WARNING

This article contains personal opinions and commentary

that some might find offensive. 

I guess that I thought that the Orthodox Church was merely for immigrants.  I imagined a dark, foreboding interior, with people dressed in black, old women with their heads covered in the babushka, lighting candles, clutching little prayer books and mumbling in Greek or Russian.  I figured that the Orthodox Church was probably very similar to the Roman Catholic Church, but in a foreign language.  I don't know why I imagined these things - is that the impression I was given by the media?  In a memorable episode of "Seinfeld," an old priest asks George Costanza what he likes most about the Latvian Orthodox Church, and George responds, "the hats."  My point here is that I always figured that normal, red white and blue Americans like me had no business visiting the Orthodox church.  It was a mystery, a secretive little denomination for foreigners.  But in the back of my mind, I always kind of knew they were there, and that they claimed to be the original NT Church, founded at Pentecost.

After years of doctrinal debates and arguments within the churches I attended, I finally realized one day that I needed to research the Orthodox Church, and acquaint myself with their beliefs.  After all, I was getting sick and tired of constantly debating issues such as Eternal Security, the Rapture, or Infant Baptism within all my different Protestant circles.  So many people in different denominations have so many different ideas about Scripture and doctrine...  one church believes in Eternal Security, another church doesn't; this church practices Infant Baptism, this church says it is a heresy...  and all of them have "their verses" of Scripture to back it all up.  So which denomination can you believe?  It was about this same time that I realized I needed to head down the street and visit the Orthodox, just to kind of "get their perspective" on things.  So, one day, (I still can't believe this) I ventured inside.

Well, I was totally surprised when I got there.  Instead of some weird church babbling in Russian, I found an Orthodox Church with services in English, filled with normal Americans like me, and most of them fleeing from the doctrinal error of their various Protestant backgrounds.  Some were fleeing modernism.  Some were fleeing ecumenism.  Many of them are very intelligent, Bible-believing, saved, baptized, born-again believers.  And all of them had arrived at a place in their research where they realized that it was time to investigate the Orthodox Church.  As Protestantism is swept up in Liberal Theology and modern confusion, many Christians are seeking solid, unwavering ecclesiastical authority.  For those who know their Church History, Orthodoxy predates both Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.  A quick review of some Orthodox doctrine is reassuring:

1. the Deity of Christ, eternal God;
2. the two natures of Christ, fully God and fully Man;
3. the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;  three Persons in one Essence, eternally sharing the One divine nature;
4. the Resurrection: not a myth nor a fable, but a historical fact and the cornerstone of our faith;
5. Christ, the Lamb of God, sacrificed for all mankind for the forgiveness of sins;
6. the OT foreshadows the New; The Passover was a pre-figurement of Christ; Christ was the Promised Messiah fullfilling OT prophecy;
7. Sin, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23).  Our sins separate us from God, leaving us spiritually dead.  To save us, the Son of God assumed our humanity, and being without sin, "He condemned sin in the flesh." (Romans 8:3).
8. Salvation, the divine gift through which men and women are delivered from sin and death, united to Christ, and brought into His eternal Kingdom.  Salvation demands faith in Jesus Christ. A saving faith will be demonstrated by good works.  However, our works alone do not save us.  There is no imaginary "faith vs. works" dichotomy in the Orthodox Church: it is a synergy of both; we live in cooperation with the power of the Holy Spirit.
9. The Holy Scriptures, the divinely inspired Word of God, a cornerstone of the faith, and the foundation and source of material for the liturgical services.

Orthodoxy claims to be built upon an authority that has been unswerving and unchanging since the foundation of the Church at Pentecost.  For those of us used to the "denomination-du-jour" flavor of the ever-changing Protestant landscape, the stability of Orthodoxy is refreshing.  The Orthodox Church points to the writings of its theologians, saints, and early fathers, and claims that it has faithfully transmitted what was handed down, without corruption or error, since the New Testament times.  As a Bible-believing Christian, seeking absolute ecclesial authority, I was intrigued at what Orthodoxy claimed to be.  As I continue in my studies, I am beginning to see why some writers claim that the Orthodox Church is the "best kept secret in America."

I feel that any church claiming to be "Christian" must adhere to the Classic Doctrines of the Faith.  For example, I have a big problem with the Jehovah's Witnesses, who deny an essential Christian truth, the Deity of Christ.  As mainstream Protestantism continues its inevitable creep to the left, modernism and liberal theologies continue to damage our Christian heritage.  Heresies abound as "churches" continue to water down their doctrine, denying essential truths of Christianity, in order to please the masses.  How many churches have been wrecked with debates about women clergy, homosexual rights, and pro-abortion politics?  How many churches are caught up in craziness like "getting slain in the Spirit," or faith healing, or prosperity preaching, or tongues? In this day and age, it seems that Christianity is in crisis.  How can we purge the Church of heresies and lies, and restore doctrinal purity?  I had thought that my arrival in the Fundamental-style Independent Bible Church had marked about as far "right wing" that I could go - a rigid adherence to the Scriptures, seeking God, His Holy Will, and the New Testament Church on earth.  I didn't realize that the Holy Orthodox Church, doctrinally, is even just a little bit more to the right.  In 2001, an Orthodox parishioner, a former Baptist, confided in me, "It's no surprise you ended up coming to the Orthodox Church.  Inside of every hard-core Evangelical or Fundamentalist is someone who is truly, truly Orthodox.  They just don't know it yet."

Well, it makes sense:  I had been moving to the right for years.  Over time, I had grown concerned about what I perceived as the Protestant drift to the left.  I had attended churches that appeared to be doctrinally correct, but after a time I had discovered problems. I visited churches that no longer preached against sin; I visited churches that did not preach at all. I visited churches that used only the NIV, although by now I think that most people realize there are some serious questions about its underlying Greek text. I visited churches where the pulpit had been replaced by a stage, and instead of hearing the Word of God, the congregation listened to a rock n' roll "praise & worship" band, with guitars, keyboards, and drums.  I attended churches where lyrics to contemporary Christian songs are projected onto a screen or perhaps even a blank white wall.  For 60 minutes the "audience" stands up, claps their hands to the music, sways back and forth, and applauds after each "song."  This kind of suburban religious "entertainment" service has taken over more churches than I care to name.

Then in the mid-90's, things got very bad.  The madness of the Toronto Blessing, people getting "drunk in the Lord," barking like dogs, rolling around on the stage.  Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, and the Pentecostal crew, babbling in demonic tongues.  More and more churches abandoning Christian principles, and caving in to homosexual politics.  Then the Presbyterian ship of faith hit the rocks, and splintered apart.  Now, the Episcopal church is being ripped asunder.  I am acquainted with a former deacon in the Episcopal church, who recently retired.  He told me, "It is very sad.  In fifteen, twenty years from now, there will no longer be an Episcopal church.  It is in the process of disintegrating right before our eyes."

So I was glad to arrive at a very right-wing, very conservative Independent Bible Church in 1998.  Modernism was condemned, sin was sin, there was strong preaching from the pulpit, and the old hymns of the 1800's were sung.  The church was alive with vibrant families, healthy children, and sound Biblical doctrine.  I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior on September 3, 1998.  I made a commitment to serve the Lord as best as I could, and to turn my life over to Him.  I was overjoyed that the Lord had brought me to this new place in my life.  On April 16, 2000 I was baptized by full-water immersion in a Sunday evening service, in the baptistery, in front of the whole congregation.  My brother and his wife made a special trip to attend.  After the little children had been baptized, I went last.  The pastor invited me to come up to the microphone and give my testimony.  I spoke for over five minutes.  I was told later that my testimony was stirring. 

Well, it certainty seems like a long trip from a right-wing conservative Bible-believing Independent denomination to the Holy Orthodox Church!  How did I end up here? 

Locate an Orthodox Church to visit or attend!
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Struggling with Sola Scriptura

It happened in May of 2000.  I hit the wall with sola scriptura.  It was like bombshell.  I never saw it coming:  I was stunned.

I had never really questioned sola scriptura at all.  When I had started reading the Bible, years ago, I brought certain assumptions with me into the task.  One of these assumptions was that the Bible is the complete, authoritative book on doctrine, worship, church government, history, and everything.  All we need is the Bible - nothing else.  To my way of thinking at the time, all those traditions handed down by the Roman Catholic Church were just a bunch of pagan accretions.

In religious chat rooms I had vigorously defended sola scriptura.  I had championed the cause of the Bible against all sorts of "traditions" handed down by men.  After all, I would argue, the Roman church teaches a "tradition" of Purgatory which makes absolutely no sense in the overall framework of salvation.  Everything must be tested against the Bible.  The Bible is the final authority.

So for years and years I had been reading and studying the Bible, growing in grace and wisdom.  When I first started studying the Bible, my opinion was, "it will take me years to understand, but finally, after I've studied it thoroughly, I will know everything I need to know to be a Christian."

And now, years and years had gone by and I had learned a great deal.  Although I do not claim to be a Bible scholar, I feel comfortable with the territory.  And as time went on, I needed to admit to myself that the Bible is NOT the simple, easy, "instruction manual" I had thought it was.  The Bible is more complicated and convoluted than I thought it was going to be.  It certainly isn't written in a manner that I would have chosen.  There are many places where the Bible seems to contradict itself.  One can understand why the controversy over infant baptism has been raging for four hundred years - you can find verses to support both positions.  Eternal security?  Again, there are verses to support arguments for and against.  How are we to decide?

As the questions mounted, I could feel my enthusiasm for sola scriptura slowly diminishing.  It seems that as Protestants, each armed with the Bible, we are free to interpret the Scriptures using our own rational intellect.   But whatever interpretation I arrive at - my own private interpretation - is a  product of my own intellectual exploration of the meaning of the Holy Scriptures.  I am just one person, sitting at my desk, studying the Scriptures, inventing meaning and interpretation in my own private head.  But what if I'm totally wrong?  Look at the Jehovah's Witnesses.  They have a certain "interpretation" of the Scriptures that ends up denying an essential Christian truth.  But how can that be?  How can different people, studying the same "Word of God," arrive at two different doctrinal positions?  If the Bible is so easy to understand, then why are there so many Protestant churches that disagree with one another? - that is illogical.  If the Bible were in fact easy to understand, then there would be only ONE church, because it would be easy to understand, and we would all agree.  But we don't.  Instead, we have thousands of Protestant groups which have splintered off over irreconcilable disagreements about the nature of man, the nature of sin, the mechanism of salvation, the efficacy of faith or works, the method or requirement of baptism, freewill vs. predestination, sacraments, tongues, church government... the list goes on and on.  This is utterly illogical. God is not the author of confusion! 

Now, some might say that it in order to make sure that we are interpreting the Bible correctly, all we need to do is to reference the proper authors and biblical commentaries that have been published.  Well, that also is illogical.  If the Bible were easy to understand, then I shouldn't need to consult any other work, at all, period.  After all, this is the Word of God, and those publications are just commentaries, authored by men, who are presenting their "view" or their "opinion" of "what they think it means." And again, these are men, who sat at their desks, in their studies, and with their private intellectual power cooked up some ideas of what they think Matthew 24 is talking about; then they wrote them down and published them.  And you can go to the store and get biblical commentaries which are "flavored" according to the same thousands of denominations which exist.  You can purchase a Baptist-flavored commentary, or a Presbyterian-flavored commentary, or a Roman Catholic -flavored commentary.  And they all disagree with each other anyway.  So what have you solved?  Nothing.  How do we know which doctrines in which commentaries are authentic Christian doctrines, which are heresies, and which are the insane ravings of a madman?

How do we, as Christians, determine when people are headed off into error?  Who is there to police them?  Who is the referee that can blow the whistle when we start wandering outside the lines?  Who is there to guide us and to warn us when we are interpreting things incorrectly?  When we look back at history, we see this function performed by the Church.

Christianity faced a great crisis with the Arian heresy.  Arius denied that Christ was of the same essence of God the Father.  Arius stated that Christ was the "only-begotten god," making Christ a secondary god or created god, subordinate in rank to the Father.  Arius swept up a great many in his heresy.  Who was there to stop him?  Who convened a Council to condemn him and his teaching?  The Church.

Early in the spring of 2000, I was listening to Hank Hanegraff's radio program, "Bible Answer Man," carried on Christian radio stations across the country. The "Bible Answer Man" is a very Protestant program with strong Evangelical bias.  A caller was attacking the concept of the Trinity, and Mr. Hanegraff was defending it.  During the call, Mr. Hanegraff alluded to "Christian tradition" and the "Early Fathers" and the "Ecumenical Councils of the Church."  Mr. Hanegraff stated that the Trinity has ALWAYS been a tenet of the Christian faith.  Just look at the history, read the Early Fathers.  The Trinity is not something that was "made up" in the fourth century.

I thought this was interesting.  I had skimmed through the Early Fathers before.  Here, Mr. Hanegraff was stating that we could examine the Early Fathers to see whether this belief, the Trinity, was an established Christian tradition of the Early New Testament Church. And yes, he argued, you can see that this doctrine existed, right there.  So it is authentic.

As I was driving in my car, listening to this program, a thought was slowly forming in my mind...  What do the Early Fathers say about Infant Baptism? Or, Eternal Security?  Or, what do the Early Fathers say about Faith vs. Works?  Or, what do they say about Total Depravity? 

I could sense a door opening.  This is exactly what I had been looking for - a framework, a reference.  I know what the Scripture says, and I know that we have two sides arguing over its interpretation.  I know the verses in question - what I wanted was "the translation," what the historic understanding has always been, by the Church.  If we can rely on the Early Fathers to help guide our queries about the Trinity, why then can't we use them to investigate other doctrines, as well?

In my mind, I began to view the Early Fathers not as some distant, ancient old men of little importance, but rather, as crucial and vital links back to the teachings and understandings of the Early New Testament Church.

Take baptism, for instance.  There are denominations today that deny the necessity of baptism.  They claim that when you "accept Christ," you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and that this replaces water baptism.  But the Early Fathers speak of no such thing.  The Early Fathers are clear and unambiguous - full immersion water baptism is the required and necessary command.  It was the practice of the Early Church, everywhere, at every time.  At no time did the Early Church ever "suspend" the requirements for water baptism. Additionally, there was no "believers' baptism" where children waited until 7 or 8 years old to "understand" the Gospel:  when entire households were baptized, the children and infants were baptized as well.

Well, there ya go, problem solved.  The end.  Early Christians practiced water baptism.  Additionally, they baptized infants.  End of discussion.  So here is one modern controversy that we can strike off our checklist.  All the Protestant churches that don't believe in water baptism or infant baptism have just been proven wrong.  Therefore, they are teaching error.  So, flee them.  

"Okay!" I thought to myself.  "One issue down, 400 to go!"

As I contemplated the teachings and instructions of the Early Fathers, I began to find myself looking for their guidance on more issues.  What I found is the "framework"  to understand and interpret the Scriptures.

Framework vs. Tradition

I choose to use the word "framework" instead of "tradition."

In the West, the word "tradition" gets a bum rap, as in the phrase, "the traditions of men."  In Biblical studies, the word "tradition" is a loaded word, and always loaded with a negative connotation.  "Tradition" usually implies "error."

But yet at the same time, Protestants, who are quick to accuse the Catholic Church of tradition, all have traditions of their own.  Certain denominations have been founded by men, such as Wesley or Luther.  In these denominations, the teachings of these men have been passed down to each generation of believers, and usually, each new generation is encouraged to acquaint themselves with the writings of these and other men of the same denomination.  That is tradition.  Also, each denomination, including the Baptists, have a certain "structure" to their Sunday morning worship service, that repeats itself each week.  The Opening Hymns, the Prayer, the Bulletins and Announcements, more Hymns, the Offering, the Sermon, and finally the Invitation or the Altar Call.  This pattern, which has been handed down, is repeated in churches across the country every Sunday:  this is (gasp!) tradition.

[Article Incomplete, more coming]

I would like to recommend a fascinating pamphlet.  "Sola Scriptura," by Father John Whiteford, gives an Orthodox analysis of the cornerstone of Reformation Theology.  I came across this booklet about two months after I had started re-examining Sola Scriptura.  This booklet absolutely hit the nail on the head.  It is an eloquent essay which can be read in an hour or two.  It is extremely well organized and great fun to read, as well.  The text of this pamphlet is available online here:

Sola Scriptura - by Father John Whiteford

From the rear cover:

"In seeking to interpret the Bible by "Scripture alone" the Reformers believed they had discovered a hidden key to understanding the true meaning of Holy Writ.  Did they instead open a Pandora's Box, unleashing the relentless forces of heterodoxy, rationalism, and spiritual pride?  Was their methodology fatally flawed?

Father John Whiteford's penetrating essay offers a clear and systematic analysis of the doctrine of Sola Scriptura from an historical and theological perspective.  Father Whiteford examines the central presuppositional issues many contemporary approaches simply take for granted.  Do the Scriptures themselves teach that they are "all sufficient" for interpretation?  Did the Apostles interpret the Scriptures of their day "sola scriptura"?  What hidden assumptions are built into this modern system?

Before picking up another "independent Bible Study" how-to guide, you owe it to yourself to read Sola Scriptura - a life-changing Orthodox perspective on one of the central hermeneutical questions of our times."

Sola Scriptura - by Father John Whiteford

Sola Scriptura
An Orthodox Analysis of the Cornerstone of Reformation Theology
By Fr. John Whiteford
(c)1996 Conciliar Press, Ben Lomond CA
ISBN 1-888212-04-7

Available online at the Conciliar Press Website
http://www.store.yahoo.com/conciliarpress/

Yes I know, for many of my Protestant friends, the Orthodox service is too ornately decorated with incense, priestly robes, golden crucifixes and lamps, wax candles, and of course, Byzantine icons.  Although Episcopalians and Lutherans would find the Orthodox experience somewhat familiar, most American Evangelicals would get totally freaked out.  What Evangelical Christians need to do, however, is to focus less on the external decorations which the Orthodox church has acquired over the centuries, and to focus more on its doctrine, teaching, and Apostolic authority.

Of course another misconception today is that the Orthodox Church is "just the same" as the Roman Catholic Church.  Many Evangelicals, convinced that the Church fell into apostasy during the 4th Century AD, do not even bother to learn church history before the 16th Century Protestant Reformation.  However, further investigation reveals that the Orthodox share many of Protestantism's complaints against Rome.  For example, the Orthodox do not believe in Purgatory, nor indulgences.  The Orthodox do not believe in Papal Infallibility.  The Orthodox do not believe in the Immaculate Conception of Mary.  The Orthodox do not hold to the complicated Western mechanism of "transubstantiation."  The Orthodox believe in full immersion baptism, three times under the water, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  As a hard-core evangelical in a formerly IFCA church, the more I researched the Orthodox faith, the more I became intrigued.

Additionally, the Orthodox do not have secular music or "contemporary" services with guitars or drums.  The Orthodox believe that it is appropriate to use only vocal a capella church music during services.  The Orthodox aren't really into the "CCM" or Contemporary Christian Music scene.  I certainly wouldn't expect to hear this kind of music in a Sunday morning worship service.  To those of you used to the "praise & worship" services so commonplace today, the Orthodox Church service will seem like being in a monastery, with the ornate melodies and spiritual feeling of Byzantine or Gregorian chant.

There are, however, some doctrinal beliefs in Orthodoxy that will rattle a few cages.  The Orthodox do not believe in the Rapture, and they dismiss Dispensationalism as a modern invention.  To back this up, they present centuries of Orthodox Christian writings in which the "Last Day" is understood to be exactly that, the Last Day, not "seven years before the Last Day."  Yes, Christians will be called up to meet the Lord in the air:  on The Last Day, not before.

The Orthodox, although denying transubstantiation, most definitely believe that the Eucharist (from the Greek eucaristw, thanksgiving) is the actual Body and Blood of Christ.  Why?  Because the Bible says so. ( John 6, 1 Cor 11:23-25, Luke 22:19-20.)  The "mechanism" of how this occurs, however, to the Orthodox, is less important.  It is a mystery.  It is a Divine Mystery.  Somehow, the communion "mystically" becomes the Bread of Life, our Lord.  Can our mortal minds completely understand the mysteries of God?  Of course not - big deal.  The Orthodox, of course, reject the Western (Protestant) idea that the gifts are nothing but Bread and Wine, and that they only "represent" the Body and Blood of Christ.  To Orthodox thinking, such a stance reduces Communion to being merely symbolic, and devoid of all spiritual significance.  I have to admit, after thinking about it at some length, I like the Orthodox stand on this issue.

- S P E C I A L L Y   F E A T U R E D   A D V E R T I S E R -

Orthodox Religious Icons

"Come And See Icons.com" is a fantastic website featuring a LARGE collection of beautiful icons from across America and around the world, well-organized alphabetically, available for purchase.  Also featuring books, CD's, and art.  Prompt mail order service and great prices.  A small family-run business, you get personal attention and the satisfaction of knowing you are dealing with a devoted Orthodox family!    * Highly recommended *

Come And See Icons.com

The Orthodox reject the Baptist notion of "once saved, always saved."  Orthodox opinion maintains that salvation is not a one-time, once for all occurrence, like snapping your fingers.  The Orthodox believe that salvation is a process, one that requires our continuing faith and obedience to the Lord, throughout our lives and up until our death.  Why?  Because the Bible says so.  (Matt. 13:18-13:30; Matt. 16:27; Heb. 6:1-12; James 2:17-24; Eph. 2:10).  St. Paul warns Christians throughout his Epistles to keep the faith, stay steadfast in the faith, and walk circumspectly, lest ye fall from grace, and your faith be made shipwreck.  If it is impossible for Christians to lose their faith then St. Paul was a liar, and the Holy Scriptures contain erroneous verses that mean nothing.  I do not believe that there are spurious or unnecessary verses of Scripture.  Does the Bible contain lies?  Did St. Paul lie to us?  Of course not!  St. Paul warns us not to fall from grace, BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN.  I am not aware of anything that the Early Fathers wrote resembling "Eternal Security."  Again, the Early Fathers wrote in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Centuries AD, right at the beginning of the Church Age.  These men were closest to the Apostles.  If the teaching handed down by the Apostles was "Eternal Security," then these men would have recorded it thus in their writings.  The fact they say no such thing shows that the doctrine of "Eternal Security" was NOT the belief of the Early New Testament Church, never, not at all.  Salvation was understood to be an ongoing process, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit in our lives, each day, every day, practicing and worshipping as a Christian.  Evangelicals delude themselves thinking that they can make a profession of faith today, "have their ticket stamped," and then just spend the rest of their lives waiting around for the Rapture.

By the way, we really need to change the name of this issue.  "Eternal Security" is not actually what is being questioned here.  No one doubts that there will be eternal life for the believer.  What is being questioned here is if it is possible to LOSE your salvation, either by error, or falling away, or such.  Instead of Eternal Security, this debate should be called Unconditional vs. Conditional Security.  And I believe that in this light, it is clear that St. Paul preaches Conditional Security:  IF you stay steadfast, IF you run the race, IF you stay constant in prayer, IF you cross the finish line, IF you do not make shipwreck of your faith...  IF.  You still have to do all these things.  IF NOT, you will be like Hymenaeus and Alexander, who rejected the faith. 

The Orthodox do not believe that simply confessing a belief in Christ guarantees salvation, however:  they believe that it is also necessary to become joined to the Church through baptism and to participate in the sacramental life of the Church.  At the same time, the Orthodox do not get hung up on the Western obsession about "faith vs. works."  (Please see the excellent article, "Finding Common Ground between Orthodox and Protestants: Partial Resolution of Protestant Difficulties with Orthodox Theology" ).

The Orthodox also believe in the Communion of the Saints.  The Orthodox venerate Mary as the Theotokos, or "God-bearer."  The Orthodox believe that our prayers on earth are heard by the departed saints in heaven, and that they in turn pray for us to the Lord.  The Orthodox venerate icons by kissing them.  To a Westerner like myself, this seems to be primarily an Eastern custom.  Again, the Orthodox maintain a more "mystical" view of reality, in which an icon is a mystical representation of our Lord Jesus, or perhaps a saint.  In the West we would consider icons a "spiritual aid to assist in mental focusing."  In the West, we have our own mental rituals for greeting God in prayer.  

I realize that these last few items, in particular, will be simply "too far out" for some American Christians to accept.  For example, some Evangelical Christians are really bothered by the idea of "kissing" an icon of the Lord.  To the Western mind, it seems like idolatry.  The Western mind sees someone "kissing" (kissing, mind you!) a wooden plaque with some paint and gold trim on it.  In the West, "kissing" is an act of the utmost intimacy, reserved only for private moments.  Kissing is completely unacceptable in a public venue, let alone IN A CHURCH.  And it certainly would be completely inappropriate to kiss God.  The only thing I can say is... we all need to lighten up.  Really.  I mean, different cultures have different ways of greeting. You've all seen European prime ministers get off an airplane, and they kiss each other on both cheeks.  Well, Orthodoxy came from the East, and the "kiss greeting" was the custom there.  Big deal.

Additionally, the Orthodox have a far more mystical view of reality than we Westerners are used to.  The Orthodox, in venerating Mary, acknowledge the mystical and powerful mystery of Motherhood.  Somehow, God caused a living, growing baby to develop in Mary's womb.  This child was Christ.  He was fully man, and fully God.  His blood mixed with hers.  The air she breathed and food she ate became sustenance for our Holy Lord.  She carried the Divinity within her own body - think about that.  How blessed!  When Moses returned to the foot of Mt. Sinai, after having talked with the Lord, his face shone so much that he needed to place a veil over his face, in order not to frighten the people.  What glory!  Does anything less happen to somebody when she carries the Blessed Savior of the World in her womb for nine months?  As I meditate on this, I think I begin to see the Orthodox point of view...

Christ our True God

In coming to understand the Orthodox view of the Theotokos, I required a major shift in my understanding of Jesus Christ.  I wonder if others suffer from this.  What I finally realized was that all this time, my understanding of Christ was somewhat flawed.  In the Protestant theology presented to me, (and perhaps the language we have developed in the West,) 

Ever Virgin?

It is a tenet of faith among Christian conservatives today that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, had other children, and that these are the "brothers and sisters" referred to in Scripture.  The Orthodox Church, however, understands these siblings to be stepbrothers and stepsisters from Joseph's earlier marriage, and that the Blessed Mother herself had no other children, remaining a virgin after the birth of our Lord.  This doctrine is referred to as The Eternal Virginity of Mary.

Evangelicals of today might be surprised to discover that the early Protestant Reformers themselves never rejected this teaching.

Martin Luther:

"It is an article of faith that Mary is Mother of the Lord and still a Virgin."

Weimar edition of Martin Luther's Works, English translation edited by J. Pelikan [Concordia: St. Louis], volume 11, 319-320.

John Calvin:

"Helvidius has shown himself too ignorant, in saying that Mary had several sons, because mention is made in some passages of the brothers of Christ."

Bernard Leeming, "Protestants and Our Lady", Marian Library Studies, January 1967, p.9. 

Ulrich Zwingli:
"I firmly believe that Mary, according to the words of the gospel as a pure Virgin brought forth for us the Son of God and in childbirth and after childbirth forever remained a pure, intact Virgin." 

Ulrich Zwingli, Zwingli Opera, Corpus Reformatorum, Volume 1, 424.

(Quotes taken from "THE PROTESTANT

REFORMERS ON MARY," http://www.mariology.com/sections/reformers.html)

God the Father is the "real" God, the Father.  The "Son" can only mean,"something less."  It's kind of like saying, "God, Jr."  Not really the Father, just the Son.  Kind of like a sub-God.  God is King, and Jesus is the Son, a little below.  Although I confessed that Jesus is God equivalent to the Father, I don't know if I really understood that or believed it.  But during the Paschal services, we heard the texts that speak of Jesus Christ, the God who opened the Red Sea.  Jesus Christ, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Jesus Christ IS GOD, the same God as God the Father, along with the Holy Spirit, ONE GOD, in three persons.  The limitless and incomprehensible Lord.  Unbounded by space, time, or dimension.  The All-Powerful and ever living God.  And God, in all His Power and Glory, came and dwelt inside the womb of one woman, and was made a little babe for our sake, and for the sake of all the world.  If you are reading these words right now, please take a few minutes to meditate on this:  what would it be like if GOD in all his power and glory came to live inside your abdomen for even one microsecond?  How about a minute - what would happen if GOD came and lived inside of your body for a minute?  How 'bout an hour?  The woman with the issue of blood said if I can but touch the hem of his garment... just a touch, and be healed. If just one drop of His precious blood is enough to wash away all my sins...  and what if His precious blood mixed with yours, and His blood was pumping through your body, through your mind, through your heart?  How blessed!  How special!

*  *  *  *  *  

One of the priests in my local Orthodox Church is a young, intelligent, married man.  He comes from a strong Baptist background, and graduated from a Baptist seminary in the Midwest a few years ago.  He was a deacon, and was recently elevated to priest in the Orthodox Church.  Part of his duties at each Liturgy is to handle the Holy Gifts, cense the Icons, lead the prayers and conduct the services.  I wondered, "How? How?  How could somebody who went to a Baptist seminary end up as a priest in the Holy Orthodox Church?"

He told me that if somebody continues in their theological studies, and the study of the Holy Scriptures, and Church History, he said, one day everybody will end up in the Orthodox Church.  Why? "Because," he smiled, "Orthodoxy is the Truth."

*  *  *  *  *

...More Evangelical Convert Testimonies

with special thanks to www.sthermans.ca

Don't take my word for it.  Devout Christian men with far more religious training and formal education than myself have elected to become Orthodox.  Here are some of their stories.

From First Baptist to the First Century: A Spiritual Journey

— Clark Carlton

Second Thoughts: A Baptist Missionary Becomes Orthodox

— Joel Kalvesmaki

Why Would a Southern Baptist Minister Become an Orthodox Priest? (Part One) (Part Two) 

— Fr. John Maxwell

A Reformed Calvinist Becomes Orthodox  

— Ephrem Hugh Bensusan

From Evangelical to Orthodox

— Fr. Gregory Rogers

Recovering the Ancient Paths

— Dennis L. Corrigan

From Amish to Orthodox

— Josef Klarr

My Search for the True Church

— Brian Lehr

I hope you enjoy these few Orthodox links for now.  I am continuing to update this page with new material. 

If you, like me, are on fire for the Lord, well then take it from me - start researching Orthodoxy.  I don't claim to understand everything right now; but I can already see enough to know that, in a sense, we are all headed towards Orthodoxy.  It might take each of us a few years, but the more you read, grow, and research, you will find that Orthodoxy is amazing.  There are times when I struggle with some items I don't understand - and at the same time, I feel like a detective cracking a case, hunting down the clues, becoming more confident with each step.   I believe firmly that our Lord Christ Jesus is in charge of my steps, and blessing me on my journey.

There are many converts in my local Orthodox Church.  I am told that the church has been growing as much as 15% per year, fueled by Protestant converts.  I have met and talked with former Baptists,  Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians.  Our congregation also boats a few former Roman Catholics.  I believe that as more Americans discover the sound doctrine and beautiful worship of Orthodoxy that they will pour into the Holy Orthodox Church like a flood.

This final, following paragraph is the most important and most profound statement I can make about the current situation. 

I believe that as it gets darker outside, and as Modernism and Liberalism overtake the Protestant churches, that Christ's True Believers will continue to migrate to the right, seeking the Church That Will Not Be Compromised.  Eventually, all Protestants will need to pull up stakes and head for Orthodoxy, because it will be the last line of defense in a world gone mad with Liberal Theology, contemporary rock music services, and Toronto Blessings.  The Fundamentalists and Evangelicals are going to be the first to discover that, "spiritually," they and the Orthodox are much closer to each other than either of them realized.

May our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us.  The End and Glory To God!

About the Author

Mr. John R. Black, of Telford, Pennsylvania, was received into the Holy Orthodox Church in December, 2001, at St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church of Souderton.  He is active in the Church Choir.

Previous:  A Brief Introduction

Next:  Articles, Papers, Essays, and Links

1.  A Brief Introduction
2.  My Journey Towards Orthodoxy

3.  Evangelical Errors of Logic 

4.  Articles, Papers, Essays, and Links

5.  Cool Orthodox Links
 

Perhaps you are hungry for more information right away!  Here is a collection of excellent introductory articles to get you started.