Conversions gradually transforming Orthodox Christianity Other religions and faiths occupy themselves with this life, with this world. When you are the only Norse guy and most of your lands are Slovianskian, it makes more sense to convert yourself than to convert them. A radical conversion to Christianity. 3:15). Why Would a Protestant Convert to Eastern Orthodox Christianity? The numbers are staggering! One need not travel overseas to encounter Eastern Orthodoxy. Rich worship taught the faith to literate and illiterate, peasant and emperor, and its essentially the same as our worship today. The first is by Lactantius, a tutor to Constantine's son and a good authority. It had ramifications for the ecclesiastical status of both cities and further exacerbated the strained relations between the two regions. Another danger is converting to Orthodoxy simply because it is beautiful. 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. 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. But perhaps our theology of the church is too "low," much lower than our Protestant forebears would have it. 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 . Christianization of Kievan Rus - Wikipedia 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). PDF The Conversion of Vladimir the Great to Orthodox Christianity Affectionate attempts to obscure this quest feel suffocating. During those years of discovery I labored to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. This is a sufficiently serious reason for reproach: We are right to expect that the Church will point out a path toward God, independently of the jolts and shocks of the epoch; that it will remain,. Rather, for Orthodoxy the whole people of God is the protector of apostolic tradition. . Antioch, 750,000 Your firstand subsequent visitswill help you to discern that to which the Lord is calling you. Orthodoxy looks forward, to the age to come. Maybe you have to soak in it for years, till the evidence becomes overwhelming. But the "little guy" is not going through a phase. When we realize that every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle or a matter of conscience, then we are freed to engage fully people with whom we actually have profound differences without compromising our own theological commitments. She has offered more martyrs in the twentieth century under communism than most churches have members. It doesnt matter how long they have served, or how extensive their education. As Philip said to Nathaniel, Come and see [John 1:46]. From Islam to Indonesian Orthodox Priest In "Clergy" 97% of Moldovans Identify as Orthodox Christians In "Latest Stories" Orthodoxy, advocates suggest, reveals and corrects evangelical reductionism and superficiality. Facebook | Each of them had his idiosyncrasies, and they regularly disagreed. many mercenaries would convert to Christianity. Icons. There is a certain chemistry involved, which one cannot so easily verbalize. Put more starkly, Orthodoxy explicitly rejects the historic Protestant idea of sola scriptura. 12 Reasons Why I Became and/or Remain an Orthodox Christian Conversion means belief and acceptance in Jesus Christ, the God-man, as the Savior of the world. Orthodoxy, in contrast, is a thoroughly aesthetic tradition, as attested by the central role played by icons. 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. However, because I've never been really exposed to . Nicola Yanney, Holy Man of Nebraska, Out of Appalachia: Orthodox Christianity and the Old Regular Baptists, What Do You Believe In? Why Are There So Many Curses and Cruelties In The Psalms? YouTube | No new dogmas of faith spring out of the blue in her life. And during those years of discovery, my mind was constantly cranking away as I laboured to absorb new ideas and excise stubborn old ones. But the little guy is not going through a phase. We cannot describe it to you: only this we know, that God dwells there among men, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. Converting to Orthodoxy : r/OrthodoxChristianity Romania, 19.8 million 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. Jerusalem, 260,000 I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. And while it's true that my involvement with Judaism began with a Jewish boyfriend now my husband of 28 years and the father of our two children as Reform Jews, I would not have had to convert to participate in Jewish life and raise Jewish children. Its that Orthodoxy still passes on the early churchs knowledge of how to tune in to the presence of Christ. I cant be the only one to have done this. Why did you convert to Orthodoxy? | OrthodoxChristianity.net We are looking forward to our journey in the church. Orthodoxy's size alone warrants our attention, despite its invisibility on the cultural radar screens of most Americans. Heres a clue to a third possibility. Through the centuries, theological, geopolitical, cultural, and linguistic factors have combined to differentiate the Orthodox ethos from Western patterns of Christianity. 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. Hymns like these offer quite a theological education to anyone who comes to services, and if you didnt catch it all, theres a good chance theyre going to sing it two more times. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents . She rightly claims the wholeness of the truth. Well, was it so? Underneath were written the Greek words en toutoi nika, "In this sign, conquer." In time, you will be welcomed sacramentally into the Church and continue your ongoing path to the Kingdom of God. The Puritan John Foxe, for example, insisted that "God conducted the Reformation by printing, writing, and reading." People are attracted by the permanence of Orthodoxy. This may be to some extent true but it is much more than that. Who Converted Russian Religion To Orthodox Christianity? Why Would A Protestant Christian Convert to Eastern Orthodox - YouTube Included in this liturgy is an anathema on all those who reject icons. There is a myth in Orthodoxy that people only became Eastern Catholics under force by Catholic kings. How do you convert to Greek Orthodox Christianity? - Short-Fact 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. The move was far more than geographic. I had been to the east and discovered something wondrous that I assumed all Christians crave. (Of course, for every person insisting that there were no differences, there was another person asking me to explain the differences. The essence of it was to evangelize younger aristocrats, future leaders of the land. 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. already I have lost many people I thought were friends but so be it! Also, while evangelicals wholeheartedly embrace the full-orbed New Testament descriptions of the work of Christ (reconciliation, ransom, redemption, forgiveness, adoption, etc. Twitter | Orthodox Priest Explains Why Many People in the West are Converting to Why Are Protestants Converting To Orthodox Christianity? Also, people should not join the Church in the hopes of solidifying an identity they have in the first place. He sailed to Greenland with a priest to convert the people. 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. Buddhists fast, pray, and give alms. It took me a few years to sense that there was a whole other something going on. In the 950s, Olga, the grandmother of Vladimir, was . 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. I have read many things on the internet, as well as a number of books about the Churchs faith, worship and history. Chrysostom's liturgy says of the Eucharistic sacrifice: "Your own, from your own, we offer you, in all and for all." Geoff. Orthodoxy is true to the Lord, to herself and to her past. He has no good option for dealing with that affection, so he's either sullen or angry. A wedding set o, Wedding Icon of Christ the Pantocrator (in Oklad /, A Handmade Bookcover For The Gospel. Assuming that, after subsequent visits, you grow into the conviction that Orthodox Christianity is the fullness of Truth as revealed by Jesus Christ and discern your desire to embrace faith in Our Lord in its fullness, make your desire known to the parish priest, who will initiate the period of instruction and spiritual formation that eventually would lead to your reception into the Church. These Protestant movements, important in their own right, are liturgical light years from Orthodoxy. This book cover is mad, Worship Gospel For Eastern Christians, this was yet another Roman encroachment upon their autonomy. 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. Thats surely a factor, but I think theres something else going on, more specific to Orthodox converts. Orthodoxy attracts seekers with her other-worldliness, with her holiness, with her worship, with her services and sacraments, with the form and content of her religious expression, with her iconography, with her chanting, with her mysticism, with her monasticism, with her life between heaven and earth. One feels that the Church is not just a worldly organization, but a divine-human organism. Your email address will not be published. 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. Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. 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. It is why I think a number of people have a list of groups they have been in here. Now, I dont share all of this in order to dissuade anyone from becoming a catechumen, but rather to encourage those who are on such a journeyor who have strayed away from one that began on the wrong foot. It was like seeing a face emerge from a random pattern of dots, and then wink at you. But that cant be the case with me, so lets press on. Russia, 50-85 million Evangelicals urge the necessity of personal conversion through the faith and repentance of the individual believer, as opposed to the Orthodox idea of regeneration by the sacraments. These arguments wont convert anyone. You can also subscribe without commenting. Her allegiance to the perennial truths of Christianity is appreciated by sincere seekers. In 1523-24 the Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther donned the gown of the university scholar. It takes awhile to get it, because its gotten by a process of immersion, by soaking in a context of worship. In any event, feel free to introduce yourself to and speak with the priest and his parishioners. A person (who is searching within) goes through clerical education to explore questions. Your email address will not be published. Before you start the process of converting, you will want to speak with a priest in the Greek Orthodox Church. How Christianity Came to Ukraine and Russia | Christian History It is not always easy to advance strong arguments for these conversions. Who can explain why one has fallen in love with a given person? Conversion may be unnecessary if you're open to a Reform wedding: Reform Judaism permits interfaith marriages, though roughly half of all Reform rabbis still abjure officiating at them. Take Russia as an example: First, the majority of Russians are non-Christian and unevangelized. John A. Peck, The Apostolic Mission of Journey To Orthodoxy, Orthodox Church in Harbin, China Reopens as an Orthodox Church, "When We Speak of Christ, We Must Start With Christ" - An Interview With Fr. Pretty good. Without waiting for a response, Humbert exited the church and declared, "Let God look and judge." If only they would realise that they are rotting corpses trapped in worshipping themselves.