By N. M., former heretic group leader
This question, which may seem so unnatural to a Greek Orthodox faithful, is of great importance to another Greek, who does NOT believe in the Orthodox faith, or has little to do with it. As a former founder of a Greek Protestant group and now converted to Orthodoxy, I believe it is worth giving an answer to this question, from within my personal, past experience, from the point of view of a Greek Protestant and a formerly avowed enemy of the Orthodox Church.
So, the question is: How does a Greek Protestant view Orthodoxy? And what does it take, for him to appreciate it?
Special note to readers: This article is chiefly directed at Greek Protestants and not to Protestants worldwide in general (where the majority of the populations are historically Protestant).
1. A negative image of
Greek Orthodoxy
When Greek
Protestant pastors refer to the Orthodox Church here in Greece,
it is almost always in a critical spirit. And it is a fact, that
from a pious westerner’s point of view, they find many things in
the Orthodox Church of Greece that are annoying. Let us
therefore first take a look at some basic things that a Greek
Protestant finds annoying, out of what he observes in the
Orthodox Church in Greece.
1.1 The ignorance of
the “mob”
When a Greek
Protestant converses with a chance Greek Orthodox, and begins to
set out various arguments (usually from within the Holy Bible),
in most cases he will have before him a totally ignorant person;
usually one who has not “had a taste” of the Christian faith and
quite often just a fanatical “follower”, but not a conscientious
faithful. It is a fact, that the average Greek Orthodox is
usually less involved with the Orthodox Church than he is with
his favourite soccer team, or with foreign literature, or with
science, or with...Buddhism. Thus, in the eyes of that
Protestant, that person will not be perceived as someone who
does not know Orthodoxy, but as a representative of…Orthodoxy!
They tend to “look down” on Protestants, just like the
Pharisees’ attitude in the time of Christ, who used to say:
“…this mob who does not know the law – accursed be it!...”
(John 7:49).
1.2 The deficiency
observed in the Presbyters
In the eyes of a
Greek Protestant, the scandals of the Orthodox clergy convince
him even more, of the correctness of his choice of “anything
rather than Orthodoxy”. Almost each and every priest is seen by
them as an “enemy”, “a mercenary of the enemy”, a “fraud”, a
“predator wolf”, “immoral” and an “exploiter”. Most of all
though, it is the fanaticism and animosity that is apparent or
purposely displayed by some of them, that constitutes the most
repulsive factor.
1.3 The lack of parish
solidarity
While most Greek
Protestants have warm social relationships in their
congregations, in most Greek Orthodox parishes exactly the
opposite is observed. Parishioners feel like strangers amongst
strangers, and this, to a Greek Protestant, is proof of a lack
of Christian love – something that he feels exists in the
minority assemblies of his own particular group, where everybody
knows everybody, and where there is much closer contact between
them, due to their common particularities.
1.4 The mode of worship
Greek Protestants
regard the Orthodox mode of worship as “a thing apart from the
Bible”. They have a resentment towards Orthodox icons,
psalm-singing, temples, sacraments, vestments, services, holy
canons, etc.. Whatever they have been
taught as not belonging to the “proto-Christian,
Scriptural” model of worship, they will not accept as
Christianically “valid” and will refer to it as “traditions of
men”. Moreover, they are annoyed by the “recklessness” that
seems to prevail in Greek Orthodox life and worship - both among
the laity as well as among the clergy – as well as the attitudes
thereof. Being accustomed as they are to the disciplined life
of their group, they regard the local Orthodox faith more like a
“transit area”.
From the above, it
is obvious that the local Protestants (but also the
Western-raised, local “Orthodox” of our time, who have
objections of their own about our faith) focus mainly on the
phenomena – the visible “symptoms”. They do not delve in
depth, into the causes that underlie every phenomenon. They
remain on the surface of the issue, and its essence inevitably
escapes them. They generalize the “whole” and overlook the
“components”. They are also oblivious to certain important
parameters of the Christian faith, and have never asked
themselves “how valid are some of the things that they were
taught as given” in Protestantism.
As a result, they
fail to even TRY to see the things from the Orthodox viewpoint;
Because this would have been the only way that they would have
been able to perceive Orthodoxy’s grandeur. If one doesn’t try
to understand the other, along with the way he thinks, one will
never be able to comprehend the other’s behaviour or the
“symptoms” behind his faith, in depth. This is the reason that –
before replying to the question “why be an Orthodox?” - I had
wished to firstly show what repels a Western-raised Greek in
Orthodoxy, locally.
Having unfolded the reasons that used to make me hate Orthodoxy,
I shall now proceed to describe briefly what made me love
Orthodoxy and led me to
disband
the heretical group that I had created in my ignorance, and to
thereafter join the Lord in the Orthodox Church.
2. The source of the
Christian Faith
The
first basic thing that constitutes a sufficient and serious
reason for one to be a Christian (in the broad sense of the
word) Orthodox, is to comprehend the significance of the
source of the faith.
A Protestant is
taught (and he has accepted, without any supporting verification
and documentation whatsoever) that the source of the Christian
faith is supposedly the Holy Bible, and that nothing else is to
be accepted, outside of the Bible. In fact, a Protestant even
believes that the Holy Bible consists of 66 books, without ever
being given any explanation as to why Protestantism has omitted
from the Bible those other 10 Books, which are acknowledged by
Orthodoxy.
When
such a person finds out that the Holy Bible has 10 more books,
and also that the Holy Bible is NOT the sole “source of the
Christian faith”, but instead, that the source of the Christian
faith is the perennial experience of the Church “in the Holy
Spirit” (which we call “Holy Tradition”), and that the New
Testament
had been compiled
in the 4th century
A.D. - and in fact by the Orthodox Church - that person
is then inevitably at a loss. He can sense that “something is
not right” in what Protestantism had taught him as being “true”
and “indisputable”. The very basis of his faith will be
irreparably destroyed. It will now be obvious to him, that it is
absurd to reject the Orthodox Church who provided him with the
Holy Bible, and only accept the Holy Bible, which was a
product of the Orthodox Church. And if this person is
logical and sincerely loves the truth, he will endeavour to see
the things through the Orthodox point of view and thus
comprehend why the true “pillar and foundation of the truth” is
the Church (1Tim 3:15), and not the Holy Bible.
The Orthodox Church
therefore, is that Church which has a CONSISTENT AND STABLE
BASIS as the source of faith, as opposed to Protestantism. The
Church is supported on the “Holy-Spiritual” life of the saints,
and is furthermore witnessed historically, from its beginning,
through to this day.
Having understood
this, a Protestant will then cease to ask: “where did you find
what you’re doing written in the Holy Bible?” Because from there
on, he will have perceived that, regardless whether something is
recorded in the Holy Bible or not, what counts is, if it has
been acknowledged by the Church, in the Holy Spirit, for
it to be valid and acceptable as a way of worshipping God.
3. Historical witness
In
this way, this person will begin his own search for the
HISTORICAL Church. Regardless of what assertions someone may
have (as to what the early Christians supposedly did or believed
in their worship), there are historical records, early Christian
texts and archaeological discoveries, which evidence that
Christians from the very beginning worshipped God in the
Orthodox manner, and not in the Protestant one. There was an
acknowledgement of Synods,
specialized clergy,
icons,
vestments,
the honouring of saints and holy relics,
clearly defined dogmas, Divine Liturgy,
Confession,
Holy Unction,
Chrismation, memorial services,
the Crucifix,
fasting,
feast-days… All
these things existed, from the very beginning, with changes
being made to the Rubric only in details of minor significance.
Should a Protestant discover all this information within the
ancient historical sources, he will come to realize that
everything he had been taught by his leaders was just an
arbitrary and false depiction of the first Christian Church; and
he will realize that everything he detested in Orthodox worship
as non-Scriptural, is precisely that which was delivered to us
by the Lord Himself!!!
Historical research
will most assuredly lead a well-intentioned person to Orthodox
worship, away from the Protestant concoctions of the 16th
century.
4. Apostolic Succession
The following,
equally important matter that will help one to understand that
they cannot claim something to be “Christian” in nature if it is
outside of the Orthodox Church, is the matter of Apostolic
Succession. When one studies the ancient Christian sources, one
begins to comprehend certain verses of the Holy Scripture;
having lacked that knowledge previously, that person would have
easily misconstrued or remained ignorant of them. The
researcher will come to realize that the Church functions by
means of the God-given
Synodic system and
that this same system is the very guarantor of the unity, the
cohesion and the Holy-Spiritual life of the Church.
This
study will lead him to perceive that in the Church of Christ,
from the very beginning, nobody acted arbitrarily, without
having the authority; that there has always been a
gradation in authority,
which begins with God the Father Himself, continues through the
Bishop of every city and terminates at the last Christian. He
will then be roused from his Protestant lethargy and realize
that the
authority of the Bishop
is not a “man made”
thing, but a basic Christian dogma of faith. He will then begin
to question the Protestant leaders’ source of authority (and
perhaps even the source of his own authority, if he happens to
be acting as a pastor in their meetings). Who, exactly, was it
that bestowed them with the authority of minister over the
others?
He
will also be surprised to find that
the Church never apostatized
(as someone had informed him), but continues to thrive through
History, in perpetual collaboration and union with the Lord
Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit. And he will even acknowledge
this apostolicity as existing ONLY in the Orthodox Church, when
he discovers
the reasons and the means
that brought about the Schism with the Papists. The road to
Orthodoxy will thereafter be a one-way street for him.
5. Reliable experiential
answers
All
of the above information will, by now, have provided that person
with reliable answers to everything that he once used to accuse
the Orthodox Church of. He will have understood by now the
reasons for the “recklessness” observed in many of the Orthodox
laity and clergy. He will now have perceived that in a
Synodic System (where there is no “pyramidal” hierarchy with
absolute, monolithic powers), it is only natural for
disagreements and conflicts to occur between bishops on
immaterial issues. He will understand that in an unshackled
worship, it is only natural to find a plethora of clergy
and laity who will exploit that freedom (albeit to their own
detriment). And furthermore, that in such a freedom-filled
worship, it is only natural for pseudo-Christians and
opportunists to exist. This person will have also realized by
now that
the same things have always been observed in the
people of God,
and that Christ’s ‘field’ always had, still has, and will
continue to have, weeds growing in it!
By now, he will
have learnt what, and how, he must believe. In this way, he will
understand that instead of criticizing the others’ conduct, it
is more prudent for him to focus on his own life and conduct,
knowing full well that he never was, nor is he still, the way he
should be, before God. And that, instead of waiting for the
others to make the first move, it would be better for him to
create a circle of faithful brethren around him, with whom he
can ensure the Christian fellowship that he desires. After all,
he himself is not free of every responsibility towards the
others.
6. Dogmatic
clarification
Whether or not a
Protestant, in the Orthodox Church he will also find something
that cannot be found anywhere else. He will find ABSOLUTE
DOGMATIC CONSISTENCY. Because, even if one wanted (contrary to
nature) to regard Orthodoxy as a “worldly idol”, its superiority
would still be grandly obvious - as opposed to any man-made
worldly idol, every philosophy, religion or ideology. Because
only the Orthodox Church is a REVELATION by God, on issues of
life and salvation.
Only
in Orthodoxy does one learn the UNIQUE way that
God can be recognized as a Person,
as well as the meaning of “Person” in Jesus Christ.
Only
in Orthodoxy does one learn of a
proven method of psychotherapy
with experimental
verification thereof in the person of the saints.
Only in Orthodoxy
does one learn
why
God is Triadic
and what the
expression “God is love” means.
Only in Orthodoxy
can one sense the element of freedom in his worship, and learn
the reason for Christ’s sacrifice, away from the
fear of an avenger-god.
Only
in Orthodoxy can one learn the truth about
Hell and Paradise
and appreciate the
grandeur of God’s love.
Only in Orthodoxy
can one savour from the present time the Future Aeon of the
Kingdom of God, far away from all the false promises for the
future, which have no actual reciprocation in the real world.
All
of the above, along with all the components of
Orthodox Dogmatics,
have such a
completeness and reliability that cannot be found anywhere else.
Because nowhere else can one find Divine Revelation
unadulterated. When Man uses the Orthodox faith as a measure of
comparison, he will find every other ideology and foreign dogma
entirely inadequate!
7. The Holy-Spiritual
life
Finally, as a
person settles down in the Orthodox faith and lives the true
meaning of Orthodoxy, he is gradually transformed into a
likeness of his God and Lord Jesus Christ and he begins to
confront his life and his fellow men in a totally different
manner – one that cannot be found anywhere else.
He learns to judge
himself, not by comparing himself to the “evil and accursed ones
of the world” (in order to feel that he is “cleaner” and a
“chosen vessel”), but to the PERFECT and ALL HOLY Lord Jesus
Christ. Every such comparison will implant humility and a sense
of one’s insignificance in one’s soul. That person will have
finally perceived how to evaluate the “Christian way”; i.e.,
that it is not about “snootily criticizing one’s brethren”, but
that it is a collective course by mankind, towards the par
excellence purpose of its existence. Whenever a faithful looks
upon his sinning brother, he will no longer criticize him, but
instead, he will HIMSELF feel deeply sorrowed (knowing that he
too partakes of that same essence) and will be pained. And he
will also be aware that not only that person’s sin, but his
also, is fuel that is added to the fire of malice in this world.
He will thenceforth pray and repent, instead of criticizing; he
will thenceforth perceive the other person’s fall as his own,
and will agonize over his brother’s salvation.
Every time he does
happen to sin, he will no longer despair, but will turn with
hope towards the goodness and the love of God - who was
crucified for the sake of the sinner, and not the righteous –
and he will pick himself up once
again and continue on with his struggle, with renewed strength.
He will seek a
PERSONAL relationship, with his brethren, with the uniqueness
that distinguishes every human person, and will not insist on
seeing others confined to a standardized, legalistic model of
conduct, morality and life. This is why he does not hesitate to
beseech blessings from an all-holy saint such as the
Theotokos, and at the same time from
a (former) murder and rapist saint. He can even enjoy the
disorderly manner of worship observed in the Orthodox Church,
and instead of feeling offended he can actually admire the free
and individual expression of the faith of each unique person in
the presence of God, without any standardized preconceptions.
He will bypass the
filth in the Church’s garden, preferring to sit in the midst of
Her saintly “blossoms” and absorb their vitalizing “sap”; and he
will acquire knowledge, according to the talent that the Lord
entrusted him with. He will appreciate that Divine Power, which
is able to produce flowers in a garden constantly vandalized by
all sorts of enemies and adversaries.
And as the person
gradually becomes enlightened (ONLY inside the Orthodox Church
of the Lord), he will meet with the Lord, “the way He actually
is” and along with Him, will experience the transcending of
Time, by partaking of the Life of God.
For anyone properly
acquainting himself, even briefly, with the grandeur and the
depth of the Orthodox faith, and, on placing his footsteps on
the path towards salvation and walking even for a short while
along with the saints and getting even a small taste of the
Water of Life, there will be no return!
Translation: M. D.
Greek text (& here)
Click: “Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future”
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