Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: NRx
Far from a problem I think it is an extremely positive development.

I would agree, and that's why I found the article confusing.

One of the occasional problems in Orthodoxy (your mileage will vary) is that some jurisdictions (and I have seen this a few times at the parish level too) can put too much emphasis on ethnicity. Ethnocentrism is not as bad as it once was by any means. But one can still run into it here and there.

Ethnocentricity is one of the unsurmountable hurdles I have with Orthodox churches, because in my limited exposure to them I've never not encountered it.

I remember visiting a Russian parish once and there was not a word of English in the liturgy. I kind of got the third degree (who are you and why are you here?). When I explained that I was Orthodox and not Russian they asked if I was Greek and I said no, I’m of Irish descent. Thereafter every one kind of looked at me like I had just landed in a flying saucer and quietly kept their distance.

Good illustration of what I'm talking about, above. The Gospel and the ethnicity are so intermingled that one never knows if they're becoming a Christian or an Expatriate.

12 posted on 05/04/2015 8:38:02 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies ]


To: Alex Murphy; NRx

well, quite frankly — if you moved to a non-English speaking land, let’s say Germany, would you look for an English speaking congregation or look for a local one?


24 posted on 05/05/2015 2:38:34 AM PDT by Cronos (ObamaÂ’s dislike of Assad is not based on AssadÂ’s brutality but that he isn't a jihadi Moslem)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson