Authentic theology always has a pastoral spirit, because it is concerned with salvation in Christ. This is a process of healing and reconciliation that restores the human person and glorifies the living God. Theology aids us in growing in our love for God, our love for one another, and our proper love for ourselves. Theology nurtures us as we grow "together in Christ" (cf. Eph 3:6). I am pleased to present this collection of articles with the prayer that they might assist the reader in gaining a deeper appreciation of the depth of the Orthodox Church's teaching and practice as well as the importance of the quest for reconciliation in the apostolic faith. - From the preface by His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos Aghiorgoussis, former Metropolitan of Pittsburgh