It is precisely this exclusivistic assertion that some Protestant converts, in search of the "true, New Testament Church" have found so beguiling. 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." Christianity had, in fact, penetrated "Russia" by the early 900s, when at least one church had been built in the ancient city of Kiev. 20). Can we attempt to put into words why a host of people have converted and continue to convert to the Orthodox faith? Circumcision controversy in early Christianity - Wikipedia I appreciate this articles use of blunt honesty! This is no archaic, dusty doctrine, either. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? How To Become An Orthodox Christian - Journey To Orthodoxy Converting to Judaism has defined my high school experience Why are Russian people (mostly) Orthodox Christians? 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]. You can make an appointment to talk to our parish priest Fr Athanasios by contacting him at (03) 9387 7693. Vladimir fled to his kinsman Haakon Sigurdsson, who ruled Norway at the time. Beyond the recovery of history and liturgy, there are deeper and more important questions. Disclaimers, Amon Sl Tolkien & Orthodox Christianity, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Roman Catholicism, 5 Differences: Orthodoxy & Evangelicalism, The Equal of Martyrdom: Fr. "It was a calling of the soul," Devorah Guilah Koren, who converted from Catholicism with her husband and two children, told me. Your email address will not be published. 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. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. Jerusalem, 260,000 These arguments wont convert anyone. Orthodox Christians were more inclined to appeal to the ecumenical councils than to a single bishop to settle theological matters. 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 You were begotten from the womb without mother before all ages, even though Arius did believe You to be created, not God, classing You in ignorance and impudence with creatures Thats just a fraction of a thorough march through what happened at the first Council of Nicaea, and why it was important (including Arius unpleasant death from digestive indisposition: his bowels were torn by a divine hookin a repulsive manner his soul came out). Catholicism and Orthodoxy are not alike in their views on the nature of theological authority; it is nevertheless correct to say that Orthodoxy, like Catholicism, views Protestantism in a similar negative manner. Not to be outdone, the Orthodox could respond in kind. 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. Antioch, 750,000 According to the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 787, icons are of equal benefit as Scripture in presenting the gospel message. As we move constantly between Unity and Trinity in God, so we must move between the parts and the whole in the Church, the whole being infinitely more than the sum of the parts. Here is an overview of the steps you can take to convert to Orthodox Christianity: Talk With an Orthodox Priest. Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. 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 . Why did Kievan Rus convert to Orthodox Christianity? A wooden pectoral cros, Pectoral Cross for Clergy 5:12). But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? Questions & Answers / A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. Most people like to be polite and get along, so they highlight our commonalities. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. 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. 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. Its not something you can figure out by studying the Church Fathers. Buddhism and Conversion to Orthodoxy - Questions & Answers - Orthodox Whatever honor Protestants bestow upon tradition, they deny that its authority is coequal with Scripture. After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. Site Map | Then B. The Reformers did not reject tradition as a help to wisdom, as a reading of Calvin, Luther, or Wesley easily shows. Instead, Orthodoxy believes that the church stands above the Scriptures, which is why, as noted, Orthodox believers agree to "accept and understand Holy Scripture in accordance with the interpretation that was and is held by the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church of the East, our Mother." 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. The East allowed some priests to marry, while the West required celibacy. It makes no appeal to a doctrine of transubstantiation and instead simply affirms the mystery. Her allegiance to the perennial truths of Christianity is appreciated by sincere seekers. 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?" During those years of discovery I labored to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is not easy, nor does it promise great happiness or success in this life. The Orthodox Church has suffered throughout her history. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. 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. I hope so. 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. This is the ultimate reason an ultra-Orthodox Jew would turn to Jesus. 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. 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. 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. 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. The pairing of both secular groups with the Orthodox in a religious freedom case is rare they have frequently been on opposite sides on church-state separation issues such as same-sex marriage . 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. It is precisely this view that elevates Scripture above the church and actually encourages private interpretation that the Orthodox theologian Georges Florovsky once called "the sin of the Reformation.". St. Theophan The Recluse On Spiritual Practice. The conversion of 2,000 evangelicals in 17 congregations "from Alaska to Atlanta" in 1987, recounted in Peter Gillquist's Becoming Orthodox, is only a small window into a larger phenomenon. Administered to infants who are fully immersed three times, baptism effects the "bath of regeneration" by which a person is born again, wholly cleansed from both original and actual sins, and, consequently, saved from guilt and punishment. Sdn Tim Grace unveils the surprising message of Christmas. As Philip said to Nathaniel, Come and see [John 1:46]. A Christian representation of Vladimir I, who was the first Rus' leader to officially bring Christianity to the region. Her name is right belief. Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? As the Body of Christ, the Church is a Divine-human organism, just as with the Person of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. The reason Orthodoxy is stable is because she is grounded in the truth. This hardly signifies any sort of congregational or ecclesiological democracy, however, for while all believers possess the truth, it is the special duty of church authorities to teach it. The Orthodox Faith / Russia, 50-85 million 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. 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. It takes awhile to get it, because its gotten by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. I can remember that, after Id been Orthodox a few years, developing an increasing sense of tension or frustration. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. Legislation pending in Russia, for example, could, if implemented, curtail Western missionary enterprises. To the extent, however, one could intellectualize the reasons for converting, he or she would probably summarize them along these lines: In our ever-changing world, in the constant re-design of services and re-evaluation of beliefs, Orthodoxy stands as a mountain of granite, unshakable by fads and movements and political correctness. For the past year or so I have been considering conversion to Orthodox Christianity. Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? 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. An evangelical explores the ancient and alien world of the Eastern church. At each point in their conversions, from initial religious seeking to settling into life as Orthodox Christians, Orthodox converts in Pittsburgh consistently relate a kind of on-going negotiation between self and other, as they research religious differences and experiment with practices and dogmas. From the Orthodox perspective, both Catholics and Protestants seek to ground theological authority in an external norm. 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.
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