Proselytizing

[wayseer]

I have read that the Orthodox Church does not proselytize. Am I correct in understanding that Orthodoxy is somewhat moderate in its evangelism?

 

[Antony in Tx]

St. Seraphim of Serov said, "Acquire a peaceful spirit and thousands around you will be saved." I think this is a good statement of how EO's approach evangelism. We work on our own salvation with fear and trembling, and if someone asks us about our faith we share freely. I doubt you will find an EO out actively trying to recruit converts. In fact we treat visitors to our parish who are not EO as just that, a visitor in our home. We don't try to get them to be a member of the family, unless they really want that. That said, a person could come and be a "visitor" or inquirer for years and probably never be pressured by the priest or anyone else to officially become a member of the church.

 

[choirfiend]

We think everyone should be Christian Orthodox. We seek to teach and persuade by our own example as much as through information. We certainly do evangelize, and have many evangelist saints, but we're not likely to be passing out tracts to strangers, going door to door, or otherwise "cold calling" people. We're not after a 20 min discussion and recitation of the sinners prayer, so I dont believe those methods have proven to be the best means to reach a person's heart.

 

[wayseer]

Thank you both for your contribution. I have the distinct impression that Orthodoxy is something more than a sudden emotional swing - something that takes time and effort.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

That's a very good impression - because it's right. It's hard work, but worth the effort and the struggle

 

[buzuxi02]

Much of the Orthodox evangelism in modern times have been done thru teams of a few individuals with scarce resources. Orthodoxy was introduced to the Aleutiaan eskimos in alaska by a small team of russian monks. Usually these missionaries are underfunded and not well coordinated and may not even have backing from their local diocese. Fr Cosmas of the Grigoriou Athonite monastery singlehandedly brought Orthodoxy to Zaire:

Shortly after Fr. Cosmas' repose, upon seeing the spiritual labor he had accomplished, his successor Father Meletios said: "Father Cosmas' work in Africa is quite extensive. I found the whole Athonite typikon in place in Zaire. The Christians with prayer ropes in their hands. In church they chant all together lead by the choir of boys. No one communes without first having confessed. They keep strictly the fasts of Wednesday and Friday. They celebrate daily the Divine Services of Matins, Vespers and Small Compline. And on Sundays the congregation exceeds four hundred."
Many have commented: "How is it that the Africans, being only recently baptized, can maintain such an intensity and exactness in their Orthodoxy, while many of us in parishes in Greece, America and elsewhere are much more lax?" (excerpt from his biography)

St Nicholas of Japan introduced Orthodoxy to japanese natives. First sent to Japan by the Russian government in 1861 to serve the chapel of the russian consulate. In 1864 the first 3 native japanese converted to Orthodoxy. They were locals who would visit the chapel. 35 years later there were 10,000 japanese converts.

In North and South America, Australia, South Africa, Britan, Germany, France, Orthodoxy has arrived simply by migration of people from traditional Orthodox lands. The precense of Chinese Orthodox after the boxer rebellion can be credited with russian refugees who established a community their after the bolshevik revolution. Most russians left china after the communist revolution, the orthodox in china today are mostly those that converted during the russian influence or from intermarriage that took place.

 

[wayseer]

Thank you all for your comments - much appreciated.

 

[Lirenel]

Slightly related, when I was still a catechumen one of the women at the church I was attending asked when I was going to join. I was already a hair's breadth away from chrismation, but another woman, well, kindly scolded the first and said that they shouldn't pressure me at all. It was all respectfully done, but it definitely stood out to me that these people were both anxious for me to be part of the Orthodox family, but determined to let me make my own choice and not pressure me at all. Compared to my previous Protestant church where I was repeatedly told that it was my fault if my friends went to hell because I didn't tell them 24/7 they needed Jesus, it was quite refreshing.

 

[wayseer]

Slightly related, when I was still a catechumen one of the women at the church I was attending asked when I was going to join. I was already a hair's breadth away from chrismation, but another woman, well, kindly scolded the first and said that they shouldn't pressure me at all. It was all respectfully done, but it definitely stood out to me that these people were both anxious for me to be part of the Orthodox family, but determined to let me make my own choice and not pressure me at all. Compared to my previous Protestant church where I was repeatedly told that it was my fault if my friends went to hell because I didn't tell them 24/7 they needed Jesus, it was quite refreshing.

Indeed - I find this attitude refreshing while challenging and very much contrary to the worldly need for instant gratification..

 

[ex-pat]

The Orthodox in America also have OCMC


(Orthodox Christian Mission Center)