Start with three official sites: antiochian.org, ancientfaith.com, and oca.org. These won’t lead you astray.
If you’re coming from a Baptist or non-denominational background here in Southeast Texas, you’re used to googling your questions about faith. That works fine when you’re looking up a sermon series or a Bible verse. But Orthodoxy’s different. We’ve got two thousand years of tradition, multiple jurisdictions that are all in communion with each other, and unfortunately some folks on the internet claiming to be Orthodox who’ve actually broken away from the Church. So knowing where to look matters.
The Big Three
Antiochian.org is the official website of our archdiocese. It’s got everything from explanations of the Divine Liturgy to articles on fasting, a parish directory, and resources specifically written for people exploring Orthodoxy. When you need to know what the Antiochian Church actually teaches, this is where you go. It’s overseen by our metropolitan and reflects what you’ll hear from the pulpit at St. Michael’s.
Ancientfaith.com is probably where you’ll spend the most time. Ancient Faith Ministries started under the Antiochian Archdiocese and it’s still closely connected. They’ve got hundreds of podcasts, everything from Fr. Thomas Hopko’s “Speaking the Truth in Love” to “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy” which walks through how Orthodox Christianity relates to other traditions. Their bookstore carries solid titles. Their 24/7 radio stream plays hymns and talks. If you’re driving to Port Arthur for work or sitting in traffic on I-10, you can learn a lot.
Oca.org is the Orthodox Church in America’s official site. We’re Antiochian, they’re OCA, but we’re in full communion and our theology’s the same. They’ve got excellent “Learning the Faith” articles that explain the sacraments, the Church calendar, and how to read the Bible within Tradition. Their stuff’s written clearly for American converts.
Other Good Options
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese runs goarch.org, which has a “Journey to Orthodoxy” section with videos and Q&A. It’s solid. Some individual parishes have great resources too. St. Demetrios in Michigan has a whole page of recommended books and podcasts for inquirers.
There’s also orthodoxchurchquotes.com, which collects quotes from the Church Fathers organized by topic. It’s helpful when you want to see what St. John Chrysostom or St. Basil actually said about prayer or fasting, not just what someone claims they said.
What to Avoid
Here’s where it gets tricky. Some websites look Orthodox but represent groups that have broken communion with the canonical Church. Old Calendarist sites are the most common. They’ll talk about the “true Orthodox” calendar and often claim that churches using the Revised Julian calendar (like most Antiochian parishes) have fallen into heresy. That’s just not true. The calendar’s a matter of Church discipline, not doctrine.
Watch out for sites that spend most of their energy attacking other Orthodox Christians or calling bishops heretics. That’s a sign of schism. The Church Fathers disagreed plenty, but they stayed in communion. When someone’s set up their own little Orthodox church outside the recognized jurisdictions, they’ve left the Church even if they keep the name.
Rigorist sites are another problem. They’ll tell you that if you’re not fasting perfectly or praying the full rule every day, you’re barely Christian. That’s not how pastoral Orthodoxy works. Your priest will give you a rule you can actually keep, and he’ll adjust it as you grow. Orthodoxy’s demanding, sure, but it’s also merciful.
And be careful with random Orthodox blogs. Some are great. Others are just one person’s opinion, and that person might have some odd ideas. If you can’t figure out what parish the writer attends or what jurisdiction they’re part of, take it with salt.
How to Tell What’s Trustworthy
Ask yourself: Is this site connected to a canonical jurisdiction? Does it encourage you to find a local parish and talk to a priest? Does it align with what you’re hearing at St. Michael’s? If a website’s telling you that you don’t really need to go to church or that your priest doesn’t understand “real” Orthodoxy, run.
The internet’s a tool. It can’t replace standing in the nave on Sunday morning, smelling the incense, hearing the deacon chant the litany. But it can help you learn between Sundays. Stick with the official sites and the ministries they endorse, and you’ll be fine. When you’ve got a question that goes deeper than a website can answer, write it down and ask after Liturgy. That’s what we’re here for.
