This new edition of The Law of God will serve for the enrichment of catechists and professors of various schools. Many textbooks, including the venerable work by Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy, have become dated primarily in terms of the language used. The old phraseology needs to be expanded and explained in contemporary language—a need that has been met in this work by Father Daniel Sysoev.
To choose the proper wording is to find the key to the heart of the reader. Such was the goal of the late author of this book. Father Daniel spent ten years laboring at its creation, working on it until the final year of his life, constantly redoing and rewriting individual passages. And yet The Law of God is not the fruit of the labors and efforts of one man, for in the field of catechesis it is impossible not to draw on the expertise of the holy fathers and, above all, Holy Scripture.
Upon opening this book the believer will find himself in the catechetical school of Father Daniel, will hear his living voice, and will delve into the profound inner world of this talented priest, Christian author, exegete, and missionary.
Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev
CONTENTS
Part I.
Fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith
Two Paths
On Faith
On God
Divine Revelation
Holy Tradition
Holy Scripture
The Symbol of Faith
Who are Orthodox Christians?
Part II.
The Lord’s Commandments
Faith and Works
What are Good and Evil?
Virtues and Grace
The Conscience
The Need for God’s Commandments
The Two Commandments of Love
The Ten Commandments: An Alphabet of Good
Landmarks
The Ladder to Heaven
The Commandments of Beatitude
The Purpose of Good Works
Part III.
Prayer
What is Prayer?
Types of Prayer
Conditions for Proper Prayer
How to Pray Properly
External Prayer
The Language of Communion with God
Praying “In One’s Own Words” vs. “In Someone Else’s Words”
Proper Behavior During Prayer
The Sign of the Cross
Bows
The Holy Icons
Who are the Saints?
Relics of the Saints
Lampadas and Candles
Burning Incense
Explanation of Several Prayers
The Beginning Prayers
Prayers for Relatives
Prayer Before and After Meals
Prayers of Repentance
Prayers Against Attacks by Evil Spirits
Prayers to the Theotokos
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Prayer to the Saint Whose Name We Bear
Part IV.
Worship: The Divine Services
Common and Private Worship
The Temple: Construction and Purpose
The Clergy
Vestments
Types of Divine Service
The Daily Cycle
The Weekly Cycle
The All-night Vigil
The Yearly Cycle
The Paschal Cycle
Passion Week
The Pascha of Christ
Pentecost
Individual Prayer Services (Services of Need)
The Blessing of Water
How Orthodox Christians Prepare for Death
Commemoration of the Departed.
The Order and Meaning of the Funeral
The Panikhida
Part V.
The Sacraments
The Sacrament of Baptism
Adult Preparation for Baptism
Infant Baptism
The Rite of Baptism
The Sacrament of Chrismation
The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
How Often to Commune
How to Prepare for Communion
The Rite of the Divine Liturgy
The Sacrament of Confession Monasticism
The Sacrament of Marriage (Matrimony
The Sacrament of Unction (Blessing of Oil)
The Sacrament of the Priesthood (Ordination)
Part VI.
The Sacred History of the Old Testament
The Importance of Sacred History for Spiritual Life
God’s Eternal Existence Prior to Creation
The Lord’s Design for Creation
The Creation of the Angelic World
The Rebellion of the Morning Star
The Six Days of Creation
Science and Religion on Creation
The First Day
The Second Day
The Third Day
The Fourth Day
The Fifth Day
The Sixth Day
The Creation of Man
The Nature of Man
The Seventh Day
Paradise
The Creation of Woman
The Fall into Sin
Original Sin
Cain and Abel
The Church Before the Flood
The Great Flood
The Sin of Ham
The Tower of Babel and the Scattering of the Nations
The Rise of Paganism
The Calling of Abraham
Abram Frees Lot and is Blessed
The Covenent with Abraham
God’s Appearance to Abraham
The Destruction of Sodom
The Birth of Isaac
The Sacrificing of Isaac
The Marriage of Isaac
Jacob and Esau
Jacob in Haran
Jacab Returns to Canaan
Joseph the Fair
The Migration of the Hebrews to Egypt
Jacob’s Last Days and His Blessing
The Birth of Moses
God’s Appearance to Moses in the Burning Bush
The Plagues of Egypt
The Passover of the Lord
The Crossing of the Red Sea
The Miracles Following the Crossing of the Red Sea
The Appearance of God on Sinai
The Meaning of the Law
The Golden Calf
The Construction of the Tabernacle
The Old Testament Priesthood
The Scouts in the Holy Land
The Uprising of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram
The Sin of Moses and Aaron
The Brass Serpent
Balaam the Seer
The Anointing of Joshua, Son of Nun The Rebellion at Mount Phegor,
The Death of Moses the God-seer
The Spies in Jericho
The Storm of Jericho
The Battle at Gibeon and the Conquest of the Holy Land
The Repose of Joshua Son of Nun
The Time of the Judges
Deborah and Barak
Gideon
Sampson
Ruth
The Prophet Samuel
Saul, the First King of Israel
David Conquers Goliath
David Hides from Saul
The Death of Saul
David Becomes King
David’s Sin and His Repentance
The Rebellion of Absalom
Solomon Builds the Temple
Solomon’s Fall into Sin
The Division of the Kingdom
The Crime of Jeroboam
The End of the Northern Kingdom
The Prophet Elijah
The Appearance of God on Horeb
Naboth’s Vineyard and the Death of Ahab
Elijah and King Ahaziah
The Ascension of Elijah
Miracles of the Prophet Elisha
The Fulfillment of the Command on Horeb
The Death of Elisha
The Prophets of the Northern Kingdom
The Prophet Jonah
The Judean Kingdom from Rehoboam to Ahaz
The Calling of the Prophet Isaiah
The Prophecy of the Virgin Birth of Christ
The End of the Northern Kingdom
The Fall of the Assyrian King Sennacherib
The Illness and Death of King Hezekiah
The Servant of the Lord
The Prophets of the Kingdom of Judea
King Manasseh
Kingjosiah
The Prophet Jeremiah and the Fall of Jerusalem
The Righteous Job
The Prophet Daniel Interprets the Dream of Nebuchadnezzar
The Three Youths in the Fiery Furnace (Dan. 3)
The Punishment of Nebuchadnezzar
The Prophecy of Ezekiel
Belshazzar’s Feast
Daniel in the Lion’s Den
The Return from Captivity and the Construction of the Second Temple
The Maccabean Martyrs and the Cleansing of the Temple
The State of the World Before the Lord’s Coming
Part VII.
The New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ
The Pre-eternal Council of the Holy Trinity
The Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple
The Conception of John the Baptist
The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Meeting of the Theotokos with Elizabeth
The Nativity of John the Baptist
The Nativity of Christ
The Meeting of the Lord
The Flight into Egypt and Christ’s Life in Nazareth
The Message of John the Baptist
The Baptism of the Lord
The Temptation in the Wilderness
The Calling of the First Apostles
The Miracle in Cana of Galilee
The First Passover. The Driving Out of the Merchants in the Temple and the Conversation with Nicodemus
Christ and the Samaritan Woman
The Preaching in Galilee. The Calling of the Apostles
The Sermon on the Mount
The Second Passover. The Healing of the Paralytic
The Healing of the Servant of the Centurion
The Resurrection of the Widow’s Son
The Calming of the Storm
The Gadarene Demoniacs
The Healing of the Woman with an Issue of Blood, and the Resurrection of Jairus’ Daughter
The Parable of the Sowing of the Divine Seed and the Kingdom of God
The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
The Multiplication of the Loaves
The Walking on the Water
The Sermon Concerning the Heavenly Bread
The Lord and the Repentant Sinful Woman
The Healing of the Man who was Born Blind
The Healing of the Daughter of the Canaanite Woman
The Confession of Peter
The Transfiguration of the Lord
The Parable of the Rich Fool
The Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Drachma
The Parable of the Prodigal Son
The Parable of the Unfaithful Steward
The Rich Man and Lazarus
The Healing of the Ten Lepers
The Parable of the Unjust Judge
The Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee
The Parable of the Unmerciful Lender
The Resurrection of Lazarus
The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Christ’s Final Sermons in Jerusalem
The Lord Foretells the Fate of the World The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Christ in Bethany
The Mystical Supper
The Prayer in the Garden o! Grllisemane
The Betrayal
The Trial by the High Priests Peter’s Denial
The End of Judas The Judgment of I’llale The Crucifixion The Burial
The Descent Into Hades
The Resurrection of Christ the Savior
The Myrrh-bearing Women al the Tomb
The Meeting on the Road to Emmaus
The Appearance at the Paschal Supper
The Convincing of Thomas
The Lord in Galilee
Christ’s Appearance on the Sea of Tiberias
The Ascension of Christ the Savior
Part VIII.
The New Testament Church
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Nature of the Church
The First Church injerusalem
The Murder of the First-martyr and Archdeacon Stephen
The Preaching in Samaria and the Conversion of the Ethiopian
The Conversion of Saul
The Conversion of Cornelius the Centurion
The Persecution by Herod Agrippa
The Apostolic Council
The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Apostle Thomas in India
The Apostle Andrew the First-called
The Missionary Travels of the Apostle Paul
The Repose of the Chiefs of the Apostles
The Repose of the Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord
The Destruction of Jerusalem
The Apostle John on Patmos
The Repose of the Apostle John the Theologian
The Holy Scripture of the New Testament
The Era of the Martyrs
Saint Ignatius the God-bearer
The Struggle of the Church against Paganism and Gnosticism
Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy-bearer
Holy Great Martyr Catherine
The Victory of Christianity over Paganism
The Church and the Empire
The Arian Heresy
The First Ecumenical Council
The Significance of the Ecumenical Councils
Holy Hierarch Nicholas of Myra and Lycia
The Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross
The Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ
Holy Hierarch Athanasius the Great
Venerable Anthony the Great and the Birth of Monasticism
Holy Hierarch Basil the Great
Holy Hierarch Gregory the Theologian
The Second Ecumenical Council
Holy Hierarch John Chrysostom
The Third Ecumenical Council
The Monophysite Heresy and the Fourth Ecumenical Council
The Holy Emperor Jiistlnimi and the Fifth Ecumenical Council
The Spread of Christianity In the West
Maximus the Confessor and the Sixth Ecumenical Council
Islam and Christianity
What is the Difference between Islam and Christianity?
The Seventh Ecumenical Council
The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
The Baptism of Russia
The Falling Away of the Roman Church
Venerable Sergius of Radonezh
The Rise of Protestantism
The Church Under Islamic Rule
The Old Believer Schism
Venerable Seraphim of Sarov
Missionaries in the New Era
The Great Persecutions of the 20th Century
Hieromartyr Hilarion of Vereya
Venerable Seraphim of Vyritsa
A Testament of the Church of the New Martyrs
The Orthodox Church Today
Signs of the Approaching End of the World
The Antichrist
The Second Coming of Christ the Savior
The Resurrection of the Dead
The Transfiguration of the Universe
The Last Judgment
The Eternal Torment of Sinners
The Blessedness of the Righteous
