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. But about this pursuit we can make several observations. How do you convert to Greek Orthodox Christianity? - Short-Fact Shortly after the beginning of our own catechumenate as a family, we saw friendsand their familiesbegin journeys towards the East. Frederica Matthewes-Green reflects on how new converts to Orthodoxy can sometimes be overzealous. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. Christimates 1 day ago. When celebrating the Eucharist, Catholics mixed the wine with water, while the Orthodox did not. Questions & Answers / 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). Almost everyone around me was a Baptist. Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. 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. Hymns like these offer quite a theological education to anyone who comes to services, and if you didnt catch it all, theres a good chance theyre going to sing it two more times. The Orthodox Church is the only Church, originally founded by Christ and still retaining the apostolic succession and the undistorted teaching of the Lord and . Missiological concerns surface here, too. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. 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. After his marriage Vladimir I officially changed the state religion to Orthodox Christianity and destroyed pagan temples and icons. 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. Assuming that, after subsequent visits, you grow into the conviction that Orthodox Christianity is the fullness of Truth as revealed by Jesus Christ and discern your desire to embrace faith in Our Lord in its fullness, make your desire known to the parish priest, who will initiate the period of instruction and spiritual formation that eventually would lead to your reception into the Church. Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. Religion became a state of the Roman Empire, and Christianity became an enormous and influential religion nationwide. Pretty good. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight what we hold in common. The true details behind her Underneath were written the Greek words en toutoi nika, "In this sign, conquer." Conversion may be unnecessary if you're open to a Reform wedding: Reform Judaism permits interfaith marriages, though roughly half of all Reform rabbis still abjure officiating at them. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. Now let's hear from Frederica. "It was a calling of the soul," Devorah Guilah Koren, who converted from Catholicism with her husband and two children, told me. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. In Protestantism there arose the doctrine of sola scriptura. Indeed, in a letter of 865, Pope Nicholas made it clear that he intended to extend the power of the papacy "over all the earth, that is, over every church." Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". These arguments wont convert anyone. 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. Your email address will not be published. In fact, much of what is basic to Christianity: the nature, sources, and interpretation of God's revelation to us, the meaning of the church and its sacraments, the doctrines of sin and salvation, and even how one enters the kingdom of God. Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians | Pew Research Center And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. There is a distinct set of conservative converts to Eastern Orthodoxy, which depending on your perspective either left, or was left by, Roman Catholicism in the Great Schism of 1054. Site Map | Differences over clerical beards, the tonsure, and fasting also exacerbated the growing deterioration of East-West unity. 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. People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. But the little guy is not going through a phase. He sailed to Greenland with a priest to convert the people. 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. Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. Early on in the life of the Christian church, the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West began to diverge. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." Christians in the West variously trace their roots to Rome (Catholics), Wittenberg (Lutherans), Geneva (Calvinists), Canterbury (Anglicans), or Oxford (Wesleyans). I cant be the only one to have done this. Albania, 160,000. 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. Since then, Western and Eastern Christianity developed separately, under very different social and cultural conditions. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. 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. It also must be noted that embracing the faith involves a running to Christ and His Church as the Ark of Salvation, rather than a running away from somethingother than sin. Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. 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. And yet, not all of these journeys have worked out. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. For the past year or so I have been considering conversion to Orthodox Christianity. 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. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. 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. However, because I've never been really exposed to . 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. Lol. They have not given up the idea of being clergy. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. The Vikings' Conversion to Christianity - Norse Mythology for Smart The West used unleavened bread, the East did not. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. 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 Surely there is enough evangelistic work for everyone. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. Forgetting early on that Orthodox worship is liturgical and cyclical (i.e. 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. Small bodies of Orthodox believers exist in other places as "autonomous" but not "autocephalous" churches (Finland, Japan, former Czechoslovakia, etc.). Applies to RCC too. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." 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." Constantine had once controlled the entire Mediterranean perimeter, and as a result, Christianity flourished. As I realized what the big difference is, I grew more insistent, Im afraid. A radical conversion to Christianity. Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy Conciliar Post Converts to Orthodox Christianity in America in the Russian Church The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . Why are so many Christians in Colombia converting to Orthodox Judaism (2 Pet. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. It merits our attention for several reasons. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. Surprised by Christ: My Journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. There is a myth in Orthodoxy that people only became Eastern Catholics under force by Catholic kings. "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. 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. Why did Vladimir convert to Orthodox Christianity? The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. Her name is right belief. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? I will always remember my first visit to an Orthodox church in Russia. 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. Yet, at times there are questions of conscience and matters of principle. Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. There are other problems as well: overlapping jurisdictions, lack of communication across jurisdictional lines, and a tendency to isolate ourselves from communities in which we live. 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. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. Calvin objected to the "tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrust upon us under the title of the Church." Converting to Orthodox Christianity : r/OrthodoxChristianity - reddit This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) 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. After being dunked in this sea of hymnography for a few years I began to recognise an underlying unity among all the elements of Orthodoxy the worship, the fasting, the exhortations to humility, the companionship of the saints, all of it. 2. In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. While discovering the truth of Orthodoxy is exciting, we need to learn a gracious balance when dealing with our friends, family, workmates and others with whom we have contact. Whatever honor Protestants bestow upon tradition, they deny that its authority is coequal with Scripture. 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. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. Christianization of Kievan Rus - Wikipedia As if this were not quite enough, during the Fourth Crusade, Western forces stormed Constantinople in 1204 and ransacked the Church of the Holy Wisdom, an unimaginable act of desecration from the viewpoint of Orthodoxy. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. 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. But the claim to be Christ's one, true church remains the clear Orthodox position. Then B. Orthodoxy has always affirmed that Peter was the "first among equals" (primus inter pares) ; but unlike Roman Catholics, the Orthodox have always denied that he held any "primacy of power" (primatus potestatis). Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity. In this video, Fr. This has some truth to it, but is mostly false. 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. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. I responded by writing back: "Because I am committed to key distinctives of the Protestant evangelical tradition.". He promptly left Constantinople. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. What Scripture proclaims by word, the icon proclaims by color. Vladimir I and Christianization | Western Civilization - Lumen Learning In the words of contemporary Orthodox theologian Thomas Hopko, "everything in the church flows out of the waters of baptism: the remission of sins and life eternal." already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! Serbia, 8 million 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? Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". As with liturgy, conversion to Orthodoxy is hardly a prerequisite for a renewed engagement with apostolic tradition. YouTube | There was plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. 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). Icons are absolutely central to Orthodoxy, distinguishing it from both Catholicism and Protestantism. Well, was it so? Wow, like it very much. Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. Playing as Rurik in 862: Convert to local religion or keep Norse Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. You haven't "arrived" in this life. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. Unfortunately the Eastern organization is founded on control and power. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence. Your email address will not be published. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . Toggle signature Those who will guide you through your period of instruction and formation surely will help you in this regard. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). Converting to Orthodox Judaism Is a Lot. Here's How 3 Women Did It. - ELLE He made the decision to convert following his second marriage to actress Rita Wilson in. In his homily, Father Vladimir explained the history and theology of icons, adding that the heresy of iconoclasm was alive and well: "Just look around us at all the Protestants. In the Orthodox calendar, the first Sunday of Lent celebrates the Triumph of Orthodoxy, a commemoration of the final triumph of icons in the long and bitter battle with the iconoclasts (literally, "image-smashers") on March 11, 843. If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. We think the fundamental Christian schism occurred when Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg church, October 31, 1517. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. Inherent in this claim, of course, is the charge that both Catholics and Protestants have lapsed from the true faith into error, if not outright heresy. 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. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. Naturally, it is crucial to know what the Church teaches and acquire an Orthodox mindset on the intellectual level, so to speak, but it is equally crucial to grow in identifying with the People of God, the worshipping community, through fellowship. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. "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 Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. One need not travel overseas to encounter Eastern Orthodoxy. At each point in their conversions, from initial religious seeking to settling into life as Orthodox Christians, Orthodox converts in Pittsburgh consistently relate a kind of on-going negotiation between self and other, as they research religious differences and experiment with practices and dogmas. 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. 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. Rome accused the "Greek heretics" of trying to "humiliate and crush the holy catholic and apostolic church." Geoff. Ask An Eastern Orthodox Christian: Conversion Process - SpokaneFVS All rights reserved. Without waiting for a response, Humbert exited the church and declared, "Let God look and judge." They are the efficacious means by which God transmits his salvific and sanctifying grace to us. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Orthodox worship can be overwhelmingly beautiful and attractiveon multiple, deeply-felt levelsbut this should not be the only reason why a person converts. Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvellously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy.
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