Orthodoxy and small town America

[Kristos]

The issue with Orthodoxy in America is that is demographically dying. There are three causation reasons for this that I can see:

1. Orthodoxy is anti west, anti rational and anti modern.

2. Orthodoxy is a top down centralized structure of authoritarian rule power and control inside of a exclusive, closed, isolated, segregated and subjective system.

3. Ethnicity and culture first over Christ first.

And this is your first post on CF? Nothing like jumping in with both feet

 

[Thekla]

false



totally false. I suggest you read some history and look at how often the laity corrected those in power.



also false. look at the Antiochian Archdiocese, the OCA, and the Western Rite wherever you find it. check out St Vlad's Ed Day, or the American Orthodoxy stuff that keeps springing up.



also false, the numbers say otherwise.

the rest of your post is complete garbage and only shows you know next to nothing about how our Church operates.

not to mention, yes there are "ethnic" parishes and the are in my experience (3 of them) quite welcoming.

And (though the understanding of civilization/culture is still discussed and debated territory) ya know, plain ol' US is also "ethnic" (which means nation, and more accurately denotes cultural understanding and language, etc.).

Finally, I have no problem with the Hispanics in my neighborhood retaining their language/culture, any more than I have a problem with the Germanic derived communities, English derived communities etc. within the US where I've lived.

Yes folks, USA is an ethnoi
it's not neutral !

(And I am blessed to attend a 'Greek' parish which keeps the ancient understanding of the language of the Holy Scriptures alive by retaining its culture. Because, as recent studies have found, language and understanding of the language are inextricably linked - kill a language you destroy the cultural reserve of knowledge. This should be valuable to Christian communities, and a reason to retain culture/cultural understanding/living. And perhaps why non-EO Christians go on about "ethnics" - kill Greek culture, Russian culture, etc. you kill off the ancient store of Christian understanding )

 

[ArmyMatt]

I usually bring up the Greek parish in Lancaster that is very Greek, but are drawing in Western converts because the parish is incredibly loving and there are three solid priests at the helm.

 

[Thekla]

I usually bring up the Greek parish in Lancaster that is very Greek, but are drawing in Western converts because the parish is incredibly loving and there are three solid priests at the helm.

exactly (like my parish in PA, and two in the Carolinas)

(btw, the Lancaster parish is lovely, the priests quite good I agree)

 

[CelticRebel]

And this is your first post on CF? Nothing like jumping in with both feet

I had a little trouble understanding him. Maybe he should have been more straightforward.

 

[RobNJ]

^
I have never read a more uninformed, American-centric piece of drivel than that. well done sir. /clap It's like if Jack Chick knew we existed and made a tract for us!

Too many multi-syllable words,. for one of his

 

[GregConstantine]

that guy has posted on many other Orthodox forums with the same exact drivel almost word for word. He is a troll, please ignore him, he will go away if you don't feed him.

 

[SeventhValley]

Honestly in my experience all people are the same. I felt just at home in Korea culture wise as I did the USA. I met some Nigerians who's culture other than language was no different.

You do know alot of protestants are actually well versed in Coin Greek(so they can read the scriptures themselves)...so a mixed Greek English service would be up alot of protestansts alley.(potential converts)

 

[LizaMarie]

To the O.P.- I can't answer your question as to the "why?" although I have my theories.
Recall that the U.S. Southeast had very few Catholic or Lutheran churches up until maybe the 20th century? I think it had a lot to do with the way the North and South America were settled. Mostly Spanish, Portuguese andFrench Catholics settled central and South America while Anglo protestants settled the North excepting Alaska which was once Russian Orthodox so not as many Orthodox Churches. In short has to do with history.
Anyway I am in the same boat as you I live in rural upper Midwest the closest Orthodox parish is 80 miles away I do plan to visit as soon as possible.

 

[GregConstantine]

@LisaMarie, did you read what I wrote? This guy is a troll, please do not respond directly to him

 

[prodromos]

You do know alot of protestants are actually well versed in Coin Greek(so they can read the scriptures themselves)...so a mixed Greek English service would be up alot of protestansts alley.(potential converts)

Unfortunately many of then would have learned the Erasmus pronunciation rather than the organic modern Greek, so they would have trouble recognising the words they were hearing.

Does anybody read Latin this way? Why on earth have academics embraced an artificial reconstruction of how they think Greek used to be pronounced, yet don't do the same for Latin?

 

[GregConstantine]

because western scholars historically believed Latin was superior to Greek.

 

[prodromos]

because western scholars historically believed Latin was superior to Greek.

I wonder how they developed that attitude? Latin only has one quarter the vocabulary of Greek (another reason why Rome's theology has diverged from the East's)

 

[ArmyMatt]

@LisaMarie, did you read what I wrote? This guy is a troll, please do not respond directly to him

she did Greg, she responded to the OP, not the troll.

 

[~Anastasia~]

that guy has posted on many other Orthodox forums with the same exact drivel almost word for word. He is a troll, please ignore him, he will go away if you don't feed him.

Normally it is my "job" to be welcoming people to CF, but I believe part of the post was pasted in overlap, so it appears you may be right, Greg.

I will say that to a new person coming to CF, I extend a warm "welcome"!

As to the post, I started skimming after 500 words or so in. It is very uninformed. The "problem" is not that the Orthodox Church is dying, but that it is growing faster than the seminaries can provide priests to serve the parishioners and those interested, so naturally priests are sent to those established parishes in need first.

The rest is so inaccurate, it doesn't bear a response.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Unfortunately many of then would have learned the Erasmus pronunciation rather than the organic modern Greek, so they would have trouble recognising the words they were hearing.

Does anybody read Latin this way? Why on earth have academics embraced an artificial reconstruction of how they think Greek used to be pronounced, yet don't do the same for Latin?

My learning is coming slowly, but I'm thankful it is apparently authentic liturgical Greek. Our priest apparently has a great gift for it, and has had some very demanding critics over the years to correct him. It's also very clear to hear ... so while I'm learning slowly, at least perhaps I'm learning correctly. I just wonder if my lifetime is enough to become as fluent as I hope to be in my understanding.

 

[SeventhValley]

because western scholars historically believed Latin was superior to Greek.

More that Latin because of the West Roman Empire became the lingua franca of Europe's educated for around 1000 years.

Really no language is superior to any other like Islam says of Arabic.

Also they take many guesses at what Old English sounded like. No one knows but it dose not sound like modern English.

 

[Thekla]

More that Latin because of the West Roman Empire became the lingua franca of Europe's educated for around 1000 years.

Really no language is superior to any other like Islam says of Arabic.

Also they take many guesses at what Old English sounded like. No one knows but it dose not sound like modern English.

Likely online you can hear Seamus Heaney reading Beowulf in an approximation of early English - whether or not it's accurate, it's gorgeous to hear. (His translation of Beowulf into modern English is wonderful, too.) And you can listen to Frisian ( a root of English) for something of an approximation as well.

 

[CelticRebel]

@LisaMarie, did you read what I wrote? This guy is a troll, please do not respond directly to him

Surely you are not referring to me.

 

[Thekla]

Surely you are not referring to me.

nah, don't think so at all