Pretty good. Have something to add about this? I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. Surprised by Christ: My Journey from Judaism to Orthodox Christianity 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. Fr. Nicholas reversed the decision, reinstating Ignatius and deposing Photius. I cant be the only one to have done this. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. Facebook | And to share why I am not Orthodox. In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? 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." Why Ultra-Orthodox Jews Are Turning to Jesus | Opinion News Has Orthodoxy in these lands obscured the gospel, becoming merely a "cultural" religion thoroughly assimilated to ethnic identity? Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. 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. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. Karmiris writes, "Scripture and Tradition are equally valid, possess equal dogmatic authority, and are equal in value as sources of dogmatic truth . 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. While some did come over by force, the Orthodox also forcibly converted large numbers of Eastern Catholics Orthodoxy. I hope so. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. She is the Church of martyrs. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagree. Later ecumenical councils at Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451) acknowledged Constantinople as the "New Rome" and accorded it "equal privileges" and "equal rank in ecclesiastical matters" with Latin Rome. 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. True, Luther and some other Protestants have not viewed baptismal regeneration and justification by faith as mutually exclusive. Buddhism and Conversion to Orthodoxy - Questions & Answers - Orthodox Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. Discussion online about converts to Orthodoxy in America includes papers and blogging by writers in venues such as Public Orthodoxy of the Fordham Orthodox Christian Studies Center, the allied Orthodox Theological Society of America, and various blogs and social media. Well, was it so? Many people believe the Church is a social group gathering or a place to network with other like minded people. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. 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. 1. She is not the endshe is the way. Although she is in this world, she is not of this world (cf. 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. We should expect nothing less of ourselves than total respect for and even love of the history, theology, and culture of Orthodoxy; still, two things ought to be said about Orthodox complaints about Protestant proselytizing. We are looking forward to our journey in the church. It must sound like vague, fluffy religious talk (though in my experience it is anything but). But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? Search, Learn more about the Orthodox Church in America, Orthodoxy and Cults and Non-Christian Groups. Cerularius condemned Humbert and entreated Orthodox believers to "flee the fellowship of those who have accepted the heretical Latins." 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. Converting to Orthodoxy - SPCK Publishing 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. Steps to "becoming" an Orthodox Christian - Questions & Answers However, because I've never been really exposed to . 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. A radical conversion to Christianity. In other words, one cannot embrace Orthodox Christianity without embracing Orthodox Christians. July 26, 2019 By Fr. "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 Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. Poland, 1 million It is not a surprise that many Catholics adhering to traditional values are converting to conservative Orthodoxy. Orthodox Christians and some Eastern Catholics baptize by triple immersion upon invocation of the Trinity; the only time the Orthodox Church permits other forms of baptism is in the case of an emergency. My husband and I were just Chrismated into the church on Christmas day. During my project I gained. Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. Calvin objected to the "tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrust upon us under the title of the Church." Why did YOU convert to the Coptic Orthodox Church? 20). Conversely, evangelicals argue that this forensic framework for sin and salvation is not merely a historical and unduly negative carryover from Augustine and Anselm, but rather is the clear teaching of Paul in his Letters to the Romans and Galatians. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: 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. Even before entering the church one is taken aback by the unusual architecture-the glittering gold onion domes that sparkle like diamonds on a sunny day. 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. Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to 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. 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 . Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. 12 Reasons Why I Became and/or Remain an Orthodox Christian 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. I think people just dont believe me, and I hardly provide a good personal example. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. She is committed to the same, unchanging, absolute truth. They become clergy in their group. 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. Two theological controversies drove the final wedge between Catholic and Orthodox Christians: papal supremacy and the so-called filioque controversy. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" 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. Essential for clergy to pray together, to talk, and to encourage one another in Christ? 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." Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". This conception lessens the validity and value of the Holy Scriptures as the primary source of Christian dogma." Baptism is the primary and fundamental basis of the entire Orthodox Christian life. 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. Why should we welcome that? 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. Women and men who marry into the Orthodox Jewish faith are required to convertand both genders follow an identical process. How to Become an Orthodox Christian - Phoenix, Arizona 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. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. Vladimir I and Christianization | Western Civilization - Lumen Learning As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. 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. The genius of this principle is that it allows us to disagree with other believers, even vehemently so, yet in an edifying fashion with a degree of theological modesty and a perspective that seeks a deeper consensus within the bounds of true faith. The rise of Islam after Muhammad (died 632) was likewise crucial. 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. 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. He shares his witness of it. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Chrysostom's liturgy says of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "Your own, from your own, we offer you, in all and for all." It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. I sincerely wish to know everyone's reasons for converting to Orthodoxy. Click for reprint information. Is it wrong for Western missionaries to seek to convert the Orthodox in lands like Russia, Romania, or Greece? Conversion to Christianity - Wikipedia Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. While discovering the truth of Orthodoxy is exciting, we need to learn a gracious balance when dealing with our friends, family, workmates and others with whom we have contact. Geoff. For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. . 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. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. Made using e, Book Cover for the Epistle This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. its the same every year, year after year), it soon becomes familiar, and perhaps even boring for some. Christianization of Kievan Rus - Wikipedia For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. Hello all, forgive me if I am posting to the wrong forum. A Aristocles Merarches Joined Apr 23, 2003 Messages 10,031 Reaction score 1 Points 0 Location Pittsburgh Aug 5, 2006 #4 Matthew777 said: Many non-Jews become "Jews by choice" because they're spiritual seekers. Different Orthodox theories exist as to what, exactly, this means. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. 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. Icons are, quite literally, a "theology in color.". Thus, when an Orthodox believer once asked why his church did not do more doctrinal teaching, his priest responded, "Icons teach us all that we need to know." In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. The ex clergy thing I think is very real. The Orthodox Church does not fit into the paradigms of modernity; it is not a wholly rational faith. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. 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. Whereas Western Protestants want to hear the written Word spoken in the sermon, Orthodox believers want to see it in the visual images of iconsas well as hear it in the spoken word. Rather, each of the thirteen Orthodox churches has its own head, variously referred to as the patriarch, archbishop, or metropolitan. The West used unleavened bread, the East did not. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. Further, rote liturgy can stultify as well as edify, which is one reason why many people prefer more informal or personal worship settings. 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 a young convert to Orthodox Christianity myself, I can testify that confession and Communion have filled my life meaning and have directed me when I have felt lost. However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. The Orthodox Churches are united in faith and by a common approach to theology, tradition, and worship. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. Why did you convert to Orthodoxy? | OrthodoxChristianity.net 2. There is an organic quality here, and the thing itself is inexpressibly alive. Sdn Tim Grace unveils the surprising message of Christmas. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. 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. How to Become an Orthodox Christian? Antioch, 750,000 Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of meditation, of fasting, of praying, of giving alms. 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. Why Would I Need to Convert in Order to Get Married? At times it can be a healing group especially during the Liturgical services in particular the Eucharist and the Holy Prayer Oil services. Why are Young People Becoming Orthodox? Engage Orthodoxy All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. 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? The numbers are staggering! 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. It takes a while to get it, because its received by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. Are you sure you heard the Meaning of Christmas? Well, was it so? 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. Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. The sacraments of the Church have helped fill countless young people's lives with meaning in ways that are difficult to find elsewhere. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. Believe in the Church as the true Body of Christ, and the Churchflawed people and allwill help lead you down the right path. 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. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity . Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. John 17:14.16). So why should someone desire to join the Orthodox Church?