why convert to orthodox christianity10 marca 2023
It is why I think a number of people have a list of groups they have been in here. The Orthodox Church does not fit into the paradigms of modernity; it is not a wholly rational faith. I can remember, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of being mindful. The Orthodox Church has suffered throughout her history. The first four enjoy special honor due to their antiquity. Orthodox Christians believe you must be converted every day- every day - and everyone must start with this step if they desire to make spiritual progress and be saved. While evangelicals might be eager to argue there is no biblical warrant for icons, for the Orthodox it is enough that icons have always been a part of church tradition. 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. Ignatius's followers, however, refused to acknowledge the transition, and eventually both Ignatius and Photius appealed to Pope Nicholas (858-67) in Rome. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. * Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." All rights reserved. Without waiting for a response, Humbert exited the church and declared, "Let God look and judge." Like baptism, the Eucharist is administered to infants. Any objective historian can discover that the permanence of Orthodoxy is due to the preservation and the passing on of the apostolic faith unadulterated, pure. Have something to add about this? Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. 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. Scripture and tradition. 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. Why have so many Evangelical ministers embraced the Orthodox faith? For taking Communion together? 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. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. Icons. Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged. 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. Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. 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? Not to be outdone, the Orthodox could respond in kind. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. 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. 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?" Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Catholicism and Orthodoxy are not alike in their views on the nature of theological authority; it is nevertheless correct to say that Orthodoxy, like Catholicism, views Protestantism in a similar negative manner. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. Greece, 9 million At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". 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. To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. Conversion may be unnecessary if you're open to a Reform wedding: Reform Judaism permits interfaith marriages, though roughly half of all Reform rabbis still abjure officiating at them. The reality of the difficulty of living the Orthodox life then bubbles up, and apostasy from exhaustion is a real risk. Thank you for this post! Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. Different from forms of western Christianity, there is no rationalization or theorization of dogma because its focus is on symbology rather than the literal. 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. 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. 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. It is often wrongly assumed that Orthodoxy . 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. 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." They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. 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. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). Questions & Answers / But about this pursuit we can make several observations. The church. ), since the Reformation, justification by faith and substitutionary atonement have enjoyed pride of place in our understanding of the doctrines of sin and salvation. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. Hello all, forgive me if I am posting to the wrong forum. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. One need not travel overseas to encounter Eastern Orthodoxy. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. For example, it is understandable that evangelicals feel that the Orthodox doctrine of the church is too "high." I do not wish to antagonize anyone and if there is a place online where I might go to better have my questions answered, please. Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. He states that in Gaul, before setting out towards Rome, Constantine and his army saw a great cross in the sky. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. 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. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. "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 Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. She is not the endshe is the way. Although she is in this world, she is not of this world (cf. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. 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. Vladimir I, a great prince of Kiev, reigned from 980 till 1015 and succeeded in the mass conversion of the Eastern Slavs.1 Throughout his reign Vladimir's agenda had . Geoff. And yet, not all of these journeys have worked out. Orthodox spiritual life gives central prominence to the sacraments. 3:15 ). Liberalism is not a word in the Orthodox vocabulary. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. 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. True, Luther and some other Protestants have not viewed baptismal regeneration and justification by faith as mutually exclusive. In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Overall, is the Orthodox church growing in America or is it slowly dying, as the older cradle Orthodox are dying and fewer cradle Orthodox either convert to other churches [primarily Protestant churches] or morph into Deists or worse?. Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? But that was too little, too late. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." Submitted by Fr. Why didn't Henry VIII go Orthodox, and what would happen if he did? 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). After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. Orthodox believers see things very differently. 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. 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. In 978, Vladimir returned to . 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. Evangelicals urge the necessity of personal conversion through the faith and repentance of the individual believer, as opposed to the Orthodox idea of regeneration by the sacraments. See something we missed? 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. On another front, under the leadership of founder Bradley Nassif, the Society for the Study of Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism (SSEOE) holds meetings each fall at Wheaton College's Billy Graham Center for the sake of the two traditions learning from one another. I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! People often assume that most Jews by choice convert because they have a partner or spouse who is Jewish. These groups mostly came over willingly. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". Icons are absolutely central to Orthodoxy, distinguishing it from both Catholicism and Protestantism. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. Let us know if corrections need to be made. Preeminent among the sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. Although it is difficult to gather firm figures, worldwide Orthodox Christians number about 150 million, with 3 million in the U.S. alonemore than most evangelical denominations. 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. I cant be the only one to have done this. 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. Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. 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. Why did Vladimir convert to Orthodox Christianity? many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. "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. Reaching for the Transcendent on the Streets of New York, http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2007/12/icons-will-save-the-world, cool blog entry by Fr Andrew Damick - Christian Forums, http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgics/athenagoras_remarriage.htm, http://www.oodegr.co/english/ekklisia/marriage_divorce.htm, http://www.oodegr.com/english/ekklisia/marriage_divorce.htm, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/justandsinner/the-church-fathers-interpretation-of-the-rock-of-matthew-1618-an-historical-refutation-of-the-claims-of-roman-catholicism-by-william-webster/. Thank you for this! Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. Needless to say, Rome was indignant; not until the Lateran Council of 1215 did it acknowledge the status of Constantinople. 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. 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." In fact, it promises a Cross and joining with Christ in both suffering and humiliation. Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. But every church must have its distinctiveness, or wed all be in the same church. 20). In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. The other forms of tradition include the first seven ecumenical councils, which are acknowledged as normative and, by some, even infallible; patristic writings, especially those of the first four centuries; later councils; the Liturgy; canon law; and icons. Hope this helps, and hope that your journey to Orthodoxy is filled with every blessing. In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. 5:12). So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. 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. 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. But only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. 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. However, because I've never been really exposed to . Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." Whereas Western Protestants want to hear the written Word spoken in the sermon, Orthodox believers want to see it in the visual images of iconsas well as hear it in the spoken word. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was only ever exposed to Christian theology. In this video, Fr. When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? 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. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. 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. Orthodoxy allows divorce in some conditions if I'm not mistaken, and it would have been an easier transition to switch to another powerful church (and become friendly with Russia, etc.). 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. Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". In 1993 I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church, but only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years, due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. This is particularly notable in the mid-1st century, when the circumcision controversy came to the fore. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . 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