Protestant Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy:Questions.

[LizaMarie]

What you said about uneducated pastors is one of several reasons why I went back to the confessional Lutheranism of my childhood, as I spent several years after re-committing my life to Christ at age 30 in a non-denominational church, Lutheran pastors have to attend seminary (after a 4 year college degree) study Greek and Hebrew, ect. (Although the Lutheran church lacks bishops which I see existed very early on which is one of many reasons I'm inquiring into Orthodoxy.)
The other reasons, more connection to Church History,
and the sacraments being properly administered.

 

[LizaMarie]

1. I have spent most of my life in churches that to be honest just didn't make a lot of sense to me. What I read in my Bible and what I experienced in church did not relate. I finally came to the point where I could not live like this anymore. Starting from where I was, I started working through the history of the church and theology. The first time I read On the Incarnation was something of an epiphany. It was just so simple and clear. Anyway, lots more reading later I discover that this church of these early father's still exists. I am not part of it yet, but I hope to become a catechumen in the next few weeks.

2. So far, no. At this point, things I don't understand, I put aside, trusting that God will make it clear and that the church knows what it is doing. Right now, everything just seems so right and good. I'm sure that as the honeymoon phase passes I will find more things to struggle with, but that's okay. It's in the struggle that a person grows.

3. The first parish I went to was just over a three hour drive away. There is now a closer parish about 160 km away, about a 2 1/2 hr drive in winter, if the roads are passable. Right now I am able to get there only once a month.

4. I followed history, and history led to the original church.

5. I will do whatever my bishop and priest recommend, though my preference would be to be baptized. Though I was sprinkled as a child in the Anglican Church, and was baptized in my youth in a non denominational church, I would prefer to have things done properly.

6. I'm not sure about last things, but the first thing that really convinced me of the Orthodox Church was prayer. I purchased an Orthodox prayer book, and started praying those prayers. There were some things I wasn't comfortable with, so skipped over, and there are still a few phrases that my overly literal mind stumbles on, but the change God has wrought in me through this discipline is undeniable.

Another aspect of Orthodoxy that really speaks to me is its wholeness. Where the theology I experienced in protestantism has a tendency to dissect the faith into pieces to understand how it works, orthodoxy treats the faith as a whole and living thing where all parts are properly and necessarily joined together in order to function as it is meant to.

Interesting-thanks for your answers!

 

[LizaMarie]

60 for me—-not fun

yeah that's the bad part about it. It's like you have to devote an entire Sunday, and I work most Sunday evenings. Also here we have the harsh winter weather to contend with from Nov-April

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

My wife often works Sunday nights....RN 12-hour shifts starting at 6pm. We have to leave early for church, drive 50 minutes up, same back. We get home 1:30-2:00, she sleeps 2 hours nap, goes to work.

yeah that's the bad part about it. It's like you have to devote an entire Sunday, and I work most Sunday evenings. Also here we have the harsh winter weather to contend with from Nov-April

 

[dzheremi]

Lord have mercy! What dedication.

It would be interesting to see a thread like this for converts from Catholicism, such as Gurney and surely others. I remember when Gurney was still RC from our CAF days, and it would be interesting to compare then and now. I'm sure a lot of things have changed! I know they have for me, even though I swam the Nile rather than the Bosporus, to adapt the Catholic terminology ('swimming the Tiber' for converting to Catholicism).

 

[LizaMarie]

My wife often works Sunday nights....RN 12-hour shifts starting at 6pm. We have to leave early for church, drive 50 minutes up, same back. We get home 1:30-2:00, she sleeps 2 hours nap, goes to work.

Yeah it might be possible if I had my boss schedule me later on Sundays or give me some Sundays off.
We might not be able to stay for coffee hour!!!!

 

[LizaMarie]

Lord have mercy! What dedication.

It would be interesting to see a thread like this for converts from Catholicism, such as Gurney and surely others. I remember when Gurney was still RC from our CAF days, and it would be interesting to compare then and now. I'm sure a lot of things have changed! I know they have for me, even though I swam the Nile rather than the Bosporus, to adapt the Catholic terminology ('swimming the Tiber' for converting to Catholicism).

By all means chime in-on the original post I DID say former RCC could chime in!! I would find that quite interesting as well! Actually, there was a thread I saw like that on here a few years ago-can't find it now with a forum search though. I probably should have worded it differently!

 

[dzheremi]

Yeah...I didn't convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, though. I just meant that for the ex-Catholic posters, because no doubt their reasons and struggles would probably be at least a little different than those of the former Protestants. Even for myself, though I wouldn't be able to participate in said thread, I do remember that after one of my first liturgies one of the Ethiopians, a lovely young woman named Helen, asked me if I was previously Eastern Orthodox. That's a weird question in our context, so I said "No, why?" and she said she wondered that because I didn't seem to be hung up on the Theotokos, icons, chanting, incense, prostrations, etc. -- all the stuff that Protestants may find 'weird' or 'too Catholic'. But when I told her that I was Catholic, she said "Ahhh...that makes more sense!" So I'm going to guess that a lot of Eastern Orthodoxy makes more sense to former Catholics than it would to former Protestants, at first blush. Especially if they'd really imbibed the current RC line where supposedly EO and RC are basically the same, but just have different ways of expressing their faith or whatever, which I always took to be more of a statement of how we wish things were than of how they actually are. (It's not like I ever went to Vespers or the Greek festival at the local EO church and said "Wow! This is just like my Roman Catholic Church, but...somehow not!" That'd be silly.)

 

[LizaMarie]

Yeah...I didn't convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, though. I just meant that for the ex-Catholic posters, because no doubt their reasons and struggles would probably be at least a little different than those of the former Protestants. Even for myself, though I wouldn't be able to participate in said thread, I do remember that after one of my first liturgies one of the Ethiopians, a lovely young woman named Helen, asked me if I was previously Eastern Orthodox. That's a weird question in our context, so I said "No, why?" and she said she wondered that because I didn't seem to be hung up on the Theotokos, icons, chanting, incense, prostrations, etc. -- all the stuff that Protestants may find 'weird' or 'too Catholic'. But when I told her that I was Catholic, she said "Ahhh...that makes more sense!" So I'm going to guess that a lot of Eastern Orthodoxy makes more sense to former Catholics than it would to former Protestants, at first blush. Especially if they'd really imbibed the current RC line where supposedly EO and RC are basically the same, but just have different ways of expressing their faith or whatever, which I always took to be more of a statement of how we wish things were than of how they actually are. (It's not like I ever went to Vespers or the Greek festival at the local EO church and said "Wow! This is just like my Roman Catholic Church, but...somehow not!" That'd be silly.)

Gotcha.. as of right now, I consider the EO,OO, and RCC to all have valid apostolic succession,with valid priesthood and sacraments, just from my studies so far, I know there are those here that would disagree with me as regards the RCC, though. Also from my studies I can see there is a lot of difference between the Orthodox churches and Rome, I never realized just how much.

 

[dzheremi]

Yeah, the RCC doesn't really like to highlight those differences in the modern day, but they are still there. I can't say anything regarding EO stances on 'valid' apostolic succession or sacraments outside of itself (it is my understanding that they, like us OO, don't really use that kind of terminology to begin with, but it would of course be best to ask them), but it is good and necessary to hash these things out while still inquiring, so I wish you all the best in your studies. Church history is -- like all things connected to what God has established -- endlessly fascinating.

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel?
4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism?
5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated?
6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)


RCC converts to EO can chime in too.

Pretty much this : Everything that has brought me closer to Christianity in General has brought me closer to Orthodoxy

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

1. my college campus had an active OCF and an Orthodox street preacher.

That would be awesome to meet an Orthodox street preacher.

 

[ArmyMatt]

That would be awesome to meet an Orthodox street preacher.

go to Penn State, he's there every day

 

[ZaidaBoBaida]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
Oddly enough, I had a FB friends who had been hanging on the fringes of Quakerism - who suddenly started posting all this stuff about Orthodoxy. So eventually I got curious.

2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
Probably Mary - I mean I've always loved her, but I always felt like it wasn't my place to go pestering the Lord's mother.

3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel? We just happened to move within 2 miles of an Orthodox Church just when I was reaching a real breaking point with Quakers.

4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism? Probably because the Orthodox Church has a more sane approach to divorce/remarriage - my husband was married once before, and to Mary. I just felt like some Catholics just trip right over the line into worshiping her, and then there's all that talk of her being co-redemtrix - nope.

5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated? Chrismated. I was baptized in a swimming pool at the age of 12, and didn't have a certificate. But, since I could remember the event, it was accepted. I'd told my priest that I was willing to be re-baptized if it was necessary.

6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)
I can't really describe it and really don't want to, but our local Orthodox Church helps with feeding the homeless. So, I'd been hanging around hoping they'd let me be a part of that since Quakers do exactly not a dag gone thing. Anyway, just standing in church one Sunday - I KNEW. I KNEW that this was the one true church and that I had to be a part of it. The closest I've come to being able to explain it was just saying God pulled back the veil for just a split second.

 

[LizaMarie]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
Oddly enough, I had a FB friends who had been hanging on the fringes of Quakerism - who suddenly started posting all this stuff about Orthodoxy. So eventually I got curious.

2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
Probably Mary - I mean I've always loved her, but I always felt like it wasn't my place to go pestering the Lord's mother.

3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel? We just happened to move within 2 miles of an Orthodox Church just when I was reaching a real breaking point with Quakers.

4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism? Probably because the Orthodox Church has a more sane approach to divorce/remarriage - my husband was married once before, and to Mary. I just felt like some Catholics just trip right over the line into worshiping her, and then there's all that talk of her being co-redemtrix - nope.

5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated? Chrismated. I was baptized in a swimming pool at the age of 12, and didn't have a certificate. But, since I could remember the event, it was accepted. I'd told my priest that I was willing to be re-baptized if it was necessary.

6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)
I can't really describe it and really don't want to, but our local Orthodox Church helps with feeding the homeless. So, I'd been hanging around hoping they'd let me be a part of that since Quakers do exactly not a dag gone thing. Anyway, just standing in church one Sunday - I KNEW. I KNEW that this was the one true church and that I had to be a part of it. The closest I've come to being able to explain it was just saying God pulled back the veil for just a split second.

Thanks! 2 miles-wow you're lucky!

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

No kidding!!

Thanks! 2 miles-wow you're lucky!

 

[LizaMarie]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
Oddly enough, I had a FB friends who had been hanging on the fringes of Quakerism - who suddenly started posting all this stuff about Orthodoxy. So eventually I got curious.

2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
Probably Mary - I mean I've always loved her, but I always felt like it wasn't my place to go pestering the Lord's mother.

3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel? We just happened to move within 2 miles of an Orthodox Church just when I was reaching a real breaking point with Quakers.

4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism? Probably because the Orthodox Church has a more sane approach to divorce/remarriage - my husband was married once before, and to Mary. I just felt like some Catholics just trip right over the line into worshiping her, and then there's all that talk of her being co-redemtrix - nope.

5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated? Chrismated. I was baptized in a swimming pool at the age of 12, and didn't have a certificate. But, since I could remember the event, it was accepted. I'd told my priest that I was willing to be re-baptized if it was necessary.

6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)
I can't really describe it and really don't want to, but our local Orthodox Church helps with feeding the homeless. So, I'd been hanging around hoping they'd let me be a part of that since Quakers do exactly not a dag gone thing. Anyway, just standing in church one Sunday - I KNEW. I KNEW that this was the one true church and that I had to be a part of it. The closest I've come to being able to explain it was just saying God pulled back the veil for just a split second.

Your number 4 was has been a consideration for us, too. My husband was married before although I never have been. We did look into the annullment issue and when we found out what it would entail, I became rather intimidated-big time. My husband really didn't want to do it, although he will do it if it is necessary. We have not talked to a priest , however. In theory, I do agree with the Catholic position on divorce/remarriage, and I have been trying to look into what the very early Church did. I also see that the Coptic practice is much stricter than the EO, as well, at least for those already in the Church, not sure how they handle converts. I do believe the practice of Economia is much saner, but then I see how that how well that worked out for some Protestant denominations. Now they're using that(Economia) to apply to marriage for same sex couples-with the idea that at least it will keep away promiscuity.
But then I believe that Jesus is merciful, and we had young children, and I couldn't see how he would want us to separate with young children(Well I suppose we could have lived as brother and sister but my dh wasn't going for that, at least then,lol) I did read Fr. Meyendorff's book and that did help me a lot in this area. As of right now, I'm probably 80% sure that The Orthodox Church is the first church, but I'm still a Western Christian, if that makes sense.

Your number 5-Yes I have made peace with the idea that we as well would be rebaptized if necessary.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel?
4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism?
5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated?
6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)


RCC converts to EO can chime in too.

I "swam the Bosphorus" in 2001-2002 after being born and raised LCMS and spent 10 years of being an elder in two LCMS parishes, and had WELS leanings for a while. For me, I was seeing more and more LCMS churches in the area trying to compete with the non-denominational churches such as the Vineyard. Local churches were abandoning the historic Lutheran liturgies and adult education classes for praise bands and pop psychology classes, without success I might add. For example, I offered to teach a class on the Augsburg Confession and had no takers. However, the largest class was to study <commence eye roll> the theologically deep best selling self help book, "Who Moved My Cheese". The straw that broke the camel's back was in the fall of 2001, when our service consisted of a praise band with a drum set right in front of the altar for half of the service and then a complete switch to the 1940 The Lutheran Hymnal (which I still love dearly) for communion. Jumping from "Shine Jesus Shine" to "Agnus Dei" was so jarring that my wife and I got up and walked out in the middle of the service. I told my pastor that I was going to resign as elder and that was the end of my membership with the LCMS. The churches I considered were limited to just a few, the RCC, the EO, and Episcopalian.

My wife and I weren't too thrilled with the RCC and Episcopalian as they had the same kind of "blended worship services" that we had just left. Plus, I had major issues with both theologically. However, I had learned about Orthodoxy back in college in the 80s as I have a bachelors in Chemical Engineering and another in Religious Studies. My professor in Christian studies was an expert on Slavic Orthodoxy and I remember he had a picture of him from the mid-1970s standing with Brezhnev and the MP.

I began a more in depth study of Orthodoxy and reread my dog-eared copy of The Orthodox Church and I talked my wife into going to an Orthodox service. When we first walked into the large Greek parish and attended our first liturgy, my wife said, "This is it, this is home". We attended five local Orthodox churches, for the one we felt most comfortable in, 2 Greek, one OCA, one Arabic Antiochian, and a ROCOR parish. We ended up in a Greek parish about 10 minutes from our house.

As we attended the education classes with our priest, I began to realize that theologically, the East had simply not had the same issues as the West did and that the standard arguments of faith vs. works, sacraments, sola Scriptura vs tradition, simply did not carry over within the Eastern framework. There was no equivalent to Pieper's three volume "Dogmatics" or Walther's "Law and Gospel", Eastern Orthodox just "IS". I was also guided by emails a group of LCMS ex-seminarians, two of whom are Orthodox priests. They were the ones that guided me out of the Lutheran / Western mindset and Fr. Christos guided me into an Eastern one.

Finally, five months later, we were received into the Orthodox church through chrismation by Met. Kallistos in Feb 2002.

 

[LizaMarie]

Interesting-Thank you. yes I was also born and raised LCMS but quit attending church regularly after confirmation (long story there) I am WELS now as the closest LCMS is 1/2 hour away.(about 35 miles.)
I Think WELS is more low church a bit than LCMS but our parish is still quite traditional . I understand some are becoming more CCW, though. You are
another lucky one that has a close parish.!
My brother, who lives in another state, attends a LCMS parish that is still very traditional.

 

[Hermit76]

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel?
4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism?
5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated?
6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)


RCC converts to EO can chime in too.

1. What made you consider Eastern Orthodoxy?
I was determined to find out what the earliest Christians believed. Orthodoxy came up early in the search but was out of reach geographically. Additionally, I didn't want to be THAT different from Western Christianity. Finally, I reached out to Orthodoxy when all other options didn't fulfill what I had found. My priest, Fr. Stephen Freeman, was very gentle, patient, and helpful in our conversion.

2. Were there any EO teachings that you struggled with? Still Struggle with?
Because of my upbringing I struggle with understanding the EO teaching on hell. Surprisingly the veneration of the Theotokos did not present an issue as I had considered her veneration previously.

3. Did you have an EO parish near you? Did you have to travel?
We drove 1:40 for over a year. We eventually relocated to be near our parish.

4. Why did you choose the EO church over Roman Catholicism?
It was a difficult choice for me since I really liked the framework and programs within Catholicism. Also, being Catholic would have meant that we didn't have to relocate. I think it was that Catholicism in its present state is little different from the Protestant churches we encountered. There had been too many changes in teaching, practice, and worldview. That being said, if I wasn't Orthodox I would be Catholic.

5. Were you rebaptized or just chrismated?
We were rebaptized. It wasn't required but we really wanted to be baptized into the church.

6. What was the final thing that convinced you you had to go EO?(Yeah I know the Holy Spirit but....)
I am content with this remaining a mystery. We just found ourselves returning to the Church week after week. Christ was there and He loved me. That was something I hadn't fully experienced anywhere else. So, there's not really one thing. It was just natural.