But if one is to make the claim of one true church, yet there are various forms of Orthodoxy in terms of nationalities, explain why it needs to be called “Russian” Orthodox did not the early church use the term “Catholic” when they discussed the early church?
It’s all one big Orthodox Church, consisting of particular Churches that correspond to certain peoples who have taken Orthodoxy and made it their own. Orthodoxy is not monolithic; its “flavor” varies based on the experiences and traditions of the various peoples that have accepted it. Russian, Greek, Carpatho-Rusyn, Georgian, Ukrainian, Antiochian, Romanian, etc… All these are simply different expressions of the same Orthodox faith, united in doctrine, communion and faith. Chants and art styles may differ, but it’s all still Orthodox. The “Russian” or “Greek” on the front just tells you the specific “flavor” of Orthodoxy you’re getting.
The early Church did indeed use the term Catholic, and the Orthodox Church understands itself to be the very same Catholic Church that it always has been and always will be.
To me this implies its “Russian” therefore I’m not Russian so I don’t see the point of attending to make my point I have seen some protestant churches do the same they use the name of a certain nationality as the name of their church this doesn’t work well if we are living in an English speaking country
It’s not the “Russian” that’s important, it’s the “Orthodox.” A Russian can go to a Greek church and vice-versa and no one has a problem with it. I was certainly not turned away from my Carpatho-Rusyn parish for being a non-Carpatho-Rusyn, nor was I turned away from an Antiochian Orthodox parish for being non-Arab. In fact, I was warmly welcomed and encouraged to come back, and found many people in both places who came from non-Orthodox backgrounds. At my Carpatho-Rusyn parish, just by looking at the people, you wouldn’t even know you were at a church that traces its heritage to the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe. We look for all the world like any other group of parishioners you’d find at any other church. And we certainly won’t chase you away. Rather, we would love to hear about how you came to be at our church today and what your background is, any questions or comments you have, and would be delighted if you stayed a while for coffee hour, and welcome you to come again anytime.
Heck, at my Carpatho-Rusyn parish back home, both priests were converts; one is a former Roman Catholic priest, and the other is a former Episcopalian. Your nationality does not mean a thing to the Orthodox; we want you to feel at home all the same.
Why do I get the impression that the Orthodox churches not reach out to other people outside of their nationality, I live in an area where Russians are the majority and there is no outreach attempt
This I find quite the contrary with protestant and some what catholic churches in that they seem to do a better job at reaching out to the community
Well, there is the fact that Orthodoxy in America is a very new thing. We have a lot to worry about just getting on our feet and getting organized. However, there is plenty of outreach to the non-Orthodox.
Just today, I attended an Antiochian Orthodox parish. The Antiochian Orthodox Church is historically Middle Eastern. At the Antiochian parish I attended, any members are ethnic Arabs, and the service includes a wee bit of Arabic. However, despite the fact that it’s
Antiochian, the parish itself is 50% converts from the “American” population. Orthodoxy certainly does reach out.
The specific parish in your area might not preach on street corners or on college campuses, but Orthodoxy is spreading in America, one way or another. People are coming to the Church in large numbers. In fact, many Orthodox parishes (INCLUDING Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, etc. Orthodox), most of the parish population consists of converts who come from families without any Orthodox background whatsoever, and have absolutely no ties to Russia, Greece, Syria, etc. In fact, I think Orthodox not preaching on street corners is a GOOD thing; no one likes street preachers anyway. I’ve seen more than one petition circulating around campus here to kick out the campus preachers.
The more common approach in Orthodoxy is “This is who we are and what we believe. If you’re curious and want to check us out, then by all means, come and see. If not, then that’s your choice, and God bless you.” Many Orthodox choose not to preach to others about Orthodoxy; rather, they let their lives as Christians testify to the beauty and truth of the Orthodox Faith. People eventually get curious and ask some questions. For those who are dissatisfied with their current denomination, they may find that neither Protestantism nor Catholicism can meet their needs, and when they look to see where God is calling them… Orthodoxy comes up. For those who are willing to learn, there are dozens of books and countless resources about all parts of Orthodox Christianity, and classes are available for inquirers and those who wish to become Orthodox.
I hope this helps:thumbsup: