conservative churches?

[frankincense]

Which Orthodox Church do you believe is the most conservative? (ie headcovering, traditional..) There are several around me in my new area, but my husband & I are not sure which one we should attend. Thanks!

 

[Philip]

My first guess would be ROCOR, but they are in schism. After that, my experience (Antiochian and OCA) is that they are roughly the same.

 

[Maximus]

Which Orthodox Church do you believe is the most conservative? (ie headcovering, traditional..) There are several around me in my new area, but my husband & I are not sure which one we should attend. Thanks!

Generally, that would be ROCOR.

 

[Rilian]

Probably either the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Rocor), or parishes of the Jerusalem Patriarchate of which there are only a few in this country.

I think it might be more appropriate to say Rocor is in irregular status. They are in direct communion (meaning their priests will concelebrate) with the Serbian and Jerusalem Patriarchates. Faithful from other jurisidictions can commune at Rocor churches provided it is approved by priests at both churches. Rocor is also in talks to reestablish formal relations with the Russian Church.

Those are probably the generalizations. There can be variance at individual parishes in every jurisdiction.

[Welcome to TAW by the way!]

 

[Michael G]

My first guess would be ROCOR, but they are in schism. After that, my experience (Antiochian and OCA) is that they are roughly the same.

The ROCOR schism for all intents and purposes is basically over. It will be officially over by the end of the year or early next year when the parishes vote to ratify the bishops decision to recommune with the Moscow Patriarchate.

 

[Maximus]

My first guess would be ROCOR, but they are in schism. After that, my experience (Antiochian and OCA) is that they are roughly the same.

Schism?

How so?

 

[Maximus]

The ROCOR schism for all intents and purposes is basically over. It will be officially over by the end of the year or early next year when the parishes vote to ratify the bishops decision to recommune with the Moscow Patriarchate.

ROCOR never was schismatic.

It has always been in communion, at the very least, with the Serbian and Jerusalem patriarchates.

 

[Maximus]

Here is the ROCOR web site.

St. John Maximovitch and Fr. Seraphim Rose were part of ROCOR.

 

[Khaleas]

The ROCOR schism for all intents and purposes is basically over. It will be officially over by the end of the year or early next year when the parishes vote to ratify the bishops decision to recommune with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Just before I went to Finland I overheard something about there being some more issues... and that they might not even vote on it next year (first it was this fall). But who knows...

 

[gzt]

Of the relatively regular ones, ROCOR. There are several schismatic groups, some schismed off of ROCOR, that are even more, um, staunch, but I recommend against getting involved with them. But, really, for all intents and purposes, any Orthodox jurisdiction should do. Don't worry about this.

 

[Theophorus]

Attending services at most men's monastaries of any jurisdiction would be conservative.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

What metro area are you in? I think ANY jurisdiction would be great, except for fake Orthodox churches... any yahoo can put out a shingle and claim to be Orthodox, even though they have no connection with any other Orthdox church. We'd like to help you avoid those, but any regular jurisdiction would be great.

 

[Maximus]

If, as your OP indicated, you are looking for a church that requires headcoverings for women, then you are probably going to want to attend a ROCOR church (as several of us have already pointed out).

Some Orthodox churches are more liberal than others, but that varies, even within a single jurisdiction.

As far as I know, ROCOR has never belonged to the NCC or the WCC, and Antioch has recently renounced its membership in the NCC.

In a certain definite sense, that makes them more conservative than other jurisdictions that still participate in those organizations.

 

[Theophorus]

Also, between the two, Antiochian and OCA, the Antiochians parishes are more likely to be conservative in the headcovering area, as they are also less likely to have pews. But the OCA might be considered more conservative in other areas.

 

[gzt]

Theo: my experience is the opposite. It probably depends where you are, what the background of the parish is.

 

[frankincense]

Thanks for the answers everyone!

 

[Theophorus]

Theo: my experience is the opposite. It probably depends where you are, what the background of the parish is.

Really! I guess it does depend on where you are and the background. The Antiochian parishes I know of are mostly converts, which I am sure plays a role.

 

[Vasya Davidovich]

My experience is that the Serbs and the Romanians can also be fairly conservative at times.

 

[Franze]

Why orthodox are joined in a unique patriarchate like Jerusalem? for language differences?

 

[xristos.anesti]

Why orthodox are joined in a unique patriarchate like Jerusalem? for language differences?

What do you mean?


OP:
I think that it is very hard to make a general statement on Sister Churches in this regard. It really varies from local Church to local Church. Where I live, there are two Serbian Churches with about 200 meters between them. Same priests are always in the same Church, Same Bishop, same people but both Churches are different every Lord's day.

And it is same with 3 Greek, a Russian, a Romanian and an Antiochian Churches that are in the area.

I do not know what is it, but every Church is different at any given Lord's day.

The only exeption is St. John's Monastery, but that is to be expected...