Andrew Louth is one of my preferred Orthodox scholars. There are, in fact, very few among converts to Orthodoxy that appeal (Bsp. Kallistos Ware is one, as is Jaroslav Pelikan, also mentioned below). I’d rather read natal Orthodox, especially the Russian emigres (Fr. Schmemann, Fr. Meyendorff, Fr. Florovsky, Lossky, Arseniev, and many others). But I have read and benefitted greatly from several of Andrew Louth’s books. My two favorites are:

The Wilderness of God

and

The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition

(The Wilderness of God is not exactly scholarly, and in its choice of material is definitely ecumenical. Still, I learned a lot from this book. Despite my copy being a personal treasure — maybe because it was a treasure — I gave it to Fr. John when he was sick. If I had it to hand, I would type in the contents for you.)

Other notables:

Maximus the Confessor (with new translations)

Penguin’s edition of the The Apostolic Fathers entitled Early Christian Writings (edited by Louth)

and the

Ancient Christian Commentary on scripture, the volume on Genesis 1-11 (also edited by him)

As I recall, I didn’t care much for Discerning the Mystery. I have not read his book on Denys the Areopagite (also known as Dionysius or Pseudo-Dionysius).

Today I finished an article by Louth in the newly published Orthodoxy and Western Culture, an anthology collecting together talks given in honor of Jaroslav Pelikan, the great scholar of the history of Christian doctrine (and a convert to Orthodoxy at age 75!). Louth’s article is about “Development of Doctrine”. For a long time I’ve understood that this concept is fundamentally important for anyone wishing to look at the history of the Church, which of course is a necessary endeavor for anyone wishing to learn about Eastern Orthodoxy. The supposed development of doctrine is a key point of contention between Catholics and Orthodox. Indeed, I have picked up Newman’s Essay on the Development of Doctrine, the classic treatment of the subject - about which Louth has quite a bit to say in his short article - but John Henry Newman is hard going. Many Victorian writers I admire and enjoy, but Newman isn’t one of them. His prose style drives me batty. To read him on a subject as hard as this is more than I can take. So I admit, I’ve never made it through Newman’s Essay.

Enough preliminary. What does Louth say?

Ack! Sorry, it’s time to go count down for the New Year. Tune in tomorrow for the skinny on D of D. :)

Happy New Year!

More importantly:

O chosen and all-radiant beacon of the whole world, most wise teacher of the Church of Christ, first to record the rules of monasticism, O great Basil, fervent and faithful servant of the All-holy Trinity, pray to the Lord for us who praise thee in faith, and who cry out to thee with compunction: Rejoice, O great Basil, beacon of the whole world!

~ Kontakion 1 from the Akathist to St. Basil.

Tomorrow is St. Basil’s feast day (and the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord). It is also my namesday. :)