Hello From Texas

[MHall]

Hello,

I live in San Antonio and have been a Christian my entire life even during the times in my youth when I tested the waters of other faiths. I have spent most of my life in the Protestant denominations and even attended Catholic school. I started attending a High Anglican church several years ago and after about a year and a half of deep prayer, I begin to explore the ability to become a deaconess. Well God works in mysterious ways. As I was finishing up my MA in Practical Theology things fell apart in the church and I was left without a church family. I try attending the episcopal church but something did not just sit right with me or my husband. So we decided to try Orthodox. We are now at a point where we are just deciding which branch to commit ourselves too. My husband loves the Antiochian branch because several of his family members belong to that side while I have fallen in love with the Russian orthodox church. So we pray and wait. I began reading The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues on His Way. Have been following the recommendations of the book and have seen amazing changes.

While reading the book I downloaded the Philokalia to read so I read it along with the book every day. Because my husband leads our house we will probably go to the Antiochian church which is a blessing to find such an amazing church to welcome us. I am here to learn more. My favorite post-modern theologian has to be Karl Barth. Anyway, I look forward to contributing to the forum boards.

Thanks,
M

 

[Halbhh]

Hello,

I live in San Antonio and have been a Christian my entire life even during the times in my youth when I tested the waters of other faiths. I have spent most of my life in the Protestant denominations and even attended Catholic school. I started attending a High Anglican church several years ago and after about a year and a half of deep prayer, I begin to explore the ability to become a deaconess. Well God works in mysterious ways. As I was finishing up my MA in Practical Theology things fell apart in the church and I was left without a church family. I try attending the episcopal church but something did not just sit right with me or my husband. So we decided to try Orthodox. We are now at a point where we are just deciding which branch to commit ourselves too. My husband loves the Antiochian branch because several of his family members belong to that side while I have fallen in love with the Russian orthodox church. So we pray and wait. I began reading The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues on His Way. Have been following the recommendations of the book and have seen amazing changes.

While reading the book I downloaded the Philokalia to read so I read it along with the book every day. Because my husband leads our house we will probably go to the Antiochian church which is a blessing to find such an amazing church to welcome us. I am here to learn more. My favorite post-modern theologian has to be Karl Barth. Anyway, I look forward to contributing to the forum boards.

Thanks,
M

Welcome to CF!

 

[public hermit]

I began reading The Way of a Pilgrim

Welcome! I hope you enjoy CF. I haven't made it all the way through Barth's Church Dogmatics, and I'm not sure I will in this life!

Thank you for mentioning The Way of a Pilgrim. I practice the Jesus Prayer, so I will have to check it out.

 

[MHall]

Welcome to CF!

You just made me look up Karl Barth.
I just read: " Barth argued that the God who is revealed in the cross of Jesus challenges and overthrows any attempt to ally God with human cultures, achievements, or possessions. "
Karl Barth - Wikipedia

Halbhh in a way this is right from the perspective that we were separated from God in Genisis. The return of Jesus to Heaven removes Jesus from humanity and brings him back to God and we are left with the Holy Spirit. If you see that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are three separate and unique beings which are both separate and united together and in return form the Holy Trinity. God should not be united with us but us with him. The development of culture, achievements, or possessions are things that isolate ourselves from God instead of unifying us in my opinion. When we ally God to us instead of us to him we diminish the power and awesomeness go God.

 

[Chesterton]

Hello

Hello neighbor, and welcome to CF! SA here also. Are you a catechumen? I ask because it's possible I may have sat next to you in class last night.

 

[MHall]

Hello neighbor, and welcome to CF! SA here also. Are you a catechumen? I ask because it's possible I may have sat next to you in class last night.

No, unfortunately not. I wish I was but I have missed two classes so far and do not want to disrupt that process. I hope to get around to the catechumen classes next time.

 

[redleghunter]

Welcome to CF!

 

[☦Marius☦]

Hello,

I live in San Antonio and have been a Christian my entire life even during the times in my youth when I tested the waters of other faiths. I have spent most of my life in the Protestant denominations and even attended Catholic school. I started attending a High Anglican church several years ago and after about a year and a half of deep prayer, I begin to explore the ability to become a deaconess. Well God works in mysterious ways. As I was finishing up my MA in Practical Theology things fell apart in the church and I was left without a church family. I try attending the episcopal church but something did not just sit right with me or my husband. So we decided to try Orthodox. We are now at a point where we are just deciding which branch to commit ourselves too. My husband loves the Antiochian branch because several of his family members belong to that side while I have fallen in love with the Russian orthodox church. So we pray and wait. I began reading The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues on His Way. Have been following the recommendations of the book and have seen amazing changes.

While reading the book I downloaded the Philokalia to read so I read it along with the book every day. Because my husband leads our house we will probably go to the Antiochian church which is a blessing to find such an amazing church to welcome us. I am here to learn more. My favorite post-modern theologian has to be Karl Barth. Anyway, I look forward to contributing to the forum boards.

Thanks,
M

Welcome! Looks like you have a choice between two great archdioceses. I have neither antiochian nor Rocor near me unfortunately. Live both to death and I wish you the best on your journey to Orthodoxy!
Lord have mercy.

Welcome! I hope you enjoy CF. I haven't made it all the way through Barth's Church Dogmatics, and I'm not sure I will in this life!

Thank you for mentioning The Way of a Pilgrim. I practice the Jesus Prayer, so I will have to check it out.

Careful with that one. Way of the Pilgrim is meant to be a parable, but many mistakingly think it is a guide to prayer of the heart, which can only be gifted by God.

 

[MHall]

Welcome! Looks like you have a choice between two great archdioceses. I have neither antiochian nor Rocor near me unfortunately. Live both to death and I wish you the best on your journey to Orthodoxy!
Lord have mercy.


Careful with that one. Way of the Pilgrim is meant to be a parable, but many mistakingly think it is a guide to prayer of the heart, which can only be gifted by God.

Agreed Marius. It's a story. But when you read the Philokalia with it. It can provide some great guidance with introspection. Prayer for anyone is a journey. We have to use references and guides to assist us in coming closer to God. To begin their journey, in my opinion, is no better way than to start with the Jesus prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

 

[☦Marius☦]

Agreed Marius. It's a story. But when you read the Philokalia with it. It can provide some great guidance with introspection. Prayer for anyone is a journey. We have to use references and guides to assist us in coming closer to God. To begin their journey, in my opinion, is no better way than to start with the Jesus prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Oh I agree! I just read it in a monastic setting so our abbot was very particular about that specific book because people can get a little too obsessed with it. "time to up my Jesus prayer rule from 100 to 5000!"

I'll be a God bearing elder by next week!

(yes I was one of those people lol)

 

[“Paisios”]

Hello,

I live in San Antonio and have been a Christian my entire life even during the times in my youth when I tested the waters of other faiths. I have spent most of my life in the Protestant denominations and even attended Catholic school. I started attending a High Anglican church several years ago and after about a year and a half of deep prayer, I begin to explore the ability to become a deaconess. Well God works in mysterious ways. As I was finishing up my MA in Practical Theology things fell apart in the church and I was left without a church family. I try attending the episcopal church but something did not just sit right with me or my husband. So we decided to try Orthodox. We are now at a point where we are just deciding which branch to commit ourselves too. My husband loves the Antiochian branch because several of his family members belong to that side while I have fallen in love with the Russian orthodox church. So we pray and wait. I began reading The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues on His Way. Have been following the recommendations of the book and have seen amazing changes.

While reading the book I downloaded the Philokalia to read so I read it along with the book every day. Because my husband leads our house we will probably go to the Antiochian church which is a blessing to find such an amazing church to welcome us. I am here to learn more. My favorite post-modern theologian has to be Karl Barth. Anyway, I look forward to contributing to the forum boards.

Thanks,
M

Welcome to the forums! My 50 year journey to Orthodoxy (Greek, in my case) went through a winding road too - from mainline Protestant to Evangelical Anglican, visits to Roman Catholicism (as I married a Catholic lady), through the Charismatic Episcopal Church and finally I was baptized into the Greek Orthodox Church this past Theophany.

I found the good people here in The Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox were very helpful in my inquiring and catechumen all stages.

The Way of a Pilgrim was of great value to me, as was A Night in the Desert of He Holy Mountain (Hierotheos Vlachos).

You like Barth? My Presbyterian minister father seemed to like him a lot as well. My favorites among recent non-Orthodox theologians would be CS Lewis, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

I hope you will find friendship and fellowship here on Christian Forums, and look forward to hearing of your journey.

 

[MHall]

Welcome to the forums! My 50 year journey to Orthodoxy (Greek, in my case) went through a winding road too - from mainline Protestant to Evangelical Anglican, visits to Roman Catholicism (as I married a Catholic lady), through the Charismatic Episcopal Church and finally I was baptized into the Greek Orthodox Church this past Theophany.

I found the good people here in The Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox were very helpful in my inquiring and catechumen all stages.

The Way of a Pilgrim was of great value to me, as was A Night in the Desert of He Holy Mountain (Hierotheos Vlachos).

You like Barth? My Presbyterian minister father seemed to like him a lot as well. My favorites among recent non-Orthodox theologians would be CS Lewis, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

I hope you will find friendship and fellowship here on Christian Forums, and look forward to hearing of your journey.

Bonhoeffer is an interesting theologian. The influence of society and culture at the time of his works seems to have played a deep impact on his theological writings. Thank you for the book recommendation. I really appreciate it. Your life coming to the Orthodox faith sounds much like me and my husbands. I appreciate your kind words.
Thank you.