faith Publishing for a complimentary copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Clear and Concise

Living Faith: An Orthodox Christian Conversation with Evangelicals, by Archpriest Lawrence Farley, is a book I wish I had available years ago when I converted from Baptist to Orthodoxy. Most of the Orthodox Christians I knew after my conversion were cradle Orthodox (Greek, Russian, Romanian) and we sometimes had challenging conversations because they did not understand my background. In the same respect, my family and friends did not understand my conversion and often questioned a great deal of my “new” beliefs, and I was certainly not equipped to answer and fear some of my conversations may have alienated me from both my Orthodox friends and my Evangelical friends and family. Many of the challenging conversations happen because although we use the same words, like salvation and communion, the meanings are quite different. I have been Orthodox now for almost 30 year and I still have trouble explaining the differences, but I would feel completely comfortable offering this book to someone to provide explanation and context. While there are multiple books written about the differences between the two denominations (for lack of a better word), Fr. Lawrence’s book is a quick and “easy” read. He is matter of fact in his explanations of the differences and how the Orthodox viewpoint impacts the walk of Faith and path to Salvation. Where some of the other books on this topic are more academic, Living Faith seems to be almost pastoral in explanation. He also takes time to explain the Evangelical viewpoint along with its history, which I believe is extremely helpful both to a new convert as well as someone exploring or challenging Orthodox beliefs. I really enjoyed this book, not only for the contrasts and comparisons, but also for the reminder of all the riches and fullness of the Orthodox Faith. Thanks be to God. I listened to the audible version and narrator John Maddex was superb (as always).

Thoughtful Conversation

I really appreciate how thoughtful and precise Farley is while being concise and brief.
Because of the small nature of this book, it leaves much out so one must read through the nuance and decide whether or not to continue with further study.
He graciously presents the Evangelical’s beliefs, biases and thoughts. He then proceeds to share the Orthodox understanding of each belief.
This is an excellent introduction to Orthodoxy for Evangelicals and a very necessary read for the Orthodox Christian who would like to have a conversation with Evangelicals.