why convert to orthodox christianity

Thumb through Calvin's Institutes or a volume of John Wesley's Works and you will see our Protestant forebears thoroughly engaged with patristic tradition. The sacraments. 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. 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. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? Christ is thus "the Offerer and the Offered, the Acceptor and the Distributed," all in such a way that nothing is added to his once-for-all sacrifice on the cross. The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. But they all came together in worship, and were shaped by the same hymns and prayers, the appointed Scripture readings, preaching, and the "picture bible" of iconography. As Saint Paul reminds us, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another [Romans 12:5; see also Ephesians 4:25]. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. Almost everyone around me was a Baptist. 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. Eastern Christians would hear nothing of it. 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 of well, 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. But they all came together in worship, and were shaped by the same hymns and prayers, the appointed Scripture readings, preaching, and the picture Bible of iconography. Baptism is the primary and fundamental basis of the entire Orthodox Christian life. But if you are still intrigued and drawn to the Orthodox Church, considering all of these disclaimers, then do so with faith, reverence, and a healthy fear of God. 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. Most notable are its beliefs about baptism and the Eucharist. 0. Unfortunately most "Orthodox Christian" are nominal even despite their active presence they are nominal because they extinguish the Holy Spirit and do not have a relationship with God, they outwardly seem to be praying but like the Pharisee praise themselves for being 'good with God'. In the year 311, Emperor Constantine moved the political capital of his empire from Rome to Constantinople. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. Any vestiges of hope for unity after the estrangement of 1054 were dashed with the pillage of 1204. 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. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. Orthodoxy, in contrast, is a thoroughly aesthetic tradition, as attested by the central role played by icons. Greenland. One is attracted to Orthodoxy in the same way one falls in love. As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. Put another way, we must invoke the spirit of irenic disagreement in the formula: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity." The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Whether you decided to do so because you are marrying someone who is a member of the church, or you simply decide to convert on your own, you might be overwhelmed as to where to start. Theological disputes combined with these geopolitical and cultural factors to divide the Christian East and West. This book cover is mad, Worship Gospel 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. "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. 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. The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Because everyone has their own presuppositions in which they interpret reality and thus no surprise you'll find people based on these presuppositions won't accept Christianity. 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. 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. Together they gathered an army with the intent to regain control of Rus' and establish Vladimir as the ruler. 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. It was electrifying. 2. A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. 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. These are worthy pursuits that can be fulfilled in the Orthodox Church. Fr. The reality of the difficulty of living the Orthodox life then bubbles up, and apostasy from exhaustion is a real risk. Protestant Christianity," Andrei went on, "is a cheap, terrible substitute, and an Orthodox believer who knows his own faith will never go there.". St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. Orthodox spiritual life gives central prominence to the sacraments. Experience Church Services. Russia, 50-85 million 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. Some have argued that evangelicals eager to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3) will find an ally in Orthodoxy's allegiance to the basic truths of Christianity. 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. 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. If you have a specific question about Orthodox Christianity or the Orthodox Church in America, This should trouble evangelicals (as well as other Protestants), especially when it is combined with the Orthodox idea of who constitutes the church and how one enters the church. 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. Any objective historian can discover that the permanence of Orthodoxy is due to the preservation and the passing on of the apostolic faith unadulterated, pure. 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. 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?" The ex clergy thing I think is very real. 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. Along with Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, Orthodox Christianity is one of the world's three major Christian traditions. On the other hand, there are cases where a person rejects the Church for what I would consider to be erroneous reasons. Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. 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. Thank you for this post! But about this pursuit we can make several observations. * There is a myth in Orthodoxy that people only became Eastern Catholics under force by Catholic kings. 1. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. 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. Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. This perspective presupposes a defective Christologyone that fails to account for the anthropos of the theanthropic (Divine-human) Church. 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. 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. In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. Second, in biblical interpretation the Reformers placed the Scriptures above the church. These thirteen churches are united in their understanding of the sacraments, discipline, doctrine, faith, government, and worship, but they administer their internal affairs separately. Luther urged that Christianity would stand or fall with this doctrine; Calvin called it "the hinge upon which all true religion turns.". Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. 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. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. Geoff. In time, you will be welcomed sacramentally into the Church and continue your ongoing path to the Kingdom of God. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. I have read many things on the internet, as well as a number of books about the Churchs faith, worship and history. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. Poland, 1 million Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. They are the efficacious means by which God transmits his salvific and sanctifying grace to us. Nicola Yanney, Holy Man of Nebraska, Out of Appalachia: Orthodox Christianity and the Old Regular Baptists, What Do You Believe In? Thus Luther once wrote, "What else do I contend for but to bring everyone to an understanding of the difference between the divine Scripture and human teaching or custom?" 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. Handcarved Twitter | Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. John 17:14.16). When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. Instagram | Upon joining the Orthodox Church, converts vow to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation which was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother." 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. 3:15). What was the impact of Vladimir I converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity in the region of Byzantium? Russian Baptists, Adventists, and Pentecostals feel persecuted. 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. A person (who is searching within) goes through clerical education to explore questions. 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. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. 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? Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. She is the Church of martyrs. 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. I cant be the only one to have done this. Similarly, a person can read a dozen books on Orthodox Christianity, but that which he or she has read will not come alive until he or she actually encounters the Church as the worshipping People of God. Those who were clergy in a former denomination have no guarantees they will become clergy in the Orthodox Church. Heres a clue to a third possibility. 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. Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. This icon, Wedding Icon of The Mother Of God Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. Christimates 1 day ago. But dont do it for all the wrong reasons. Alexandria, 350,000 The sacraments of the Church have helped fill countless young people's lives with meaning in ways that are difficult to find elsewhere. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And to share why I am not Orthodox. "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 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. 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. James Quarry Brother Of Jerry, Advantages And Disadvantages Of Outcome Measures Iapt, Articles W