why convert to orthodox christianity

If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Share your feedback here. Orthodoxy in America Has a Convert Problem To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. 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. A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. The secret is out. As former Campus Crusade staff member Gillquist put it, why have so many "Bible-believing, blood-bought, Gospel-preaching, Christ-centered, lifelong evangelical Protestants come to embrace this Orthodox faith so enthusiastically?" 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. 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. Christianity had, in fact, penetrated "Russia" by the early 900s, when at least one church had been built in the ancient city of Kiev. Circumcision controversy in early Christianity - Wikipedia 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. Reasons Why You Should Not Convert to Orthodox Christianity Converting to Orthodoxy - SPCK Publishing 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. Who can explain why one has fallen in love with a given person? Converting to Orthodoxy. July 26, 2019 By Fr. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. 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. Converting to Orthodoxy | St Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church Why Convert To Islam? - The American Conservative (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). 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. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. 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. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. 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. The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. 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. But the human warts of where they are at and continuing searching within causes them to look elsewhere. However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. 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. Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . "More than a . 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. Surely there is enough evangelistic work for everyone. Antioch, 750,000 It is not a religion but rather a way of life. Then B. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. 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. 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. 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. So they begin the process of "converting.". Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". Converting to Orthodoxy : r/OrthodoxChristianity It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. 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. In the dystopian film,Children of Mendirected by Alfonso Cuarn, a world is imagined in the future where no more children are born, and, as the decades pass, humanity is plunged into despair. Georgia, 3 million 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. 0. 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. There are two sides to this coin, as well: Some people become Orthodox for all the wrong reasons, while some dont become Orthodox for all the wrong reasons. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. The Orthodox Church is the ancient Church that Christ and the Apostles established. T he Orthodox Church in the United States has problems. 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. As with liturgy, conversion to Orthodoxy is hardly a prerequisite for a renewed engagement with apostolic tradition. 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. Cyprus, 450,000 We should expect nothing less of ourselves than total respect for and even love of the history, theology, and culture of Orthodoxy; still, two things ought to be said about Orthodox complaints about Protestant proselytizing. Thank you for this! I've chosen Oriental Orthodoxy over the Byzantine Church because I believe that ours is closer in doctrine and liturgy to the earliest Christians. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? 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. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. The Spirit of God himself, realizing the sacramental presence of Christ in the church, speaks to us in tradition. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. 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. The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 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. Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. 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. 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/. And during those years of discovery, my mind was constantly cranking away as I laboured to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. This book cover is mad, Worship Gospel Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. 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. See something we missed? What Do I Need to Do to Become Greek Orthodox? - Greek Boston Essential for clergy to pray together, to talk, and to encourage one another in Christ? In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. Many people believe the Church is a social group gathering or a place to network with other like minded people. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabour them. Why I'm Not Orthodox | Christianity Today If you have a specific question about Orthodox Christianity or the Orthodox Church in America, Converting to Orthodox Christianity : r/OrthodoxChristianity - reddit Pray for the Lords mercy, and you can find the strength to endure to the end. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. 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. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." 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. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. 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. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. Greenland. His response: "I don't know.". The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. Orthodoxy generally affirms the same seven sacraments as Catholicism: baptism, chrismation or confirmation, the Eucharist, repentance or confession, holy orders or ordination, marriage, and holy unction or anointing of the sick. Sizable groups of the Russian population are disenchanted with Orthodoxy for a number of reasons. 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 do not wish to antagonize anyone and if there is a place online where I might go to better have my questions answered, please. Your email address will not be published. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. 3:15). Why are Russian people (mostly) Orthodox Christians? 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. We must be willing to embrace mystery, to submit to other authorities, and to ultimately submit to the Church Herself. Like baptism, the Eucharist is administered to infants. This statement cannot be challenged. 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. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Those who will guide you through your period of instruction and formation surely will help you in this regard. Vladimir I and Christianization | Western Civilization - Lumen Learning Teachings of Orthodoxy. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. How To Become An Orthodox Christian - Journey To Orthodoxy From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" Indeed, what Protestant converts to Orthodoxy have often sought is not only a conscious continuity with the historic, apostolic past, but also a richer experience of God's majesty and mystery through a more liturgical worship setting. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. 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. But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. Similarly, Protestants like Thomas Oden, Donald Bloesch, and others have shown that one need not join Orthodoxy to immerse oneself in the patristic past with joy, gratitude, and a sense of accountability to that "great cloud of witnesses" of the last two millennia. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians | Pew Research Center 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. 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. In some places in the world, Orthodoxy is the primary Christian game in town (as in Russia and Serbia), and it is inextricably wedded to the local ethnic culture. All rights reserved. Why Would A Protestant Christian Convert to Eastern Orthodox - YouTube 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." Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. Spiritual enlightenment changes everything. Greece, 9 million The reality of the difficulty of living the Orthodox life then bubbles up, and apostasy from exhaustion is a real risk. How Christianity Came to Ukraine and Russia | Christian History Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. we'll be happy to answer it! It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. 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. 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. I felt like Marco Polo. ", Icons are not merely sacred art. Harakas asked. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining 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. When you convert, you must verbalize your commitment to live in accordance with all of the Torah 's commandments as they are explained in Torah law. Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. Moreover, evangelicals have some important lessons to learn from Orthodoxy. As I realized what the big difference is,I grew more insistent, I'm afraid. Your email address will not be published. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? 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. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. They are the efficacious means by which God transmits his salvific and sanctifying grace to us. From Protestant to Orthodox - Orthodox Christianity serving Costa Mesa, CA 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. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. We have challenges here in Africa to find such information for, So glorious+++ Most Holy Theotokos save us, Pectoral Cross Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. At the time, I was so occupied with comprehending this strange thing called Orthodoxy that I emphasized the differences, and was impatient with kindly big-tent suggestions. 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? 1:4). Converting to Judaism has defined my high school experience Sdn Tim Grace unveils the surprising message of Christmas. 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 A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. So it would be wise to visit a parish near you, perhaps for the celebration of Vespers on a Saturday evening or the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. 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. 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 . On these points evangelical and Orthodox thinking diverge in significant ways. It is not a surprise that many Catholics adhering to traditional values are converting to conservative Orthodoxy. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? And these prayers are jam-packed. 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. 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]. When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. Jerusalem, 260,000 5:12). Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy - Catholic Culture 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. Conversions gradually transforming Orthodox Christianity The Orthodox Churches share with the other Christian Churches the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. 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. That vision is of the Living God revealed in Jesus Christ, who is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, the life of the Faithful, the hope of the . A radical conversion to Christianity. Almost everyone around me was a Baptist. And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. But this really begs another question: "Essential" for what? While Rome stumbled toward destruction in 476, Constantinople enjoyed relative theological and political stability for another 1,000 years, until it was sacked by the Turks in 1453. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. Buddhism and Conversion to Orthodoxy - Questions & Answers - Orthodox These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Eastern Right: Conservative Minds Convert to Orthodox Christianity Here, according to Ronald Roberson's 1993 book The Eastern Christian Churches, is a list of these churches and their approximate sizes: Constantinople, 3.5 million 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. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. 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. What steps would I take to become an Orthodox Christian? Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity. 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.

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