How Are We Saved?: The Understanding of Salvation in the Orthodox Tradition Paperback – January 1, 1996

This little book outlines in a very concise way the fundamental soteriologies of mainstream Christianity, with emphasis on their relationship to the one fundamental soteriology espoused almost exclusively by Eastern Orthodox Christianity.Growing up with the Protestant debates over faith and works; in an environment that continually defined itself by how it related to Calvinistic predestination theology, whether through Arminianism or some other philosophically constructed theology; seeking to reconcile the "Once saved, always saved" polemic espoused by so many, with free will and the observation that modern Christians were as morally bankrupt, or more so, than their un-churched contemporaries; to me this book was a breath of fresh air. I now have a Biblical, and Holy Spirit inspired answer to the, "are you saved?" question that doesn't seem hypocritical, flippant, or just downright wrong.Protestants are great at "getting people saved", they just never bother to worry about, "the day after". In addition to answering the question, "are you saved?", This book has something concrete to offer beyond that. It presents the Christian journey - faith and works in synergy towards Glorification, a term my pastor would use, though I prefer the term Theosis myself.It took me a while to find this book, and I don't remember now how I did so. I'm just very glad now that I have. I have loaned it out, and have ended up giving it to people when they didn't read it fast enough. I now have several copies so that I will always have one ready for myself, and I have made plans to give a copy to my pastor.I know the Eastern Orthodox hate that other Christians "pick and choose from the treasures of Orthodoxy", to use a term from a popular Orthodox speaker. But the way of thinking presented in this book is a gift to a world that has forgotten how to love their Savior for who he is, and not just for what he can do for them.I found that this book was a good introduction to " The Orthodox Way ", also by Bishop Ware. " The Orthodox Way " went into more detail on many of the ideas presented here, and I would recommend it as a followup text.

I'm not Orthodox, but I really enjoyed this. It really encapsulated the bigness, mystery, and fullness of the incarnation and resurrection. It shifted some paradigms for sure. I would recommend it to anyone.

A classic Orthodox booklet on our view of salvation.

He is a "metropolitan" and he writes at the end he does not know!!!???

This work by Metrpolitan Kallistos Ware is incredibly clear and cogent on the topic of salvation in the Orthodox Christian understanding. The chapters progressively flow towards a deeper understanding of the concepts in the previous chapters. Undoubtedly, this work is invaluable for anyone seeking to preach or lecture on this topic. Be advised, however, that this is not a narrative book, so to speak, but rather, a collection of simple outlines. There are no paragraphs anywhere, but instead, collections of bullet points for each chapter. Personally, I do not think this affects the utility of this book, but nonetheless, I feel this is something buyers should know before ordering.

Concise, thoughtful, well written, downright good theology. I've learned so much from Metropolitan Kallistos Ware and am very grateful for this book.

This book is a favorite of mine this last decade and growing more favorite all the time. I'm learning that Protestants and Catholics and Orthodox have major differences in how they view salvation. That's what Bp. Ware addresses here, keying on salvation as a process that in the tradition of the Eastern Church never ends. That's a far cry from the Jesus Come Into My Heart Amen salvation I was introduced to as a teen.Seven years running we've had an Orthodox Book Club in our town, having read some 35 titles by now. I got into a bit of a tiff last week with a friend over the strong differences in opinion over controversial book and teaching: the Aerial Tollhouses; a metaphor about what happens after death. In my debate with my friend I kept coming back to this little book by Bp. Kallistos Ware on Soteriology: how we are saved. I can't count the times I've pulled it off the shelf as a reference to give context to other books and conversations about East/West. How one views salvation colors so much of the rest of our personal theology and practice, what we like and hate about church, faith, religion; what we believe and what we do.OK, so How Are We Saved-The Understanding of Salvation in the Orthodox Tradition is more of an outline than a book. So what's wrong with that? I would not be quick to diminish its clarity and power to convey a main point; that the East and West view salvation differently. Way differently.I came to faith some 50 years ago seeking salvation; wanted something broken inside me fixed, healed, saved. I had questions about my Fire Insurance Conversion to Evangelical Protestantism and its take on Christianity. After about a decade I wanted deep as well as wide. My faith was a mile wide; but I feared it was an inch thick. I had the simple Gospel story, knowing Jesus, being forgiven. But this book explained the next 14 years leading up to my conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy: the process of salvation, deification, theosis; what I was saved from and for. From Augustine to Martin Luther in the 16th century, soteriology poses pivotal trailhead questions. In 70 pages Ware goes with what I now believe, from the theology of what our tradition teaches to how I treat my neighbor-from faith to practice. Nice. Maybe more books should be 70 pages.Wanna grow your brain and heart; get more on purpose with your praxis? Own this book.

Very poor layout. Every line is a bullet point. It is as if the publisher took his Power Point presentation and simply printed it. Horrible treatment of a crucial subject matter.

Reviews say Tis bullet point layout. So??? Tis fantastic. The bullet points are necessary. And easy to read and understand. Gets right to the point. Even a child could understand. Metropolitan Kallistos writes so well, succinctly and easily to understand. And gives a message of Salvation that is alien to the western church - thank God! Metropolitan Kallistos God is nice!