Baptism — crowdsource this for me

[Agabus]

I need to find commentaries about baptism — and especially about the baptismal service itself — for an academic project. Patristic and contemporary sources are welcome. Assume that I'm capable of reading complicated technical theological stuff if that's a concern.

Please make suggestions as you will.

 

[Antonis]

St. Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechetical Homilies would be a must for that kind of project, I would guess.

 

[Iconodule]

Catechetical lectures of St. Cyril of Jerusalem:

On the Mysteries

On Baptism

On Chrismation

 

[Agabus]

I suspected St. Cyril would be one of the primary guideposts, but beyond that I will acknowledge I'm pretty weak on patristics on the topic.

 

[Iconodule]

Two other sources off the top of my head: The Life in Christ by St Nicholas Cabasilas and St. Gregory of Nyssa's Great Catechism AKA "An Address on Religious Instruction.

 

[Iconodule]

A recent work that might also be quite helpful is Metropolitan Hierotheos' book Entering the Orthodox Church: The Catechism and Baptism of Adults. It is pastorally oriented but looks at history and ritual.

 

[Agabus]

A recent work that might also be quite helpful is Metropolitan Hierotheos' book Entering the Orthodox Church: The Catechism and Baptism of Adults. It is pastorally oriented but looks at history and ritual.

Thanks.

One of the problems I've encountered is that there are few serious contemporary English-language Orthodox theological works that a). aren't just regurgitations of older works, or b). very simple ideas packaged as aesthetics for people who already have a knowledge of some form of practiced Christianity.

 

[Mor Ephrem]

Of Water and (the?) Spirit, Fr Alexander Schmemann.

 

[IXOYE]

Baptismal Instructions by St. John Chrysostom.

 

[Agabus]

Of Water and (the?) Spirit, Fr Alexander Schmemann.

Got it. Currently reading, actually. Didn't finish it the first time years ago because even though Schmemann is generally great you have to muscle past his usual back and forth about how liturgy has become so decadent because of what we have neglected, but now I am finding some good nuggets in it.