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." Handcarved 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. For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. De Maistre, Billington says, was "convinced that Russia was an instrument chosen by Providence for the salvation of Europe." He was "fascinated by the possibility of converting this vast land to Catholicism." He launched a program towards that end. Well, was it so? Not a few evangelicals in the last decade have forsaken Protestantism to join an Eastern Orthodox church. that freedom of practice for faith groups should be "defended" in Holyrood's proposed ban on conversion practices and that she believes a trans woman is a "biological male who identifies as a . 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. She is the Church of martyrs. In addition, sizable Orthodox "diasporate" groups exist in Europe, North and South America, and Australia, typically under the jurisdiction of one of the thirteen patriarchates mentioned above. However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. 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. One thinks, for example, of those committed to full ministerial status for women, the centrality of lay ministry and spiritual gifts, charismatically inclined groups, seeker-sensitive churches attempting to reach baby boomers or Generation X'ers with novel worship formats, and so on. 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. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. 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. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. 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. 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. 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. Vladimir agreed, in exchange for a marital tie; he also agreed to accept Christianity as his religion and bring his people to the new faith. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. 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. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagree. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. Why did Vladimir convert to Orthodox Christianity? Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? 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. As with liturgy, conversion to Orthodoxy is hardly a prerequisite for a renewed engagement with apostolic tradition. 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 . Preeminent among the sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. Most notable are its beliefs about baptism and the Eucharist. Forgetting early on that Orthodox worship is liturgical and cyclical (i.e. The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Like baptism, the Eucharist is administered to infants. Reaching for the Transcendent on the Streets of New York, http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2007/12/icons-will-save-the-world, cool blog entry by Fr Andrew Damick - Christian Forums, http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/liturgics/athenagoras_remarriage.htm, http://www.oodegr.co/english/ekklisia/marriage_divorce.htm, http://www.oodegr.com/english/ekklisia/marriage_divorce.htm, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/justandsinner/the-church-fathers-interpretation-of-the-rock-of-matthew-1618-an-historical-refutation-of-the-claims-of-roman-catholicism-by-william-webster/. Greece, 9 million Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic tradition. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. Perhaps this unanticipated experience of encountering something unknown and marvellously organic accounts for the distinctive lapel-grabbing impulse among converts to Orthodoxy. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. 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. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. The collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that was increasingly filled by the growing power of the Roman papacy. There are two accounts of Constantine's conversion to Christianity. The Global Methodist Church welcomes Scott Jones, who led Methodists in Texas and had advocated for the extreme center and staying at the table., Emily McFarlan Miller - Religion News Service. 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. Orthodox worship can be overwhelmingly beautiful and attractiveon multiple, deeply-felt levelsbut this should not be the only reason why a person converts. 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. Also, while evangelicals wholeheartedly embrace the full-orbed New Testament descriptions of the work of Christ (reconciliation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, etc. Thus, while the Protestant principle of sola scriptura places Scripture above tradition, for Orthodoxy the two are complementary means of one organic whole through which the Spirit of God speaks. Not that every churchgoer is following that path, not that the church administration is perfect, but that the path still existedthats what amazed me. 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). This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Instead, an adolescent has to figure out and establish his adult persona in the face of affection. 1. 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. It depends on where you put the emphasis. Pretty good. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. 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. And to share why I am not Orthodox. 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." When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. 3:15 ). Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Two points that have been hallmarks of evangelical identity deserve special scrutiny: the relationship between Scripture and tradition, and the relationship between Scripture and the church. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. We cannot describe it to you: only this we know, that God dwells there among men, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. 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. Click for reprint information. A radical conversion to Christianity. Hope this helps, and hope that your journey to Orthodoxy is filled with every blessing. This book cover is made to order i, Hand-painted Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (acryl. In 978, Vladimir returned to . 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? Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. 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. 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. Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. Many times, inquirers approach the Orthodox Church as a safe haven from controversy and scandal, believing that the Orthodox Churchas the one, true Churchis immune to such things. 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. The ex clergy thing I think is very real. Together they gathered an army with the intent to regain control of Rus' and establish Vladimir as the ruler. Orthodox Christians and some Eastern Catholics baptize by triple immersion upon invocation of the Trinity; the only time the Orthodox Church permits other forms of baptism is in the case of an emergency. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. I felt like Marco Polo. 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. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. 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. Others are already involved in a Jewish community. Thatwould be interesting. 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. 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. Christians in the West variously trace their roots to Rome (Catholics), Wittenberg (Lutherans), Geneva (Calvinists), Canterbury (Anglicans), or Oxford (Wesleyans). Needless to say, Rome was indignant; not until the Lateran Council of 1215 did it acknowledge the status of Constantinople. And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. Facebook | In the East the local parish priest could administer the sacrament of confirmation; in the West only the bishop could. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. 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. Instead, Orthodoxy believes that the church stands above the Scriptures, which is why, as noted, Orthodox believers agree to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation that was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother." Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. He shares his witness of it. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. The Orthodox Church has been, for me, the ultimate revelation of what it means to be "in Christ"; my upbringing in Evangelical Protestantism has not only helped me appreciate this now, but was very much preparing me for this all along [1]. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. 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. 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.". In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. 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. There are two sides to this coin, as well: Some people become Orthodox for all the wrong reasons, while some dont become Orthodox for all the wrong reasons. But that was too little, too late. Theologically, just what is at stake in the differences between Protestant and Orthodox theology? Experience Church Services. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. This is no archaic, dusty doctrine, either. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. Although my parents intentionally raised my brother and me without a focus on . Emmanuel Hatzidakis | January 19, 2013. And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. 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 . 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. Some have even ended in apostasy. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. I've chosen Oriental Orthodoxy over the Byzantine Church because I believe that ours is closer in doctrine and liturgy to the earliest Christians. Romania, 19.8 million While reading about the Orthodox Christian tradition is certainly important, it is crucial to stepliterallyinto an Orthodox Christian parish church near you to witness/experience the Churchs worship and fellowship. 3:15). 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? Orthodox churches are full of them. Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points.

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