The theme of this issue of PRAXIS, “Our Byzantine Heritage,” is a very important one in our knowledge and understanding of our history and traditions. It is also important for our work as religious educators as it presents us with several aspects of studying and teaching history in the parish setting. As educators who love knowledge and have received the calling and gifts to teach our Orthodox Faith, we have a responsibility to engage with our past so that we are equipped to relate faith to life in our contemporary world. In religious education the purpose for the study and teaching of history is not only to know how things developed or changed, but also to find understanding, meaning and even inspiration in the events, stories, challenges and traditions. From the past we are able to learn valuable lessons that guide us in our lives in this world.