Today's blog post will be from Ruth Obadiah on her experience as a new Orthodox convert. She recently wrote a piece on her journey into Orthodoxy, "Why am I becoming Orthodox?" She also has recently opened up her own blog site, "The Orthodox Truth".
Now that I am
Orthodox.
One can be
forgiven for thinking “that is it now, baptized – all done, just carry on with
your life, you are saved! Go be happy!” Despite being an Orthodox baby, that is
not my understanding of the Orthodox Faith, not at all. This is the
beginning, not the end. I’ve just been born, not died. This is the beginning,
and the Christian life is hard. The gate is narrow. I am learning that, and learning it fast.
About 3 years
after finding Christ and investigating the early Church, I found myself looking
at Orthodoxy. However, there was still so much I needed to know. So I concluded
that I needed to speak to Orthodox people, clergy and laity alike. I needed
answers desperately, but I knew no local Orthodox people.
I decided to
use Facebook and dialogue with Orthodox people in Orthodox Groups. Speaking to
Orthodox people is a perfect way to study the Orthodox Faith, and how it is
lived day by day – in an objective and honest manner. This posed a problem however, the Church that
I was a member of – despite being full of people I love and who love Christ
passionately – was also a Church that was, and still is – very much against the
Established Church. You can’t get any more established than the Orthodox
Church.
So, I created
for myself another Facebook account and joined many Orthodox Groups – this gave
me the opportunity to study Orthodoxy without external and subjective
distractions. I started asking
questions about Orthodoxy, about the theology, how it compared to modern
theology. I started studying more intensively literature and writings from the
early Church Fathers – and I asked questions, a lot of them.
I often played
a game, a simple game of ask a specific question, and address it to several
Orthodox clergy from across the world.
The response I received staggered me, it seemed that Orthodox teachings
were uniform everywhere! How could this be? Surely some people must have their
own opinion on interpretations? And that is the difference I found, Orthodoxy
isn’t about picking up a Bible and deciding for ourselves what it means. After all, God is not a God of confusion – is
He?
Sadly, ignorance
has played a big part in the rejection of me from my old Church since leaving
to become Orthodox. Other people around
me saw the journey I was on, saw the beautiful deep quotes I posted every day
and read the many articles I posted about Orthodoxy – and they began asking me
questions. They asked me.
I have been
accused of many things and people now ignore me in the street, I have lost
almost every Christian friend I had, but the goal - the goal is so worth it.
God sees all things, He is my witness and it is to Him alone that I am
accountable. The gate is narrow, the Cross is heavy – Christ did not say that
it would be easy, did He? Never look back, never ever look back.
This treasure
that I have found, it never ceases to take my breath away. When I first realized that the world did not
revolve around me, and I found God – I was constantly sharing this with people,
this wonderful amazing God actually loved and wanted me, despite all the bad
things I had done. Now that I have found this treasure, the Church that even
history agrees is the one that Christ established through His Apostles – this I
also want to share, this beautiful gift.
So, here I am
on this wonderful journey. Continually discovering new things and every day I
am facing new challenges. I am studying, I am constantly being encouraged to
study by my Spiritual Father, both academically and things of my own choice –
i.e, the Scriptures, comparative theology and Church history. This goes against
everything I was led to believe before, as I was always taught that those who
educate themselves are so full of “head knowledge” that they lose the concept
of the Gospel. I can’t even begin to explain how much my understanding of the
Scriptures has changed, there is a depth to Orthodoxy that truly has to be
experienced.
You cannot
argue with recorded history. For the first 1,000 years of Christianity, the
world was Orthodox (the see of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Rome and
Constantinople) – to argue with recorded history is as futile as denying the
existence of King Henry VIII because you dislike his creation of the Church of
England. Facts are facts.
Then, Rome
broke away from the other 4 sees, in effect becoming the first “Protestants”. Over
time adding doctrine after doctrine – until the Roman Church barely resembled
that of the early Church. It is hardly surprising the Reformation occurred. Sadly,
modern day evangelicals are basically doing what the Roman Church did – adding
doctrine after doctrine. Sola Scriptura has a lot to answer for. The Rapture
and the modern day interpretation of the state of Israel are two perfect
examples of this. Both are barely 150 years old and neither have ever been
taught in the Church at any time. The
true irony for me, is that despite the reformers hatred of all things
“Catholic”, almost all their theology is a convoluted branch from Rome. Who is
curious enough to research this…?
I had to ask
myself “who is right?” The Apostles and their Disciples – the men who actually
got their teachings from Christ Himself and faithfully recorded their teachings
in the many Epistles, like Ignatius, Polycarp and also through Holy Tradition? Or various men
who came nearly 2,000 years later whose theology not only disagreed with the
Early Church, but also with each other?
How can I be
true to myself unless I am being obedient to God? Compromising is not being
obedient, it is telling God that He did not quite get it right. Christ said
that we are to pick up our Cross, He did not add a footnote saying “unless it
becomes difficult or inconvenient, or makes you really unpopular”.
Now that I am
baptized, I have received the most precious Gift of the Holy Spirit, and I am
Orthodox. The desire to share this incredible gift burns away in me like an
enormous fire. The sacraments and guidance I receive strengthen me both Spiritually and physically. Orthodoxy is not emotional, it
is deeply Spiritual and every single day I am reminded of this. I am home. Yet my
journey has only just begun.
I am saved, I
am being saved, I will be saved.
Ruth Obadiah - Reverted Protestant.
