Converting to Orthodoxy

[Justin-H.S.]

*Orthodox Only*

What was the nature of your conversion?

Were you married into Orthodoxy?

Were you “led” to Orthodoxy through a series of rabbit holes (probably put in place by God)?

Did you ask a bunch of questions to determine which “denomination” you agreed with most?

Some other method?

These are the usual avenues of conversion stories often heard. If it’s something else for you, feel free to share.

As for me, I’d say my conversion had to do with:
1. Being exposed to multiple religions growing up. (Protestantism, Catholicism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism)
2. Aesthetics
3. Authenticity
4. Coherency

 

[E.C.]

I converted when I was sixteen from Catholicism.

Basically, my stepmom was part of the former EOC group that became Orthodox back in the late 1980s and when her first marriage fell apart, she moved down to Washington state and eventually met my dad. He converted some years later when they got married. I converted a year or so later after a priest in Miami, FL gave me a copy of Ware's "The Orthodox Church".


I looked into some stuff before that. I remember researching Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, but really didn't see much theological cohesion in any of them. Eventually I hit a point where I asked "where the original Church" and discounted all of Protestantism. Not long after was when I was given "The Orthodox Church"

 

[prodromos]

I married a Greek woman who I met at the Baptist Church we were both attending. She was only nominally Orthodox as her parents only ever took the family to Church on Christmas and Easter (her father later had a complete turn around near the end of his life, attending every day, being first to arrive and last to leave).
A week after our wedding in Australia, we moved to Greece where we spent the next 12 years. We initially attended an Evangelical Church but on the whole found ourselves needing something deeper. My wife found herself drawn back to her baptismal roots and began attending the Orthodox parish nearest us. As some of the practices I witnessed in the Church were a cultural shock for my humble Protestant upbringing and experience (such as veneration of icons), I began to research the history and theology behind them, finding myself in agreement as I learned the basis behind each one. Eventually I understood that this Church had been there from the beginning and I needed to be joined to it.
Been there ever since.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

Catholic by birth, rarely went to church as a kid. Was fascinated by Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism as a teen. I traveled to Thailand and vividly remember bowing before the statues of the Buddha trying to make merit, meditating, lighting incense.....room full of Buddhas and bodhisattvas....

As a teen the Holy Spirit started calling stronger than ever, and my mom, myself, and my dad (unbaptized!) to my surprise came with me to Mass. I got confirmed and my dad got baptized. We all became church-going.

Then I started questioning papal authority. We started going to an Anglican parish. I missed the Theotokos and confession and went back to Catholic

then back to Anglican
Back to Catholic.

dramamine anyone?

spent years on Catholic forums being more Catholic than the pope OR Thomas Cranmer back and forth until I stumbled upon a book by Father John Meyendorf in a Catholic book shop in San Francisco. He was Orthodox. The book was called The Primacy of Peter.

Visited my Serbian Orthodox parish for a year in 2011.....converted to Holy Orthodoxy 2012. Ordained a Reader 2019.

Would rather die than revert or leave. Here to stay.

whole family converted together. No regrets. Serbian desserts sweetened the deal...pardon the pun.

 

[prodromos]

Would rather die than revert or leave. Here to stay.

Amen to that.

whole family converted together. No regrets. Serbian desserts sweetened the deal...pardon

I'm not a huge fan of the Greek deserts but the Mediterranean food is awesome!

 

[ArmyMatt]

I debated an Orthodox street preacher and lost....big time.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

Orthodox street preacher.

I didn't even know that existed.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

I married a Greek woman who I met at the Baptist Church we were both attending. She was only nominally Orthodox as her parents only ever took the family to Church on Christmas and Easter (her father later had a complete turn around near the end of his life, attending every day, being first to arrive and last to leave).
A week after our wedding in Australia, we moved to Greece where we spent the next 12 years. We initially attended an Evangelical Church but on the whole found ourselves needing something deeper. My wife found herself drawn back to her baptismal roots and began attending the Orthodox parish nearest us. As some of the practices I witnessed in the Church were a cultural shock for my humble Protestant upbringing and experience (such as veneration of icons), I began to research the history and theology behind them, finding myself in agreement as I learned the basis behind each one. Eventually I understood that this Church had been there from the beginning and I needed to be joined to it.
Been there ever since.

The majority of "Married into Orthodoxy" people seem to just go through the motions. Good on you both for taking it seriously.

 

[Justin-H.S.]

I stumbled upon a book by Father John Meyendorf in a Catholic book shop in San Francisco. He was Orthodox. The book was called The Primacy of Peter.

Interesting that they had that book. They must've assumed it was an apologetic for the papacy?

 

[Justin-H.S.]

Grew up nominally "Protestant." My grandma had a Buddhist prayer corner for grandpa that I'd see her praying at sometimes. Used to seeing Shinto shrines everywhere. Festivals. Sumo. Everything was infused with Shinto and Buddhism. etc. It's just part of the culture. We weren't really sure what Protestant denomination we were, but towards the end of high school we were attending a small evangelical guitar church. You know the type.

Had a bunch of Filipino friends in high school and they were all Catholic. I preferred Catholicism because Mexicans and Filipinos are Catholic, and it always seemed exotic. "Rosaries are cool. I want one." I was rebelling. Graduated high school. Boot camp. Quit going to church.

Agnostic. Eventually atheist. Some life stuff happened and found myself going back to church. I'd pop in just to make fun of it. Real edgy. "Look at these clowns. This place looks like a rock concert." Kept going anyway. Six months later the pastors message start breaking through. Started reading the Bible. I liked Proverbs because it was "Red Pill AF."

I liked apologetics. CS Lewis, Ravi Zacharias, Frank Tuerek, etc. Some fella on a forum started slanging Dostoyevsky to me. Hmmm... Anyways, wanted to get deeper into the faith. "There's gotta be more to this than just Life Application." "How do I become spiritual?" "I need to start praying more, but how do I pray?" "Why is worship so....damn....corny?" "Why are they trying to fit in with the secular world?" "What happened to the old timey Christian PAINTINGS that I used to see in the history books?" "Why don't Protestants hold any of the historic churches in Israel/Palestine?" Etc. So many questions.

Got into Christian Esotericism for little bit. https://www.amazon.com/Inner-Christ...er+christianity&qid=1603112009&s=books&sr=1-1 . Started looking into Gurdjeff and other "Mystics." Considered the Rosicrucians. Considered Freemasonry.

Read an article on Daily Wire. "America is in a Spiritual Decline." Co-sign. Searched YouTube: "Why is America in Spiritual Decline?" Found this video:

Absolute co-sign with Fr. Seraphim Cardoza.

Google search: "Orthodox churches near me" and that was it. Orthodoxy answered all the questions I had and continues to answer new questions that come up.

 

[OrthodoxWanderer]

Went through a big spiritual awakening when I was 13 or 14. I don't know why, my mom was Christian I guess but only in the loosest sense. We had a Bible but never read it, nor did we ever attend any church. My mom was raised in some non-denominational church but by the time of my great awakening she became interested in psychics, mediums etc. So, I became all excited about Christ, read the Bible front to back and subsequently fell very, very hard into the occult. Spent twenty years knowing I was Christian but I was so deep into the occult world that I was pretty much "in the closet" about my true feelings, weird as that may sound.

Couple years ago was at the lowest point in my life. I realize now, of course, that it was because I had spent my life damaging my soul, but I didn't see that at the time. All I know is for some reason I remembered how I had felt when I was a kid and I decided to pick up my Bible again. That was that, I decided I wasn't going to deny Chist anymore. I didn't know how to actually become a Christian, though, so I just kept praying and wandering.

I wandered through all the various Protestant churches wondering why the Christ I knew existed somehow never seemed present at the churches I was attending. But, I had made a promise to God and so I just kept wandering around.

A friend I had made through the occult circles I was in was a cradle Orthodox, and one day I found myself telling them about the state I was in. They explained the same thing had happened to them but that they were in the recovery process via repentance, confession and taking Holy Communion. I had no idea what Orthodoxy meant but I decided to entertain my friend by attending a local Orthodox church. I assumed it would at least be good for a laugh (not proud of that, now). Well, joke's on me because after attending an inquirer's class and the Vespers that followed I knew right then that Christ was most definitely in this church! I was eventually received in that same parish, which I still attend.

Honestly, I just walked in that day and God said "Gotcha!!!".

 

[ArmyMatt]

I didn't even know that existed.

he's my Godfather now.

 

[Lukaris]

I became Orthodox because I believe it is the original apostolic faith which offers a sense of hope for anyone. There is heaven or hell but hope for anyone ( 1 Timothy 4:10).