FāVS News News and Commentary about Religion and Ethics in Eastern Washington and North Idaho
What would you like to know about the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith? Submit your question.
Q: Is Orthodoxy like the newest Christian faiths?
I’m assuming that you are already familiar with new age Christian faiths and an explanation of Orthodoxy (the earliest Christian faith) in this article would be too lengthy. So I would kindly refer you to reference the Spokane Faith & Values article on “What is Orthodoxy” to familiarize yourself with the original teachings, practices, and worship of the ancient Orthodox Christian Church.
With the exception of several mainline liturgical Protestant and Catholic faiths, many “newer Christian faiths” only vaguely resemble the Christian liturgical worship practiced in the ancient Christian church. Liturgical worship is the only corporate worship mentioned or practiced in the scriptures.
If a 2nd or 3rd century Christian were transported to the 21st century, they would not recognize the newly practiced new age Christian faiths and worship services of today. Likewise, a new age Christian believer would find themselves lost in the liturgical services and practices of the original Christian Church. Frederica Mathewes-Green provides an excellent overview of the unchanged ancient Christian church worship service still performed today by Orthodox Christians today.
The Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary estimated there are 43,000 organized Christian denominations as of 2012, most of them formed in the last and present centuries. In many cases, these new age Christian denominational faiths profess to be the one true church of Christ and the Apostles, yet are missing many crucial aspects of the original ancient church such as the Eucharist, Confession, Holy Unction and other healing sacraments.
These mysteries of the Orthodox Church aid the worshiper in their brokenness to heal, in the same way that a hospital welcomes and provides the medicine and procedures for a sick and the suffering patient to get well. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, it is believed that if these essential aids are not a part of one’s life, then full recovery may be stifled or inhibited.
Blessings.
As an infant, I was baptized as an Eastern Orthodox Christian. However, I would say that becoming a Christian is a work in progress, and I often wonder would there be enough evidence to convict me of becoming a Christian. The Orthodox Church is the ancient Church that Christ and the Apostles established. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. It’s not about being right: it is about “right being.” In John 14:6, Christ says I am the Way (to love and serve one another), the Truth (there is only one reality), and the Life (that life source is love). I invite you to submit any topics or questions to “Ask An Eastern Orthodox Christian” on the website. Join me in finding our way back home to the original teachings of the Church. When you change the way you look at things, things change the way they look.
