Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Finding the Way to Christ in a Complicated Religious Landscape

Must read, very detailed and clear. Goes through over 100 different religions and varying ideas within. Great book, excellent author.

Two aspects of this review: 1) the material, and 2) whether or not the revised version is worthwhile (if you've already read the original).On the first point, if you've never read the book at all and are interested in comparative religion, this is a must read. Fr. Andrew did his homework and fairly represents the numerous branches of Christianity -- both how they originated and where they differ theologically from the Orthodox Church. The original printing of this book helped me immensely on my road to the Orthodox Church. There were so many questions I had about various denominations within Christianity (where did they start? Why? How to make sense of endless schisms?) that Fr. Andrew handles quite nicely (and without beating the reader over the head with dry academic-styled writing -- it's fluid and quick-paced enough that you don't feel like you're reading something difficult at all).On the second point, I have to compliment Fr. Andrew. My only complaint of the first effort is that it seemed a bit polemical in nature, especially when compared to a lot of other Orthodox writing. In the revised edition, he has done a superb job of using nuance to fairly treat other branches of Christianity (and other religions) while not compromising the Orthodox faith in any way. Although it sounds like a paradox, this effort is simultaneously less polemic and yet more firm in its proclamation of the Orthodox Church as the one, true Church of Christ. That is not an easy feat to accomplish, and Fr. Andrew has proven an adept ability in that very realm. Kudos to him.My only complaint about the book now? That I didn't write it!Haha. But seriously, I look forward to more work from Fr. Andrew, as this was a fantastic learning tool in my life.

Amazing book. Loved learning about all the branches of Christianity that broke from the early church. Great book for anyone who’s curious as the author does a good job and representing all the different denominations with kindness and no judgement. Also a great tool for orthodox Christians.

Fr Damick takes the reader on a journey through the history of Christendom, from the Great Schism of the 11th century, on through the different generations of Protestantism, and explains how modern Christianity has very little, if anything at all, in common with the ancient faith of Orthodoxy. Very well researched, and very concise. I'd recommend this book, along with Lossky's book on the Faith, as an excellent starting point for learning about the Ancient Faith.

I read the first edition several times and used it as source material for a church history class because it was simply written, but there were a couple of problems with it. In this second edition, Fr. Andrew has addressed those issues and greatly expanded the work, it is a good introduction to comparative religions as well as a good intro to the history of the Christian church.I recommend it to anyone interested in Orthodoxy and what/how Orthodoxy understands other faiths; also recommended to Protestants as a way to learn something about their own (forgotten) history.

A well researched, biblical backed as well a historical accurate book on the orthodox religion vs all others well described and broken down. For anyone interested in the question: which one is the right one? This book will throughly answer that question.

This book is extremely valuable. Straight forward approach to explaining Orthodox Christian belief, history, and Tradition, while contrasting and comparing with all other Christian traditions. It is extremely informative explaining the origins of various traditions, and where they differ and coincide with canonical Orthodox belief. I highly recommend this book. As a convert to Orthodoxy almost a year ago from an Evangelical (Baptist turned Charismatic) background, this gave deeper and clearer perspectives to the historical and theological details of my past tradition and so many others I have experienced (sorry for the run-on sentence). The author is extremely easy to follow, never seems condescending or trying to over-prove points, and clearly describes things that to some may be somewhat complicated. As I read this, I was amazed at how well be covers each section and how the book has a steady flow throughout. I also appreciate the way he covers tough topics, explains the roots of Christianity simply, and again, does so without being offensive or accusative. This book is something I could recommend to my family (whom I hold extremely dearly but do come from various other Christian background) to help explain the theology, the Tradition, and the history that captivated me when learning and then experiencing the Orthodox Church.

Great for a former protestant. Could use a big timeline for visualisation.

This book arrived in great condition. It is an excellent resource for learning about how the Faith compares to Protestant and Catholic traditions.

Concise, fair, and very informative. This is a must-have for anybody serious about the deeper questions in life and how man has grappled with it.

a great book by Fr. Andrew Damick, which if read by ordinary Protestant Americans, would turn their consideration toward Orthodoxy. instead of judging certain cults and practices that some times all but deserve fair judgment, the book focuses on their similarities with the Orthodoxy, thus putting their adherents in the position to consider the Ancient Faith and perhaps even join it rather than getting them to be defensive about the cult to which they belong. written in a contemporary style, the book describes truths pertaining to the entire human history, making them accessible to the modern day reader.

This leaves almost no stone unturned: it is a journey starting from Orthodoxy then going outwards.It is the most comprehensive account on the contemporary religious landscape for this size.Thorough and balanced, peppered with subtle humour, it is a very pleasant read.The book has one single drawback: it is a little bit too much focused on the American religious landscape while missing important pieces of information - such as Unitarianism being started in Transylvania or the specific forms the neo-Protestant religions took outside of America.A must read for ordinary cradle Orthodox who many times don't realise what's so special about their own religion.