why convert to orthodox christianity
Let us know if corrections need to be made. Several factors must be considered when converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity. The secret is out. Overall, is the Orthodox church growing in America or is it slowly dying, as the older cradle Orthodox are dying and fewer cradle Orthodox either convert to other churches [primarily Protestant churches] or morph into Deists or worse?. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. For good and ill, it is a classic "cultural religion," and comprehending Orthodoxy is an indispensable key to understanding those countries, cultures, and people. No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. I hope so. If someone is approaching the Orthodox Church from a purely rationalistic standpoint, they will almost surely find it wanting. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. What was the foreign policy of Yaroslav the Wise? Their new group who were so "excited" to have them isn't interested/has no role for them as clergy. She stands firm on her dogmatic and moral teachings. Conversions gradually transforming Orthodox Christianity A priest can provide guidance and support to help converts discern whether the religion is right for them. So You Want to Convert to Judaism? It's Not That Easy 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. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. 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. Recently I worshiped at an Orthodox church in Palo Alto on this celebration of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Russian priest explains why westerners are converting to Orthodox Other times it is a youth group or Bible study group inspiring and educating. 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. I assumed this would somehow convince me not to continue on my discovery of the Orthodox Church, but it has more solidified it! (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. Calvin objected to the "tyranny of human tradition which is haughtily thrust upon us under the title of the Church." 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. 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. Its just that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. The true details behind her For them the fundamental schism occurred 500 years earlierin the year 1054 (more about that below). Why are so many Christians in Colombia converting to Orthodox Judaism 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. I felt like Marco Polo. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. 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. But every church must have its distinctiveness, or wed all be in the same church. And such a journey can only be spoken of from experience. Receive updates and announcements from Orthodox Witness. many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. Those friends benefit, no doubt, from this opportunity to practice patience and long-suffering. Or again, it is one thing to guard the doctrine of sola scriptura, but quite another to ignore or disdain two thousand years of tradition; surely there is a dangerous arrogance in imagining that we do not need to listen to the wealth of biblical wisdom from the patristic writers. The last reason Orthodox converts are obnoxious resembles the reason adolescents are obnoxious. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . 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. Thatwould be interesting. John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." As if this were not quite enough, during the Fourth Crusade, Western forces stormed Constantinople in 1204 and ransacked the Church of the Holy Wisdom, an unimaginable act of desecration from the viewpoint of Orthodoxy. Another issue is becoming Orthodox because one thinks the Church will reward them in some way for doing so. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. These Protestant movements, important in their own right, are liturgical light years from Orthodoxy. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. 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. 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. Sad, very sad. 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. Bauxite mining would threaten birds, plants, and clean water. Although it is difficult to gather firm figures, worldwide Orthodox Christians number about 150 million, with 3 million in the U.S. alonemore than most evangelical denominations. Why didn't Henry VIII become Orthodox? - Paradox Interactive Forums For example, I know someone that spent over a year studying almost every aspect of Orthodoxy, including many fathers of the Church and practically every nuance of both doctrine and history. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. 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." And these prayers are jam-packed. Holy Orders are a mystery (sacrament) of the Church, and the Spirit blows where it will. Unfortunately the Eastern organization is founded on control and power. The numbers are staggering! Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? Schisms had already occurred in the Christian church, and others would occur later, but the Great Schism was the first of such major consequence. 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. Geoff Harvey on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 11:15am. 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. 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. Liberalism is not a word in the Orthodox vocabulary. However, this is a mistaken viewpoint and can lead to the destruction of a persons faith. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. According to The Saga of Erik the Red, there were Christians among the people whom Erik the Red brought to Greenland to settle it in the late tenth century. For any convert, it's a spiritual, intense, and private process,. Vladimir I formed an alliance with Basil II of the Byzantine Empire and married his sister Anna in 988. Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? Her name is "right belief". It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. 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. I cant be the only one to have done this. Your email address will not be published. Sara Villate, 10, by a menorah during Hanukkah. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Christianization of Kievan Rus - Wikipedia The Orthodox Church is indelibly marked by the One who is its origin and source. Those who were clergy in a former denomination have no guarantees they will become clergy in the Orthodox Church. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. 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. (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). 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. Clearly this stability is found in no other church. So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. While Protestant evangelicals have never agreed on the precise meaning or mode of the sacraments, they have historically emphasized two related truths that diverge from the Orthodox understanding of the sacraments. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. Why have so many Evangelical ministers embraced the Orthodox faith? 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 . In this wonderful, 4-minute video, Fr. Now let's hear from Frederica. Debate is more plentiful than research, but also indefinite. But about this pursuit we can make several observations. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. But the impulse is to exaggerate the differences when you fear being hugged to death. He mentions one Church, not many. 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. Not to be outdone, the Orthodox could respond in kind. One finds that the Orthodox Church is indeed "the pillar and foundation of the truth" ( 1 Tim. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. 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. Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? 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. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. Vladimir I and Christianization | Western Civilization - Lumen Learning Others charge complicity with the state, both past and present. "It's typically an immigrant faith, so I was really interested in that experience and why it spoke to. Her name is right belief. 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 that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. In 1993, I was chrismated and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. Excellent comment Kosmas, I totally concur. The sacraments. Harakas asked. On these points evangelical and Orthodox thinking diverge in significant ways. It took awhile because I grasped it through hearing the hymns of the church year, week in and week out. Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity has a rich tradition of being mindful. There is not going to be a restored "Celtic" Orthodoxy or "Anglo-Saxon" Orthodoxy. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. After that, Orthodoxy is by far the best possible choice of religion for Russia because of Byzantium. Why should we welcome that? Missiological concerns surface here, too. 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. 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. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . For taking Communion together? I love the Church, and so I find it difficult to understand how a person could not see the beauty in our faith, leaving it all behind. Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. (2 Pet. Home / 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. The Orthodox Faith / The late Orthodox theologian John Meyendorff once remarked that the ultimate conflict between the Orthodox East and the Latin West, both Catholic and Protestant, resided in two different ideas about tradition. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? What was the impact of Vladimir I converting to Greek Orthodox Christianity in the region of Byzantium? Teachings of Orthodoxy. Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. These arguments wont convert anyone. Second, whatever failings Western missionaries might bring to their work, and whether Orthodoxy likes to admit it, many Russians are responding very positively to a clear, contemporary presentation of the gospel by Protestant missionaries. 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. If they are looking for an ethnic identity because they feel they have none. 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. Why not convert to Oriental Orthodoxy? - OrthodoxChristianity.net 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. 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. Wynona is a Catholic planning to marry an Orthodox man, but as she tells us, "my Catholic parish priest is not giving his consent for this marriage, so it will be held in an Orthodox church.". Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. Site Map | The stability that the Orthodox Church provides for the seeker consists in the assurance of the truth she possesses, her other-worldly and mysterious character, the beauty of her liturgical celebrations and her crucified lifethey all attest to what she is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear: the unique, beloved Bride of Christ. Orthodoxy in America Has a Convert Problem Rather, they are a source of revelation. 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. It is not surprising they become disaffected and leave. Converting to Orthodoxy : r/OrthodoxChristianity A person can read a dozen books on swimming, but that which he or she has read will not come alive until he or she actually gets into a pool. This woode, Christ (Wedding Icon in Textile Oklad) However, because I've never been really exposed to . If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. For me, the one and only valid, core reason is because a person desires to be part of the one, true Body of Christ. How to Convert to Judaism - What to Expect at a Conversion Sign up to receive a regular email newsletter from Fr. During my project I gained. Why People Convert to Orthodoxy It takes awhile to get it, because its gotten by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. In fact, what Orthodox converts "vow to accept" diverges significantly from important, basic tenets of evangelical Protestantism. 5:12). On the other hand, there are cases where a person rejects the Church for what I would consider to be erroneous reasons. 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. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy. 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. Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic tradition. The collapse of the Roman Empire created a power vacuum that was increasingly filled by the growing power of the Roman papacy. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. Who can explain why one has fallen in love with a given person? Converting to Orthodox Judaism Is a Lot. Here's How 3 Women Did It. - ELLE John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, Armenian Muslims Living in Turkey are Returning to Christianity, Devotion to Orthodox History leads Malaysian Priest to Mount Carmel.
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why convert to orthodox christianity