Losing our religion

George95

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A recent article on the challenge of interfaith marriage in Greek Orthodoxy has been circulating widely on Facebook.[1] One reason for the article’s popularity is its startling claim that 90% of Americans with Greek roots are no longer in communion with the Orthodox Church.
Similarly dismal statistics are likely true for most Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States, but the article in question concerns only the Greek Archdiocese.

Read more here.
 

buzuxi02

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All churches are contracting. Just look at how many RC church properties have sold off, even with the immigration from rc strongholds. Within a generation or two when the 90% of the so called Christians no longer feel it neccesary to label themselves as such, then we will know who remains faithful.
 
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ArmyMatt

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plus, even if those with Greek roots are no longer members of the Church, I do know of a ton who are converting to the Greek Church. I have a buddy who is Greek on his mother's side a few generations ago, but he was raised Lutheran since he is mostly German. he still has Greek heritage though, so he would fall into those stats, even though he never was in the Church to begin with.
 
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Maybe if we get to the point that we have an American Orthodox Patriarchate or North American Patriarchate, whatever, then we'll have less ethnic stigma and our unity will be able to overcome this stuff. If we're able to create just an Orthodox Church there isn't that narrow ethnic identity people feel uncomfortable about or divergent from with mixed marriages? I don't know...
 
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buzuxi02

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That article is highly problematic. First off the article speaks about americans with greek roots. What does that exactly mean? No one expects the descendants of greeks who started emigrated beginning after 1890 and have assimilated to all be hardcore Goarch attendees. Would such a conclusion faze anyone if it were about russian or ukranian descendants?

Secondly the solution of retaining membership by taking care of orphans and widows is preposterous. The sole reason Christianity was strong is because it was the state religion. When a new regime took over things changed.

I hate to say this but the fact is Christianity is a dying religion in the west. Just look at the demographics.
 
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ArmyMatt

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Maybe if we get to the point that we have an American Orthodox Patriarchate or North American Patriarchate, whatever, then we'll have less ethnic stigma and our unity will be able to overcome this stuff. If we're able to create just an Orthodox Church there isn't that narrow ethnic identity people feel uncomfortable about or divergent from with mixed marriages? I don't know...

it'll happen, it's just gonna take some time. it seems to be happening at the local level and working its way up. we will get there eventually, and the jurisdictional silliness we have here will get ironed out.
 
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I'll happen....in the next 350 years, it'll happen....:p:p:p

it'll happen, it's just gonna take some time. it seems to be happening at the local level and working its way up. we will get there eventually, and the jurisdictional silliness we have here will get ironed out.
 
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ArmyMatt

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I'll happen....in the next 350 years, it'll happen....:p:p:p

haha, maybe. but a lot of non-ethnic folks are converting to traditionally ethnic parishes, and more and more see themselves merely as Orthodox. the parish that I go to when I visit my folks is Antiochian, and they are a hodge podge of ethnicities and cultures, with a German priest and his Irish khouria. so I don't think it will take that long, we just need to be patient. I don't think God would have planted Orthodoxy on this hemisphere for us to seem divided by culture. Orthodoxy is beyond that.
 
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buzuxi02

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I'm not to sure what the article is pointing to. There have always been certain nationalities that identify with a specific religion. I work in an area with a large irish community. Obviously there extremely nominal but most still identify as Roman Catholics, and celebrate st Patricks day as more of an ethnic secular holiday.
Greeks for the most part will always identify as Greek Orthodox. This is why I question the 90 % figure. These figures include everyone that had a great great great grandfather that arrived in Ellis Island as the "apostate" descendants of the 90 percent.

Its irrelevant the subgroup, with the advent of enlightenment ideals, secular humanism, seperation of church from state, the bashing of faith by scientists, has lead to its erosion. Look at brazil, the largest RC country, yet the RC had been in decline for decades . With the biggest winner being buddhism.
 
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Ok, 275 years....:p

I think you're right, Matt. My parish is "Serbian," but it illustrates your point. There aren't enough Serbians in our parish to fill a Hyundai, bro. It has people of all walks of life, bigtime. Lots of converts steadily coming in, and overtime it's going to kick in, this new patriarchate. Rumors fly around right and left, and I hear that Bishop Maxim, my bishop, is heavily involved in the talks toward this new patriarchate, and people are already saying he could be the patriarch...but that's just a TAD premature to predict, right? lol



haha, maybe. but a lot of non-ethnic folks are converting to traditionally ethnic parishes, and more and more see themselves merely as Orthodox. the parish that I go to when I visit my folks is Antiochian, and they are a hodge podge of ethnicities and cultures, with a German priest and his Irish khouria. so I don't think it will take that long, we just need to be patient. I don't think God would have planted Orthodoxy on this hemisphere for us to seem divided by culture. Orthodoxy is beyond that.
 
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buzuxi02

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There maybe a patriarch in the distant future but many more growing pains must follow. Will this patriarch be in charge of the canadien churches? Would Mexico be included? What if The United States begins splitting apart? Obviously the MP model isn't too successful right now and that's exactly what an American patriarchate would mirror.

Before that, some council, whether it be this supposed great council of 2016 or whatever, will have to deal with how churches become autonomous or autocephalous, what procedure they can follow to split off from their mother churches, etc. A single patriarch for an entire continent may not be the best idea.
 
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ArmyMatt

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Ok, 275 years....:p

I think you're right, Matt. My parish is "Serbian," but it illustrates your point. There aren't enough Serbians in our parish to fill a Hyundai, bro. It has people of all walks of life, bigtime. Lots of converts steadily coming in, and overtime it's going to kick in, this new patriarchate. Rumors fly around right and left, and I hear that Bishop Maxim, my bishop, is heavily involved in the talks toward this new patriarchate, and people are already saying he could be the patriarch...but that's just a TAD premature to predict, right? lol

yep, and that is becoming more the norm, at least from what I have been seeing.
 
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