So, you have decided to convert to the Greek Orthodox Christian religion. Wow, like it very much. As we said, conversion is a love affair. 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. The Eucharist, according to the Divine Liturgy of Saint Chrysostom (the normal liturgy for Sundays and weekdays), is "for the purification of the soul, for the remission of sins, for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, [and] for the Kingdom of Heaven.". 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. 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. Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. Praise for Surprised by Christ "Surprised by Christ is an autobiography, an intellectual history, and a conversion story, and more than these, conveys a spiritual and theological vision in a message that touches people from many different backgrounds. Why would a protestant convert to Eastern Orthodoxy? Greenland. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. 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. 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." In the opening pages of Book IV of Calvin's Institutes, for example, Calvin refers twice to the famous words of Cyprian (d. 258)so Catholic-sounding to our earsthat "you cannot have God as your Father without the Church as your Mother" (IV.1.1, 4). Heres a clue to a third possibility. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. "More than a . 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. But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. But about this pursuit we can make several observations. What Scripture proclaims by word, the icon proclaims by color. 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. Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. Can you explain why some former clergy (from non-orthodox backgrounds) can enter without formal orthodox seminary education, while other former clergy (again, from non-orthodox backgrounds) are kept away even after the bishop (he who has the control and power) makes a statement that none may come to the clergy with our formal orthodox seminary? Why do People Convert to Orthodox Christianity? - Orthodox Witness Submitted by Fr. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. As I realized what the big difference is,I grew more insistent, I'm afraid. 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. Others are already involved in a Jewish community. Orthodox spiritual life gives central prominence to the sacraments. Who Converted Russian Religion To Orthodox Christianity? Granny and Pops and Uncle Pete love the little guy, and theyre going to be kindly and patient with him because hes going through a phase. And while it's true that my involvement with Judaism began with a Jewish boyfriend now my husband of 28 years and the father of our two children as Reform Jews, I would not have had to convert to participate in Jewish life and raise Jewish children. The basic framework of services like the Divine Liturgy or Vespers doesnt change much, but every day of the liturgical year provides prayers for saints and feasts that can be added to that framework. I felt like Marco Polo. 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. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). Well, was it so? Buddhism and Conversion to Orthodoxy - Questions & Answers - Orthodox Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. How do you convert to Greek Orthodox Christianity? - Short-Fact (Some within Orthodoxy say there are 15, but this is a minor, internal debate.) Because of my interest for eastern culture, negative views on catholicism (I live in a mostly catholic country) and protestantism and my fascisnation for the Orthodox Church, i decided to convert to just that. There I was, a Protestant theologian teaching in the former Department of Scientific Atheism in the land where Eastern Orthodoxy had reigned for over 1,000 years. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. 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. Made using e, Book Cover for the Epistle The genius of this principle is that it allows us to disagree with other believers, even vehemently so, yet in an edifying fashion with a degree of theological modesty and a perspective that seeks a deeper consensus within the bounds of true faith. Has Orthodoxy in these lands obscured the gospel, becoming merely a "cultural" religion thoroughly assimilated to ethnic identity? 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. The Vikings' Conversion to Christianity - Norse Mythology for Smart 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. The Actual Conversion to Judaism: Conversion to Judaism has a few components, which are undertaken under the supervision of an established beit din: Accepting the yoke of the commandments. 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. Sad, very sad. In Orthodoxy one encounters the eternal, unchangeable God. Your email address will not be published. She is the Church of martyrs. 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. 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. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. The Conversion of Russia - Catholicism.org A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. 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. 3:15 ). The collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that was increasingly filled by the growing power of the Roman papacy. 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. Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. 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. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. So why should someone desire to join the Orthodox Church? 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. In this wonderful, 4-minute video, Fr. Why I'm Not Orthodox | Christianity Today Orthodoxy's size alone warrants our attention, despite its invisibility on the cultural radar screens of most Americans. Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". Intellectuals, like one of my students at Moscow University, often disdain Orthodoxy as a "medieval mentality." Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. Steps to "becoming" an Orthodox Christian - Questions & Answers As former Campus Crusade staff member Gillquist put it, why have so many "Bible-believing, blood-bought, Gospel-preaching, Christ-centered, lifelong evangelical Protestants come to embrace this Orthodox faith so enthusiastically?" For taking Communion together? 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. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. Not to be outdone, the Orthodox could respond in kind. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. 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. 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). Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. No doubt, I felt at home when first attending the Divine Liturgy, but this was after months of study and discussion with other Orthodox people. The West used unleavened bread, the East did not. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." Why didn't Henry VIII become Orthodox? - Paradox Interactive Forums The beauty and majesty of her liturgical services celebrating the majesty and mystery of God continue to be a major attraction to many seekers of a religious experience that transcends the mundane reality and elevates the spirit to the divine realm. 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. The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. "The Orthodox Church of Christ never lost the 'unity of faith and the communion of the Holy Spirit' and does not accept the theory of the restoration of the unity of those "who believe in Christ," because it believes that the unity of those who believe in Christ already exists in the unity of all of Her baptized children, between themselves and Originally the creed read that the Holy Spirit proceeded "from the Father"; a later Western interpolation (why, where, and by whom are not known), ratified at the Council of Toledo (589), added filioque to indicate that the Spirit proceeded from the Father "and the Son." Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? 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. 3:15). At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Why did you convert to Orthodoxy? | OrthodoxChristianity.net If only you could get them to form two lines.). While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy - Catholic Culture Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. During my project I gained. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? The move was far more than geographic. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. The numbers are staggering! Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. Poland, 1 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. For example, it is understandable that evangelicals feel that the Orthodox doctrine of the church is too "high." What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? To be Eastern Orthodox is, above all, to stake a bold and unapologetic theological claim as the one true church of Christ on earth, which alone has guarded right belief and true worship in absolute identity and unbroken succession with the apostolic church. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. Theologically, just what is at stake in the differences between Protestant and Orthodox theology? Now let's hear from Frederica. And during those years of discovery, my mind was constantly cranking away as I laboured to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. Can we attempt to put into words why a host of people have converted and continue to convert to the Orthodox faith? 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. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. Orthodox Christianity offers a third solution, that is faith with an emphasis on symbolism, inner experience, and Church communion. The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Georgia, 3 million Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. I will always remember my first visit to an Orthodox church in Russia. 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. Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. Orthodoxy attracts seekers with her other-worldliness, with her holiness, with her worship, with her services and sacraments, with the form and content of her religious expression, with her iconography, with her chanting, with her mysticism, with her monasticism, with her life between heaven and earth. One feels that the Church is not just a worldly organization, but a divine-human organism. Pretty good. Yes, because clearly a Christian is the most honest person to talk about the inner thoughts of atheists . Romania, 19.8 million Why Converts to Christian Orthodoxy can be Obnoxious, People who've found their way back to Orthodoxy, Theophan the Recluse on Spiritual Practice. In some places in the world, Orthodoxy is the primary Christian game in town (as in Russia and Serbia), and it is inextricably wedded to the local ethnic culture. Her name is right belief. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. 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. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. However, because I've never been really exposed to . In contrast, Orthodoxy offers a view of theological authority that is internal and pneumatic rather than external and dogmatic. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. 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. An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. How to Become an Orthodox Christian? Required fields are marked *. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . It is not a religion but rather a way of life. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. Serbia, 8 million Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. Handcarved The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. Converting to Orthodoxy - SPCK Publishing 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. 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. Here, according to Ronald Roberson's 1993 book The Eastern Christian Churches, is a list of these churches and their approximate sizes: Constantinople, 3.5 million Your email address will not be published. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. Those who were clergy in a former denomination have no guarantees they will become clergy in the Orthodox Church. 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. Underneath were written the Greek words en toutoi nika, "In this sign, conquer." Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. The true details behind her Most notable are its beliefs about baptism and the Eucharist. Christianity had, in fact, penetrated "Russia" by the early 900s, when at least one church had been built in the ancient city of Kiev. Second, Christian theology perfectly explained why Jesus, who was also called a prophet, was worthy of worship. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. The Orthodox Churches are united in faith and by a common approach to theology, tradition, and worship. Heres a clue to a third possibility. 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. See something we missed? They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. 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. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. Facebook | However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. "It was a calling of the soul," Devorah Guilah Koren, who converted from Catholicism with her husband and two children, told me. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. 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.". Modern speculation is simply just that, speculation, and . This simple change of dress symbolized a radical shift that has characterized the Protestant West ever since: that the knowledge of God is mediated primarily through the written Word.
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