Why would a protestant convert to Eastern Orthodoxy? Clickhereto learn more about the deeds we are talking of and to learn how you can become a part of our social ministry and help those in need. After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. On June 16, 1054, Pope Leo IX's legate, Cardinal Humbert, delivered a Bull of Excommunication to the Orthodox Patriarch Michael Cerularius on the altar of the Church of the Holy Wisdom at Constantinople while the patriarch prepared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, condemning him and his court. Also, while evangelicals wholeheartedly embrace the full-orbed New Testament descriptions of the work of Christ (reconciliation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, etc. In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. 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. 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?. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. 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. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Why didn't Henry VIII go Orthodox, and what would happen if he did? So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. Orthodox churches are full of them. There is a certain chemistry involved, which one cannot so easily verbalize. But if you are still intrigued and drawn to the Orthodox Church, considering all of these disclaimers, then do so with faith, reverence, and a healthy fear of God. 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. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. 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. No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. 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. I can remember, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. 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. When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" 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. 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. Heres a clue to a third possibility. 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. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy Are So Obnoxious by Frederica Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. The church. Orthodox worship can be overwhelmingly beautiful and attractiveon multiple, deeply-felt levelsbut this should not be the only reason why a person converts. The secret is out. Let us know if corrections need to be made. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. 7 Hollywood stars who adopted Orthodox Christianity 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. The Orthodox Faith / Why People Convert to Orthodoxy Sdn Tim Grace unveils the surprising message of Christmas. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. Thank you for this post! 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.). Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight what we hold in common. As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". Together they gathered an army with the intent to regain control of Rus' and establish Vladimir as the ruler. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. How Christianity Came to Ukraine and Russia | Christian History 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. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Why do People Convert to Orthodox Christianity? - Orthodox Witness Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. Conversion to Christianity - Wikipedia Jerusalem, 260,000 St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. 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. Interesting comments. Well, was it so? Learn About the Religion. We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. 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?" Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. There was plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. 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. Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic 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. I can't be the only one who's observed a friend converting to Orthodox Christianity and noticed them instantly, literally overnight, losing their sense of . The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . If only you could get them to form two lines.). 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. Icons are, quite literally, a "theology in color.". 20). "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. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. 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. 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. Second, in biblical interpretation the Reformers placed the Scriptures above the church. The priest censes them and elevates them in processions. Do we mean essential for salvation? It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. These are worthy pursuits that can be fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. Converting to Orthodox Christianity : r/OrthodoxChristianity - reddit What Scripture proclaims by word, the icon proclaims by color. As we said, conversion is a love affair. The Biblical Basis for Holy Tradition., 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. The unchangeableness of dogma as well as the purity of rite [are] entrusted to the care not of one hierarchy but of all the people of the church." For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. All rights reserved. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. Why Convert to Orthodox Christianity? 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?" Vladimir I formed an alliance with Basil II of the Byzantine Empire and married his sister Anna in 988. But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. 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. 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? Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. Some have argued that evangelicals eager to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3) will find an ally in Orthodoxy's allegiance to the basic truths of Christianity. There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. 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. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. Instagram | The Conversion of Russia - Catholicism.org 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. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. Why Are Orthodox Christians So Grumpy? - Church Militant 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. "I was A. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. Not to be outdone, the Orthodox could respond in kind. 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 . Surely there is enough evangelistic work for everyone. In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. Questions & Answers / This statement cannot be challenged. An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. Toggle signature Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? 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. Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. 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. Orthodoxy's size alone warrants our attention, despite its invisibility on the cultural radar screens of most Americans. Harakas asked. However, because I've never been really exposed to . Why are so many Christians in Colombia converting to Orthodox Judaism 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. The Orthodox Church has suffered throughout her history. There are two accounts of Constantine's conversion to Christianity. 3:15 ). The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. Kate Forbes is young, smart, a woman (in the actual sense of the word), but fatally, an orthodox Christian seeking the top office in the land. Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. One can find Orthodox statements that ascribe a unique authority to Scripture over tradition, but these are few and far between, and they speak of tradition in a narrower than usual sense. Conversions gradually transforming Orthodox Christianity PDF The Conversion of Vladimir the Great to Orthodox Christianity Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. In many of these lands, Orthodoxy exhibits an unveiled distrust and even xenophobia toward the massive influx of Western missionaries into their backyards. Christians in the West variously trace their roots to Rome (Catholics), Wittenberg (Lutherans), Geneva (Calvinists), Canterbury (Anglicans), or Oxford (Wesleyans). 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. 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. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. Orthodoxy is true to the Lord, to herself and to her past. How to Become an Orthodox Christian - Phoenix, Arizona John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy. 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. Ask An Eastern Orthodox Christian: Conversion Process - SpokaneFVS 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. He mentions one Church, not many. 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.". 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. 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 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. Contact | During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. 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. Since then, Western and Eastern Christianity developed separately, under very different social and cultural conditions. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. Like baptism, the Eucharist is administered to infants. 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 . The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. Geoff. Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". 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. Today 23 percent of all Orthodox Christians in the United Statesabout one in fourare converts, as are 30 percent of the clergy and 43 percent of seminarians. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. 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. Has Orthodoxy in these lands obscured the gospel, becoming merely a "cultural" religion thoroughly assimilated to ethnic identity? Converting to Orthodoxy. T he Orthodox Church in the United States has problems. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. Twitter | 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? Cyprus, 450,000 Reasons Why You Should Not Convert to Orthodox Christianity She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. It depends on where you put the emphasis. . A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. As a young convert to Orthodox Christianity myself, I can testify that confession and Communion have filled my life meaning and have directed me when I have felt lost. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. We must be willing to embrace mystery, to submit to other authorities, and to ultimately submit to the Church Herself. Religion became a state of the Roman Empire, and Christianity became an enormous and influential religion nationwide. Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . We have challenges here in Africa to find such information for, So glorious+++ Most Holy Theotokos save us, Pectoral Cross 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. 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). In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. So, you have decided to convert to the Greek Orthodox Christian religion. Greenland. . How did Vladimir's conversion to Christianity affect Kiev? Orthodoxy, in contrast, is a thoroughly aesthetic tradition, as attested by the central role played by icons. 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. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." 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. So why should someone desire to join the Orthodox Church? 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. For any convert, it's a spiritual, intense, and private process,. Russian priest explains why westerners are converting to Orthodox Well, was it so? 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. Rather, they are a source of revelation. John 17:14.16). At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. In 867, Patriarch Photius of Constantinople told other Christian patriarchs that the Rus' people were converting enthusiastically, but his efforts seem to have entailed no lasting consequences, since the Primary Chronicle and other Slavonic sources describe the tenth-century Rus' as still firmly entrenched in Slavic paganism. Later ecumenical councils at Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451) acknowledged Constantinople as the "New Rome" and accorded it "equal privileges" and "equal rank in ecclesiastical matters" with Latin Rome. 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). The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. 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. The blog includes recent news and ministry updates of the Convent, as well as other information about Orthodox Christianity that may be useful to those who are either making their first steps in church or want to learn something new about our faith. Not that every churchgoer is following that path, not that the church administration is perfect, but that the path still existedthats what amazed me. After his marriage Vladimir I officially changed the state religion to Orthodox Christianity and destroyed pagan temples and icons. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr.
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