More than 70 percent of the roughly 75,000 Antiochian Orthodox Christians in the United States are converts. The Orthodox Church in America, with roots in Moscow and about 85,000 adherents, reports a 50 percent figure. In Greek Orthodox Christianity, by far the largest branch in the United States with almost 480,000 members, it's about 25 percent. Some might say the Greek Orthodox Church has remained mostly Greek because the culture is so powerfully wed to that jurisdiction -- much more than others.
When the day comes and a majority of the Orthodox Christians in the USA are converts, it will dramatically change a church known for its ethnic identity -- perhaps more than any other denomination in America. The numbers of people attracted to Orthodoxy include Hank Hanegraaff among the converts from Protestantism, in particular evangelicalism. Their numbers account for a significant numbers of those who have swum the Bosporus but not all of them. Lutherans have contributed a fair number, as well. What is clear, however, is that those attracted are not from the ordinary ethnic backgrounds Orthodoxy has usually been associated with - Greeks and Russians, in particular.
Lutherans were heavily defined by ethnic backgrounds once. In fact it almost exclusively contributed to the plethora of Lutheran groups a hundred or more years ago -- before the merger phenomenon and the transition into more Americanized groups. Some, in particular the ELCA, have embraced their American identity even more so than their Lutheran identity, choosing to diverge from that Lutheran-ness when they believed it was in the wrong (homosexuality being one example). It has created a huge gulf between the more conservative Lutheran groups and contributed to an ecumenical agenda that has favored unity in diversity more so with non-Lutherans than with Lutherans.
What will happen to Orthodoxy when it is populated more by converts than by those raised in the faith? One thing that might happen is that this may slow the Americanization of Orthodoxy since those attracted to Orthodoxy are intent upon remaining out of the mainstream (one of the very reasons they went church shopping in the first place). If this happens, Orthodoxy may be one of the few denominations to actually become more conservative (not the best term but one we all understand) as it becomes less ethnic and more American in its complexion. That would certainly confound some of the folks who may think that Orthodoxy needs a face lift to meet modernity.
It is interesting that, at least anecdotally, this is exactly what is happening in my own parish. Those coming from outside of Lutheranism are not coming for the Lutheran lite style of Lutheranism which minimizes Lutheran distinctives. No indeed, they are coming to be fully Lutheran -- in faith, in worship, and in piety. They are instructing the long time Lutherans in what it means to be Lutheran and encouraging those who have grown rather comfortable in their faith to rediscover what it means to believe, confess, and teach the faith with conviction.
In any case, it will be something to watch. Orthodoxy, at least the Antiochians, have even tried a Western Rite Orthodox worship format to reach out even more to those running from American churches whose faith has grown cold, weak, and shallow. How far that goes in all of this, I cannot say but Orthodoxy is aware of the interest from those outside and is encouraging it.
9 comments:
The Antiochians have published the American Missal, an altar book long used by Anglicans but now out of print, for their own use. They added a few pages, but the bulk of the book is exactly as Anglicans have known it for many years. I say Mass from a Missal obtained from the Antiochians.
Fr.D+
I still don't understand why many disaffected generic Protestants and Evangelicals would never consider visiting and possibly joining a confessional Lutheran congregation and would instead head to either Rome or Constantinople. Have liberal Lutheranism as promoted by the ELCA and the "low church" COWO of many LCMS congregations acted as deterrents?
never consider visiting and possibly joining a confessional Lutheran congregation
Possibly liberal and/or low Church Lutheranism is a deterrent; but if they're searching for authentic liturgical/sacramental Christianity, perhaps even confessional Lutheranism is just not "different enough" from what they have known.
I've been Lutheran for 20 years after having been Orthodox for 10, and even now, even the most liturgical Lutheran service seems a little"thin" to me. Perhaps these disaffected Protestants feel like that.
My conversion to the Orthodox Faith was simply the result of a long search (from Baptist pastor to Lutheran pastor) for the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Incidentally, I did not find it in World Orthodoxy, that has succumbed to the heresy of Ecumenism, but in the True Orthodox Church where the Faith has been preserved.
And, pray tell, which is the " True Orthodox Church"?
That Church which holds the faith of the saints, fathers and confessors unchanged. Not that hard to discern.
@Anonymous 10/23@5:59PM,
It appears that, at one time at least, Fr Joseph was affiliated with the Greek Old Calendarists. The website for their American jurisdiction is http://www.hotca.org.
With respect, Fr Joseph, I don't think it is fair to say that it is "not that hard to discern." It takes a familiarity with the vagaries of Orthodox ecclesiastical politics of the early 20th century and an understanding of why "ecumenism" is thought to be a heresy (something that we Missouri Synod Lutherans, with our historical allergy to "unionism and syncretism" can relate to) to conclude that the "True Orthodox Church" is, in fact, the true Orthodox Church. You may be entirely right about that, but it is certainly not obvious.
Yes, you are correct about my affiliation. I stand corrected with your comments. It seems obvious to me now but I admit it could be daunting to someone just beginning. A crucial element is a sincere desire for truth and willingness to follow it wherever it leads and whatever the cost. I left a 1,000 member Lutheran parish. When I went in search of the historic faith, I read the Apostolic Fathers and then discovered something called Orthodoxy that looked like what I had read. Later, on the inside, I found that World Orthodoxy has the appearance or veneer, but the faith of the fathers, saints and confessors is often publicly contradicted by patriarchs, bishops and priests. Per the Orthodox canons, when a bishop preaches heresy publicly, and after admonition, persists, one must flee from heresy and find a faithful and true bishop. I then discovered the Greek Old Calendarists and found the same faith and practice I had read about in the Apostolic Fathers.
PS I am not a priest. A layman.
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