why convert to orthodox christianity

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. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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. Indeed, in a letter of 865, Pope Nicholas made it clear that he intended to extend the power of the papacy "over all the earth, that is, over every church." I can remember, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. 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. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . One can find people who interpret this ecclesiological exclusivity more leniently; in fact, some would argue that the best Orthodox scholarsGeorge Florovsky and John Meyendorff, to name twowould allow for such leniency. It merits our attention for several reasons. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. This should trouble evangelicals (as well as other Protestants), especially when it is combined with the Orthodox idea of who constitutes the church and how one enters the church. 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. Can you explain why some former clergy (from non-orthodox backgrounds) can enter without formal orthodox seminary education, while other former clergy (again, from non-orthodox backgrounds) are kept away even after the bishop (he who has the control and power) makes a statement that none may come to the clergy with our formal orthodox seminary? The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. Well, was it so? We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere upon earth. I cant be the only one to have done this. Contact | ), since the Reformation, justification by faith and substitutionary atonement have enjoyed pride of place in our understanding of the doctrines of sin and salvation. If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. In this video, Fr. 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. Site Map | we'll be happy to answer it! Instagram | Fr. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. Her name is "right belief". However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. The genius of this principle is that it allows us to disagree with other believers, even vehemently so, yet in an edifying fashion with a degree of theological modesty and a perspective that seeks a deeper consensus within the bounds of true faith. 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? Similarly, a person can read a dozen books on Orthodox Christianity, but that which he or she has read will not come alive until he or she actually encounters the Church as the worshipping People of God. In the East the local parish priest could administer the sacrament of confirmation; in the West only the bishop could. 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. 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." 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. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. 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. 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. Upon joining the Orthodox Church, converts vow to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation which was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother." The independent Orthodox Church in America (OCA) desires to function as a fully "autocephalous" church, although as yet the oca has not been officially recognized by most of the thirteen patriarchates. It is why I think a number of people have a list of groups they have been in here. Orthodox believers see things very differently. Missiological concerns surface here, too. 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. Second, in biblical interpretation the Reformers placed the Scriptures above the church. Administered to infants who are fully immersed three times, baptism effects the "bath of regeneration" by which a person is born again, wholly cleansed from both original and actual sins, and, consequently, saved from guilt and punishment. 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. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight what we hold in common. To support our efforts, join us as a member . Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. In the opening pages of Book IV of Calvin's Institutes, for example, Calvin refers twice to the famous words of Cyprian (d. 258)so Catholic-sounding to our earsthat "you cannot have God as your Father without the Church as your Mother" (IV.1.1, 4). 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. In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. 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. Russia, 50-85 million (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). By joining Orthodoxy one inherits a theological package that includes central elements that have traditionally troubled many Protestant evangelicals and omits doctrines many evangelicals consider nonnegotiable essentials of vital Christianity. For example, if a person goes through a great deal of hardship, sacrifice, and turmoil in order to join the Churchas in the case of former clergy in a different communion, or when ones family does not approvethey might feel that the Church owes them for converting. A 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. In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. 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 first four enjoy special honor due to their antiquity. For church membership? In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. The more familiar I became with Orthodoxy by serving in a local parish, on a parish council, and as an altar assistant, the more I saw others approach the Church, test the waters, and walk back out the narthex door. Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. Teachings of Orthodoxy. 0. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. Unfortunately most "Orthodox Christian" are nominal even despite their active presence they are nominal because they extinguish the Holy Spirit and do not have a relationship with God, they outwardly seem to be praying but like the Pharisee praise themselves for being 'good with God'. As I realized what the big difference is,I grew more insistent, I'm afraid. Orthodoxy, in contrast, is a thoroughly aesthetic tradition, as attested by the central role played by icons. 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. 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. Then C" The strengths of a group draws them but after a while the weaknesses bubble up. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). When celebrating the Eucharist, Catholics mixed the wine with water, while the Orthodox did not. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? This statement cannot be challenged. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. Cyprus, 450,000 Now let's hear from Frederica. Different Orthodox theories exist as to what, exactly, this means. He promptly left Constantinople. Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. It is not a surprise that many Catholics adhering to traditional values are converting to conservative Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. that freedom of practice for faith groups should be "defended" in Holyrood's proposed ban on conversion practices and that she believes a trans woman is a "biological male who identifies as a . Anxious to avoid the siege of his capital, Basil II turned to the Rus' for assistance, even though they were considered enemies at that time. It was electrifying. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. For example, I know someone that spent over a year studying almost every aspect of Orthodoxy, including many fathers of the Church and practically every nuance of both doctrine and history. The Orthodox Church does not fit into the paradigms of modernity; it is not a wholly rational faith. 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. 1. I have read many things on the internet, as well as a number of books about the Churchs faith, worship and history. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. 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. 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. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? In many of these lands, Orthodoxy exhibits an unveiled distrust and even xenophobia toward the massive influx of Western missionaries into their backyards. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. Frederica Matthewes-Green reflects on how new converts to Orthodoxy can sometimes be overzealous. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. 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). Bulgaria, 8 million Then the reality sets in. Romania, 19.8 million The so-called Eastern Orthodox Church is actually not one but thirteen "autocephalous" or independent, self-governing churches. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. It depends on where you put the emphasis. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. He sailed to Greenland with a priest to convert the people. Thank you for this! The ex clergy thing I think is very real. July 26, 2019 By Fr. 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. 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. Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, Orthodox Church in Harbin, China Reopens as an Orthodox Church, "When We Speak of Christ, We Must Start With Christ" - An Interview With Fr. When the media seized on John Paul II's statement, they not only missed his main point, they missed a wider story. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. 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. 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. A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: 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. The numbers are staggering! As I realized what the big difference is, I grew more insistent, Im afraid. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. 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). All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. This is not just an explanation but an apology, and even an appreciation for the perseverance of friendship in the face of truly annoying behaviour. They conceded a special honor to the Western papacy but insisted that the bishop of Rome was only the first among equals. To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. 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. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. Sad, very sad. Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, who ruled Norway at the time. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. It was electrifying. Those who were clergy in a former denomination have no guarantees they will become clergy in the Orthodox Church. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. Many people believe the Church is a social group gathering or a place to network with other like minded people. Doing so will make much of what you have read come alive, in the sense of seeing how that about which you have read is actually lived. Think of it in the following way. 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. Chrysostom's liturgy says of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "Your own, from your own, we offer you, in all and for all." The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. 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. But this really begs another question: "Essential" for what? 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 . Alexandria, 350,000 Christians in the West variously trace their roots to Rome (Catholics), Wittenberg (Lutherans), Geneva (Calvinists), Canterbury (Anglicans), or Oxford (Wesleyans). 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. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. 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. Eastern Christians would hear nothing of it. 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.". Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. 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? 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. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. Your email address will not be published. For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! These Protestant movements, important in their own right, are liturgical light years from Orthodoxy. 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. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabor them. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. These arguments wont convert anyone. 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." 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. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. This is particularly notable in the mid-1st century, when the circumcision controversy came to the fore. Some have even ended in apostasy. As Philip said to Nathaniel, Come and see [John 1:46]. 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. For taking Communion together? Rather, they are a source of revelation. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. 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. Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? 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. I felt like Marco Polo. 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. 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. This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Pray for the Lords mercy, and you can find the strength to endure to the end. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. And these prayers are jam-packed. Her name is right belief. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. The Orthodox Churches are united in faith and by a common approach to theology, tradition, and worship. We have challenges here in Africa to find such information for, So glorious+++ Most Holy Theotokos save us, Pectoral Cross Wynona doesn't indicate why the parish priest has done this, but it would appear from the context that the priest objects to her marrying an . In Catholicism this external dogmatic authority resides in the teaching magisterium of the church as expressed in the primacy and infallibility of the papacy. Facebook | 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. Harakas asked. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . 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. Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence. And to share why I am not Orthodox. Differences over clerical beards, the tonsure, and fasting also exacerbated the growing deterioration of East-West unity. Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. 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. A person (who is searching within) goes through clerical education to explore questions. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. This has some truth to it, but is mostly false. With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives.

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