Dormition Fast & Wisdom of Sirach

What does a book from the Orthodox Old Testament have to do with the Dormition Fast?

Welcome to the first official post of the new SimplyOrthodox.info Substack site, a repository of information for catechetical work, including our local work at Saint Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, Florida, content on the “Bad” Books of the Bible Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio, and to serve as sort of A Field Guide to the Orthodox Church. This post brings much of the above together nicely.

The longest book of the so-called Apocrypha, and the only one with a prologue and a clear identification of the author, Wisdom of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, is one of those Biblical books that gets little press today, but used to get quite a bit in the early Church—in fact, it was a favorite of the Patristic era, and gained a lot of traction in the Christian Middle Ages. Even as it was favorite of catechists in the Early Church, and beloved of many Church Fathers. The Wisdom of Sirach is a book uniquely positioned to speak to our time, and offers us its many treasures in the present if only we will allow it.

Sirach offers a careful blend of practical wisdom and ethical teachings. Its author, Jesus or Joshua Ben Sirach, skillfully integrates theological wisdom with practical knowledge, providing insights into everyday life and human relationships, along with profound reflections on faith and our relationship with God. Sirach presents an extensive guide to living out virtue by exploring themes such as wisdom, friendship, humility, idolatry, and the power of words—it is truly an invaluable resource for spiritual growth and moral guidance.

At Saint Mark Greek Orthodox Church in South Florida, we have encouraged our faithful, catechumens, and inquirers alike to spend time on this book during the two week Dormition fast.

Here’s a brief explanation of what we are up to:

So we are doing a four part series on Wisdom of Sirach here locally, and some of that material will end up on “Bad” Books of the Bible and here at SimplyOrthodox.info. Our first installment was an introduction to Wisdom of Sirach. Here’s my presentation of the class, which took place at the end of a Paraklesis (Supplications) service to the Theotokos:

Here is the reading plan that we are encouraging our faithful to follow:

For those who would prefer a chapter a day, here is an essential readings plan:

Soon, I will share my second presentation, which will get into the connections between Wisdom of Sirach, Proverbs, the Theotokos, and Jesus Christ.

This is technically the first post on this Substack, even though we have quite the archive. Bringing a few streams together, we hope you’ll find the material beneficial and thought-provoking, and that you’ll share it with others!

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Many of you have been asking when “Bad” Books of the Bible is coming back? Well, soon! We have three episodes already recorded—some wild announcements included—and are planning to explore Wisdom of Sirach next.

If you missed our last episode with evangelical Christian author Traci Rhoades, you should check it out!

NOTE: This is the new home of “Bad” Books of the Bible, and will replace our previous Substack.