Church Hopping

[BrianH]

Our Methodist confirmation class visited an Orthodox, Catholic, African-American United Methodist Church (well you know what I mean , about 98 percent of the members are black so the music and preaching is quite different than what the kids are used to), and a Messianic Jewish congregation.
Its not usual to understand the diversity in the body and its good for the kids.

 

[dianaiad]

If you are strong… GOOD!

Still, IMO, it is not a good example to church hop…:nope:

It is if you are actually, y’know, getting a DEGREE IN THEOLOGY.

Now I wouldn’t recommend it to those who are just doing it for kicks and giggles, but for those whose academic career involves theology?

Absolutely. In fact, I would recommend it for anybody who actually wants to learn something about others, rather than live in fear of them. You never know; you might find out that they are not so much ‘other’ as you have been thinking.

Or, perhaps, you will find out that they are very different, and find your own faith confirmed thereby. Either way, it can’t hurt you.

 

[PattyPryor]

It is if you are actually, y’know, getting a DEGREE IN THEOLOGY.

Now I wouldn’t recommend it to those who are just doing it for kicks and giggles, but for those whose academic career involves theology?

Absolutely. In fact, I would recommend it for anybody who actually wants to learn something about others, rather than live in fear of them. You never know; you might find out that they are not so much ‘other’ as you have been thinking.

Or, perhaps, you will find out that they are very different, and find your own faith confirmed thereby. Either way, it can’t hurt you.

I completely agree. I think some people live in so much fear of other religions and ideas because they never explored them. I look at it this way. If I would ever meet a LDS member (or any other religion whos father is dying and needs some comfort. How much better it will be for me and the person greving to know their theology that pertains to death. By me knowing what they believe will help me to better serve them.

 

[dianaiad]

I completely agree. I think some people live in so much fear of other religions and ideas because they never explored them. I look at it this way. If I would ever meet a LDS member (or any other religion whos father is dying and needs some comfort. How much better it will be for me and the person greving to know their theology that pertains to death. By me knowing what they believe will help me to better serve them.

…just don’t wear black to a Mormon funeral, and you will do fine.

 

[thirdn6]

Learning (out of curiousity) and observing is one thing (tv and internet comes to mind), participating in their services is the ‘not-acceptable’ thing. It’s the only thing I’m most worried about.

 

[dianaiad]

Learning (out of curiousity) and observing is one thing (tv and internet comes to mind), participating in their services is the ‘not-acceptable’ thing. It’s the only thing I’m most worried about.

I see.

At what point would ‘observing’ end and ‘participating’ begin? Would it be acceptable to be reverent during prayer, for instance, by folding one’s hands or arms and bowing one’s head? How about reciting the Lord’s Prayer with the congregation if they do that?

Sing hymns along with the congregation? Is that acceptable?

Listen carefully to the sermon?

partake of communion? Go up to the pulpit if you are invited to speak, or 'feel the call?"

Now me, I would draw the line at communion, m’self, but I would pray, and sing, and listen–without pulling out the notebooks to take observation notes. I mean, there’s no need to be rude or anything–it’s not exactly an anthropology field trip.

I would also avoid the snakes or the poisoned koolaid, but I’d like to know where you would draw the boundary line.

 

[thirdn6]

That is why I do not go because I do not know whether I am already participating or not.
As a member of the Catholic Church my life is public and I can not just do anything my mind dictates me, esp if it causing scandal.

 

[crenfro]

Never seen a church building hop. (sorry, couldn’t resist…)

 

[PattyPryor]

That is why I do not go because I do not know whether I am already participating or not.
As a member of the Catholic Church my life is public and I can not just do anything my mind dictates me, esp if it causing scandal.

look lets agree to disagree because your not going to change my mind and I think it is fine what you believe. I don’t think I’m causing any scandal even though you may think so. Anyway thats all i’m saying

 

[RebeccaJ]

I was taking to my friend yesterday and because I am getting my theology degree soon I wanted to church hop a bit. I was thinking a church every weekend or everyother weekend. It is god to broaden the mind to other faiths and learn from one another. I wanted to write down later how I felt what was done etc.

That being said I think my first church to go to is the Episcopal Church.
Any suggestions on any others? I know there are sooo many out there but I think I just want a taste. I have gone to non-christian (Synogoge and Mosques already) I want to keep this in Christian denominations.

I was thinking…
UCC
A Free Church
Lutheran
Methodist
Penocostal
Presbyterian
Baptist
Orthodox

Any others you all can think of or suggest?
I’m hopping this well be a fun learning experience

I did this in a small way before I was baptized. Episcopalian was where I started, unless you count Unitarian Universalist, where I went for about a year. Calvary Baptist is one I would still like to check out some day. Greek Orthodox would also be of interest.

No theology major here, but I have always had an interest in different belief systems, and found that experiencing them is a better way to understand than just reading about them. It is how I eventually was baptized Catholic. It started with, “What do Catholics believe about God?”

 

[Ghoti]

If you look in on the Orthodox, remember there are more than just one type.

For example, in around my neighbourhood there’s Greek and Serbian Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; elsewhere in the city, the Armenian Apostolic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, and a Coptic Orthodox Church.

 

[Hesychios]

If you look in on the Orthodox, remember there are more than just one type.

I understand what you are trying to say, but it gives the impression that Holy Orthodoxy is a big mish-mosh.

That’s not the case at all.

I would have said something like: “If you look in on the non-Roman Catholic Apostolic churches, remember there are more than just one type.”

But from my (Orthodox) perspective, I might have said this also:
“If you look in on the churches outside of Holy Orthodoxy, remember there are more than just one type.”

“For example, in around my neighborhood there’s Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic, and Ethiopian Tewahedo Church; elsewhere in the city, the Armenian Apostolic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, and a Coptic Church.”

I am just pointing this out because everyone has a different perspective, and I just lump the Roman Catholic church with those other non-Orthodox churches listed here and it it looks like your church is part of a big mish-mosh!

Of course, that’s not fair either, I realize that. I am just stating that we can unintentionally make the situation look different than it really is.

For purposes of clarification, the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and Antiochian Orthodox are the same religion, essentially the same church embracing the same theology and following the same body of Canon law. We call it Holy Orthodoxy and those national designations are actually synods within the one church, much like the CECC/CCCB, the USCCB [USA], the CEM [Mexico], the CEE [Spain], CEI [Italy] and the CBCEW [England/Wales] in the Latin Catholic church.

 

[Ghoti]

I understand what you are trying to say, but it gives the impression that Holy Orthodoxy is a big mish-mosh.

That’s not the case at all.

I would have said something like: “If you look in on the non-Roman Catholic Apostolic churches, remember there are more than just one type.”

But from my (Orthodox) perspective, I might have said this also:
“If you look in on the churches outside of Holy Orthodoxy, remember there are more than just one type.”

“For example, in around my neighborhood there’s Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic, and Ethiopian Tewahedo Church; elsewhere in the city, the Armenian Apostolic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, and a Coptic Church.”

I am just pointing this out because everyone has a different perspective, and I just lump the Roman Catholic church with those other non-Orthodox churches listed here and it it looks like your church is part of a big mish-mosh!

Of course, that’s not fair either, I realize that. I am just stating that we can unintentionally make the situation look different than it really is.

For purposes of clarification, the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and Antiochian Orthodox are the same religion, essentially the same church embracing the same theology and following the same body of Canon law. We call it Holy Orthodoxy and those national designations are actually synods within the one church, much like the CECC/CCCB, the USCCB [USA], the CEM [Mexico], the CEE [Spain], CEI [Italy] and the CBCEW [England/Wales] in the Latin Catholic church.

Sorry, that’s not what I meant…

What I meant was what you pointed out along national lines – that one could get an idea of the cultural flavour of the various specific Orthodox Churches. I am sure the Divine Liturgies in, say, a Greek Orthodox, Ethiopian Tewahedo, and Armenian Apostolic Church would be as varied in visible “accidents” (if you will) as they would be between the UGCC, Armenian Catholic, and TLM.

My comment was NOT intended to denigrate or downplay the unity of Orthodoxy. Please forgive me, my Orthodox brothers and sisters, if that’s the way I came across.

The reason I mentioned these Apostolic Churches at all was that, in my quick perusal of the churches mentioned, I primarily saw Protestant ones, and I only saw one passing mention of Orthodoxy. Some might think, in their ignorance – as I did growing up – that Orthodoxy consists of just some generic, homogenous “Eastern Orthodox” group – which would be like thinking that Catholicism is only felt banners and guitars.

I admit, I still don’t understand a lot about Orthodoxy, especially in its organization, and unfortunately what I have learned comes from reading these fora and cross-referencing with Wikipedia.

With that in mind, I hope you will not attribute to malice that which can be adequately attributed to ignorance.

Again, my sincerest apologies for any offense I caused…

And thank you, Michael, for your kindly enlightening me.