Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. 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. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. Christians in the West variously trace their roots to Rome (Catholics), Wittenberg (Lutherans), Geneva (Calvinists), Canterbury (Anglicans), or Oxford (Wesleyans). Toggle signature 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. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. Two theological controversies drove the final wedge between Catholic and Orthodox Christians: papal supremacy and the so-called filioque controversy. Here are a few reasons from this man's personal reflection. Converts to Orthodoxy usually precede their decision with voluminous reading and research, so their friends must endure agitated lectures on church history, ancient heresies, and what words mean in Greek. It was electrifying. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . Submitted by Fr. John 6 Comments Cole Knight, a former Anglican, got Baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. The secret is out. Thumb through Calvin's Institutes or a volume of John Wesley's Works and you will see our Protestant forebears thoroughly engaged with patristic tradition. Naturally, it is crucial to know what the Church teaches and acquire an Orthodox mindset on the intellectual level, so to speak, but it is equally crucial to grow in identifying with the People of God, the worshipping community, through fellowship. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. I felt like Marco Polo. This gives strength and spiritual joy to her members, true to the Lords words, Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Mt. He senses that its something much more profound than that, as he is turning into a different person, the adult he is destined to be. That vision is of the Living God revealed in Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, the life of the Faithful, the hope of the . 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 You were begotten from the womb without mother before all ages, even though Arius did believe You to be created, not God, classing You in ignorance and impudence with creatures Thats just a fraction of a thorough march through what happened at the first Council of Nicaea, and why it was important (including Arius unpleasant death from digestive indisposition: his bowels were torn by a divine hookin a repulsive manner his soul came out). Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Ignatius's followers, however, refused to acknowledge the transition, and eventually both Ignatius and Photius appealed to Pope Nicholas (858-67) in Rome. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? Our digital archives are a work in progress. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was only ever exposed to Christian theology. Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." 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. That there are too many people joining the Church with a silly belief that they rebelling against the modern world, and hoping to instate absolute monarchy. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. He promptly left Constantinople. Theologically, just what is at stake in the differences between Protestant and Orthodox theology? Also, while evangelicals wholeheartedly embrace the full-orbed New Testament descriptions of the work of Christ (reconciliation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, etc. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Her name is "right belief". Clearly this stability is found in no other church. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity . Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. Worse, they considered the interpolation to be theologically untrue and a threat to the doctrine of the Trinity. Christ is thus "the Offerer and the Offered, the Acceptor and the Distributed," all in such a way that nothing is added to his once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed "the pillar and foundation of the truth" ( 1 Tim. People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. 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. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. For employment at a seminary? Geoff. 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. T he Orthodox Church in the United States has problems. Well, was it so? 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. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. Later ecumenical councils at Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451) acknowledged Constantinople as the "New Rome" and accorded it "equal privileges" and "equal rank in ecclesiastical matters" with Latin Rome. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, On the Path of Love: From Islam to Christianity, Madagascar: Church Opens Huge Complex with Church, Schools, Orphanage, Old Folks Home, Australia: Orthodoxy Fastest Growing Church amidst General Christian Decline. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. Small bodies of Orthodox believers exist in other places as "autonomous" but not "autocephalous" churches (Finland, Japan, former Czechoslovakia, etc.). I cant be the only one to have done this. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. And yet, not all of these journeys have worked out. In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. Her name is right belief. But the human warts of where they are at and continuing searching within causes them to look elsewhere. Debate is more plentiful than research, but also indefinite. Spiritual enlightenment changes everything. Emmanuel Hatzidakis | January 19, 2013. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. 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. In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. Others are already involved in a Jewish community. 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. At the 1996 meeting of sseoe, Orthodox representative Stanley Harakas said that the Orthodox, who have lived for 70 years in Russia under Communist oppression, are in a state of weakness, unable to rebuild churches and barely able to educate their parishioners. Some have even ended in apostasy. In his homily, Father Vladimir explained the history and theology of icons, adding that the heresy of iconoclasm was alive and well: "Just look around us at all the Protestants. 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]. Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. Moreover, evangelicals have some important lessons to learn from Orthodoxy. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). Linguistic factors posed other, very practical problems. 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. It merits our attention for several reasons. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. Twitter | The unchangeableness of dogma as well as the purity of rite [are] entrusted to the care not of one hierarchy but of all the people of the church." The Orthodox Faith / Converts to Orthodoxy usually precede their decision with voluminous reading and research, so their friends must endure agitated lectures on church history, ancient heresies, and what words mean in Greek. In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Site Map | 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. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. 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. Clickhereto learn more about the deeds we are talking of and to learn how you can become a part of our social ministry and help those in need. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". They become clergy in their group. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity. Even before entering the church one is taken aback by the unusual architecture-the glittering gold onion domes that sparkle like diamonds on a sunny day. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. He mentions one Church, not many. I will always remember my first visit to an Orthodox church in Russia. But Islam's conquest of this same area eventually isolated the Eastern Christians centered in Constantinople from their counterparts in the West centered in Rome. Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? See something we missed? There is not going to be a restored "Celtic" Orthodoxy or "Anglo-Saxon" Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. Orthodoxy attracts seekers with her other-worldliness, with her holiness, with her worship, with her services and sacraments, with the form and content of her religious expression, with her iconography, with her chanting, with her mysticism, with her monasticism, with her life between heaven and earth. One feels that the Church is not just a worldly organization, but a divine-human organism. Hello all, forgive me if I am posting to the wrong forum. Because their focus for years was on their theological education (which they may still be paying for) often they end up in a low wage job that they don't love. 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. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Because we confess and believe in the one holy, catholic and apostolic Church, this means we are not looking for a Church that fits our own preferences and ideals, but rather one that teaches us what our preferences should be. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Orthodoxy's size alone warrants our attention, despite its invisibility on the cultural radar screens of most Americans. Beyond the recovery of history and liturgy, there are deeper and more important questions. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. At one level, I was close in heart and mind to my Orthodox sisters and brothers in Christ; but on another level, I agreed with many of my atheist friends' criticisms of Russian Orthodoxy. The numbers are staggering! "It's typically an immigrant faith, so I was really interested in that experience and why it spoke to. Eastern Christians would hear nothing of it. Fr. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. 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." Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. Handcarved The basic theological impetus for the ever-virginity of Mary (besides the fact that it is presumably historically true and would have been passed down from the early days of the church) is the fact that Mary was profoundly sanctified by her role as the living sanctuary in which God dwelled (quite literally) for nine months and from whom he Has Orthodoxy in these lands obscured the gospel, becoming merely a "cultural" religion thoroughly assimilated to ethnic identity? Instagram | In Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. Like baptism, the Eucharist is administered to infants. After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. True, Luther and some other Protestants have not viewed baptismal regeneration and justification by faith as mutually exclusive. Wow, like it very much. However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. 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?" Thats just a fraction of a thorough march through what happened at the first Council of Nicaea, and why it was important (including Arius unpleasant death from digestive indisposition: his bowels were torn by a divine hookin a repulsive manner his soul came out). Let us know if corrections need to be made. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. Now let's hear from Frederica. Christimates 1 day ago. Join our newsletter to get the most interesting articles on spiritual issues and learn about the recent news from St. Elisabeth Convent. What do they find so attractive? Many times, inquirers approach the Orthodox Church as a safe haven from controversy and scandal, believing that the Orthodox Churchas the one, true Churchis immune to such things. There are two accounts of Constantine's conversion to Christianity. Discussion online about converts to Orthodoxy in America includes papers and blogging by writers in venues such as Public Orthodoxy of the Fordham Orthodox Christian Studies Center, the allied Orthodox Theological Society of America, and various blogs and social media. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. These arguments wont convert anyone. Vladimir I formed an alliance with Basil II of the Byzantine Empire and married his sister Anna in 988. 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. During my project I gained. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. Do we mean essential for salvation? 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. Then the reality sets in. 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. These groups mostly came over willingly. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? The church. You may wish to call the parish priest in advance to introduce yourself and explain that you will be joining him and the faithful of his parish for the first time, although this is not absolutely essential. Rather, they are a source of revelation. Much like a divorce where numerous and complex problems fester for years and then coalesce around a single event, the defining moment for a distinctly Orthodox identity came with the Great Schism of 1054. 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. People often assume that most Jews by choice convert because they have a partner or spouse who is Jewish. While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. And these prayers are jam-packed. Second, Christian theology perfectly explained why Jesus, who was also called a prophet, was worthy of worship. There is another reason someone should not join Our Church. Scripture and tradition. Further, the Orthodox reject the idea of inherited guilt; we are guilty only for our own sins rather than for the inborn consequences of Adam's fall. Once inside, a Western Christian experiences sensory overload: the near absence of chairs or pews, dim lighting, head coverings for most women, icons and frescoes covering almost every inch of space on the walls and ceiling, a massive and ornate iconostasis separating the priest and the worshipers, the smoky smell of incense and hundreds of candles burning in memory of the dead, the priest resplendent in his ornate vestments and enormous beard, and worshipers repeatedly prostrating themselves, kissing the icons, and making the sign of the cross. I hope so. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. The Orthodox Church is the only Church, originally founded by Christ and still retaining the apostolic succession and the undistorted teaching of the Lord and . Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. Evangelicals focused on social ethics may also find little comradeship in Orthodoxy, as there is nothing in Orthodoxy comparable to the body of Catholic social teaching, for instance. This is a sufficiently serious reason for reproach: We are right to expect that the Church will point out a path toward God, independently of the jolts and shocks of the epoch; that it will remain,. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. She is the Church of martyrs. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. According to The Saga of Erik the Red, there were Christians among the people whom Erik the Red brought to Greenland to settle it in the late tenth century. Originally the creed read that the Holy Spirit proceeded "from the Father"; a later Western interpolation (why, where, and by whom are not known), ratified at the Council of Toledo (589), added filioque to indicate that the Spirit proceeded from the Father "and the Son." Legislation pending in Russia, for example, could, if implemented, curtail Western missionary enterprises. And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. For me it was due to the fact that papal supremacy is a later doctrine, yet I could not become a Protestant because the writings of the Fathers do not agree with Protestantism. There are other problems as well: overlapping jurisdictions, lack of communication across jurisdictional lines, and a tendency to isolate ourselves from communities in which we live. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. All rights reserved. Conversely, evangelicals argue that this forensic framework for sin and salvation is not merely a historical and unduly negative carryover from Augustine and Anselm, but rather is the clear teaching of Paul in his Letters to the Romans and Galatians.