why convert to orthodox christianity

"I was A. Your email address will not be published. The Orthodox Church has been, for me, the ultimate revelation of what it means to be "in Christ"; my upbringing in Evangelical Protestantism has not only helped me appreciate this now, but was very much preparing me for this all along [1]. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. What are we to make, for example, of the Orthodox liturgy in Russia today, which is recited in ninth-century Slavonic, a language very few Russians even understand? 1:4). After being dunked in this sea of hymnography for a few years I began to recognise an underlying unity among all the elements of Orthodoxy the worship, the fasting, the exhortations to humility, the companionship of the saints, all of it. This is not just an explanation but an apology, and even an appreciation for the perseverance of friendship in the face of truly annoying behavior. As historians mostly suppose, Vladimir's turn to Orthodox Christianity was more about the improvement of Russians' connections with Christian states than about sentiments: for Rus, Byzantium. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? Wow, like it very much. Two theological controversies drove the final wedge between Catholic and Orthodox Christians: papal supremacy and the so-called filioque controversy. But one insightful reader asked a penetrating question: "Your book does a fine job comparing the two traditions; why have you not converted to Orthodoxy?" I felt like Marco Polo. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. The late Orthodox theologian John Meyendorff once remarked that the ultimate conflict between the Orthodox East and the Latin West, both Catholic and Protestant, resided in two different ideas about tradition. But if you are still intrigued and drawn to the Orthodox Church, considering all of these disclaimers, then do so with faith, reverence, and a healthy fear of God. Failing to remember (or be taught) this, we are scandalized and even lose our faith in the Church, not distinguishing between the divine and human natures, or confusing them. Different from forms of western Christianity, there is no rationalization or theorization of dogma because its focus is on symbology rather than the literal. While Rome stumbled toward destruction in 476, Constantinople enjoyed relative theological and political stability for another 1,000 years, until it was sacked by the Turks in 1453. At each point in their conversions, from initial religious seeking to settling into life as Orthodox Christians, Orthodox converts in Pittsburgh consistently relate a kind of on-going negotiation between self and other, as they research religious differences and experiment with practices and dogmas. The move was far more than geographic. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. Applies to RCC too. While this exclusivism is not unique to Orthodoxy, with this self-understanding it is easy to see why the Orthodox Church in countries such as Russia is extremely unhappy about Western, Protestant missionary incursions. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? 0. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. "We are Orthodox because (we) follow the same laws like in other Orthodox communities in the world," explains Meyer Sanchez, assistant to a rabbi in Medelln. For example, if a person goes through a great deal of hardship, sacrifice, and turmoil in order to join the Churchas in the case of former clergy in a different communion, or when ones family does not approvethey might feel that the Church owes them for converting. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. Orthodox Christians and some Eastern Catholics baptize by triple immersion upon invocation of the Trinity; the only time the Orthodox Church permits other forms of baptism is in the case of an emergency. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. Georgia, 3 million However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. ", Icons are not merely sacred art. And these prayers are jam-packed. In the history and theology of Orthodoxy it is startling to observe the nearly complete absence of any mention of the doctrine of justification by faith. The thesis that Eastern Orthodoxy is the true religion was turning out to bear the practical corollary that, to share fully and fruitfully in the life of the Body of Christ, one would almost have. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. Well, was it so? For example, it is understandable that evangelicals feel that the Orthodox doctrine of the church is too "high." This is no archaic, dusty doctrine, either. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed "the pillar and foundation of the truth" ( 1 Tim. He shares his witness of it. Then B. Most notable are its beliefs about baptism and the Eucharist. The conversion of 2,000 evangelicals in 17 congregations "from Alaska to Atlanta" in 1987, recounted in Peter Gillquist's Becoming Orthodox, is only a small window into a larger phenomenon. It is often wrongly assumed that Orthodoxy . Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. And while it's true that my involvement with Judaism began with a Jewish boyfriend now my husband of 28 years and the father of our two children as Reform Jews, I would not have had to convert to participate in Jewish life and raise Jewish children. Religion became a state of the Roman Empire, and Christianity became an enormous and influential religion nationwide. In the Orthodox calendar, the first Sunday of Lent celebrates the Triumph of Orthodoxy, a commemoration of the final triumph of icons in the long and bitter battle with the iconoclasts (literally, "image-smashers") on March 11, 843. The true details behind her In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. I hope so. that freedom of practice for faith groups should be "defended" in Holyrood's proposed ban on conversion practices and that she believes a trans woman is a "biological male who identifies as a . Almost everyone around me was a Baptist. A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: Orthodoxy affirms the real, physical presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist (as do Catholics, Lutherans, and many Anglicans), yet unlike Catholicism it is content not to explain how this happens. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity. During my project I gained. Thus, when an Orthodox believer once asked why his church did not do more doctrinal teaching, his priest responded, "Icons teach us all that we need to know." Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? Whatever honor Protestants bestow upon tradition, they deny that its authority is coequal with Scripture. This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) He states that in Gaul, before setting out towards Rome, Constantine and his army saw a great cross in the sky. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. * You haven't "arrived" in this life. John 6 Comments Cole Knight, a former Anglican, got Baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. Orthodox worship can be overwhelmingly beautiful and attractiveon multiple, deeply-felt levelsbut this should not be the only reason why a person converts. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. The so-called Photian Schism brought this matter to a head. Albania, 160,000. The stability that the Orthodox Church provides for the seeker consists in the assurance of the truth she possesses, her other-worldly and mysterious character, the beauty of her liturgical celebrations and her crucified lifethey all attest to what she is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear: the unique, beloved Bride of Christ. This book cover is mad, Worship Gospel An Orthodox Christian Perspective: Overcoming Difficulties in Life, Church Under Soviet Totalitarianism: Suppression, Resistance and Compliance, St Kassia and Her Creations, Still Heard at Todays Divine Services, The feast of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Inexhaustible Chalice, Why Our Catalogue Is More Than Just an Online Store Selling Church Supplies, The List of Musical Instruments Mentioned in the Bible, The First 40 Days after Death Explained by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, An Old Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign Has Started to Exude Myrrh in the Diocese of Tula, Complete List of Prohibited Marriages in the Orthodox Church. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Twitter | Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. Harakas asked. Further, they identify themselves by reference to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the "new Rome" of Emperor Constantine, and to the first seven ecumenical councils of the church. There I was, a Protestant theologian teaching in the former Department of Scientific Atheism in the land where Eastern Orthodoxy had reigned for over 1,000 years. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. An Orthodox priest who lectured to standing-room-only crowds at Moscow State once described Orthodox theology to me as "music made in the conservatory," whereas he described Protestant theology as "music made in the honkytonk bars. Together they gathered an army with the intent to regain control of Rus' and establish Vladimir as the ruler. The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Experience Church Services. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. Similar differences and disputes existed within early Christianity, but disputes within Christianity extended also to the place of Mosaic Law or Old Covenant in general in Christianity. You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. Whether you decided to do so because you are marrying someone who is a member of the church, or you simply decide to convert on your own, you might be overwhelmed as to where to start. There is a distinct set of conservative converts to Eastern Orthodoxy, which depending on your perspective either left, or was left by, Roman Catholicism in the Great Schism of 1054. Do we mean essential for salvation? This absorbed my attention so much that I was apt to expound my current level of comprehension to anyone who stood still in my vicinity. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. In 978, Vladimir returned to . Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight what we hold in common. Submitted by Fr. Today 23 percent of all Orthodox Christians in the United Statesabout one in fourare converts, as are 30 percent of the clergy and 43 percent of seminarians. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Your email address will not be published. In the East the local parish priest could administer the sacrament of confirmation; in the West only the bishop could. Granny and Pops and Uncle Pete love the little guy, and theyre going to be kindly and patient with him because hes going through a phase. we'll be happy to answer it! As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Greenland. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. Home / Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. No doubt, I felt at home when first attending the Divine Liturgy, but this was after months of study and discussion with other Orthodox people. But the Church is not dependent upon any one convert or their family, nor will the Church reward people (beyond the mysteries and salvation) for converting. Persons wishing to become Orthodox of their own free volition, without any direct or indirect pressure from anyone, should firstly meet with a Priest of the Church. At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. I kept finding myself in conversations with nice people who wanted to assure me that this very thing I was so excited about in Orthodoxy is something they have in their church as well. In some places in the world, Orthodoxy is the primary Christian game in town (as in Russia and Serbia), and it is inextricably wedded to the local ethnic culture. But the little guy is not going through a phase. Hymns like these offer quite a theological education to anyone who comes to services, and if you didnt catch it all, theres a good chance theyre going to sing it two more times. But dont do it for all the wrong reasons. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. At the time, I was so occupied with comprehending this strange thing called Orthodoxy that I emphasized the differences, and was impatient with kindly big-tent suggestions. We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. Not that every churchgoer is following that path, not that the church administration is perfect, but that the path still existed thats what amazed me. Instagram | Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. As a young convert to Orthodox Christianity myself, I can testify that confession and Communion have filled my life meaning and have directed me when I have felt lost. Protestant theologian Adolf von Harnack once described the Orthodox church as "in her entire structure alien to the Gospel and a perversion of the Christian religion, its reduction to the level of pagan antiquity." These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabor them. As I realized what the big difference is, I grew more insistent, Im afraid. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? Her admirable heritage of perseverance amid terrible fires of persecution has been noted even by non-Orthodox admirers, as one of her strongest attractions and sources of strength. Here, according to Ronald Roberson's 1993 book The Eastern Christian Churches, is a list of these churches and their approximate sizes: Constantinople, 3.5 million My husband had been an Episcopal priest for 16 years, and we had gradually moved from an evangelical-style low church to the more liturgically-fancy high church. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. While reading about the Orthodox Christian tradition is certainly important, it is crucial to stepliterallyinto an Orthodox Christian parish church near you to witness/experience the Churchs worship and fellowship. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. When we realize that every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle or a matter of conscience, then we are freed to engage fully people with whom we actually have profound differences without compromising our own theological commitments. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. During those years of discovery I labored to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. Writing a book on Eastern Orthodoxy and working through the manuscript with my Russian students helped me to compare Orthodoxy and Protestant evangelicalism. Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvellously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. Indeed, what Protestant converts to Orthodoxy have often sought is not only a conscious continuity with the historic, apostolic past, but also a richer experience of God's majesty and mystery through a more liturgical worship setting. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. Because of my interest for eastern culture, negative views on catholicism (I live in a mostly catholic country) and protestantism and my fascisnation for the Orthodox Church, i decided to convert to just that. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. I cant be the only one to have done this. But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. In Catholicism this external dogmatic authority resides in the teaching magisterium of the church as expressed in the primacy and infallibility of the papacy. And these prayers are jam-packed. Unfortunately the Eastern organization is founded on control and power. More than 70 percent of the roughly 75,000 Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are converts. Some have argued that evangelicals eager to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3) will find an ally in Orthodoxy's allegiance to the basic truths of Christianity. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. Second, whatever failings Western missionaries might bring to their work, and whether Orthodoxy likes to admit it, many Russians are responding very positively to a clear, contemporary presentation of the gospel by Protestant missionaries. They have not given up the idea of being clergy. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. For example, on the Feast of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, the chanter launches into this: Of the Father before the morning star Thou wast begotten from the womb without mother before all ages, even though Arius did believe Thee to be created, not God, classing Thee in ignorance and impudence with creatures. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. Many people believe the Church is a social group gathering or a place to network with other like minded people. While Protestant evangelicals have never agreed on the precise meaning or mode of the sacraments, they have historically emphasized two related truths that diverge from the Orthodox understanding of the sacraments. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . The Orthodox Church has suffered throughout her history. Wynona doesn't indicate why the parish priest has done this, but it would appear from the context that the priest objects to her marrying an . One who would claim that he or she wishes to embrace the faith but doesnt want to get involved with other people and their lives falls short in his or her understanding of the Church as the People of God and, as such, has yet to make that internal conversion that must take place before one is received into the Church. This should trouble evangelicals (as well as other Protestants), especially when it is combined with the Orthodox idea of who constitutes the church and how one enters the church. Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. Heres a clue to a third possibility. I can't be the only one who's observed a friend converting to Orthodox Christianity and noticed them instantly, literally overnight, losing their sense of . They conceded a special honor to the Western papacy but insisted that the bishop of Rome was only the first among equals. Russia, 50-85 million (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. In time, you will be welcomed sacramentally into the Church and continue your ongoing path to the Kingdom of God. To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. For employment at a seminary? The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. Vladimir agreed, in exchange for a marital tie; he also agreed to accept Christianity as his religion and bring his people to the new faith. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. Her name is right belief. Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. I can remember, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. 20). Here are a few reasons from this man's personal reflection. Over coffee one day I asked an Orthodox priest whether I, as a Protestant theologian, might be considered a true Christian. Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. While discovering the truth of Orthodoxy is exciting, we need to learn a gracious balance when dealing with our friends, family, workmates and others with whom we have contact. Praise for Surprised by Christ "Surprised by Christ is an autobiography, an intellectual history, and a conversion story, and more than these, conveys a spiritual and theological vision in a message that touches people from many different backgrounds. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. She is the Church of martyrs. In the words of contemporary Orthodox theologian Thomas Hopko, "everything in the church flows out of the waters of baptism: the remission of sins and life eternal." Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. He mentions one Church, not many. It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. Debate is more plentiful than research, but also indefinite. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . In an encyclical letter of 1848, the Eastern patriarchs stated this most emphatically: "Infallibility resides solely in the ecumenicity of the church bound together by mutual love. Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. Geoff. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? Or again, it is one thing to guard the doctrine of sola scriptura, but quite another to ignore or disdain two thousand years of tradition; surely there is a dangerous arrogance in imagining that we do not need to listen to the wealth of biblical wisdom from the patristic writers. The genius of this principle is that it allows us to disagree with other believers, even vehemently so, yet in an edifying fashion with a degree of theological modesty and a perspective that seeks a deeper consensus within the bounds of true faith. It also must be noted that embracing the faith involves a running to Christ and His Church as the Ark of Salvation, rather than a running away from somethingother than sin.