"Orthodox Christian" churches

[CNormal]

In our vicinity, I saw a sign for a new church that calls itself an “Orthodox Christian” Church. There is nothing about Greek or Russian or Ukrainian or any such national affiliation. We have an (explicitly) Greek Orthodox Church already in our town. Does anyone know what this type may be about?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Could be OCA. Do you know the name of the church? You can check out the OCA directory at oca.org and see if that church is listed there. Of you can ask the priest who his bishop is and check if such bishop exists, which jurisdiction he belongs to, and if he is in communion with all other Orthodox Churches.

 

[Nine_Two]

It could be an actual Orthodox Church, or it could be one of those crazy Protestant groups that thinks it is Orthodox. Only way to find out would be through a website, if they have one, or going inside.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I don’t believe our parish even says OCA in the sign outside. It says “Orthodox Church” and also something about being “all-English”.

 

[CNormal]

I guess the question of actual relevance to me (outside of mere curiosity) is… would this “Orthodox Christian Church” be in communion with the Catholic Church of Rome. If not, well, then it is not a place to which I would worship. I understand the situation with the Greek or Russian Orthodox Churches but an Orthodox Church without a national affiliation was something new to me. Perhaps it is just an “American” version with American instead of Greek or Russian trappings and attachments.

 

[Nine_Two]

I guess the question of actual relevance to me (outside of mere curiosity) is… would this “Orthodox Christian Church” be in communion with the Catholic Church of Rome. If not, well, then it is not a place to which I would worship. I understand the situation with the Greek or Russian Orthodox Churches but an Orthodox Church without a national affiliation was something new to me. Perhaps it is just an “American” version with American instead of Greek or Russian trappings and attachments.

OCA would be the “American” version. But no, it isn’t in communion with Rome. Any church that identifies itself strictly as “Orthodox Christian” is unlikely to be in communion with Rome.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I guess the question of actual relevance to me (outside of mere curiosity) is… would this “Orthodox Christian Church” be in communion with the Catholic Church of Rome. If not, well, then it is not a place to which I would worship. I understand the situation with the Greek or Russian Orthodox Churches but an Orthodox Church without a national affiliation was something new to me. Perhaps it is just an “American” version with American instead of Greek or Russian trappings and attachments.

Technically an Orthodox Church is attached to one nation, that is the heavenly Israel, the Kingdom of God. Through circumstances in the last 1000 years, most Orthodox Churches were isolated and confined within defined nations, and thus took on a more ethnic character. But that is not the true character and purpose of Orthodoxy. We have a long way to go in fixing this misconception, both within and outside of the Orthodox Church. But definitely an Orthodox Church isn’t meant to be a Church for a specific ethnicity.

 

[Trebor135]

In our vicinity, I saw a sign for a new church that calls itself an “Orthodox Christian” Church. There is nothing about Greek or Russian or Ukrainian or any such national affiliation. We have an (explicitly) Greek Orthodox Church already in our town. Does anyone know what this type may be about?

Does this church have a website we could look at?

 

[andrewstx]

It could be an actual Orthodox Church, or it could be one of those crazy Protestant groups that thinks it is Orthodox. Only way to find out would be through a website, if they have one, or going inside.

We have in Andrews Texas a “St Athanasius Orthodox church”. It is really some kind of fundamental Protestant church. I went in once and they have a “praise band” complete with drums.

Amazingly enough they had their very own “Bishop” in a small town of 9,000. That “bishop” was vested in a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots. He kept insisting I was greek, when I am really Russian.

Weird.

 

[Nine_Two]

We have in Andrews Texas a “St Athanasius Orthodox church”. It is really some kind of fundamental Protestant church. I went in once and they have a “praise band” complete with drums.

Amazingly enough they had their very own “Bishop” in a small town of 9,000. That “bishop” was vested in a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots. He kept insisting I was greek, when I am really Russian.

Weird.

At least you know they aren’t Nestorians.

 

[1ke]

It could be anything. You will have to ask them.

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

You can only but ask the Pastor or someone that attends, they should make their communion known to everyone.

 

[FabiusMaximus]

We have in Andrews Texas a “St Athanasius Orthodox church”. It is really some kind of fundamental Protestant church. I went in once and they have a “praise band” complete with drums.

Amazingly enough they had their very own “Bishop” in a small town of 9,000. That “bishop” was vested in a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots. He kept insisting I was greek, when I am really Russian.

Weird.

There is a primarily Black church in my area called “First Cathedral” and it’s minister calls himself “bishop.”

 

[LtTony]

In our vicinity, I saw a sign for a new church that calls itself an “Orthodox Christian” Church. There is nothing about Greek or Russian or Ukrainian or any such national affiliation. We have an (explicitly) Greek Orthodox Church already in our town. Does anyone know what this type may be about?

Does this church have a website we could look at?

I think this is it:

oca.org/

Thanks to OCA members for posting.

It could be an actual Orthodox Church, or it could be one of those crazy Protestant groups that thinks it is Orthodox. Only way to find out would be through a website, if they have one, or going inside.

Know what you mean. My bro-in-law is an “orthodox presbyterian.”

 

[Peter_J]

I guess the question of actual relevance to me (outside of mere curiosity) is… would this “Orthodox Christian Church” be in communion with the Catholic Church of Rome. If not, well, then it is not a place to which I would worship. I understand the situation with the Greek or Russian Orthodox Churches but an Orthodox Church without a national affiliation was something new to me. Perhaps it is just an “American” version with American instead of Greek or Russian trappings and attachments.

Why would a Catholic parish put such a misleading sign out?

Know what you mean. My bro-in-law is an “orthodox presbyterian.”

I had a good friend who was in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

 

[Peter_J]

It could be anything. You will have to ask them.

Well yes, it could be anything, or it could be an Orthodox church, as it’s claiming to be.

Likewise, a church whose sign says “St. Anthony Roman Catholic parish” could be anything, or it could be a Roman Catholic parish.

 

[andrewstx]

Well yes, it could be anything, or it could be an Orthodox church, as it’s claiming to be.

Likewise, a church whose sign says “St. Anthony Roman Catholic parish” could be anything, or it could be a Roman Catholic parish.

I really think it must be a Pentecostal Fundamentalist church with a few icons. There are no Orthodox churches with “praise bands” come on get real. Just calling a church Orthodox does not make it really Orthodox.

As I was waiting for cowboy “bishop” to arrive in his mega-truck a woman there told me she had been “caught up in the spirit” while burning incense.

They may call themselves Orthodox but they are in communion with no Orthodox church let alone S C O B A.

 

[Peter_J]

I really think it must be a Pentecostal Fundamentalist church with a few icons. There are no Orthodox churches with “praise bands” come on get real. Just calling a church Orthodox does not make it really Orthodox.

As I was waiting for cowboy “bishop” to arrive in his mega-truck a woman there told me she had been “caught up in the spirit” while burning incense.

They may call themselves Orthodox but they are in communion with no Orthodox church let alone S C O B A.

shaw: Don’t be silly, I meant the church mentioned in the OP and thread-title. (Maybe I should have made that clearer. ) I completely agree that the church you brought up is a protestant congregation.