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.
I'm friendly with 2 different families, both of whom are Orthodox Christians. One family is ethnic Serb from the former Yugoslavia and the other is ethnic Russian from the former Soviet Union.
I have attended the Divine Liturgy at their respective Orthodox churches. The ritual, style of worship, singing, language (Old Slavonic) during the Divine Liturgy is the same for both groups.
But, both sets of neighbors seem to feel that the Orthodox Church is not welcoming for someone who was not born into the faith. Specifically, if someone is not of an ethnic background in which Orthodoxy was the national church (Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, etc.)
Are there any posters who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and if so, how do you feel about inclusion or exclusion toward someone considering conversion to Orthodoxy?
I'm not Orthodox, but ethnicity and nationality are intertwined with Orthodoxy in a way no other Christian group is.
From what I understand, the Orthodox church follows the ancient model of each nation or group gets it's own church. If you were born in a certain area and were to be Christian, that was your church. None of the "now I'm a Christian and now I must choose which church" mentality we have today in much of western society. They would get along and commune with each other and teach the same things, however.
There may have been a few offshoot groups considered heretical by the mainstream, but nothing at all like modern day protestantism.
In America, a land of immigrants, it's just complicated because we already had several forms of Christianity here long before the Orthodox came along in any significant numbers. So we didn't have a singular Orthidox group coming over here to evangelize a nation of non-Christians.
Instead, Orthodoxy comes here from many different parts of the globe, and is used as a cultural boat anchor of sorts as a way to keep some identity to back home.
Some have tried to unify American Orthodoxy under one church, but that boat anchor mentality is very strong. For the most part, the various Orthodox churches with all their different jurisdictions get along pretty well.
For outsiders, some might wonder why don't you just go to your American church, while many Orthodox churches can be welcoming and also have an outreach mentality.
My mother was raised Catholic, but her grandparents were Russian Orthodox, and she was readily embraced by the Ukrainian Orthodox community. So... I think there is some flexibility there, but of course overarching generalizations really can't/shouldn't be made, imo.
I'm friendly with 2 different families, both of whom are Orthodox Christians. One family is ethnic Serb from the former Yugoslavia and the other is ethnic Russian from the former Soviet Union.
I have attended the Divine Liturgy at their respective Orthodox churches. The ritual, style of worship, singing, language (Old Slavonic) during the Divine Liturgy is the same for both groups.
But, both sets of neighbors seem to feel that the Orthodox Church is not welcoming for someone who was not born into the faith. Specifically, if someone is not of an ethnic background in which Orthodoxy was the national church (Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, etc.)
Are there any posters who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and if so, how do you feel about inclusion or exclusion toward someone considering conversion to Orthodoxy?
Yes. I am a convert (white guy) to Orthodoxy (Antiochian) and have been made to feel VERY welcome at my local parish. Anyone who tells you that Orthodox Christianity is based on ethnic background/heritage doesn't understand the faith.
I have never experienced any church service more reverent and beautiful that that of the Orthodox Church.
Yes. I am a convert (white guy) to Orthodoxy (Antiochian) and have been made to feel VERY welcome at my local parish. Anyone who tells you that Orthodox Christianity is based on ethnic background/heritage doesn't understand the faith.
I have never experienced any church service more reverent and beautiful that that of the Orthodox Church.
I agree that most Orthodox churches would and should be welcoming to anyone.
My point was that being the most ancient of Christian traditions, they go back to a time when if a person was a Christian, they simply went to the local church which was overseen by a local bishop whose jurisdiction was based on geographical regions.
In America, an American Orthodox church has never materialized partly because immigrants have used that part of their lives as something to hold on to from their native culture.
While I admire that closeness to heritage, it's hindered the formation of a singular Orthodox church in this country, even to the dismay of many Orthodox themselves. Technically, I don't think they're supposed to step over each other's geographical boundaries.
So when you have Russian, Greek, and Antiochian churches within a few blocks of each other in the same city, that's not the ideal way to do Orthodoxy.
Good thing is, they seem to get along and interact which each other quite well for the most part.
I agree that most Orthodox churches would and should be welcoming to anyone.
My point was that being the most ancient of Christian traditions, they go back to a time when if a person was a Christian, they simply went to the local church which was overseen by a local bishop whose jurisdiction was based on geographical regions.
In America, an American Orthodox church has never materialized partly because immigrants have used that part of their lives as something to hold on to from their native culture.
While I admire that closeness to heritage, it's hindered the formation of a singular Orthodox church in this country, even to the dismay of many Orthodox themselves. Technically, I don't think they're supposed to step over each other's geographical boundaries.
So when you have Russian, Greek, and Antiochian churches within a few blocks of each other in the same city, that's not the ideal way to do Orthodoxy.
Good thing is, they seem to get along and interact which each other quite well for the most part.
Yes, you are correct and I apologize for misunderstanding. Multiple jurisdictions are not the best way to "do" Orthodoxy. Here in the US there is in addition to the Russian, Serbian, Arabic, Greek etc parishes the Orthodox Church of America (OCA). I suppose in truth, it should be the "only" Orthodox Church in the USA. However, as you state, most if not all the jurisdictions present in the US are in Communion with one another....I myself have attended Antiochian, Bulgarian and OCA parishes....all were welcoming....all were Canonical...and I received Communion in all three.
Yes, you are correct and I apologize for misunderstanding. Multiple jurisdictions are not the best way to "do" Orthodoxy. Here in the US there is in addition to the Russian, Serbian, Arabic, Greek etc parishes the Orthodox Church of America (OCA). I suppose in truth, it should be the "only" Orthodox Church in the USA. However, as you state, most if not all the jurisdictions present in the US are in Communion with one another....I myself have attended Antiochian, Bulgarian and OCA parishes....all were welcoming....all were Canonical...and I received Communion in all three.
Sincerely,
G
Would the Orthodox Church of Denmark’s acronym be OCD?...
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.
