why convert to orthodox christianity

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. Your email address will not be published. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. 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. Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. Those who approach Orthodoxy looking for all their questions to be answered in a neat-and-tidy manner will be deeply disappointed, left rejecting the faith to which theyve only been shortly exposed. Excellent comment Kosmas, I totally concur. Thus, while the Protestant principle of sola scriptura places Scripture above tradition, for Orthodoxy the two are complementary means of one organic whole through which the Spirit of God speaks. Over coffee one day I asked an Orthodox priest whether I, as a Protestant theologian, might be considered a true Christian. Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." Tom Hanks Legion Media The famous Hollywood actor converted to Orthodox Christianity as an adult. And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. 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. Geoff. Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? Orthodox churches are full of them. There was plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. The pairing of both secular groups with the Orthodox in a religious freedom case is rare they have frequently been on opposite sides on church-state separation issues such as same-sex marriage . 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. Albania, 160,000. 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. Converting to Orthodoxy. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. What are we to make, for example, of the Orthodox liturgy in Russia today, which is recited in ninth-century Slavonic, a language very few Russians even understand? Why would a protestant convert to Eastern Orthodoxy? Eastern Christians would hear nothing of it. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. Most Protestants would experience an Orthodox liturgy as something strange, even exotic. We cannot describe it to you: only this we know, that God dwells there among men, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. 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 of well, 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. 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. Handcarved There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. On these points evangelical and Orthodox thinking diverge in significant ways. It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. The true details behind her I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabour them. Second, Christian theology perfectly explained why Jesus, who was also called a prophet, was worthy of worship. For taking Communion together? Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. The final declaration of the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea (787) that ratified the use of icons appealed to the "written and unwritten" tradition of the early church. For example, their local parish was too ethnic; the priest wasnt nice or outgoing; their spouse wasnt interested; they found logical inconsistencies in the writings of the fathers; and so on. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. What do they find so attractive? One need not travel overseas to encounter Eastern Orthodoxy. 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. One of the problems the Orthodox Church currently suffers in this country is a lack of converts. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. I felt like Marco Polo. 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 Heres a clue to a third possibility. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, Armenian Muslims Living in Turkey are Returning to Christianity, Devotion to Orthodox History leads Malaysian Priest to Mount Carmel. It is a good question, one I will answer in due course. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. Sad, very sad. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). But it's just fantasies, and they going to get themselves hopeless frustrated when it become clear that the fantasies can't become reality. 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. It is precisely this view that elevates Scripture above the church and actually encourages private interpretation that the Orthodox theologian Georges Florovsky once called "the sin of the Reformation.". A wooden pectoral cros, Pectoral Cross for Clergy That there are too many people joining the Church with a silly belief that they rebelling against the modern world, and hoping to instate absolute monarchy. Evangelicals focused on social ethics may also find little comradeship in Orthodoxy, as there is nothing in Orthodoxy comparable to the body of Catholic social teaching, for instance. Our digital archives are a work in progress. 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. 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." One who would claim that he or she wishes to embrace the faith but doesnt want to get involved with other people and their lives falls short in his or her understanding of the Church as the People of God and, as such, has yet to make that internal conversion that must take place before one is received into the Church. Buddhists are called to meditate. Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. The Orthodox Church does not fit into the paradigms of modernity; it is not a wholly rational faith. Originally the creed read that the Holy Spirit proceeded "from the Father"; a later Western interpolation (why, where, and by whom are not known), ratified at the Council of Toledo (589), added filioque to indicate that the Spirit proceeded from the Father "and the Son." Nicholas Kim. There is not going to be a restored "Celtic" Orthodoxy or "Anglo-Saxon" Orthodoxy. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. Chrysostom's liturgy says of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "Your own, from your own, we offer you, in all and for all." 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?" To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Lol. 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. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. 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. De Maistre, Billington says, was "convinced that Russia was an instrument chosen by Providence for the salvation of Europe." He was "fascinated by the possibility of converting this vast land to Catholicism." He launched a program towards that end. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. When Martin Luther burned the books of Catholic canon law at Wittenberg's Elster Gate on December 10, 1520, he symbolized an important Protestant distinctive. The numbers are staggering! 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. 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. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. 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. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. John 6 Comments Cole Knight, a former Anglican, got Baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. 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). Yet, at times there are questions of conscience and matters of principle. Click for reprint information. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. Surely there is enough evangelistic work for everyone. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. 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). Along with Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity is one of the world's three major Christian traditions. 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. "Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." Turning to Jesus brings you to God, and you begin to understand His plan of salvation. I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! We are looking forward to our journey in the church. I hope so. Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. Required fields are marked *. Legislation pending in Russia, for example, could, if implemented, curtail Western missionary enterprises. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. But that was too little, too late. 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 Global Methodist Church welcomes Scott Jones, who led Methodists in Texas and had advocated for the extreme center and staying at the table., Emily McFarlan Miller - Religion News Service. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. 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. 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. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. The Orthodox Church is the ancient Church that Christ and the Apostles established. Harakas asked. It takes a while to get it, because its received by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. 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. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. At the 1996 meeting of sseoe, Orthodox representative Stanley Harakas said that the Orthodox, who have lived for 70 years in Russia under Communist oppression, are in a state of weakness, unable to rebuild churches and barely able to educate their parishioners. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". Shortly after the beginning of our own catechumenate as a family, we saw friendsand their familiesbegin journeys towards the East. 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. In Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. 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 . This could take some timeperhaps a year or more, depending on a variety of circumstancesand should not be rushed. Just as we pray that Gods will, not our own, be done, so too we pray that we might embrace the faith in Gods time, not our own. This perspective presupposes a defective Christologyone that fails to account for the anthropos of the theanthropic (Divine-human) Church. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Bauxite mining would threaten birds, plants, and clean water. Copyright 19962023. 0. Scripture and tradition. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? 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. You may wish to call the parish priest in advance to introduce yourself and explain that you will be joining him and the faithful of his parish for the first time, although this is not absolutely essential. It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. See something we missed? 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." 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. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. It is not a surprise that many Catholics adhering to traditional values are converting to conservative Orthodoxy. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. For instance, John of Damascus (675-749), Orthodoxy's most famous systematic theologian, epitomized the Orthodox ethos when he wrote in his The Orthodox Faith, "we do not change the everlasting boundaries which our fathers have set, but we keep the traditions just as we have received them." In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. Because of my interest for eastern culture, negative views on catholicism (I live in a mostly catholic country) and protestantism and my fascisnation for the Orthodox Church, i decided to convert to just that. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? 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. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. Fr. Underneath were written the Greek words en toutoi nika, "In this sign, conquer." Well, was it so? 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. Learn About the Religion. Telegram | Frederica Matthewes-Green reflects on how new converts to Orthodoxy can sometimes be overzealous. 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. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. 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. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? 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. Poland, 1 million A radical conversion to Christianity. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. For them the fundamental schism occurred 500 years earlierin the year 1054 (more about that below). Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. 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. Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. Not a few evangelicals in the last decade have forsaken Protestantism to join an Eastern Orthodox church. The Actual Conversion to Judaism: Conversion to Judaism has a few components, which are undertaken under the supervision of an established beit din: Accepting the yoke of the commandments. Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." The sacraments. ), since the Reformation, justification by faith and substitutionary atonement have enjoyed pride of place in our understanding of the doctrines of sin and salvation. 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 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.

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