why convert to orthodox christianity

If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. Christianity had, in fact, penetrated "Russia" by the early 900s, when at least one church had been built in the ancient city of Kiev. 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. Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic tradition. "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. Contact | But every church must have its distinctives, or wed all be in the same church. From Protestant to Orthodox - Orthodox Christianity serving Costa Mesa, CA Teachings of Orthodoxy. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. Reasons for Vladimir I's Conversion to Christianity and | Studymode Then B. So You Want to Convert to Judaism? It's Not That Easy Converting to Orthodoxy. How to Become an Orthodox Christian - Phoenix, Arizona My husband had been an Episcopal priest for 16 years, and we had gradually moved from evangelical-style "low church" to the more liturgically-fancy "high church." I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Further, the Orthodox reject the idea of inherited guilt; we are guilty only for our own sins rather than for the inborn consequences of Adam's fall. These are worthy pursuits that can be fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. Daniel B. Clendenin is a graduate staff member for InterVarsity at Stanford University and author of Eastern Orthodox Christianity: A Western Perspective and Eastern Orthodox Theology: A Contemporary Reader (both published by Baker). 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. Naturally, it is crucial to know what the Church teaches and acquire an Orthodox mindset on the intellectual level, so to speak, but it is equally crucial to grow in identifying with the People of God, the worshipping community, through fellowship. (Some within Orthodoxy say there are 15, but this is a minor, internal debate.) Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. This gives strength and spiritual joy to her members, true to the Lords words, Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Mt. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. In time, you will be welcomed sacramentally into the Church and continue your ongoing path to the Kingdom of God. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity . The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. John 6 Comments Cole Knight, a former Anglican, got Baptized in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. As with liturgy, conversion to Orthodoxy is hardly a prerequisite for a renewed engagement with apostolic tradition. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. There most certainly will never be a "Southern" or "Confederate" Orthodoxy".And yet another reason not to join is the hopes of having a base of operations for a goofy political ideology. "More than a . But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? Sizable groups of the Russian population are disenchanted with Orthodoxy for a number of reasons. 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. Orthodoxy looked like taking that escalator up one more floor. Rather, Orthodoxy affirms a single source of revelation, holy tradition, of which Scripture is the preeminent among several forms. These Protestant movements, important in their own right, are liturgical light years from Orthodoxy. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Suspicion and recrimination have often characterized relationships between Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Protestantism. 1. Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, who ruled Norway at the time. But only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. See something we missed? I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" After being dunked in this sea of hymnography for a few years I began to recognise an underlying unity among all the elements of Orthodoxy the worship, the fasting, the exhortations to humility, the companionship of the saints, all of it. 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. 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. 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. many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. But it's just fantasies, and they going to get themselves hopeless frustrated when it become clear that the fantasies can't become reality. There is a certain chemistry involved, which one cannot so easily verbalize. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. "I was A. 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. Is the church made up of those who have been "regenerated" by infant baptism in an Orthodox church institution, or by those who have experienced new birth and been justified by grace through faith? Worse, they considered the interpolation to be theologically untrue and a threat to the doctrine of the Trinity. Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". 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. Protestant theologian Adolf von Harnack once described the Orthodox church as "in her entire structure alien to the Gospel and a perversion of the Christian religion, its reduction to the level of pagan antiquity." Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. This is a sufficiently serious reason for reproach: We are right to expect that the Church will point out a path toward God, independently of the jolts and shocks of the epoch; that it will remain,. 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." In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. While evangelicals might be eager to argue there is no biblical warrant for icons, for the Orthodox it is enough that icons have always been a part of church tradition. If only you could get them to form two lines.). Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. For example, if a person goes through a great deal of hardship, sacrifice, and turmoil in order to join the Churchas in the case of former clergy in a different communion, or when ones family does not approvethey might feel that the Church owes them for converting. Thank you for this! 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? 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. 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? ", Icons are not merely sacred art. Orthodox Christians viewed the filioque amendment to be contrary to explicit instructions by past ecumenical councils not to change the creeds. 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. The church. 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. Needless to say, Rome was indignant; not until the Lateran Council of 1215 did it acknowledge the status of Constantinople. My ideas havent changed, and Im always glad for a good discussion, but maybe Im past the need to belabor them. True, Luther and some other Protestants have not viewed baptismal regeneration and justification by faith as mutually exclusive. Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? To my friend who asked why I had not converted to Orthodoxy, the answer was surprisingly easy. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagree. From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. Pretty good. She is the Church of martyrs. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. 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. I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. 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. His response: "I don't know.". Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy Conciliar Post 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. 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). One can find Orthodox statements that ascribe a unique authority to Scripture over tradition, but these are few and far between, and they speak of tradition in a narrower than usual sense. Failing to remember (or be taught) this, we are scandalized and even lose our faith in the Church, not distinguishing between the divine and human natures, or confusing them. 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. Yes, because clearly a Christian is the most honest person to talk about the inner thoughts of atheists . 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. Since then, Western and Eastern Christianity developed separately, under very different social and cultural conditions. Ignatius's followers, however, refused to acknowledge the transition, and eventually both Ignatius and Photius appealed to Pope Nicholas (858-67) in Rome. Serbia, 8 million To support our efforts, join us as a member . Scripture and tradition. Why I Didn't Convert to Eastern Orthodoxy - Catholic Culture 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." Handcarved The essence of it was to evangelize younger aristocrats, future leaders of the land. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. 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. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. 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. 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. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Rather, they are a source of revelation. Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. In this wonderful, 4-minute video, Fr. It was electrifying. What Scripture proclaims by word, the icon proclaims by color. 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. 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. 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. 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. In the security of the Orthodox Church one finds peace, reassurance. Poland, 1 million Orthodoxy affirms the real, physical presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist (as do Catholics, Lutherans, and many Anglicans), yet unlike Catholicism it is content not to explain how this happens. In contrast, Orthodoxy offers a view of theological authority that is internal and pneumatic rather than external and dogmatic. 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 Thou wast begotten from the womb without mother before all ages, even though Arius did believe Thee to be created, not God, classing Thee in ignorance and impudence with creatures. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. 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. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. Most Protestants would experience an Orthodox liturgy as something strange, even exotic. Why People Convert to Orthodoxy Click for reprint information. Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. 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. Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". Chrysostom's liturgy says of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "Your own, from your own, we offer you, in all and for all." Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. This perspective presupposes a defective Christologyone that fails to account for the anthropos of the theanthropic (Divine-human) Church. Hope this helps, and hope that your journey to Orthodoxy is filled with every blessing. Orthodoxy provides a full-bodied, full-souled spiritual life that assumes that everything you do as a Christian makes you either more like God or less like Him, and because becoming like God is what salvation consists of, that means that everything you do is critical. Circumcision controversy in early Christianity - Wikipedia Orthodoxy, in contrast, is a thoroughly aesthetic tradition, as attested by the central role played by icons. Early on in the life of the Christian church, the Greek-speaking East and the Latin-speaking West began to diverge. One need not travel overseas to encounter Eastern Orthodoxy.

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