Thoughts I Have

My Decision

Last month, I attended a midnight Easter, or Pascha service at an Orthodox church.
Over the past several weeks, I've had the opportunity to ask lots of questions about the Orthodox Faith.
I've felt drawn to the faith because of its focus on God, on the Bible, on apostolic tradition (or the unbroken tradition passed down from individual to individual since the time of the New Testament), on community, on love, and on truth.
So I've decided I want to become Orthodox.

Ten things that have drawn me to the Orthodox Church:

1. The central focus of the Church is God.
In Protestant churches, the focus is more often on the individual- how I can be happier or become a better person vs. how I can glorify God and become more like Him.
2. The Bible is in everything. The liturgy, or what you say during the service, comes almost directly from the Bible. Every doctrine, or belief of the Church is firmly grounded in what the Bible says.
3. The love. When I went to the Orthodox service, I was amazed at how loving everyone was. In fact, that love has been characteristic of every Orthodox Christian I've met.
4. The apostolic tradition- Everything in the Orthodox Church is centuries old. Everything has stood the test of time. The Church doesn't conform to the world. If anything, the world conforms to the Church.
5. The physical aspects of worship- during an Orthodox service you stand facing east (which has a symbolic meaning. The sun lights the physical world, so you face east remembering God is the 'sun' of the spiritual world, and the creator of the physical sun. At least, that's my understanding). You cross yourself, bow, prostrate, kiss people and things, etc. Every action is meant to help you worship God. Crossing yourself is a physical action to help you remember you're sealed with the cross of Christ. It is like a blessing, I think. When you bow,you touch your right hand to the floor. When you prostrate, you kneel and touch your head to the floor. The kisses originate in the Eastern culture Orthodoxy originated in.
6. The acknowledgement we have all fallen short of God's glory, and need the support of Christ and other Christians to help us overcome temptation.
7. The truth and honesty about everything, from life in general to doctrines to the Bible.
8. The symbolism. Everything seems to symbolize something in the Orthodox Church. The symbolism has helped me to learn a lot about what the Church believes.
9. The acknowledgement each of us is at a different point in our spiritual journey, and the lack of judgement. Nobody pays any attention if you don't feel comfortable doing something, and everyone is willing to guide and help you and answer questions as you become more ready to participate in the service in new ways.
10. It really is a body. It's not just several individuals gathered together who happen to be good friends. It's a family. The Orthodox Church is a catholic Church, lowercase meaning universal rather than the denomination of Catholicism. It really is the bride of Christ.

I'm so excited to learn more about the Orthodox Faith!
This is why so many of my recent chapters have been about my faith- it's something I've been thinking about quite a lot lately :)