why convert to orthodox christianity

But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. 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. Jerusalem, 260,000 An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. 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. Even before entering the church one is taken aback by the unusual architecture-the glittering gold onion domes that sparkle like diamonds on a sunny day. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of being mindful. Experience Church Services. 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. For the past year or so I have been considering conversion to Orthodox Christianity. Others are already involved in a Jewish community. But only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged. Pretty good. Similar differences and disputes existed within early Christianity, but disputes within Christianity extended also to the place of Mosaic Law or Old Covenant in general in Christianity. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. Has Orthodoxy in these lands obscured the gospel, becoming merely a "cultural" religion thoroughly assimilated to ethnic identity? Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. It is often wrongly assumed that Orthodoxy . In Catholicism this external dogmatic authority resides in the teaching magisterium of the church as expressed in the primacy and infallibility of the papacy. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. Liberalism is not a word in the Orthodox vocabulary. What do they find so attractive? Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. The Search for Authority and the Fear of Difference, Nostalgia Without Memory: A Case Study of American Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Eastern Church in the Spiritual Marketplace: American Conversions to Orthodox Christianity, New York Times Article on Calvinist Revival., If Not Sola Scriptura, Then What? 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. 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. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity practiced by Russians). Further, they identify themselves by reference to Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), the "new Rome" of Emperor Constantine, and to the first seven ecumenical councils of the church. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Vladimir I formed an alliance with Basil II of the Byzantine Empire and married his sister Anna in 988. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Russia, 50-85 million 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. We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. Why do people convert to Orthodoxy? Second, whatever failings Western missionaries might bring to their work, and whether Orthodoxy likes to admit it, many Russians are responding very positively to a clear, contemporary presentation of the gospel by Protestant missionaries. 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 . People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. This is particularly notable in the mid-1st century, when the circumcision controversy came to the fore. As I realized what the big difference is, I grew more insistent, Im afraid. For them the fundamental schism occurred 500 years earlierin the year 1054 (more about that below). 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. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Frederica Matthewes-Green reflects on how new converts to Orthodoxy can sometimes be overzealous. He promptly left Constantinople. 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. They are the efficacious means by which God transmits his salvific and sanctifying grace to us. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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. The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. 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. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. "It was a calling of the soul," Devorah Guilah Koren, who converted from Catholicism with her husband and two children, told me. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. Excellent comment Kosmas, I totally concur. 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. Her admirable heritage of perseverance amid terrible fires of persecution has been noted even by non-Orthodox admirers, as one of her strongest attractions and sources of strength. I cant be the only one to have done this. In 1993 I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church, but only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years, due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. 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. Why have so many Evangelical ministers embraced the Orthodox faith? Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. 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. Small bodies of Orthodox believers exist in other places as "autonomous" but not "autocephalous" churches (Finland, Japan, former Czechoslovakia, etc.). One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. "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. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. 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 . In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. The true details behind her For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. (2 Pet. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. Your email address will not be published. Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). The Orthodox Faith / Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" This perspective presupposes a defective Christologyone that fails to account for the anthropos of the theanthropic (Divine-human) Church. 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." Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. Orthodoxy is true to the Lord, to herself and to her past. This icon, Wedding Icon of The Mother Of God If only you could get them to form two lines.). A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: Copyright 19962023. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. 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. Submitted by Fr. It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. Converts from Protestantism claim that Orthodoxy is strongest where evangelicals tend to be weak-its robust liturgical celebration of the majesty and mystery of God, its unyielding insistence on the indispensable role of tradition in theology, and its admirable heritage of perseverance amid terrible fires of persecution. already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. Then B. 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. YouTube | The secret is out. Contact | Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. 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 collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that was increasingly filled by the growing power of the Roman papacy. This doesnt mean we shun catechesis, but just that its not always done in the same way everywhereand where it exists, its likely different from what a catechumen might expect or even hope. More than 70 percent of the roughly 75,000 Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are converts. During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. 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. To support our efforts, join us as a member . After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. 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. In this video, Fr. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. 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. Handcarved 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. Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. Oden, for example, who delights in referring to his theological method as "paleo-orthodox," is now working on a comprehensive patristic commentary on the whole Bible to be published by InterVarsity Press. So they begin the process of "converting.". Missiological concerns surface here, too. 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. And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. 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." I cant be the only one to have done this. From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. Well, was it so? Why would a protestant convert to Eastern Orthodoxy? Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." The sum of all parts wont add to the total. Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." Join our newsletter to get the most interesting articles on spiritual issues and learn about the recent news from St. Elisabeth Convent. Geoff. Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. During my project I gained. 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. 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. Orthodox worship can be overwhelmingly beautiful and attractiveon multiple, deeply-felt levelsbut this should not be the only reason why a person converts. See something we missed? Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. As we said, conversion is a love affair. When you are the only Norse guy and most of your lands are Slovianskian, it makes more sense to convert yourself than to convert them. * Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. Georgia, 3 million There are no doubt some ways that he is the same person he will always be, and there are ways Orthodoxy and every other church has significant points in common, not least that we love the same Lord. 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. "I was A. The Spirit of God himself, realizing the sacramental presence of Christ in the church, speaks to us in tradition. In Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. 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. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. Do we mean essential for salvation? Persons wishing to become Orthodox of their own free volition, without any direct or indirect pressure from anyone, should firstly meet with a Priest of the Church. 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. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). 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. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. 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? But the little guy is not going through a phase. The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. Why Convert to Orthodox Christianity? My husband and I were just Chrismated into the church on Christmas day. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. "It's typically an immigrant faith, so I was really interested in that experience and why it spoke to. 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 ex clergy thing I think is very real. John 17:14.16). In this wonderful, 4-minute video, Fr. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. 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. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). 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). 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. ", Icons are not merely sacred art. Applies to RCC too. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. In Russia, the largest figure usually cited for the Orthodox Church is 85 million people (some estimates are as low as 50 million), which means 100 million Russiansmore than half the countryare not affiliated with Orthodoxy. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. But that was too little, too late. 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. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. You haven't "arrived" in this life. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. Whatever honor Protestants bestow upon tradition, they deny that its authority is coequal with Scripture. Different Orthodox theories exist as to what, exactly, this means. As independent churches, they are not bound together by any unilateral or monarchical organization, nor do they owe allegiance to a single primacy, as Roman Catholics do to the pope. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". The priest censes them and elevates them in processions. Tom Hanks Legion Media The famous Hollywood actor converted to Orthodox Christianity as an adult. 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. She is the Church of martyrs. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of 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. In chrismation, performed immediately after rising from the baptismal waters, the priest anoints the infant with a special ointment, making the sign of the cross on various parts of the body, thus acknowledging the gift and seal of the Holy Spirit. 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 If our only reason for converting is more somber, reverent, and beautiful worship, the newness of this experience soon wanes. It takes a while to get it, because its received by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." Your email address will not be published. Constantine had once controlled the entire Mediterranean perimeter, and as a result, Christianity flourished. Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. Not a few evangelicals in the last decade have forsaken Protestantism to join an Eastern Orthodox church. Teachings of Orthodoxy. In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. 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. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. Bulgaria, 8 million 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. If only they would realise that they are rotting corpses trapped in worshipping themselves. One of the problems the Orthodox Church currently suffers in this country is a lack of converts. 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). Now let's hear from Frederica. 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. They conceded a special honor to the Western papacy but insisted that the bishop of Rome was only the first among equals. Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. 1:4). Writing a book on Eastern Orthodoxy and working through the manuscript with my Russian students helped me to compare Orthodoxy and Protestant evangelicalism. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. 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.).

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