Is there any harm in studying Orthodoxy a little bit

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teamjesusnumber31

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I’m worried if I read something that contradicts our Faith I may not be able to spot it, not being a theologian or anything

I am attracted to the “air” of Orthodoxy
Not interested in converting
 
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Not only is there no harm in studying Orthodoxy (or any faith for that matter), it is actually Scripturally encouraged!

1 Peter 3:15 reads “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” We learn two things from this verse:
  1. We should learn our own faith as well as we can so that when it is challenged, we are able to defend the hope that we have in Christ.
  2. We need to maintain this defense with respect. It would be quite disrespectful to tell a person his beliefs are not with the Truth if we did actually learn what those beliefs were.
Whether it is Orthodoxy or Protestantism, Islam or Atheism, it is always a great move to try and better understand the opposing point of view. This principle can be applied in any capacity in your life as well, not just apologetics.

You write “I’m worried if I read something that contradicts our Faith I may not be able to spot it.” This is a good thing! What you’ll find is that in gaining a deeper understanding of your opponent, you will gain a deeper understanding of yourself. You are not expected to have the Catechism memorized in order to be a good Catholic. In fact, simply knowing the Catholic position will get you nowhere if you can’t explain why you believe it! There will certainly be times where you scratch your head over a couple of Bible verses and question what you believe. But what you’ll find is that your faith will be stronger because of this. An athlete’s muscles can’t grow stronger unless they are torn apart; in the same way, your faith must be challenged for it to grow deeper and more sincere. through trial and error, you will find the Truth. I’m confident that God will guide you to show that Truth is the Catholic Church.
 
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As long as you don’t begin to feel enticed to sever union with Rome, there is no harm whatsoever in studying Orthodox Christianity. I read The Orthodox Church by Bishop Kallistos Ware and The Russian Religious Mind (both volumes) by Georgy Fedotov, the latter in college as a self-directed supplementary reading assignment.
 
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