Orthodixie

Touchstone‘s Executive Editor Jim Kushiner reflects on the World Congress of Families held in Amsterdam in a three part series at MereComments …

I attended Orthodox Divine Liturgy yesterday at the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, about a 20-minute walk from Central Station. The liturgy was mostly in Dutch. The church is a former Franciscan priory church. A parishioner, a Dutch convert, told me that in Holland you are either a Protestant Calvinist, a Catholic Calvinist, or an atheist Calvinist. He was pretty sure that most of the (tiny) Orthodox minority were Calvinists, too.
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In China, noted Steve Mosher, female infanticide soon diminished after the arrival of ultrasound machines. Mosher became interested in the population issues in China when, as an anthropologist at Stanford University, he traveled and studied there in 1980. About that time, the “one-child policy” was instituted and baby girls were dying in villages at high rates. The ultrasound machines allowed for earlier determination of the sex of the baby. He called it “gendercide.”
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Kees can der Staaij, of the Reformed Party, stated that he fully supports the declaration and “that’s why our party is not so big in this country.” The natural family–husband, wife, and children–is not the invention of politicians or government but a creation of God. Loud applause ensued, while Sterk and Voordewind abstained.
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As a Steelers fan and an Orthodox Christian, I had to highlight this story from GetReligion wherein the great Troy Polamalu is asked about his new son and his ancient faith …

What is your greatest wish for your child?

Without a question, my greatest wish would be for him to understand the spiritual struggle and to be a pious Orthodox Christian. That’s what I want for myself, as well. Sometimes parents want their children to be what they never were. And that’s one thing that I am gracious for Paisios to have: that he’s able to grow up in the Orthodox church around monastics and priests that I was never able to experience as a kid — to grasp that, not take it for granted …

It’s all … HERE.

Where’d the name come from?

I shall be away from the computer for a spell; re-posting this from a few years back, with updates.

I believe in the Catholic Church; only Orthodox go to heaven.

Let me explain …

A while back, Rod Dreher, author of Crunchy Cons and editor of the Dallas Morning News, mentioned that he was headed toward Orthodoxy. As he was a relatively recent convert to Roman Catholicism (1993) and is well known in all the “hip-right” circles, his announcement caused quite a storm over at Belief Net.

Contrast that with when Dawn Eden who, reared as a Jew, converted from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism.

Incidentally, when it comes to blogs, Dawn’s is setting.

If you compare the comments on her blog with those over at Belief Net, you’ll see night and day differences among good and well-intentioned folks … all seeking the Truth.

I was happy when I found out Dawn was converting to Catholicism. That’s where she is … seeking the Truth. Having read her blog regularly for a couple years, by golly she IS Catholic. It only seemed natural for her.

Though happy for him, I don’t know Rod Dreher but, forgive me, I feel his pain. Making a transition to Orthodoxy is never easy, always a struggle.

Like many others, mine is a varied pedigree — Southern Baptist, Episcopalian, Orthodox. I can honestly say that none of that was done willy-nilly. But, cut from the sinful cloth that I am, I was stumbling toward the Truth.

When it comes to “seeking the Truth” I find great ecumenical comfort in good blogging on the Net. In spite of our weariness we’re all making, I believe, progress.

The late Dr Peter Toon was a professor of mine in seminary. I remember very clearly the day that he drew vertical lines on the blackboard and above each segment labeled:

Baptist
Lutheran
Catholic
Anglican
Presbyterian
Methodist
[Etc]

After talking of the doctrinal differences among these groups, he suddenly slashed through the chalk barriers with a horizontal line saying (and I paraphrase): “The day is coming when this dividing line will make all the difference. Right believers in these varied groups will find each other and be united in working toward the Truth.”

In other words, that horizontal line of Truth is more important than those denominational distinctions.

I see that on the Net.

I receive emails, many appearing on this blog, from priest-friends from ROCOR to PECUSA … all seeking the Truth. Most of my family and old friends are Baptists and, gulp, they read this blog of an unworthy Orthodox priest. Who’d a thunk?

After posting notice of my book, I received a half dozen notes from Baptists and Catholics who’d ordered copies. Baptists! Mind you, the book is pro-Orthodox. And, being about Converts, it’s all about folks leaving Rome and Protestantism! But, you know what? It is what it is. Some things just are.

We shouldn’t deny reality. And the reality is … people are seeking the Truth.

I heard about a conference speaker who’d announced that the days of the great wave of Episcopalians converting to Orthodoxy are past. This brought a contrary reaction from a member of the audience: “I beg to differ. Many people are leaving their watered-down feel-good church communities and finding Anglicanism. For them, they believe they have found the Apostolic Faith. The day may come when they grow toward the Truth to the point of making their way to Orthodoxy.”

(Where I was raised, there is no Orthodox community. There’s a monastery nearby, 100% in Greek. I’m talking about the rural South with simple God-fearing folks. What are they supposed to do?)

The dialogue that one finds on the aforementioned sites along with Mere Comments, and Get Religion is healthy, good.

Though seeking the Truth and wishing others to journey with us, we must be based in reality. And the reality is that some things just “is what they is.” You can’t change people. It’s like the old saying: “God doesn’t change things, He changes people and people change things.”

Thanks to the Internet, it is possible for God-fearing seekers of the Truth to communicate with each other, to share in the struggle toward the Kingdom. True, it is possible to find hate and taunting — a party spirit — on the Net. (Heck, that’s been true since Genesis.) But as St Paul commends us:

Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand.

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:5-9)

I began by saying I believe in the Catholic Church; only Orthodox go to heaven. If you’ve discovered the fundamental definitions of catholic and orthodox, you know what I mean (even if you’re Baptist).

The same Dr Toon used to say about the Scriptures: “If you read the Bible seeking to find contradictions and ‘errors,’ you’ll find them. But if you read the Scriptures seeking the Truth, you’ll find it.”

In struggling with the Truth, love is the most important thing.

Love is the most important thing. And that, friends, is a life-long struggle pleasing to God.

(For, you know, without love we Christians resemble so much of the Net on the other side.)

For those keeping score, during the course of this podcast I shall mention the words: sycophant, bishops, titles, convivial, cult, and Antiochian.

Ladies and Gentlemen, begging your indulgence in advance, this episode of the Orthodixie Podcast may end up as a rant – for which I shall not recant … As sure as Virginia’s my aunt … this here recording might even displease that guy … you know the one (last count, yes: 1) … the sycophant.

I am going to speak about Western Write.

As in: Eastern Orthodox, er, Western Write … er.

As a side note, I shall admit – with my bishop’s blessing, I am biritual. Though, with only a few services under my belt, it’s not become habitual. Stop it! To self, I say; lest you alienate listeners who’ve, to this point, been most convivial.

By the way, speaking of sycophants and convivial, two conversations I’ve enjoyed most recently were both had at the Antiochian Archdiocesan Convention in Palm Desert, California.

Let’s begin with … oh, sycophant:

A sycophant is: a self-seeking, servile flatterer; fawning parasite.

And, Lord only knows, every author wants a few of those!

Heh … just kidding.

It is nice when someone appreciates your work. Take for instance, I was sitting at table with some strangers at a meal during the Antiochian Archdiocesan Convention when a man asked: “Father, are you the one who wrote that book, One Flew Over the Onion Dome?”

“Is that good or bad?” I asked.

“Oh! Good!” he said.

I said, “Well, in that case – Yes, I am the author.”

“What would you have answered if I’d said that was bad?” he asked.

I replied that I would have said, “Pass the guacamole.”

We laughed.

I said, “But, no, One Flew Over the Onion Dome was indeed my first book.”

For the rest of the meal – I mean, at least for a few moments – he looked at me with wide eyed amazement.

Then he said something else – but due to the loud Mariachi Band, I couldn’t hear him … but, judging him a big fan, I was eager to hear. I leaned closer …

I said, “What’s that?”

He repeated:

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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My daughter, vacationing in North Carolina, just texted me about a church sign she saw:

“Stop, drop, and roll won’t work in eternity’s smoking section.”

— Carthage, NC

(I wonder if this is referring to the incense used in the heavenly worship according to St John’s vision on Patmos … better known in those parts as: Revelations.) — Revelation 8:3-4

Do these signs work for such churches? I mean, does Stan say to Marge, as they ride by that very sign: “Shazam! That does it … I’m going to that church come Sunday!”

I’m thinking it was mainly 3rd graders who understood the first part (stop drop & roll) … and then a handful of fellas threw out their cigarettes misunderstanding the second part. If both groups, by way of this sign, learn how to stop burning or smoking … well, that’s a good thing.

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