Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. But the human warts of where they are at and continuing searching within causes them to look elsewhere. Her name is "right belief". 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 period of instruction, discernment and spiritual formation also affords you with the opportunity to develop and strengthen your relationship with the parishs clergy and faithfulthose with whom you will worship in Spirit and truth and with whom you will share in fellowship as a member of the Body of Christ, the Church. 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. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Preeminent among the sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. Interesting comments. He promptly left Constantinople. But Islam's conquest of this same area eventually isolated the Eastern Christians centered in Constantinople from their counterparts in the West centered in Rome. 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. "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. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence. 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." One of the problems the Orthodox Church currently suffers in this country is a lack of converts. See something we missed? Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic tradition. Greenland. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. Alexandria, 350,000 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.". 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. Geoff. The Orthodox Churches share with the other Christian Churches the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and a belief in the incarnation of Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. His response: "I don't know.". Worshipers prostrate themselves before them and kiss them. Now, I dont share all of this in order to dissuade anyone from becoming a catechumen, but rather to encourage those who are on such a journeyor who have strayed away from one that began on the wrong foot. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. This has some truth to it, but is mostly false. Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. Is Orthodox different from Catholic? They become clergy in their group. 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. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. At one level, I was close in heart and mind to my Orthodox sisters and brothers in Christ; but on another level, I agreed with many of my atheist friends' criticisms of Russian Orthodoxy. 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). This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. 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. At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. It takes a while to get it, because its received by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. Join our newsletter to get the most interesting articles on spiritual issues and learn about the recent news from St. Elisabeth Convent. 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. Around 2-3 months ago I decided that I wanted to convert to Christianity. The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Rome accused the "Greek heretics" of trying to "humiliate and crush the holy catholic and apostolic church." Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvellously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. What Scripture proclaims by word, the icon proclaims by color. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. 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? That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. 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. 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. The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. She is the Church of martyrs. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. Sizable groups of the Russian population are disenchanted with Orthodoxy for a number of reasons. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." 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 Pretty good. The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. There was plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabor them. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. Home / Telegram | And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. 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. Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvelously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. One who would claim that he or she wishes to embrace the faith but doesnt want to get involved with other people and their lives falls short in his or her understanding of the Church as the People of God and, as such, has yet to make that internal conversion that must take place before one is received into the Church. Now, the question stands: If one is convinced that Orthodox Christianity possess the fullness of truth and is God . * Frederica Matthewes-Green reflects on how new converts to Orthodoxy can sometimes be overzealous. 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. But it's just fantasies, and they going to get themselves hopeless frustrated when it become clear that the fantasies can't become reality. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. The first four enjoy special honor due to their antiquity. Wow, like it very much. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. 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. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . Shortly after the beginning of our own catechumenate as a family, we saw friendsand their familiesbegin journeys towards the East. He mentions one Church, not many. John 17:14.16). 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. 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. Indeed, what Protestant converts to Orthodoxy have often sought is not only a conscious continuity with the historic, apostolic past, but also a richer experience of God's majesty and mystery through a more liturgical worship setting. Your email address will not be published. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If only they would realise that they are rotting corpses trapped in worshipping themselves. 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). St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. (Some within Orthodoxy say there are 15, but this is a minor, internal debate.) In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. 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. July 2012 edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I am interested in finding out why all of you converts out there converted to the Coptic Orthodox Church, and not any one of the Eastern Orthodox Churches readily available in so many parts of the world. 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. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. Antioch, 750,000 Despite efforts at reunification, to this day the Catholic and Orthodox churches remain estranged. Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. Orthodoxy is true to the Lord, to herself and to her past. 1. It was electrifying. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. 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. Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. 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. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). 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. Applies to RCC too. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. Legislation pending in Russia, for example, could, if implemented, curtail Western missionary enterprises. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. 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. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. 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? For taking Communion together? Or again, it is one thing to guard the doctrine of sola scriptura, but quite another to ignore or disdain two thousand years of tradition; surely there is a dangerous arrogance in imagining that we do not need to listen to the wealth of biblical wisdom from the patristic writers. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. 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. Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, who ruled Norway at the time.
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