Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. See something we missed? For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. How did Vladimir's conversion to Christianity affect Kiev? 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. Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. 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. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. we'll be happy to answer it! This hardly signifies any sort of congregational or ecclesiological democracy, however, for while all believers possess the truth, it is the special duty of church authorities to teach it. A radical conversion to Christianity. 12 Reasons Why I Became and/or Remain an Orthodox Christian Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was only ever exposed to Christian theology. Home / After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. An Appeal to Traditional Roman Catholics From - Orthodox Christianity 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. The Search for Authority and the Fear of Difference, Nostalgia Without Memory: A Case Study of American Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Eastern Church in the Spiritual Marketplace: American Conversions to Orthodox Christianity, New York Times Article on Calvinist Revival., If Not Sola Scriptura, Then What? I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! Why Are Orthodox Christians So Grumpy? - Church Militant Twitter | Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. However, they rarely spent any time in Orthodox worship services or their local parish, developed no relationship with a priest, and did not engage their spouse or family in their studies and interest in the Church. Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? Over coffee one day I asked an Orthodox priest whether I, as a Protestant theologian, might be considered a true Christian. This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. 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]. Rather, "theosis" (literally, "deification"), or the progressive transformation of people into full likeness to God, in soul and body, takes center stage. 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. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. The sum of all parts wont add to the total. To the extent, however, one could intellectualize the reasons for converting, he or she would probably summarize them along these lines: In our ever-changing world, in the constant re-design of services and re-evaluation of beliefs, Orthodoxy stands as a mountain of granite, unshakable by fads and movements and political correctness. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. 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." And yet, not all of these journeys have worked out. It merits our attention for several reasons. Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? 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. 3:15 ). Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) Copyright 1997 Christianity Today. While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. How to Become an Orthodox Christian? He states that in Gaul, before setting out towards Rome, Constantine and his army saw a great cross in the sky. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. He promptly left Constantinople. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. Contact | In many of these lands, Orthodoxy exhibits an unveiled distrust and even xenophobia toward the massive influx of Western missionaries into their backyards. 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. When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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. Greenland. Differences over clerical beards, the tonsure, and fasting also exacerbated the growing deterioration of East-West unity. Why are Russian people (mostly) Orthodox Christians? Why not convert to Oriental Orthodoxy? - OrthodoxChristianity.net It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. 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. Pretty good. Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . 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. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. Thus Luther once wrote, "What else do I contend for but to bring everyone to an understanding of the difference between the divine Scripture and human teaching or custom?" As Philip said to Nathaniel, Come and see [John 1:46]. 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. Reasons for Vladimir I's Conversion to Christianity and | Studymode Reasons Why You Should Not Convert to Orthodox Christianity The first four enjoy special honor due to their antiquity. In this Orthodox view, Scripture stands within rather than above the church, and to distinguish its authority from that of the church is a mistake of method. 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. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. Most Protestants would experience an Orthodox liturgy as something strange, even exotic. Submitted by Fr. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. 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. And during those years of discovery, my mind was constantly cranking away as I laboured to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. She is the Church of martyrs. Geoff. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. Russian priest explains why westerners are converting to Orthodox Then C" The strengths of a group draws them but after a while the weaknesses bubble up. 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. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. 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. John 17:14.16). In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. 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. Theologically, just what is at stake in the differences between Protestant and Orthodox theology? Linguistic factors posed other, very practical problems. Why did you convert to Orthodoxy? | OrthodoxChristianity.net 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. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. Who Converted Russian Religion To Orthodox Christianity? It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. Since the World Council of Churches' Canberra Assembly in 1991, evangelical and Orthodox believers have joined in a series of wcc-sponsored dialogues on matters challenging historic Christian faith. If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you If they persecuted me, they will persecute you (John 15:18. 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.". Different from forms of western Christianity, there is no rationalization or theorization of dogma because its focus is on symbology rather than the literal. 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. Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. 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. Have something to add about this? Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to In fact, much of what is basic to Christianity: the nature, sources, and interpretation of God's revelation to us, the meaning of the church and its sacraments, the doctrines of sin and salvation, and even how one enters the kingdom of God. . Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy Are So Obnoxious by Frederica 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. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. ADL, AJC join Orthodox groups in Supreme Court case on supporting Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. Rather, they are a source of revelation. But the human warts of where they are at and continuing searching within causes them to look elsewhere. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. Are you sure you heard the Meaning of Christmas? The Orthodox Church is the ancient Church that Christ and the Apostles established. He sailed to Greenland with a priest to convert the people. Young teens go through a few years when they are trying to understand their own unique identity and trying to establish it in the face ofwell, it would be one thing if they had to establish it in the face of hostility, because, even though that would be hard, it would be bracing and clarifying. One can find Orthodox statements that ascribe a unique authority to Scripture over tradition, but these are few and far between, and they speak of tradition in a narrower than usual sense. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. 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. Nicholas Kim. My Conversion from Islam to Orthodoxy - ORTHODOX CHEYENNE Georgia, 3 million Her name is "right belief". One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed "the pillar and foundation of the truth" ( 1 Tim. As if this were not quite enough, during the Fourth Crusade, Western forces stormed Constantinople in 1204 and ransacked the Church of the Holy Wisdom, an unimaginable act of desecration from the viewpoint of Orthodoxy. Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy Conciliar Post And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Why did Vladimir convert to Orthodox Christianity? Sad, very sad. 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. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". 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. The basic framework of services like the Divine Liturgy or Vespers doesnt change much, but every day of the liturgical year provides prayers for saints and feasts that can be added to that framework. These groups mostly came over willingly. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). I felt like Marco Polo. Calvin objected to the "tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrust upon us under the title of the Church." Forgetting early on that Orthodox worship is liturgical and cyclical (i.e. Shortly after the beginning of our own catechumenate as a family, we saw friendsand their familiesbegin journeys towards the East. Why didn't Henry VIII go Orthodox, and what would happen if he did? You haven't "arrived" in this life. Your email address will not be published. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity practiced by Russians). Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? In Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. T he Orthodox Church in the United States has problems. "The Orthodox Church of Christ never lost the 'unity of faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit' and does not accept the theory of the restoration of the unity of those "who believe in Christ," because it believes that the unity of those who believe in Christ already exists in the unity of all of Her baptized children, between themselves and Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. Our digital archives are a work in progress. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". Not that every churchgoer is following that path, not that the church administration is perfect, but that the path still existedthats what amazed me. The beauty and majesty of her liturgical services celebrating the majesty and mystery of God continue to be a major attraction to many seekers of a religious experience that transcends the mundane reality and elevates the spirit to the divine realm. A person (who is searching within) goes through clerical education to explore questions. many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. Handcarved Orthodoxy appeals to the soulnot just to the intellect or the senses. 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. Those who will guide you through your period of instruction and formation surely will help you in this regard. They insisted that the Bible interprets itself, and through the Holy Spirit, God instructs its readers in a direct and individual manner rather than binding their consciences to the supposedly reliable teaching of the church. 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. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. Why did you convert to Orthodoxy? | OrthodoxChristianity.net How to Become an Orthodox Christian - Phoenix, Arizona You can also subscribe without commenting. Well, was it so? We are looking forward to our journey in the church. Oden, for example, who delights in referring to his theological method as "paleo-orthodox," is now working on a comprehensive patristic commentary on the whole Bible to be published by InterVarsity Press. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. But that was too little, too late. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. On these points evangelical and Orthodox thinking diverge in significant ways. 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. Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. 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. 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 not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. His response: "I don't know.". There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. 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. What steps would I take to become an Orthodox Christian? An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? As Saint Paul reminds us, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another [Romans 12:5; see also Ephesians 4:25]. As with liturgy, conversion to Orthodoxy is hardly a prerequisite for a renewed engagement with apostolic tradition. Questions & Answers / 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. 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. 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. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious 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 The move was far more than geographic. YouTube | 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.". July 26, 2019 By Fr. 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. Instead, Orthodoxy believes that the church stands above the Scriptures, which is why, as noted, Orthodox believers agree to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation that was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother." Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity.
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