[The_Reader_David]

Actually you might read the story of the conversion of the Aleuts to Orthodox Christianity. Most of them attribute their conversion to St. Herman of Alaska, who lived as a hermit. You might also read about St. John of Kronstadt who took the Gospel to the squalid naval base town of Kronstadt which was replete with all the worst things one associates with undisciplined sailors.

There are plenty of living examples of the Holy Orthodox Church continuing in this tradition: the only orphanage in Guatemala is run by Orthodox nuns (who keep the strict Orthodox monastic rule); we are looking forward here in Kansas to a promised visit by a Fr. Daniel (whose last name is a long, to me unpronouceable Indonesian name) who is bringing the Gospel to Indonesia, and is under death sentence by for converting from Islam.

Again I invite you to look into the Church, rather than projecting Western misconceptions--your remark about monasticism shows how little you know of its Eastern version.

[L,TOWM]

Fair enough.