why convert to orthodox christianity

It was electrifying. 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. 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. Site Map | Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. 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. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. 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. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . 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." 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. Your email address will not be published. 3:15 ). Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. 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? At a minimum, Protestants need to move beyond ignorance of these neighbors. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." When we realize that every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle or a matter of conscience, then we are freed to engage fully people with whom we actually have profound differences without compromising our own theological commitments. 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. I hope so. John 6 Comments Cole Knight, a former Anglican, got Baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." Your email address will not be published. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. 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 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." Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. Yes, because clearly a Christian is the most honest person to talk about the inner thoughts of atheists . Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. Thatwould be interesting. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. But the little guy is not going through a phase. 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. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . As independent churches, they are not bound together by any unilateral or monarchical organization, nor do they owe allegiance to a single primacy, as Roman Catholics do to the pope. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. I felt like Marco Polo. Facebook | It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. 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. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." He made the decision to convert following his second marriage to actress Rita Wilson in. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. 20). If our only reason for converting is more somber, reverent, and beautiful worship, the newness of this experience soon wanes. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. Believe in the Church as the true Body of Christ, and the Churchflawed people and allwill help lead you down the right path. 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 secret is out. Thank you for this post! It was electrifying. In contrast, Orthodoxy offers a view of theological authority that is internal and pneumatic rather than external and dogmatic. Contact | 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. Her allegiance to the perennial truths of Christianity is appreciated by sincere seekers. 2. He promptly left Constantinople. 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 . Learn About the Religion. The first four enjoy special honor due to their antiquity. For any convert, it's a spiritual, intense, and private process,. 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). Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. 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. It takes awhile to get it, because its gotten by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. And for Orthodoxy, this argument from holy tradition is of great significance. 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.". It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? The Spirit of God himself, realizing the sacramental presence of Christ in the church, speaks to us in tradition. Why do people convert to Orthodoxy? 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. An Orthodox priest who lectured to standing-room-only crowds at Moscow State once described Orthodox theology to me as "music made in the conservatory," whereas he described Protestant theology as "music made in the honkytonk bars. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. During my four years as a visiting professor at Moscow State University (1991-95) I often felt schizophrenic. 1:4). When you are the only Norse guy and most of your lands are Slovianskian, it makes more sense to convert yourself than to convert them. There is a certain chemistry involved, which one cannot so easily verbalize. Why should we welcome that? 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. At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. According to The Saga of Erik the Red, there were Christians among the people whom Erik the Red brought to Greenland to settle it in the late tenth century. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. Copyright 1997 Christianity Today. Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Wow, like it very much. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. we'll be happy to answer it! The Orthodox Church has suffered throughout her history. "More than a . Those who were clergy in a former denomination have no guarantees they will become clergy in the Orthodox Church. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. Hello all, forgive me if I am posting to the wrong forum. Vladimir I formed an alliance with Basil II of the Byzantine Empire and married his sister Anna in 988. On these points evangelical and Orthodox thinking diverge in significant ways. In the first place, Christians believed Jesus to be the true God rather than a semi-god. 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. 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. The priest censes them and elevates them in processions. 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. These groups mostly came over willingly. Converting to Orthodoxy. As I realized what the big difference is,I grew more insistent, I'm afraid. Similarly, Protestants like Thomas Oden, Donald Bloesch, and others have shown that one need not join Orthodoxy to immerse oneself in the patristic past with joy, gratitude, and a sense of accountability to that "great cloud of witnesses" of the last two millennia. The final declaration of the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea (787) that ratified the use of icons appealed to the "written and unwritten" tradition of the early church. Toggle signature Icons are, quite literally, a "theology in color.". In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. But one insightful reader asked a penetrating question: "Your book does a fine job comparing the two traditions; why have you not converted to Orthodoxy?" 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. Baptism is the primary and fundamental basis of the entire Orthodox Christian life. I responded by writing back: "Because I am committed to key distinctives of the Protestant evangelical tradition.". The ex clergy thing I think is very real. In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". Home / 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. Why would a protestant convert to Eastern Orthodoxy? But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. 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. 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. But it's just fantasies, and they going to get themselves hopeless frustrated when it become clear that the fantasies can't become reality. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. 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. For employment at a seminary? 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 Catholicism this external dogmatic authority resides in the teaching magisterium of the church as expressed in the primacy and infallibility of the papacy. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. 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." I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. 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. During those years of discovery I labored to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. Here are a few reasons from this man's personal reflection. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. 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 ofwell, 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. 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. 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. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. The percentage of foreign born Orthodox Christians is no larger than the percentage in the population at large. Russia, 50-85 million 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.". Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. The other forms of tradition include the first seven ecumenical councils, which are acknowledged as normative and, by some, even infallible; patristic writings, especially those of the first four centuries; later councils; the Liturgy; canon law; and icons. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity practiced by Russians). Cyprus, 450,000 Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. You haven't "arrived" in this life. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. There are many basic beliefs that Orthodoxy and evangelicalism hold in common: the inspiration of Scripture; the two natures of Christ, the finality and uniqueness of Christ's death on the cross, the resurrection, and our future hope of eternal life. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. When the media seized on John Paul II's statement, they not only missed his main point, they missed a wider story. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. 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 . Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. 0. The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. The true details behind her Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. Different from forms of western Christianity, there is no rationalization or theorization of dogma because its focus is on symbology rather than the literal. On June 16, 1054, Pope Leo IX's legate, Cardinal Humbert, delivered a Bull of Excommunication to the Orthodox Patriarch Michael Cerularius on the altar of the Church of the Holy Wisdom at Constantinople while the patriarch prepared to celebrate the Divine Liturgy, condemning him and his court. They push it down the road that they will be able to transition to that in their new group eventually. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". If only you could get them to form two lines.). Clickhereto learn more about the deeds we are talking of and to learn how you can become a part of our social ministry and help those in need. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. Then B. 5:12). I've chosen Oriental Orthodoxy over the Byzantine Church because I believe that ours is closer in doctrine and liturgy to the earliest Christians. Do we mean essential for salvation? 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? The West used unleavened bread, the East did not. 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. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." Greenland. 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. John 17:14.16). For church membership? 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.

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