why convert to orthodox christianity

Preeminent among the sacraments are baptism and the Eucharist. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. The Catalog of Good Deeds is the official blog of the Catalogue of St. Elisabeth Convent. While the Church is certainly Divine in one respect, She is also comprised of human beingshuman beings that can, and do, err. 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. Facebook | Site Map | Your email address will not be published. No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. Why would a Protestant Christian convert to Eastern Orthodox 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. But only lately has it dawned on me that I must have strained friendships over the years due to my vocal enthusiasm for my adopted church. The Mission of The Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Christian Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to Go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. John Meyendorff writes that "the Christian faith can in no way be compatible with the notion of sola scriptura." 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. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. Orthodox Sep 9, 2019 #1 For those who converted like myself, why did you? She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. That is, Orthodoxy's commitment to "right belief" provides a natural link to evangelical concerns. Four important areas deserve ongoing dialogue. 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. They become clergy in their group. 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. Kind of like large scale serial monogamous people. At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. Your email address will not be published. First, Christianity had no doctrine to support the Islamic hypothesis about Jesus' modification into a semi-god. Thatwould be interesting. Serbia, 8 million 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." "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. If you have a specific question about Orthodox Christianity or the Orthodox Church in America, In the words of contemporary Orthodox theologian Thomas Hopko, "everything in the church flows out of the waters of baptism: the remission of sins and life eternal." At the beginning, I thought I knew what I was getting into. Made using e, Book Cover for the Epistle The more familiar I became with Orthodoxy by serving in a local parish, on a parish council, and as an altar assistant, the more I saw others approach the Church, test the waters, and walk back out the narthex door. 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. 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. So Christianity would not have been completely alien to the Rus, and even Vladimir's grandmother, Olga, would become enamored with Christianity. She is not the endshe is the way. Although she is in this world, she is not of this world (cf. The Eucharist is a true, propitiatory sacrifice. Baptism is the primary and fundamental basis of the entire Orthodox Christian life. Forgetting early on that Orthodox worship is liturgical and cyclical (i.e. But dont do it for all the wrong reasons. People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. If a richer liturgical life is what a believer wants, converting to Orthodoxy is hardly necessary. Why do Orthodox Christians keep a vigil at the Tomb of Christ? But Islam's conquest of this same area eventually isolated the Eastern Christians centered in Constantinople from their counterparts in the West centered in Rome. already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! Join our newsletter to get the most interesting articles on spiritual issues and learn about the recent news from St. Elisabeth Convent. Thus Georges Florovsky once referred to tradition as "the witness of the Spirit.". This icon, Wedding Icon of The Mother Of God The church. As historians mostly suppose, Vladimir's turn to Orthodox Christianity was more about the improvement of Russians' connections with Christian states than about sentiments: for Rus, Byzantium. 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. Your email address will not be published. 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. Around 2-3 months ago I decided that I wanted to convert to Christianity. A second theory is that converts of any sort have a tendency to exuberance that is wearying to outsiders. Questions & Answers / The ex clergy thing I think is very real. After five years or so in the Orthodox Church, Ive seen a lot of friends and acquaintances come home to the apostolic faith. Alister McGrath, an intellectual historian and proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, claims that many of the . 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 . Linguistic factors posed other, very practical problems. Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Orthodox Christianity. 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. 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. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. For we cannot forget that beauty (Envoys of the Russian Prince Vladimir, after experiencing the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople in the year 987). Q&A: A closer look at Orthodox Christians. But I slowly came to see that I cant communicate it. Cyprus, 450,000 Everyone associates Orthodox worship with sensory richness, but its also rich in theological content. 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. We knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surely there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere upon earth. In the end, they concocted a list of reasons for not converting. Orthodoxy generally affirms the same seven sacraments as Catholicism: baptism, chrismation or confirmation, the Eucharist, repentance or confession, holy orders or ordination, marriage, and holy unction or anointing of the sick. 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 858 Photius was appointed as Orthodoxy's new patriarch at Constantinople, replacing Ignatius, who had been exiled and later resigned his duties. 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. 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. Orthodox believers see things very differently. He states that in Gaul, before setting out towards Rome, Constantine and his army saw a great cross in the sky. 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. Photius then branded the entire Western church as heretical for inserting the phrase "and the Son" (filioque) into the Nicene Creed. 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. 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. Subscribe for our weekly newsletter not to miss the most interesting articles on our blog. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so hes either sullen or angry. Yeah, I think Ive gotten it out of my system. The so-called Photian Schism brought this matter to a head. Christianity had, in fact, penetrated "Russia" by the early 900s, when at least one church had been built in the ancient city of Kiev. Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. More than 70 percent of the roughly 75,000 Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are converts. 0. Conversion is not only a matter of the intellect, but also of the heart. On the other hand, there are cases where a person rejects the Church for what I would consider to be erroneous reasons. Before long, in Reformation churches the sermon had replaced the Eucharist as the defining moment of the liturgy. But why is our kind so characteristically obnoxious? If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you If they persecuted me, they will persecute you (John 15:18. Further, Protestants have long enjoyed rich liturgical traditions of their own (see, for example, Bard Thompson's classic Liturgies of the Western Church). However, I do think that there are certain factors that influence and even cause these abandonments and apostasies from the one, true Church. "Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." Turning to Jesus brings you to God, and you begin to understand His plan of salvation. 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. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . It is not a religion but rather a way of life. He made the decision to convert following his second marriage to actress Rita Wilson in. She is conscious of being the true Church founded by Christ. But that was too little, too late. A priest can provide guidance and support to help converts discern whether the religion is right for them. 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. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. The true details behind her If only you could get them to form two lines.). Your email address will not be published. Before trying to discern how evangelicals should respond to these many issues involving Eastern Orthodoxy, a brief history is in order. Here, according to Ronald Roberson's 1993 book The Eastern Christian Churches, is a list of these churches and their approximate sizes: Constantinople, 3.5 million (To be fair, we should note that a large number of Orthodox have become evangelical Protestants as well.). Orthodoxy knows where she stands, and she is in no need to re-define herself. There is not going to be a restored "Celtic" Orthodoxy or "Anglo-Saxon" Orthodoxy. 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. Spiritual enlightenment changes everything. 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. 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'. Orthodoxy insists tenaciously on the role of tradition which is her very life and builds upon its past, without revisions. The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. While some did come over by force, the Orthodox also forcibly converted large numbers of Eastern Catholics Orthodoxy. Buddhists are called to meditate. The first, most obvious explanation is that some people simply are obnoxious to start with. All Rights ReservedDesigned by Fr. July 26, 2019 By Fr. Why do people convert to Orthodoxy? Since the World Council of Churches' Canberra Assembly in 1991, evangelical and Orthodox believers have joined in a series of wcc-sponsored dialogues on matters challenging historic Christian faith. 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. Poland, 1 million But this really begs another question: "Essential" for what? I have read many things on the internet, as well as a number of books about the Churchs faith, worship and history. It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. These sacraments are not mere signs, symbols, or reminders. She is the Church of martyrs. But about this pursuit we can make several observations. It is no small thing for us to hold in common all the early, Christian creeds. 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. 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. Such a question cannot be answered through the use of dogmatic assertions or theoretical musings. Andrey brings us the news about Orthodox Christianity (the form of Christianity . Wynona doesn't indicate why the parish priest has done this, but it would appear from the context that the priest objects to her marrying an . The move was far more than geographic. 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. The Orthodox Church has existed since the day of Pentecost and when we truly believe and become truly attached, not merely by baptism or chrismation, not merely by our presence but by our actions and our inner convictions, then and only then do we truly become connected to the Church, to Jesus Christ the Saviour and therefore to the Trinitarian God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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. In 999, Leif, the son of Erik, was converted to Christianity by Olaf Tryggvason. Jerusalem, 260,000 Conversion to Christianity is the religious conversion of a previously non-Christian person to Christianity. Her admirable heritage of perseverance amid terrible fires of persecution has been noted even by non-Orthodox admirers, as one of her strongest attractions and sources of strength. The theological objections evangelicals have traditionally had with Rome on these two points rightly apply to Orthodoxy. Also, while evangelicals wholeheartedly embrace the full-orbed New Testament descriptions of the work of Christ (reconciliation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, etc. 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 didn't Henry VIII go Orthodox, and what would happen if he did? All rights reserved. Alexandria, 350,000 He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. Even more obnoxious, though, must be the tendency to reject hospitality. After his marriage Vladimir I officially changed the state religion to Orthodox Christianity and destroyed pagan temples and icons.

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