Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My family was from eastern europe and this is still their religion. I'm not involved in it myself apart from the odd Christmas or Easter ceremony but am interested in maybe getting into it. What is your opinions?
My family was from eastern europe and this is still their religion. I'm not involved in it myself apart from the odd Christmas or Easter ceremony but am interested in maybe getting into it. What is your opinions?
Very similar to Catholicism, very like-minded theology. They, of course, don't submit to the Pope.
Is there something in particular you're looking for?
My family was from eastern europe and this is still their religion. I'm not involved in it myself apart from the odd Christmas or Easter ceremony but am interested in maybe getting into it. What is your opinions?
There are literally dozens of separate orthodox groups or denominations.
The western church is typically divided into two main categories; Protestant and Catholic. Despite their separate traditions, both traditions generally uphold basic beliefs. But because most immigrants to America originate from western Europe our appreciation of the Orthodox churches is nil.
In Orthodoxy there are also two main divisions, but unlike the Christian denominations of the west the Orthodox Churches are not linked to one another by means of political or financial ties. By that I mean that there is no Pope of the Orthodox church - no head bishop or committee. Each orthodox church has its own independent leadership. There has not been a synod, or gathering of orthodox leadership, for nearly fifteen hundred years. The Russian Orthodox Church is trying to organize one, but are not having much success with it. Orthodox churches are fiercly independent.
The basic tenants of the Orthodox Churches are identical with the churches of the west. Traditions differ as to methods of celebration (the liturgy). Western opinions of Orthodoxy vary considerably and are mostly due to ignorance of their traditions and theology.
If you are drawn to your ancestral roots I suggest you 'put a toe in' as they say. Check it out for a while without making any permanent committments and see how it goes. It couldn't hurt. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, but there are many ways for one who has made peace with Him to celebrate that relationship.
The Eastern Orthodox churches actually operate from a completely different theological perspective and mindset from western churches , despite any seeming similarities . I was friends with GOA priest when Mel Gibsons movie The Passion came out . I remember him telling me flat out that " the Orthodox don't understand that movie or that view of God and Christ".
They may look similar , but they are not . The west is very punishment minded and views sin as a crime that someone has to be punished for . The EO view sin as symptoms of a disease that you must go to Christ for healing . Totally different mindsets .
In the view of many EO theologians what humans perceive as heaven and hell are actually the same place . There is no heaven or hell, only the presence of God . If you understand this, you understand the difference between the EO and western Christianity .
Just yesterday (actually yesterday!) I started reading about Orthodoxy, so I appreciate this thread! I began at the website Journey to Orthodoxy.
Even coming from the most Protestant of Protestant backgrounds, there is appeal in going "back to the start." I also learned that all of my convictions regarding the Reformation were really Catholicism oriented, and I'm starting from scratch on understanding some underlying concepts (my previous unquestioning acceptance of sola scriptura, for example.)
Do you have much of a local Orthodox presence where you live?
I flirted with Eastern Orthodoxy as a "last ditch effort" to save my crumbling faith in Christianity.
Their theology is similar to Roman Catholic theology, at least from the perspective of a conservative Protestant: no guarantee of salvation, a lot of veneration of the saints and the Virgin Mary, etc. Hard for a conservative Protestant to handle the idea that there's no 100% guarantee of avoiding hell.
Also, I had heard too many horror stories of corrupt church leaders scamming people out of money with myrrh streaming icons, which were supposedly miraculous in real time.
I flirted with Eastern Orthodoxy as a "last ditch effort" to save my crumbling faith in Christianity.
Their theology is similar to Roman Catholic theology, at least from the perspective of a conservative Protestant: no guarantee of salvation, a lot of veneration of the saints and the Virgin Mary, etc. Hard for a conservative Protestant to handle the idea that there's no 100% guarantee of avoiding hell.
Also, I had heard too many horror stories of corrupt church leaders scamming people out of money with myrrh streaming icons, which were supposedly miraculous in real time.
True and they take the word of later men on an equality with the Bible and even reject the Bible at times in favor of such. I have found most are either very ignorant of the Bible or VERY aggressive for their church. The EOC is interesting in its claims and differing views from Catholicism, but not very different in its claims to authority and behavior.
Very similar to Catholicism, very like-minded theology.
Not really. I am Orthodox Christian and have been my entire life. (I am of Eastern European decent as well).
Here is what I respect about the church - it has not changed. Some things have changed, but the core of the church has not. For example, early services lasted as much as 6 hours long; we don't do that anymore (although sometimes it may seem like it). It's hard for me to understand how other Christian denominations can claim that their way is "right." The Orthodox Church is not perfect, but how can someone from say a Baptist church claim that their beliefs truer than the beliefs of the church that was actually started by the apostles themselves?
I also like that although there are basic tenants, the emphasis is on what is in your heart more than your actions. It may not seem that way since there are so many "rules" like fasting. But if someone gives up just meat for lent instead of following the fast to a T, that's OK! It's about your sacrifice and recognition of God's sacrifice, not about who's eating animal products or not.
Go to Orthodox Church in America. They have a lot of good information there, including a very helpful Question and Answer section.
There are literally dozens of separate orthodox groups or denominations.
The western church is typically divided into two main categories; Protestant and Catholic. Despite their separate traditions, both traditions generally uphold basic beliefs. But because most immigrants to America originate from western Europe our appreciation of the Orthodox churches is nil.
In Orthodoxy there are also two main divisions, but unlike the Christian denominations of the west the Orthodox Churches are not linked to one another by means of political or financial ties. By that I mean that there is no Pope of the Orthodox church - no head bishop or committee. Each orthodox church has its own independent leadership. There has not been a synod, or gathering of orthodox leadership, for nearly fifteen hundred years. The Russian Orthodox Church is trying to organize one, but are not having much success with it. Orthodox churches are fiercly independent.
The basic tenants of the Orthodox Churches are identical with the churches of the west. Traditions differ as to methods of celebration (the liturgy). Western opinions of Orthodoxy vary considerably and are mostly due to ignorance of their traditions and theology.
If you are drawn to your ancestral roots I suggest you 'put a toe in' as they say. Check it out for a while without making any permanent committments and see how it goes. It couldn't hurt. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, but there are many ways for one who has made peace with Him to celebrate that relationship.
and that's me, hollering from the choir loft...
Just because the different geographical divisions of the Orthodox Church don't have financial ties, does not mean they are separate. They are, in fact, still in communion with each other and are one church. In other words, just because the Russian Orthodox Church doesn't have a common bank account with the Greek Orthodox church doesn't mean that a member of one can't take communion at the other.
The choice to not have a leader (aka Pope) was a very deliberate one and goes back to the formation of the church by the Apostles. They believe that the Church only had one leader, and that was God. No one Apostle had absolute power to make decisions for the church; all decisions needed to be made by conscientious. The Church still holds these beliefs today. God is the only true leader, and any decisions need to be made by unanimous decision by the leader of each regional Church.
True and they take the word of later men on an equality with the Bible and even reject the Bible at times in favor of such. I have found most are either very ignorant of the Bible or VERY aggressive for their church. The EOC is interesting in its claims and differing views from Catholicism, but not very different in its claims to authority and behavior.
The founders of the Orthodox Church are actually the same people who wrote the Bible, so I'm curious as to which parts you think the Church is ignorant of.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
