II. Catechesis

Christian Education & Formation

• x

• x

[Spines]

• The Age of Paradise (Strickland) (Ch. 3-8/pp. 127-275) 

• The Age of Division (Strickland) (Ch. x/pp. x) 

• The Story of Christianity (Hart) (Ch. 18-37)

• The Orthodox Faith: Volume III - Church History (Hopko/Ford) (5th-15th c.)

  • OR A Pocket Church History for Orthodox Christians (Keller) (pp. 15-37)

• x

• x

• x

• x

• x

• x

*2 days/week plus Day 3 Read-aloud

[Spines]

• The Law of God (Slobodskoy) (optional catechesis spine)

• Saints of the Church: From Christ to St. Constantine the Great (St. Nikolai of Zhicha) *can double as handwriting/copywork (select manuscript, cursive, etc.), or just use for readings [used Terms 1-2]

• [optional]: 101 Orthodox Saints (Wright) & 102 Orthodox Saints (Wright)  (intro used, & can substitute lives from these as desired)

• A Child’s Paradise of Saints (McLees) [9 Chapters] *can substitute 

[Acts of the Apostles, Saints, and the First Martyrs]

• The Children’s Bible Reader (American Bible Society) OR Bible with the book of Acts

• The Miracle of the Red Egg (Johnson)  [~ A.D. 35] 

[Era of the Martyrs and the Fathers of the Church]

• The Legend of Saint Christopher (Hodges) [+~A.D. 251]

• Saint Felix and the Spider (Jackson) [+~A.D.  260]

• Saint Valentine (Sabuda) [+~A.D.  273]

• Saint George and the Dragon (Forest) [+~A.D. 303]

• Lucia Saint of Light (Hyde) [+~A.D.  304] 

• The Life of the Holy Great-martyr Catherine (Faberova) 

• The Legend of the Cross (Hart) [~ A.D. 326]

• The Legend of Saint Nicholas (Demi) or Saint Nicholas and the Nine Gold Coins (Forest) [+ ~ A.D. 343]

• Enlighteners of Ancient Kingdoms (Saints for all Ages; OCA)

• Forms 2-4 will be studying the Nicene Creed, feel free to get the We Believe (Adams) board book for Form 1, if desired 

[Desert Fathers & Mothers, and Monasticism]

• Saint Anthony the Great (Chryssavgis) [+~A.D. 356] 

• Stories from the Gerontikon (Gousidis) *or substitute with some  Sayings of the Desert Fathers

• Great Monks of the Desert (Saints for all Ages, Bk 8; OCA)

• St. Isidora – The Monastery Sponge (Hogg) [+~365 AD]

• The Monk Who Grew Prayer (Brandenburg)

• A Visit to the Monastery (Hutchings) OR [*Another option I haven’t previewed: Little Lost Nun (Johnson)]

• The Gift: A Story of Saint Onuphrius the Great (Bray) [+~4th-5th c. A.D.]

• The Life of St. Patrick: Enlightener of the Irish (Lynch) *difficult to find [+461 AD]

  • OR Saints of the British Isles (Saints for all Ages; OCA)

• Nikola and the monk (Jackson)

• Song of the Talanton (Brandenburg)

[Day 3 Read-Alouds]

• Spyridon’s Shoes (Rogers) [~6-12 yo]

• Keeper of the Light: St. Macrina the Elder (Cooke) 

*3 days/week plus Day 4 Read-aloud

[Spines]

• The Law of God (Sysoev) [~5th+] 

• A Children's History of the Church (Neale) [~5th+] 

• Heroes for Truth (Koulomzin) [~5th+] 

[Acts of the Apostles; Persecution Begins; Saints & Martyrs in the Orthodox Church] 

• Preferred Bible with Acts of the Apostles 

[Era of the Martyrs; Councils & Creed; Fathers of the Church] 

• Great Fathers of the Church for Young Readers (Synaxis Press) [~5th+] 

• The Life of the Holy Great-martyr Catherine (Faberova) [~1-9th] 

• The Legend of the Cross (Hart) *optional picture book 

• Enlighteners of Ancient Kingdoms (Saints for all Ages; OCA) *Terms 2-3

• [Optional] The Nicene Creed for Young People: With Study Guide (Coniaris) *Optional, Day 4 Read-aloud/ Term 2

[Desert Fathers & Mothers; Monasticism & Spiritual Life]

• Great Monks of the Desert (Saints for all Ages, Bk 8; OCA)

• The Ancient Fathers of the Desert: Translated Narratives and Sayings (Chrysostomos)

  • OR Lives of the Great Desert Fathers (SAGOM) (or preferred version) 

• St. Isidora – The Monastery Sponge (Hogg) [+~365 AD] [~6-12yo] *optional picture book

• Katie Visits a Monastery (Saxlid)

• Letter from St. Theophan the Recluse on “Attuning Oneself to Spiritual Life”

• Saints of the British Isles (Saints for all Ages; OCA)

[Day 4 Read-Alouds]

• The Purple Mantle (Kafetzopoulou)[~5th+; 303 AD, Diocletian]

  • OR When Nero Commands (Kafetzopoulou)

  • OR A Trace in the Sand (Kafetzopoulou)[~5th+; 274 AD]

• The Nicene Creed for Young People: With Study Guide (Coniaris)

• Keeper of the Light: St. Macrina the Elder (Cooke) [~270-340 AD]

  • OR  The Hermitess Photini (Spetsieris) (older option)

  • OR Spyridon’s Shoes (Rogers) [~7-12 yo]

  • OR Diamonds on the Bosphorus (Kafetzopoulou) [~400 AD, Constantinople, Chrysostom]

*3 days/week plus Day 4 Read-aloud OR as an add-on to Group/Family Catechesis

[Spines]

• The Age of Paradise (Strickland) (Ch. 1-3/pp. 27-119) 

• The Story of Christianity (Hart) (Ch. 1-17)

• The Orthodox Faith: Volume III - Church History (Hopko/Ford) (1-5th c.)

  • OR A Pocket Church History for Orthodox Christians (Keller) (pp. 1-14)

[Acts of the Apostles; Persecution Begins; Saints & Martyrs in the Orthodox Church] 

• Preferred Bible with Acts of the Apostles 

• [optional] Acts of the Apostles: Spreading the Word (Orthodox Bible Study Companion) (Farley)

  • OR if you've studied Acts, you can replace with Revelation: The Apocalypse of Saint John: A Revelation of Love and Power (Orthodox Bible Study Companion) (Farley)

[Era of the Martyrs; Councils & Creed; Fathers of the Church] 

• The Holy Fire (Payne) [selected excerpts on the Church Fathers]

• Beginning to Read the Church Fathers (Tarpley)

• Enlighteners of Ancient Kingdoms (Saints for all Ages; OCA) *Terms 2-3

• [Optional Creed Study] Celebrations of Faith, Vol. 1: I Believe (Schmemann)

[Desert Fathers & Mothers; Monasticism & Spiritual Life]

• Lives of the Great Desert Fathers (SAGOM) (or preferred version)

• A Beginner’s Guide to the Philokalia (Coniaris)

• Letter from St. Theophan the Recluse on “Attuning Oneself to Spiritual Life”

• Saints of the British Isles (Saints for all Ages; OCA)

[Day 4 Read Options]

• The Hermitess Photini (Spetsieris)

• The Young Man, the Guru, and Elder Paisios (Farasiotis)

• Quo Vadis (Sienkiewicz) [64-68 AD, Nero]