“Before there was a West, there was Christendom.”

“Before there was a West, there was Christendom.” Thus begins The Age of Paradise, the first in a series of four planned books by Archpriest John Strickland, which expand on the Ancient Faith Radio podcast series Paradise and Utopia. This series explores the history of Christianity from an Orthodox perspective, focusing more on culture than on politics and battles. This first volume explores the period of time from Pentecost to the Great Schism in 1054. It traces the development of Christianity and explains how it was so radically different and appealing to the people of the Roman Empire. The Age of Paradise takes its title from the author’s understanding of the paradisiacal culture created in the early Church which was preserved in Orthodox Christianity. This culture is one which fostered spiritual growth and sought to align earthly kingdoms with the Kingdom of Heaven.

Archpriest John Strickland argues that the reason why this transformation of the world has failed is due to the lack of spiritual transformation of one’s own life through humility and the virtues, which creates a society with the hope of achieving paradise. Instead, much of Christendom, especially in the West in the centuries prior to 1054, sought the vain pursuit of external transformation of society without that preceding internal spiritual struggle. Detached from humility and repentance, they sought not paradise, but a utopia (meaning “no place”) – something which continues to impact our modern society. The later books in the series, The Age of Division and The Age of Utopia, explore how the West deviated from its aim of achieving paradise. This book, despite the weighty topics it handles, is an easy read and is strongly recommended for all who wish to understand the roots of the changes that have seen the contemporary world depart from the truth – which continues to be found within the Orthodox Church. It is well-researched, makes a coherent argument, and provides unique perspectives on cultural and historical issues. ORTHODOX MISSION BOOKSTORE www.orthodoxbookstore.org.au 217 Bexley Rd, Kingsgrove, Sydney NSW Phone: (02) 9787 9779