Can anyone tell me about the Eastern Orthodox Church?
I recently became a Christian, but I have not been baptized nor do I even go to Church. I don't know. I was in a Christian hospital a few months ago and some people came to talk to me about spiritual healing, only if I wanted it. I told them I was interested. I was so moved by the story of Christ's sacrifice for me that I decided I wanted to accept him as my Savior.
I have a lot of problems though with the way many Christian denominations, including "nondenominational" interpret God's word, though.
But any who, I am interested in joining the Eastern Orthodox Church.
What can you tell me about it? What can you tell me about it from the viewpoint of someone from another Church? What are the services like? Does anyone know of any Churches in the Silver Spring, Maryland area that I could attend? Please feel free to email me if you are afraid to say what you really want to say here.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a group of Churches that take the Eastern Patriarch as their spiritual leader. THey seceded from Catholicism (debatable) in the 11Th Century (the Great Schism).
Example of Orthodox Churchs:
-Greek Orthodox
-Russian Orthodox
-Ukrainian Orthodox
It is a very beautiful approach to Christianity. The best way to find out more is to contact the church itself and ask for information. Be blessed and happy hunting for the church that is right for you. Please don't get too hung up on RELIGION however; stick to Relationship between yourself and Christ. That's what it's really all about.
In the beginning the church was one. Then in 1054 the Western Church broke away from the rest of the Church and became the Roman Catholic church. There are many reasons for this, but one was that the Bishop of Rome, instead of being "first among equals" wanted to be the head of the entire church. And there are many other reasons for the split as well. But the Church that remained in the East took the name "Orthodox" meaning right belief and right practice.
I am an Anglican. But I think that the theology of the Eastern church makes more sense than the theology of the Roman Church in the areas in which they differ. These are the meaning of original sin, the way in which Mary was able to be free of original sin when she was expecting Jesus so that Jesus could be born without original sin, and a few other things. They also allow their priest to be married as long as they marry before they are ordained.
Here is a good book to read:
http://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Way-Kalli...
There is some differences between Greek, Russian and other Eastern Rite churches. The one I am most familiar with is the Russian as one of my old professors was a Russian Orthodox priest.
The important thing to know is that you can not receive communion until you are baptized, IN THAT CHURCH. In my church we allow any baptized Christian to receive, but the Orthodox do not. They are like the RC's in that way. I love the service, but it is very, very long at times. I only go to the vespers on Saturday night, which is much shorter. I love the singing.
When in the church, you cross yourself differently than in the RC or Anglican. Women still cover their heads. Communion is taken with a little spoon. That is different than in the West. You must go to confession the night before, same as in the RC.
I consider them to be the keepers of the faith. In arguments between them and the Romans, I take the side of the Orthodox. I am an Anglican because I believe in women priest, birth control and equality of women, which the Orthodox still do not. Also most Russian and Greek churches tend to be mostly people of that nationality and sometimes others do not feel like they fit in as well. I know my friend who left the Anglican church to become Russian Orthodox feels that way. So you may want to consider that. But it depends on where you live. If you can not find an Orthodox church that you feel comfortable in, the Roman is the next best thing... or mine, of course. If you go with Anglican, be sure it is a high church parish, because you will love the 'smells and bell' as in the Orthodox.
Greek Orthodox ( RIGHT WORSHIP) KATHOLIKOS ( Gr. Catholic )
was the started at the Pentecost. in 33 AD by the Apostles. The Founder of Our Church is Jesus Christ EASTERN CHRUCH AS THE FAITH OF GOD FAITH STARTED IN EAST.. ( and the Christians were first Called Chirstian in Antioach IN EAST...
The Bible Known as the Greek Septuagint .Is in GREEK ..
Here is a Link. TRANSLATED TO ENGLISH
http://www.ccel.org/bible/brenton/
All the First Chruches became known as Eastern Orthodox Katholikos Church when we Split with the west. BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN THE
SUPREMACY OF THE PAPPAS ( A GREEK WORD MEANING POPE) Bible Interpretation was WRONG. AND WE DID NOT AND THE WEST WANTED POWER THUS POPE
In the Bible It States CALL NO MAN FATHER..
Meaning FATHER OF ALL.. ( earthly father is fine in Even in Bible it
states
Genesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and Wherefore a man shall leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his ... Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:
bible.cc/genesis/2-24.HTML - 18k
HOWEVER THERE IS ONLY ONE HOLY FATHER.. GOD
Jesus Taught us to pray to OUR FATHER
In Matthew , Luke Matthew and John
There were many other differences ( Our Priests marry as in Bible
as all the Apostles were . ( THUS WE DISAGREED UPON)
We believe in One Baptism. WHICH MEANS IF YOU WERE BAPTISED IN ANOTHER CHRISTIAN CHURCH THAT RECOGNIZED FATHER/ SON/ HOLY GHOST. ( OUR CHRUCH WILL BE RE BAPTISE YOU .( YOU ARE ALREADY BAPTISED )
. SINCE YOU WERE NOT . YOU CAN BE BAPTISED.WE BELIEVE IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE BIBLE. .. WE WILL NOT PROSTELYZE ANYONE ( WHICH MEANS WE DO NOT CONVERT ) YOU MUST BE WILLING TO FOLLOW THE FAITH OF GOD . AND SINCE YOU ARE, YOU WILL BE ACCEPTED .( JESUS SAID COME AND FOLLOW ME ) AND WE DO.
Our Services were 5 Hours Long.. In MODERN TIMES THE SERVICES ARE 1 1/2 to 2 Hours Long.
THIS IS A SITE OF BELIEFS
http://www.acorn.net/stjomelk/belief.htm
ORTHODOXY ( UNITED ORTHDOOX CHURCHES BY FAITH)
The Russian Orthodox Church is part of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and is therefore in communion with all the other churches that belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church, such as the Greeks, Serbians, Romanians, etc. The Coptic Orthodox Church is part of the "miaphysite" group of churches, also called "Oriental" or Non-Chalcedonian churches, and is therefore not in communion with the rest of the Orthodox world. The Eastern Orthodox Church, which includes the Russian Orthodox, accepts the decisions of the Seven (or Nine) Ecumenical Councils, WIKI ANSWERS. COM
Will Get Back to you re Closest Chruch in your Area
If none of these are near you, but you are near a state border, use these sites to search for a church in a bordering state.
Eastern Orthodoxy has held the same beliefs and practices for more than 1500 years. No "keeping up with modern times" or compromising the truth in order to "keep it relevant." God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Visit some churches, talk to the priests and the people, read pamphlets and books.
You'll find variety and differences of opinion on many issues, but the Faith is the same.
I'm an Orthodox priest who used to be a Lutheran minister, so I can
try to provide the two points of view you asked for.
Orthodoxy is the original Church. People call it "Eastern Orthodoxy"
because when the Roman Church went on its own in 1054 the
four Patriarchates (principal Churches) that were left were all Eastern:
Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem.
We need to keep in mind that there really was nothing identifiable as
specifically "Roman Catholicism" until Charlemagne was made "Holy Roman Emperor" in 800 AD. That was the beginning of the "Franco-Latin" movement, which gradually led Rome farther and farther away from the rest of the Church until the rubber band finally snapped three
centuries later. Still, there wasnlt a separate entity known as the
Roman Catholic Church util after 1054.
This is important because we need to remember that the Church was
all One Church, until then. There ws no such thing as Protestantism
until the Sixteenth Century.
So, it was only in the Second Millenium that Christian bodies arose
that modified, or even departed wholesale, from the Faith and
practice of the Primitive Church.
The Church that preserves the doctrine and way of life of the
Primitive Christian Community (not a contemporary attempt at
re-creation, but a living and breathing reality for two thousand years)
is called the "orthodox" Church, or Orthodoxy.
The Orthodox Church in America has a very good short overview of
the Faith on their website: http://www.oca.org. The Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of America has links to exhaustive research materals.
They're at http://www.goarch.com.
Reading is good, but you need to discuss thigs with a priest to help.
you put it in perspective. So, if you want, feel free to write me at
revjvr@yahoo.com.
Now, as for the view from other churches, there appears in our
(perhaos very late) day to be movement in two distinct directions: toward and away from the ancient doctrines of the Faith.
It wasnlt too long ago that when you asked your average Protestant what the Orthodox Church was, he'd dismiss it with, "They're just a funny kind of Catholic." Now, however, there is an "emerging church"
movement which has discovered the Early Fathers, and the Ancient Faith is becoming, slowly but surely, more and more prominent in circles of serious believers.
As for an Orthodox church in your area, just open your Yellow Pages
to "CHURCHES: EASTERN ORTHODOX,' and you'll probably
find one that's reasonably convenient. Hint: unless it's an OCA
parish, it will pay to call ahead and make sure their services are
in English.
This is a very short anwer, and complewtelyinadequate to cover the
ground you want covered. The best advice I could give you is,
visit the Sunday Services in various Orthodox jurisdictions, read
and ask questions. As I said, feel ffree to write.
Can anyone tell me about the Eastern Orthodox Church?
