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. While Protestant evangelicals have never agreed on the precise meaning or mode of the sacraments, they have historically emphasized two related truths that diverge from the Orthodox understanding of the sacraments. Poland, 1 million The thesis that Eastern Orthodoxy is the true religion was turning out to bear the practical corollary that, to share fully and fruitfully in the life of the Body of Christ, one would almost have. The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. 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. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. 3:15). 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. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! A person can read a dozen books on swimming, but that which he or she has read will not come alive until he or she actually gets into a pool. Beyond the recovery of history and liturgy, there are deeper and more important questions. They are the efficacious means by which God transmits his salvific and sanctifying grace to us. (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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. I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! Then the reality sets in. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. 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 . Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. As I realized what the big difference is, I grew more insistent, Im afraid. Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. 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. Many would find themselves back in Rus with their new faith and establishing Churches (Spinka, 42-44). These are worthy pursuits that can be fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. 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. Fr. The West used unleavened bread, the East did not. So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. And to share why I am not Orthodox. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. The priest censes them and elevates them in processions. 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. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. Are you sure you heard the Meaning of Christmas? 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. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. 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. Early on in the life of the Christian church, the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West began to diverge. One can find people who interpret this ecclesiological exclusivity more leniently; in fact, some would argue that the best Orthodox scholarsGeorge Florovsky and John Meyendorff, to name twowould allow for such leniency. But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, Orthodox Church in Harbin, China Reopens as an Orthodox Church, "When We Speak of Christ, We Must Start With Christ" - An Interview With Fr. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! 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. What they objected to was the elevation of tradition to the status of Scripture. My husband and I were just Chrismated into the church on Christmas day. 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. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. Religion became a state of the Roman Empire, and Christianity became an enormous and influential religion nationwide. It is a good question, one I will answer in due course. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. 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. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. 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. However, because I've never been really exposed to . Second, in biblical interpretation the Reformers placed the Scriptures above the church. Not that every churchgoer is following that path, not that the church administration is perfect, but that the path still existedthats what amazed me. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. * 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. By joining Orthodoxy one inherits a theological package that includes central elements that have traditionally troubled many Protestant evangelicals and omits doctrines many evangelicals consider nonnegotiable essentials of vital Christianity. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. Antioch, 750,000 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? Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. Hope this helps, and hope that your journey to Orthodoxy is filled with every blessing. For them the fundamental schism occurred 500 years earlierin the year 1054 (more about that below). If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Needless to say, Rome was indignant; not until the Lateran Council of 1215 did it acknowledge the status of Constantinople. For employment at a seminary? There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. The Spirit of God himself, realizing the sacramental presence of Christ in the church, speaks to us in tradition. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor; plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. ", Icons are not merely sacred art. 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. So it would be wise to visit a parish near you, perhaps for the celebration of Vespers on a Saturday evening or the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members.