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There was plenty of ceremony and beauty, but without the mainline churches affection for keeping up-to-date. For such a question presupposes a particular person's journey of faith. I responded by writing back: "Because I am committed to key distinctives of the Protestant evangelical tradition.". At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. 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. 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]. The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. 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. According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. They saw this as a perception skill, something anyone could (with diligent practice) hone; it has nothing to do with emotion. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. I hope so. The Orthodox Faith / Modern speculation is simply just that, speculation, and . 0. She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. For church membership? 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. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. How Christianity Came to Ukraine and Russia | Christian History In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. There are two accounts of Constantine's conversion to Christianity. But unlike the other two large branches of Christianity, which have spread throughout the developing world, Orthodoxy remains largely confined to Europe. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. Can we attempt to put into words why a host of people have converted and continue to convert to the Orthodox faith? 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. In the history and theology of Orthodoxy it is startling to observe the nearly complete absence of any mention of the doctrine of justification by faith. "It was a calling of the soul," Devorah Guilah Koren, who converted from Catholicism with her husband and two children, told me. True, Luther and some other Protestants have not viewed baptismal regeneration and justification by faith as mutually exclusive. Learn About the Religion. To support our efforts, join us as a member . He states that in Gaul, before setting out towards Rome, Constantine and his army saw a great cross in the sky. Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. 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. 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. By the end of the sixth century, neither group could speak the other's language. However, they rarely spent any time in Orthodox worship services or their local parish, developed no relationship with a priest, and did not engage their spouse or family in their studies and interest in the Church. In chrismation, performed immediately after rising from the baptismal waters, the priest anoints the infant with a special ointment, making the sign of the cross on various parts of the body, thus acknowledging the gift and seal of the Holy Spirit. Doing so will make much of what you have read come alive, in the sense of seeing how that about which you have read is actually lived. Think of it in the following way. When I visit prisons where floors are shiny, morale is noticeably higher. 1. 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'. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. 1:4). There I was, a Protestant theologian teaching in the former Department of Scientific Atheism in the land where Eastern Orthodoxy had reigned for over 1,000 years. It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? 3:15). 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. Circumcision controversy in early Christianity - Wikipedia 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. Rather, "theosis" (literally, "deification"), or the progressive transformation of people into full likeness to God, in soul and body, takes center stage. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed the pillar and foundation of the truth (1 Tim. Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? 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. My husband and I were just Chrismated into the church on Christmas day. 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. This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." For employment at a seminary? While this exclusivism is not unique to Orthodoxy, with this self-understanding it is easy to see why the Orthodox Church in countries such as Russia is extremely unhappy about Western, Protestant missionary incursions. Roman Emperor Constantine's Conversion to Christianity - Classic History It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. The blog includes recent news and ministry updates of the Convent, as well as other information about Orthodox Christianity that may be useful to those who are either making their first steps in church or want to learn something new about our faith. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. Antioch, 750,000 In Matthew 16:18, Christ speaks about building His church that "the gates of Hades will not prevail against". 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. Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. Beyond the recovery of history and liturgy, there are deeper and more important questions. Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. Linguistic factors posed other, very practical problems. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. Her name is "right belief". Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? Converts to Orthodox Christianity in America in the Russian Church John 17:14.16). Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. Orthodoxy appeals to the soulnot just to the intellect or the senses. 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. Tom Hanks Legion Media The famous Hollywood actor converted to Orthodox Christianity as an adult. Then C" The strengths of a group draws them but after a while the weaknesses bubble up. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. Christianization of Kievan Rus - Wikipedia PDF The Conversion of Vladimir the Great to Orthodox Christianity 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. Why I'm Not Orthodox | Christianity Today Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). Why do people convert to Orthodoxy? Emmanuel Hatzidakis | January 19, 2013. This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. Around 2-3 months ago I decided that I wanted to convert to Christianity. More than 70 percent of the roughly 75,000 Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are converts. Unfortunately the Eastern organization is founded on control and power. 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. And I would try hard, no doubt to the point of rudeness, to convince them this was not so. There is world of difference between going Orthodoxy vs staying pagan. Click for reprint information. I cant be the only one to have done this. In addition, a new convert must undergo a formal process of initiation. Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. 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. While Rome stumbled toward destruction in 476, Constantinople enjoyed relative theological and political stability for another 1,000 years, until it was sacked by the Turks in 1453. That there are too many people joining the Church with a silly belief that they rebelling against the modern world, and hoping to instate absolute monarchy. Growing up in the Bible Belt, I was only ever exposed to Christian theology. But whether a non-Orthodox person can even be saved is an open question in Orthodox ecclesiology. Becoming Orthodox means being willing to submit to the Church and Her bishops, who might not be interested in ordaining you. Here are a few reasons from this man's personal reflection. She is committed to the same, unchanging, absolute truth. To be Eastern Orthodox is, above all, to stake a bold and unapologetic theological claim as the one true church of Christ on earth, which alone has guarded right belief and true worship in absolute identity and unbroken succession with the apostolic church. In 978, Vladimir returned to . It is a good question, one I will answer in due course. But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. All rights reserved. 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. If only you could get them to form two lines.). Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. When celebrating the Eucharist, Catholics mixed the wine with water, while the Orthodox did not. And these prayers are jam-packed. 20). 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. Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. Step Two: Repentance There is no salvation without repentance. One is attracted to Orthodoxy in the same way one falls in love. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. Icons are, quite literally, a "theology in color.". 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. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. He sailed to Greenland with a priest to convert the people. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). Despite its historical estrangement from Rome, from a Protestant theological perspective Orthodoxy is similar to Catholicism at several points. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, who ruled Norway at the time. Indeed, in a letter of 865, Pope Nicholas made it clear that he intended to extend the power of the papacy "over all the earth, that is, over every church." 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. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. Bauxite mining would threaten birds, plants, and clean water. Your email address will not be published. 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.