I wanted to add to the thoughts I posted earlier addressing the question as to whether one's conversion to Orthodoxy must be either about leaving one's former affiliation or about embracing Orthodoxy. Here I want to dwell on how one can own more fully the beliefs and life of one's former religious home precisely by embracing Orthodoxy.
Frequently, onlookers of the journeyings of us inquirers see our journeys in terms of leaving something behind. Truth to tell, so do we. Indeed, that's pretty much a significant part of conversion of any sort. Our "Let me tell you why I'm Orthodox (an Orthodox inquirer)" usually comes out like "Let me tell you why I'm not Religious Affiliation X." As I said in the other post: Ain't nothing wrong with that.
But one of the reactions I got from friends and family in my heritage churches when I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church was one of incredulity. One of the reactions from family was that this was an explicit rejection of my upbringing and all the Christian doctrines I'd been taught. (A little melodramatic, but, well-intended concern was behind it.)
My response was as baffling to them as was my action: I became an Episcopalian precisely so I could more fully own my heritage. In the case of my Anglican confirmation, two of those aspects of my heritage were in particular the unity of the Body of Christ and a deeper life of worship. That is to say, far from abandoning all of my heritage church background, I was more fully and intensely embracing two very important doctrines.
The same is true of my inquiry to Orthodoxy.
Though there are indeed things about my heritage churches and the Episcopoal Church that I am rejecting and which gave impetus to my Orthodox journey, there are far more that I am embracing.
My Restoration Movement heritage taught me to take seriously the New Testament Church. This Church was not just some primitivist fantasy, nor a figment of the imagination. It was real, is real and we must do all we can to see its increase. I was also taught to deeply regard the unity of the Church, of the historic Church and to deeply deplore the present state of multiplying divisions among Christians. I was also taught the centrality of the Christian home in the spiritual life. Though this was probably the closest we came to a real biblical understanding of community, it is also the most fundamental of human relationships. Along with this focus on the home came an understanding of the necessity of holiness of life as an indicator of mature discipleship. Christian faith was not merely a set of doctrines to be believed (though at times, this misunderstanding marred the strengths of my heritage churches), but a way of life. Sin was real, and I knew that it was something to be continually repented of. Without holiness, Scripture says, no one will see the Lord. And finally I was taught to know, understand and guard the purity and consistency of the doctrine of the Church.
Despite my severe criticisms of the current degenerate state of the Episcopal denomination, I without hesitation note the strengths I have gained from them, and the gifts I now embrace in Orthodoxy. There is the ascetical tradition of the Church. While it is true that the Episcopal Church does not offer a consistent askesis, I came into an Anglo-Catholic diocese which emphasized the three-fold Benedictine askesis of Eucharist, daily office and private devotion. This has deeply marked me, and I am eternally grateful for the preservation of this askesis. It is no surprise then, that the Episcopal Church, through my parish, also offered me a greater connection to the historic worship of the Church and the daily office. I came to know and love the sacramental tradition of the Church. And finally I came to so much more deeply understand the necessity and treasure of the daily co-labors of the Saints in our lives.
There are more things about which I could speak--and indeed, this series of blogs, for which this is the second part of an excursus, deals with these and other matters--but each of these has been deeply important matters to me, and were important in my previous church allegiances.
In becoming Orthodox, though it's an act not yet completed, I am embracing these things and owning them in the deepest way I know. Though I am leaving some things behind, I am taking up the most important and bringing them with me to an ever greater fulfillment in the Orthodox Church.
Posted by Clifton at November 6, 2003 05:00 AM | TrackBackWell said, sir. Thank you.
Posted by: Jim at November 9, 2003 11:24 PM