Best Orthodox web sites

[Roosh]

OrthChristian is a big favorite. They are now on Telegram and Gab. Follow them here:

OrthoChristian

You can view and join @orthochristian right away.

t.me

Gab Social

Gab is a social network that champions free speech, individual liberty and the free flow of information online. All are welcome.

gab.com

 

[Tom Slick]

Orthodox Talks is the web site of Orthodox Monastery of the Archangel Michael and features ROCOR Priestmonk Kosmas, who has given over 80 long form talks, often focusing on lives of Saints in order to examine each topic through the lens of Orthodoxy, and they're all available for free on his YT channel. I downloaded these as MP3s and have listened to several; they're excellent.

Apparently they used to sell the talks as MP3s on their web site, but no longer, although it's still got the shopping cart type setup.

 

[Tom Slick]

Orthodox Christian Information Center was linked from Priestmonk Kosmas' web site.

Welcome to the OCIC Web site, one of the largest and oldest sites on Orthodox Christianity. Think of the OCIC as a vast online article repository, with over 850 articles and 3,000 printed pages. This site has been online since 1996 and receives over 50,000 visits per month, according to Google Analytics.

 

[DanielH]

Pravmir is a similar one to orthochristian:

A Russian Orthodox Church Website | Orthodox Christianity and the World

Orthodox Christianity and the World

www.pravmir.com

The OCA website, specifically their page on the faith, which contains 4 books about the Church in an easy to browse web format, so you can get answers to questions you're looking for quickly:

The Orthodox Faith

www.oca.org

Patristic Nectar, Father Josiah Trenham's website, full of catechetical lectures and a Synaxarion, the lives of the Saints for each day, which is free. You will need to make an account. There's also an app:

Home

Patristic Nectar Publications is a non-profit organization that delivers the sacred and pure teachings of the Orthodox Church and the Holy Fathers via traditional and electronic media including video and audio: books, lectures, and homilies.

patristicnectar.org

Orthodox Ethos, a website/publication by Father Peter Heers. He's very outspoken about some of the things that are wrong in the world and the Church:

Home

Orthodox Ethos is a collective effort of ordained and lay Orthodox Christians. Our purpose is to present and support the Orthodox truth, way and life.

orthodoxethos.com

Uncut Mountain Supply for icons and gifts:

https://www.uncutmountainsupply.com/

This one is just a Twitter account, but Patriarch Prime. Every now and then he's got something really interesting to share, he's very against Covid and leftism and big on evangelism. He might have some iffy views on iconography but that rarely comes up:

https://twitter.com/patriarchprimus

 

[Emperor Constantine]

Mod Edit: This is NOT an Orthodox web site.

I have benefited from Eclectic Orthodoxy by Fr. Aidan Kimel. I had a very narrow view of Orthodox theology for many years, and reading Fr. Aidan's blog has been a humbling experience as I realize how much I was wrong about. He primarily covers patristic theological ideas that aren't currently in vogue and reading my way through the fathers he mentions to keep up is challenging. He also sometimes covers theologians from other churches who have at one point or another been important to us, such as St. Isaac the Syrian or Thomas Aquinas.

Reading Orthodox blogs is can be spiritually dangerous since it is very easy for a blogger to selectively quote the scriptures and the Church Fathers in a way that caters to my preferences. So I would suggest that someone be very familiar with the Bible and have knocked out at least some of the basic patristic literature (On the Incarnation, Cyril’s Catechetical Lectures, Confessions, etc.) before reading the orthosphere so that you are not easily misled. And as always, the advice of a godly priest is invaluable.

I almost became an Old Calendarist as a result of modern writers who presented a falsely narrow (THIS church father was absolutely right and I'll just casually neglect to mention every saint who thought differently...) view of what constitutes acceptable teaching. So, don't be like me.

 

[DanielH]

I have benefited from Eclectic Orthodoxy by Fr. Aidan Kimel. I had a very narrow view of Orthodox theology for many years, and reading Fr. Aidan's blog has been a humbling experience as I realize how much I was wrong about. He primarily covers patristic theological ideas that aren't currently in vogue and reading my way through the fathers he mentions to keep up is challenging. He also sometimes covers theologians from other churches who have at one point or another been important to us, such as St. Isaac the Syrian or Thomas Aquinas.

Reading Orthodox blogs is can be spiritually dangerous since it is very easy for a blogger to selectively quote the scriptures and the Church Fathers in a way that caters to my preferences. So I would suggest that someone be very familiar with the Bible and have knocked out at least some of the basic patristic literature (On the Incarnation, Cyril’s Catechetical Lectures, Confessions, etc.) before reading the orthosphere so that you are not easily misled. And as always, the advice of a godly priest is invaluable.

I must strongly caution everyone that the blog you linked is not Orthodox. In his about section he mentions he isn't a practicing priest for reasons he doesn't want to go into (first red flag). He mentions the following as people who influenced his theology (second red flag):

Thomas F. Torrance, Robert W. Jenson, E. L. Mascall, Robert Wilberforce, Martin Luther, Karl Barth, Joseph Ratzinger, Stanley Hauerwas, George Lindbeck, Herbert McCabe, and perhaps most importantly of all, C. S. Lewis.

He's also a fan of David Bentley Hart (third red flag). He is a Universalist (fourth red flag), I recommend reading Unquenchable Fire: The Traditional Orthodox Teaching About Hell by Fr. Lawrence Farley to understand why. Apokatastasis (Universalism) is directly refuted in the Bible, particularly Matthew Chapter 25, which ends with verse 46: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." It's everlasting, not just a long time. If Hell were only temporary, that would mean the Church, sacraments, and following Christ is optional if you ultimately want to get to Heaven. Father John Whiteford, who I trust, wrote this rebuttal of Fr Aidan Kimel's stance on Universalism.

Also in his blog he lists far more "western" Christian authors and books, including many heretics, as influences on him than "eastern."

 

[Emperor Constantine]

I too, thought universalism was a heresy until I spoke to my priest (who I trust), and was pointed to what the scriptures and the saints have to say about it.

I must strongly caution everyone that the blog you linked is not Orthodox. In his about section he mentions he isn't a practicing priest for reasons he doesn't want to go into (first red flag).

His wife is seriously ill and he is retired from the ministry as a result.

recommend reading Unquenchable Fire: The Traditional Orthodox Teaching About Hell by Fr. Lawrence Farley

I'd suggest, as a better resource, On the Soul and the Resurrection by St. Gregory of Nyssa. As well the epistles of St. Paul, On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius, and the hymnography of our Church (last Sunday's first troparion, among others).

to understand why. Apokatastasis (Universalism) is directly refuted in the Bible, particularly Matthew Chapter 25, which ends with verse 46: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." It's everlasting, not just a long time.

Translated literally, Matthew 25:46 states: "And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during." (Young's Literal Translation). Translating αιων one way in when it fits our theological bias, and another way when it doesn't, -for example, differently in Matthew 13:49 than in 25:46- seems to me to be a bad habit.

In addition, a more literal translation leaves in a position where St. Paul's epistles no longer have to be explained away (1 Tim. 4:10, Romans 9-11, etc.).

If Hell were only temporary, that would mean the Church, sacraments, and following Christ is optional if you ultimately want to get to Heaven. Father John Whiteford, who I trust, wrote this rebuttal of Fr Aidan Kimel's stance on Universalism.

I find such a cavalier attitude towards hell difficult to understand. If you love God, which is difficult not to do once you realize the gift that he's given mankind, then you'll want to help others escape the fires of hell.

Also in his blog he lists far more "western" Christian authors and books, including many heretics, as influences on him than "eastern."

It should not come as a suprise that a priest who found his way from the Episcopal Church to the Roman Church all the way into the fullness of Orthodoxy would be pointed in our direction by many others. I myself would not have become a Christian, or Orthodox, without the writings of certain Roman Catholics and Protestants. Martin Luther himself said that the truth lies with the Greeks; it should be no surprise that people have found Orthodoxy as a result of him.

 

[MichaelWitcoff]

"The Inkless Pen" is a great blog written by Fr. Zechariah Lynch. https://inklesspen.blog/

 

[Tikhon]

Orthodox Talks is the web site of Orthodox Monastery of the Archangel Michael and features ROCOR Priestmonk Kosmas, who has given over 80 long form talks, often focusing on lives of Saints in order to examine each topic through the lens of Orthodoxy, and they're all available for free on his YT channel. I downloaded these as MP3s and have listened to several; they're excellent.

Apparently they used to sell the talks as MP3s on their web site, but no longer, although it's still got the shopping cart type setup.

Love Priestmonk Kosmas, but sometimes when I listen to his talks I despair that I am going to Hell.

 

[Eusebius Erasmus]

I too, thought universalism was a heresy until I spoke to my priest (who I trust), and was pointed to what the scriptures and the saints have to say about it.

What did your priest say?

Translated literally, Matthew 25:46 states: "And these shall go away to punishment age-during, but the righteous to life age-during." (Young's Literal Translation). Translating αιων one way in when it fits our theological bias, and another way when it doesn't, -for example, differently in Matthew 13:49 than in 25:46- seems to me to be a bad habit.

In addition, a more literal translation leaves in a position where St. Paul's epistles no longer have to be explained away (1 Tim. 4:10, Romans 9-11, etc.).


I find such a cavalier attitude towards hell difficult to understand. If you love God, which is difficult not to do once you realize the gift that he's given mankind, then you'll want to help others escape the fires of hell.

The most precise English translation remains the KJV, which allows for the most proper and clear interpretation of Scripture. Matthew 25 is clearly about eternal hellfire.

If you love God, then you must love your fellowmen. Knowing that most are condemned to Hell -- and that you are likely to join them unless you actively repent -- is part of that love, and impels you to save others from eternal fire.

 

[Emperor Constantine]

A blog I forgot to mention above is Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov's. He is a ROCOR priest, very solid and his articles are usually very practical rather than speculative. A lot of good info on fasting.

What did your priest say?

He showed me a few places in the Bible and in our hymns where the universal resurrection and salvation of all men from hell is preached, gave me some patristic reading recommendations, and told me that I did not have to be a universalist but that I couldn't condemn it either.