In 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. 5:12). A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. Now let's hear from Frederica. The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. I love the Church, and so I find it difficult to understand how a person could not see the beauty in our faith, leaving it all behind. 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 depends on where you put the emphasis. * 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. Why have so many Evangelical ministers embraced the Orthodox faith? It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. I kept finding myself in conversations with nice people who wanted to assure me that this very thing I was so excited about in Orthodoxy is something they have in their church as well. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. 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. This book cover is mad, Worship Gospel Nicola Yanney, Holy Man of Nebraska, Out of Appalachia: Orthodox Christianity and the Old Regular Baptists, What Do You Believe In? 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. A radical conversion to Christianity. When celebrating the Eucharist, Catholics mixed the wine with water, while the Orthodox did not. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? 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. Then B. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. Antioch, 750,000 And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. He promptly left Constantinople. But the claim to be Christ's one, true church remains the clear Orthodox position. Thank you for this! But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. 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. 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. 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? 3:15 ). In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. 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. The thesis that Eastern Orthodoxy is the true religion was turning out to bear the practical corollary that, to share fully and fruitfully in the life of the Body of Christ, one would almost have. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. Are you sure you heard the Meaning of Christmas? 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. What steps would I take to become an Orthodox Christian? For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. Preeminent among the sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. In many of these lands, Orthodoxy exhibits an unveiled distrust and even xenophobia toward the massive influx of Western missionaries into their backyards. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." 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. It takes awhile to get it, because its gotten by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. 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 during those years of discovery, my mind was constantly cranking away as I laboured to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. It was electrifying. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. 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. "We are Orthodox because (we) follow the same laws like in other Orthodox communities in the world," explains Meyer Sanchez, assistant to a rabbi in Medelln. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. Interesting comments. In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. Twitter | People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. Greece, 9 million 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). 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. Buddhists are called to meditate. She is the Church of martyrs. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. One is attracted to Orthodoxy in the same way one falls in love. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. And these prayers are jam-packed. Orthodoxy's size alone warrants our attention, despite its invisibility on the cultural radar screens of most Americans. Submitted by Fr. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. Can we attempt to put into words why a host of people have converted and continue to convert to the Orthodox faith? And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. 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. 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. He mentions one Church, not many. The late Orthodox theologian John Meyendorff once remarked that the ultimate conflict between the Orthodox East and the Latin West, both Catholic and Protestant, resided in two different ideas about tradition. The so-called Photian Schism brought this matter to a head. In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". It is often wrongly assumed that Orthodoxy . 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. 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. Two theological controversies drove the final wedge between Catholic and Orthodox Christians: papal supremacy and the so-called filioque controversy. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? I cant be the only one to have done this. Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. Hope this helps, and hope that your journey to Orthodoxy is filled with every blessing. 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 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. 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? Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Why do people convert to Orthodoxy? Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. Do we mean essential for salvation? It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. 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. Questions & Answers / Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvelously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. Scripture and tradition. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. Thatwould be interesting. 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. At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. His response: "I don't know.". 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. 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. But the little guy is not going through a phase. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. 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. To the extent, however, one could intellectualize the reasons for converting, he or she would probably summarize them along these lines: In our ever-changing world, in the constant re-design of services and re-evaluation of beliefs, Orthodoxy stands as a mountain of granite, unshakable by fads and movements and political correctness. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. The reality of the difficulty of living the Orthodox life then bubbles up, and apostasy from exhaustion is a real risk. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. 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. Your email address will not be published. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. Because everyone has their own presuppositions in which they interpret reality and thus no surprise you'll find people based on these presuppositions won't accept Christianity. . 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. Are Orthodox Christians "Bible believing?". Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. 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 any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! Sizable groups of the Russian population are disenchanted with Orthodoxy for a number of reasons. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. Converts to Orthodoxy usually precede their decision with voluminous reading and research, so their friends must endure agitated lectures on church history, ancient heresies, and what words mean in Greek. 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. Romania, 19.8 million Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. 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." 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. 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 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? 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. In this video, Fr. Constantine had once controlled the entire Mediterranean perimeter, and as a result, Christianity flourished. Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. 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 . Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. Emmanuel Hatzidakis | January 19, 2013. Spiritual enlightenment changes everything. The so-called Eastern Orthodox Church is actually not one but thirteen "autocephalous" or independent, self-governing churches. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." 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). "It's typically an immigrant faith, so I was really interested in that experience and why it spoke to. After being dunked in this sea of hymnography for a few years I began to recognize an underlying unity among all the elements of Orthodoxythe worship, the fasting, the exhortations to humility, the companionship of the saints, all of it. Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. In fact, it promises a Cross and joining with Christ in both suffering and humiliation. * Icons are absolutely central to Orthodoxy, distinguishing it from both Catholicism and Protestantism. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. But the human warts of where they are at and continuing searching within causes them to look elsewhere. This has some truth to it, but is mostly false. 20). If our only reason for converting is more somber, reverent, and beautiful worship, the newness of this experience soon wanes. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. Why should we welcome that? 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. Well, was it so? The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Protestant theologian Adolf von Harnack once described the Orthodox church as "in her entire structure alien to the Gospel and a perversion of the Christian religion, its reduction to the level of pagan antiquity." But it's just fantasies, and they going to get themselves hopeless frustrated when it become clear that the fantasies can't become reality. She is not the endshe is the way. Although she is in this world, she is not of this world (cf. Believe in the Church as the true Body of Christ, and the Churchflawed people and allwill help lead you down the right path. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Wynona is a Catholic planning to marry an Orthodox man, but as she tells us, "my Catholic parish priest is not giving his consent for this marriage, so it will be held in an Orthodox church.". Moreover, evangelicals have some important lessons to learn from Orthodoxy. In this Orthodox view, Scripture stands within rather than above the church, and to distinguish its authority from that of the church is a mistake of method. Speaking out against a government that is massively exterminating believers, would only lead to greater persecution. Then bear your cross,, Please, include documents that can be downloaded or printed. Christ is thus "the Offerer and the Offered, the Acceptor and the Distributed," all in such a way that nothing is added to his once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. Most notable are its beliefs about baptism and the Eucharist. Albania, 160,000. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. Pretty good. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. For church membership? For we cannot forget that beauty (Envoys of the Russian Prince Vladimir, after experiencing the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople in the year 987). Lol. The sacraments. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagree. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? Second, in biblical interpretation the Reformers placed the Scriptures above the church.