An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. In addition, sizable Orthodox "diasporate" groups exist in Europe, North and South America, and Australia, typically under the jurisdiction of one of the thirteen patriarchates mentioned above. The ex clergy thing I think is very real. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. 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. Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . But dont do it for all the wrong reasons. As independent churches, they are not bound together by any unilateral or monarchical organization, nor do they owe allegiance to a single primacy, as Roman Catholics do to the pope. 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. YouTube | Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. A radical conversion to Christianity. Not a few evangelicals in the last decade have forsaken Protestantism to join an Eastern Orthodox church. Converting to Orthodoxy. Shortly after the beginning of our own catechumenate as a family, we saw friendsand their familiesbegin journeys towards the East. Missiological concerns surface here, too. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. Heres a clue to a third possibility. 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. It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. Orthodoxy has always affirmed that Peter was the "first among equals" (primus inter pares) ; but unlike Roman Catholics, the Orthodox have always denied that he held any "primacy of power" (primatus potestatis). Wynona is a Catholic planning to marry an Orthodox man, but as she tells us, "my Catholic parish priest is not giving his consent for this marriage, so it will be held in an Orthodox church.". we'll be happy to answer it! Early on in the life of the Christian church, the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West began to diverge. I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! 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. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. Our digital archives are a work in progress. 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." 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. 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." From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. 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. The so-called Eastern Orthodox Church is actually not one but thirteen "autocephalous" or independent, self-governing churches. The so-called Photian Schism brought this matter to a head. It was electrifying. Beyond the recovery of history and liturgy, there are deeper and more important questions. Calvin objected to the "tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrust upon us under the title of the Church." But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of being mindful. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. The true details behind her But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. There most certainly will never be a "Southern" or "Confederate" Orthodoxy".And yet another reason not to join is the hopes of having a base of operations for a goofy political ideology. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. And while they are just beginning to recover, he says, Protestants invade, with all their Western resources, and attempt to draw away the very people the Russian Orthodox Church is attempting to nurture in the faith. 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." Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. There are many basic beliefs that Orthodoxy and evangelicalism hold in common: the inspiration of Scripture; the two natures of Christ, the finality and uniqueness of Christ's death on the cross, the resurrection, and our future hope of eternal life. We are not seeking to reform or to teach the Church how it should do things, but are rather seeking to be formed by the Church and to learn how we should be doing things as faithful Christians. Your email address will not be published. Alexandria, 350,000 Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. In 978, Vladimir returned to . In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. 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. Conversion involves a change or transformation in vision, direction and heart, one rooted in repentance and the acknowledgement of Our Lord as the One Who is "truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Who came into the world to save sinners." Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. We cannot describe it to you: only this we know, that God dwells there among men, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. Submitted by Fr. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . 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. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged. 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. 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. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabor them. 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." This period of instruction, discernment and spiritual formation also affords you with the opportunity to develop and strengthen your relationship with the parishs clergy and faithfulthose with whom you will worship in Spirit and truth and with whom you will share in fellowship as a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. This is particularly notable in the mid-1st century, when the circumcision controversy came to the fore. If anyone is unwilling or not ready to submit to the Church in all areas of life, they should stay awayuntil or unless they are ready to do so. If only you could get them to form two lines.). 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. This doesnt mean we shun catechesis, but just that its not always done in the same way everywhereand where it exists, its likely different from what a catechumen might expect or even hope. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. Small bodies of Orthodox believers exist in other places as "autonomous" but not "autocephalous" churches (Finland, Japan, former Czechoslovakia, etc.). The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. He made the decision to convert following his second marriage to actress Rita Wilson in. You haven't "arrived" in this life. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. You can also subscribe without commenting. Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was only ever exposed to Christian theology. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. I responded by writing back: "Because I am committed to key distinctives of the Protestant evangelical tradition.". It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. When the media seized on John Paul II's statement, they not only missed his main point, they missed a wider story. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. Liturgically, the Orthodox ethos of a formal worship setting will attract some Christians, but to many other vibrant movements within evangelicalism it will have little if any appeal. Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Writing a book on Eastern Orthodoxy and working through the manuscript with my Russian students helped me to compare Orthodoxy and Protestant evangelicalism. Paganism was a mental mindset of the Eastern Slavs living in a world where a majority of the European countries surrounding them had already converted to a monastic religion. ", Icons are not merely sacred art. My husband and I were just Chrismated into the church on Christmas day. Inherent in this claim, of course, is the charge that both Catholics and Protestants have lapsed from the true faith into error, if not outright heresy. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. Fr. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. The sacraments. But about this pursuit we can make several observations. Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. 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? I felt like Marco Polo. 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,. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. 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. Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? As we move constantly between Unity and Trinity in God, so we must move between the parts and the whole in the Church, the whole being infinitely more than the sum of the parts. People often assume that most Jews by choice convert because they have a partner or spouse who is Jewish. 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. 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 It is a good question, one I will answer in due course. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. So they begin the process of "converting.". What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? Learn About the Religion. Ignatius's followers, however, refused to acknowledge the transition, and eventually both Ignatius and Photius appealed to Pope Nicholas (858-67) in Rome. By the end of the sixth century, neither group could speak the other's language. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. Over coffee one day I asked an Orthodox priest whether I, as a Protestant theologian, might be considered a true Christian. 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 . As we said, conversion is a love affair. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. 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. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. 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. Is the church made up of those who have been "regenerated" by infant baptism in an Orthodox church institution, or by those who have experienced new birth and been justified by grace through faith? In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. 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. She is the Church of martyrs. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. These arguments wont convert anyone. Instagram | The numbers are staggering! ), since the Reformation, justification by faith and substitutionary atonement have enjoyed pride of place in our understanding of the doctrines of sin and salvation. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. July 2012 edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I am interested in finding out why all of you converts out there converted to the Coptic Orthodox Church, and not any one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches readily available in so many parts of the world. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. Her name is right belief. Share your feedback here. But this really begs another question: "Essential" for what? Toggle signature This simple change of dress symbolized a radical shift that has characterized the Protestant West ever since: that the knowledge of God is mediated primarily through the written Word. Along with Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity is one of the world's three major Christian traditions. Teachings of Orthodoxy. Some have even ended in apostasy. Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvellously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. And yet, not all of these journeys have worked out. Daniel B. Clendenin is a graduate staff member for InterVarsity at Stanford University and author of Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective and Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader (both published by Baker). Well, was it so? One is attracted to Orthodoxy in the same way one falls in love. 3:15). During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. But the claim to be Christ's one, true church remains the clear Orthodox position. Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. Thank you for this post! The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. 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. 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. Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. Are you sure you heard the Meaning of Christmas? 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. 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. Different from forms of western Christianity, there is no rationalization or theorization of dogma because its focus is on symbology rather than the literal. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. 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. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. The final declaration of the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea (787) that ratified the use of icons appealed to the "written and unwritten" tradition of the early church. Theologically, just what is at stake in the differences between Protestant and Orthodox theology? There are no doubt some ways that he is the same person he will always be, and there are ways Orthodoxy and every other church has significant points in common, not least that we love the same Lord. 1:4). 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. Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. When celebrating the Eucharist, Catholics mixed the wine with water, while the Orthodox did not. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. To be Eastern Orthodox is, above all, to stake a bold and unapologetic theological claim as the one true church of Christ on earth, which alone has guarded right belief and true worship in absolute identity and unbroken succession with the apostolic church. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . Greenland. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. Those who approach Orthodoxy looking for all their questions to be answered in a neat-and-tidy manner will be deeply disappointed, left rejecting the faith to which theyve only been shortly exposed. But they all came together in worship, and were shaped by the same hymns and prayers, the appointed Scripture readings, preaching, and the "picture bible" of iconography. The church. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. These are worthy pursuits that can be fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. As I realized what the big difference is,I grew more insistent, I'm afraid. 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. The Eucharist, according to the Divine Liturgy of Saint Chrysostom (the normal liturgy for Sundays and weekdays), is "for the purification of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, [and] for the Kingdom of Heaven.". A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. 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. Legislation pending in Russia, for example, could, if implemented, curtail Western missionary enterprises. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. When you are the only Norse guy and most of your lands are Slovianskian, it makes more sense to convert yourself than to convert them. However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. 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 East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. Sdn Tim Grace unveils the surprising message of Christmas. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. For we cannot forget that beauty (Envoys of the Russian Prince Vladimir, after experiencing the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople in the year 987). Home / For any convert, it's a spiritual, intense, and private process,. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. 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. Sad, very sad. Well, was it so? For example, their local parish was too ethnic; the priest wasnt nice or outgoing; their spouse wasnt interested; they found logical inconsistencies in the writings of the fathers; and so on. Different Orthodox theories exist as to what, exactly, this means. 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. For church membership? A person (who is searching within) goes through clerical education to explore questions. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. 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. Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. Facebook | Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. Serbia, 8 million A person can read a dozen books on swimming, but that which he or she has read will not come alive until he or she actually gets into a pool. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor; plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. John 17:14.16). 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 . My husband had been an Episcopal priest for 16 years, and we had gradually moved from evangelical-style "low church" to the more liturgically-fancy "high church." Liberalism is not a word in the Orthodox vocabulary. Two points that have been hallmarks of evangelical identity deserve special scrutiny: the relationship between Scripture and tradition, and the relationship between Scripture and the church. Lol. Orthodoxy appeals to the soulnot just to the intellect or the senses. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. 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.