There are only 8 Orthodox Churches in my whole state.

[ArmyMatt]

In addition to the previous remarks, Orthodoxy is relatively new to America (except in areas like Alaska). Until recent times, Orthodox parishes typically, perhaps always, were directly under the oversight of the countries (regions) that the immigrants came from. By the time we started having more Orthodox parishes, America was full of other Protestant and Catholic Churches.

and many, desiring to be as American as possible, stayed in ethnic parishes (like German and Scandinavian Lutherans, various ethnic Catholics, Episcopalians for English, etc).

 

[coorilose]

"Make disciples of all nations".

"When the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved".

How many nations does the Orthodox Church have now?

 

[PsaltiChrysostom]

and many, desiring to be as American as possible, stayed in ethnic parishes (like German and Scandinavian Lutherans, various ethnic Catholics, Episcopalians for English, etc).

Yup. I grew up in the 1970s in Cincinnati. Everyone I knew was German Catholic, German Lutheran, or German Jewish. We even had a handful of Lutheran churches that still had at least one service in German. One time a bunch of my friends and I went to a gaming convention and we're all checking in with our German surnames, Wagner, Schnettler, Schmidt, Schwartz, and Fink. The guy checking us in joked that the Germans must have won WW2 in Cincinnati.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Yup. I grew up in the 1970s in Cincinnati. Everyone I knew was German Catholic, German Lutheran, or German Jewish. We even had a handful of Lutheran churches that still had at least one service in German. One time a bunch of my friends and I went to a gaming convention and we're all checking in with our German surnames, Wagner, Schnettler, Schmidt, Schwartz, and Fink. The guy checking us in joked that the Germans must have won WW2 in Cincinnati.

and I am from Lancaster, PA, where everyone is a German M (Methodist, Moravian, Mennonite)

 

[ArmyMatt]

How many nations does the Orthodox Church have now?

parishes are pretty much in all nations.

 

[coorilose]

parishes are pretty much in all nations.

I don't see a lot of Eastern Orthodox activity in India.

There is only a single EO parish as far as I know: Greek Orthodox Church of Kolkata still bears testimony to the city’s Greek connect | Get Bengal

India being an open/secular country, I expected to find more EO presence here.

There is an Oriental Orthodox church in the southern part of India which was born out of the Syriac Orthodox Church. But they haven't expanded much in the country either.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I don't see a lot of Eastern Orthodox activity in India.

There is only a single EO parish as far as I know: Greek Orthodox Church of Kolkata still bears testimony to the city’s Greek connect | Get Bengal

India being an open/secular country, I expected to find more EO presence here.

There is an Oriental Orthodox church in the southern part of India which was born out of the Syriac Orthodox Church. But they haven't expanded much in the country either.

I think part of the reason is that I believe it’s illegal to evangelize or something like that. but either way, we are there.

 

[Michie]

It sounds strange coming from a Catholic but I would love to see Orthodox parishes grow where they are a more common sight with easier access to the general population. I’m willing to bet there would be a lot more converts if that were the case.

 

[coorilose]

I think part of the reason is that I believe it’s illegal to evangelize or something like that. but either way, we are there.

I don't think it's illegal. But I have heard of violence from other religious groups on Christian missionaries.

Many churches have expanded by doing good for the community like establishing schools and hospitals.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I don't think it's illegal. But I have heard of violence from other religious groups on Christian missionaries.

Many churches have expanded by doing good for the community like establishing schools and hospitals.

I think it is though. I seem to remember hearing that when my seminary professors went there.

 

[All4Christ]

I think it is though. I seem to remember hearing that when my seminary professors went there.

A big problem now is the Anti-conversion laws. I don’t think it is a National law right now, but a bunch of states in India do hold to that law. An Orthodox baptism and chrismation service definitely could be considered conversion.

It sounds like conversion technically would be allowed if it wasn’t due to undue influence - but anyone can say that someone else was coerced. India's Karnataka state passes anti-conversion law despite opposition - Vatican News

 

[ArmyMatt]

A big problem now is the Anti-conversion laws. I don’t think it is a National law right now, but a bunch of states in India do hold to that law. An Orthodox baptism and chrismation service definitely could be considered conversion.

It sounds like conversion technically would be allowed if it wasn’t due to undue influence - but anyone can say that someone else was coerced. India's Karnataka state passes anti-conversion law despite opposition - Vatican News

sounds about right