It was eight years ago this week that I became an Orthodox Christian. And while the actual event (called a chrismation) took only a short time, I spent many hours, months, and years coming to that point.
Deciding to become Orthodox in no small thing. Though I had been a Christian for all of my life, Orthodoxy seemed quite foreign at first–older, more elaborate, more demanding, and just plain different than anything I had ever known. However, as my soon-to-be husband and I began reading, researching, and eventually attending an Orthodox church, I became fully confident that God was leading me to this faith.
But, would my family agree? I was afraid to find out. A couple of weeks ago I shared about how my friends and family reacted when I became Orthodox. The short version? It was a mixed reaction.
Many converts to the Eastern Orthodox Church go through the same experience. In fact, over the past month, I have gotten so many readers asking me about my family’s reaction to my conversion to Orthodoxy, that I have decided to write a short series on the topic. Over the next couple of weeks, look for posts about:
- Common objections to and misconceptions about the Orthodox Church that many families raise
- Tips for speaking to family members who are unsure about or opposed to Orthodoxy
- Basic explanations for Orthodox baptism and chrismation that may be helpful for non-Orthodox
Today I would like to focus on common misconceptions about Eastern Orthodoxy that many family members and friends have. These are objections that I have heard personally, that friends of mine have experienced, and that other Orthodox Christians have told me they faced when converting.
First, a quick disclaimer. I am (obviously) not a priest. If you have questions about how to respond to the misconceptions and objections of others, your spiritual father or any Orthodox priest would be the best resource. Because of this, I will link to many online articles that provide a more thorough theological response and may help you understand the issues better than I can do in a short post.
Common Misconceptions About Eastern Orthodoxy (And How to Respond to Them)
Misconception #1: “That’s the same as Catholic, right?”
In my experience, this is the major objection to Orthodoxy that most Protestant friends and family raise. And, because of the deep-seeded suspicion of Catholicism that most Protestants harbor as a leftover of the Reformation, being anywhere near Catholic is generally viewed as a bad thing.
To an outsider looking in at the Orthodox Church, the comparison makes sense. We worship in a highly liturgical style. There are priests and bishops who administer the Eucharist. We talk about Mary and the saints a lot. The sacraments are a big deal. On the surface the similarities seem overwhelming.
However, there are some significant differences.
- In the Orthodox Church there is no single hierarch (a Pope) over the entire church. There are many bishops, some Metropolitans, and a few Patriarchs. These various hierarchs meet and communicate at times, but there is no single voice or absolute authority for the Orthodox Church in the form of one person.
- Because of this, we have no doctrine of papal infallibility. We believe that the Holy Spirit moved and worked in the historic Ecumenical Councils, which were meetings of bishops representing all of the Church. These councils represent the consensus of the group and not of one.
- The Orthodox Church has a more Eastern way of approaching theology. The scholasticism that influenced the West was not as important to the Eastern way of thinking about God. Therefore, the East refers to the sacraments as “mysteries” and is content not fully understanding all that is going on in them. Apophatic theology (negative theology–realizing that we cannot and should not know all about or fully understand God) is more the norm.
- The Reformation was never “a thing” for the Eastern Church. All of the reasons that the Protestant reformers broke away from Rome (indulgences, papal authority, etc.)? Not really even on the radar of the Eastern Church.
Ways to Respond to this Objection:
1. The Short Answer: Nope. There are differences. (You can then outline a few.)
2. The Longer Answer: Give a quick Church History lesson. In the early church, there were five major centers of Christianity: Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople. The bishops of these cities were given the title “Patriarch” and viewed as important leaders of the Church. The Patriarch of Rome was called “the first among equals” because of his connection to both St. Peter and St. Paul. However, he was only one of the bishops and worked alongside the others guiding the Church, leading at Church Councils, etc. Eventually over hundreds of years, the churches in the Greek-speaking East and Latin West began to differ over some things. These differences came to a head in the eleventh century and resulted in the Great Schism. The Western Church, lead by the Patriarch (or Pope) of Rome separated from the Eastern Churches (all the rest of the bishops and patriarchs) resulting in the separation seen today. So, no. The Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church are not the same thing.
Related Links for Further Reading:
Frederica Matthewes Green on Orthodoxy
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) on Orthodoxy and Catholicism
The Greek Orthodox Church on the History of the Church (including the Schism with Rome)
Misconception #2: “All of those icons in church–isn’t that idolatry?”
When visiting an Orthodox Church for the first time, one immediately notices all of the icons on the walls, in the front on the iconostasis, and on the dome. This can make many Protestants uncomfortable and remind them of the commandment not to make a graven image or worship idols. And when they see Orthodox Christians kissing the icons, that suspicion seems to be confirmed.
Ways to Respond to this Objection:
1. The Analogy: Many people keep pictures of their loved ones around the house, in photo albums, or on their phones. Imagine a wife whose husband is in the military and away on a tour of duty. She will likely keep the picture close to her and perhaps even kiss it at night. However, if her husband walked in the door, she would immediately put the picture down and rush to embrace him. In the same way, Orthodox Christians have images of the saints, of biblical events, and of Christ. We surround ourselves with our Church family to remind ourselves of who we are. We kiss the icons (venerate them) to show our respect and love to the reality behind the image.
2. The Theological Answer: Because Christ became incarnate (literally put on flesh) for our sake, he sanctified all matter. He became a physical person who could be seen, touched, embraced, and kissed. And so we can create an image of Christ because he was a real person. By using icons in worship we are affirming the real, physical, Incarnation of our Lord. All respect shown to the icon is given to Christ.
3. The Answer from History: From the very earliest times, the Church has used icons. Churches with icons have been found in archaeological digs dating back to the third century. At various points in Church history, there have been disagreements (sometimes violent ones) about the propriety of icon use. However, at the Seventh Ecumenical Council (representing all Christians, both East and West before the Schism), the Church made incontestably clear the Church’s position. Icon use is not merely acceptable, it is the correct way in which to worship. To the East, then, it is incongruous that most Protestants (and Catholics) would accept the teachings of the other Ecumenical Councils on matters such as Trinitarian theology and the two natures of Christ, but completely ignore the Seventh Council.
Related Links for Further Reading:
On Holy Icons from Holy Ascension Orthodox Church
Video on Icons from Frederica Matthewes Green
Icons: Ancient Christian Art That Still Inspire Devotion Today by Joel J. Miller
Icons and Christian Worship by Adventures of an Orthodox Mom
Misconception #3: “You don’t really need the saints. We’re all saints.”
Often hand-in-hand with a distrust of icons comes a misconception of the saints and their role in our faith. Many people have told me, “You don’t need to pray to saints. Just pray to Jesus.” The underlying assumptions are that a) Orthodox Christians pray to saints and that b) saints are completely unnecessary.
Ways to Respond to this Objection:
1.Saints as Intercessors
One of the most common expressions that I heard when I was a student at a Protestant seminary was, “Will you pray for me about….” I was part of a wonderful community that regularly shared our struggles and lifted each other up in prayer. We were each other’s intercessors. In the same way, Orthodox Christians recognize that the saints who have gone before us are still part of the Christian community. They also can pray for us. And, they are faithful intercessors who won’t get busy and happen to forget your request (as I often did!). Therefore, we regularly ask the saints who have gone before to pray to God for us when we are sick, worried, confused, etc.
2. Saints as Family
When we became Orthodox Christians eight years ago, I was a little uncertain about how to handle the saints. I mean, they seemed so foreign to my Protestant upbringing. Who were these people whose icons filled the walls of our church? Why should I care about them? What did they have to do with my life And then I realized that they were my family. In the Orthodox Church, we realize that no Christian can live a life of faith alone. We are part of a community–and not just a local community (although that is extremely important). Our community, our family, is all over the world, and throughout time.
Just as I inherited my great-grandmother’s feisty temperament, learned from my grandfather’s love of the land, and try to emulate my mother’s gift of teaching, so also am I connected to my spiritual family. These saints who have gone before me provide me with examples of the faith. They pray for me as I go through trials. They cheer me on in my journey toward salvation.
Related Links for Further Reading:
The Saints of the Church from the Greek Archdiocese
The Orthodox Church in America on How a Person “Becomes” a Saint
Video: What Do You Mean, Pray to the Saints? by Frederica Matthewes Green
Please join me on Friday as I continue the series with More Common Misconceptions about Eastern Orthodoxy.
If you are interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church, I highly recommend this thorough book by Timothy (Bishop Kallistos) Ware:
The Orthodox Church by Timothy Ware
I would love to hear thoughts from you. If you are Protestant or Catholic, do you have any questions or feel I have mischaracterized anything? If you are Eastern Orthodox or an inquirer, what objections or misconceptions have you faced?
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I grew up attending a Russian Orthodox Church. There were very few school-age kids in my school that did, so I was often poked fun at over being orthodox. Case in point – my own best friend referred to me as “Jewish.” She didn’t even attend church and was completely ignorant to the major theological differences of the two, but I didn’t bother to correct her because she thought it would be more fun to continue to joke than learn.
I have heard that, too, Maggie. “You’re Orthodox? Like Jewish?” Then sometimes they think I am Mormon because we are a young family. Orthodoxy is fairly unknown to much of the U.S. Thanks for sharing your experience. My kids are still fairly young, but I am wondering if they will be teased for their faith as they get older.
I, too, have had to answer these very same questions from my friends in my journey towards Orthodoxy. The West has missed out on so much of the Church that it’s sad and disheartening. I pray for my friends and family all the time and love that I have even more family that I didn’t realize prior to worshipping with the Orthodox family. It won’t be long before I am christmated and my prayer is that at least one friend and one family member will be in attendance to show support. Thank you so much for this article. I will be sharing it on my FB page.
Thank you for sharing, Ysidora. And, welcome home! May God bless you as you are received into the Orthodox Church.
Coming from a Roman brother, I’d say that your description delineating the differences btw Latin and Eastern churches is a little superficial and maybe misleading. Papal infallibility is not a attribute of the man, rather a power of the position and has only been used TWICE in the history of the Church. Also, you don’t dsicuss that Jesus himself sets Peter apart from the 12 as the spiritual leader of the Church. Also, without a single authority, what makes Orthodoxy any different than Protestants when it comes to obedience? Any single person, pastor, or church can claim “the Holy Spirit is my guide and authority” and then proceed to do almost anything they please (see the 20,000 Protestant denominations as proof). As a Roman Catholic I can confidently know that I’m being the most obedient servant I can be by following the teachings of the church as provided by a leader with unbroken lineage from Jesus via St Peter. Thank you for considering my query.
Hello Brad, Thanks for your very thoughtful comment. I really appreciate hearing the perspective of a Catholic Christian. I just have a few thoughts in response.
1. I didn’t know that papal infallibility has only been used twice. Thanks for sharing. I’d be interested to know the occasions.
2. Regarding the fact that Jesus sets Peter apart as a spiritual leader. The Orthodox Church recognizes that fact. We also recognize that Peter established the church in Antioch, one of the other five major centers of early Christianity, before he established the church in Rome. I am curious to know if the Catholic Church therefore also regards the Patriarch of Antioch as a direct spiritual descendant of St. Peter as well.
3. The Orthodox Church, as always, also looks to church history and tradition. For several hundred years of Church history, the entire church (not just the East) viewed the Patriarch of Rome as the “first among equals,” but not as a person with the final word or in the primacy of place among all bishops. Since that was a later development only in the West, we don’t hold to the view the primacy of the Pope as being the earliest form of Christian hierarchy.
4. I certainly agree with you that having only a loose “Holy Spirit as my guide and authority” mentality is dangerous. And, I agree that the thousands of Protestant denominations are proof. However, I don’t see how that applies to the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church is one and has been one for 2,000 years. Yes, there are different jurisdictions, but one church.
I hope that helps clarify a few points!
Thank you for this article. I grew up in protestant church and now, the Lord is leading me down ‘the road facing east’. I’m finding many protestants are doing the same. I could use a darker font on your blog, please. The gray is difficult to read. Older eyes I guess. God bless you on your path.
Thank you, Melissa. I pray that God blesses you and guides you as you seek to follow Him.