Question on universality:

[LizaMarie]

Hi! I am asking this here because I'm hoping for Orthodox answers, only from an Orthodox apologetic point of view.
There is so much about Orthodoxy that I have found beautiful, and balanced, but it seems to me the The Catholic church so far has the better argument for being a Universal Church and for fulfilling the Great Commission to go out and baptize all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.
I mean, you can find a RC church in every nook cranny and corner of the world.
My own church the WELS, have missions but we are rare to non existent in many parts of the world.
I am so looking forward to attending my local Greek Orthodox church but it's 80 miles away and I haven't had the chance.
I mean let's face it up until maybe the 80's or later Orthodoxy was virtually unknown in the Western hemisphere (excepting Alaska thanks to Russian Missionaries)
Yes I now the Church did spread north to Russia, or rather did the Russians come and bring it back when they visited Constantinople?
It just seems from my perspective the at least up until recently (with the internet,ect)The EO didn't seem to evangelize the way Western Christianity did? (Mostly the RC?)
Just want to hear some scholarly Orthodox explanations as to why this is so, or why maybe it Isn't the way it looks?

 

[LizaMarie]

Hi! I am asking this here because I'm hoping for Orthodox answers, only from an Orthodox apologetic point of view.
There is so much about Orthodoxy that I have found beautiful, and balanced, but it seems to me the The Catholic church so far has the better argument for being a Universal Church and for fulfilling the Great Commission to go out and baptize all nations in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit.
I mean, you can find a RC church in every nook cranny and corner of the world.
My own church the WELS, have missions but we are rare to non existent in many parts of the world.
I am so looking forward to attending my local Greek Orthodox church but it's 80 miles away and I haven't had the chance.
I mean let's face it up until maybe the 80's or later Orthodoxy was virtually unknown in the Western hemisphere (excepting Alaska thanks to Russian Missionaries)
Yes I know the Church did spread north to Russia, or rather did the Russians come and bring it back when they visited Constantinople?
It just seems from my perspective that at least up until recently (with the internet,ect)the EO didn't seem to evangelize the way Western Christianity did? (Mostly the RC?)
Just want to hear some scholarly Orthodox explanations as to why this is so, or why maybe it Isn't the way it looks?

I know the church was one up until 1054 or so- so that explains the spread of the Church in the known world then. After 1054 The Western church countries explored into the Western Hemisphere and the Far East after around the 1500's or so.

 

[ArmyMatt]

well, we have. Orthodoxy has just had the problem of being persecuted in the areas where access to travel was possible.

but the Orthodox age was of real exploitation as it were began in the 1700s

 

[~Anastasia~]

I'm not widely educated in history, etc. but what I have been reading are the lives of Saints. Like Matt said - Orthodox countries have suffered severe persecution and were not so able to openly evangelize or had any resources to do so.

The Catholics have had a very different climate as concerns politics, power, and money.


One thing that has been of interest to me... in counties/areas with no Christian faith, where Orthodoxy has entered as an evangelism, I understand that in every case, it took hold and became the religion of the people.

 

[LizaMarie]

I'm not widely educated in history, etc. but what I have been reading are the lives of Saints. Like Matt said - Orthodox countries have suffered severe persecution and were not so able to openly evangelize or had any resources to do so.

The Catholics have had a very different climate as concerns politics, power, and money.


One thing that has been of interest to me... in counties/areas with no Christian faith, where Orthodoxy has entered as an evangelism, I understand that in every case, it took hold and became the religion of the people.

Interesting-I was wondering if that were so-Well Put. Yes what you pointed out would be true of for instance Alaska, and Russia. I know next to nothing about Orthodox(or religious history in general really). I will have lots of studying to do!

 

[ArmyMatt]

it was in the 1800's when Russia also went to Japan, China, etc. more modern times has huge mission work in Guatemala, sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, etc.

plus, the rebuilding of Orthodoxy in the nations hit by communism.

 

[LizaMarie]

I found a map on Wiki showing where Orthodoxy spread, both EO and one combining EO and OO. Very interesting! It seems the only areas which have not been touched by Orthodoxy hardy at all are South America and Western Africa if you look at the maps, and Southwest Asia. I'm glad I at least have a church 80 miles away! I plan to attend, if I can get a full Sunday off.
I am reading that there are lots of new mission congregations Starting up.
I have read about Guatemala.
And of course, I just thought of the LDS church, which went all over the place, and yet they are not a True historic Christian church.
I really would love to see Orthodoxy spread to my area.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Of course we hope for that and I know myself a couple of Orthodox priests involved in missions.

But as you can see, there are not enough priests and parishes to cover the countries where we are, in some cases. There is growth but the workers are needed too and from our perspective I suppose it is rather slow.

But may it be so.

 

[LizaMarie]

Interestingly I have read that there has been an "explosion" of conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy in Guatemala and Central America, as AM pointed out. these are previously to have been primarily Roman Catholic. Also inroads being made in Indonesia.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Interestingly I have read that there has been an "explosion" of conversions to Eastern Orthodoxy in Guatemala and Central America, as AM pointed out. these are previously to have been primarily Roman Catholic. Also inroads being made in Indonesia.

slowly but surely growing in Pakistan too.