"The misconception is this..."

The following is a excerpt from the book by Matthew Gallatin, entitled Thirsting for God in a Land of Shallow Wells. Mr. Gallatin was a Seventh-Day Adventist and a charismatic before converting to Orthodoxy in his forties. Besides being a writer, he is also speaker, a college professor, and the proprietor of a superb podcast on Ancient Faith Radio called Pilgrims from Paradise.


The misconception is this: Christianity is essentially a faith that one can individually interpret and apply as one pleases. To many, the myriads of Christian denominations, rather than being a sign that something is dreadfully wrong in Christendom, instead testify to the fact that there are many paths to Christ. In their minds, it's perfectly obvious that a person is free to choose whatever path suits his personal needs, desires, and tastes. If one doesn't like any of the existing paths, he can legitimately create his own.

Again, many of us Orthodox, as well as Protestants, buy that line to one degree or another. But I can tell you this: If I proposed that definition of the Christian life to Christians of the apostolic age, or to Christians of subsequent ages who remained true to the apostolic faith, they would call me nonsensical—maybe even brand me a heretic. To them, the words of the Apostle would be eminently clear: To be a Christian, one must "stand fast and hold the traditions" of the Faith, as they have been taught from the beginning (2 Thessalonians 2:15). Only those who embrace "that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, and by all" can genuinely bear the name of Christ.

Thus, true Christianity has no room for personal interpretations, preferences, qualifications, exemptions, or adjustments. Anyone, Protestant or Orthodox, who wants to enter into a real relationship with Jesus Christ must accept the fact that the Faith of the Apostles preserved in Holy Orthodoxy is an historical reality, not just a theological school of thought. We must not forget that until the eleventh century, "to be a Christian" meant "to be Orthodox." Of course, that's the point I've been arguing in this book. But I'll reiterate here that once a person accepts the fact that it is history, and not our personal interpretation of the Scriptures, that tells us what the Christian Faith is, the fact that Orthodoxy is the one true expression of the Faith is fairly easy to discover.

We must also understand that the Faith has not been bequeathed to us in order that it may serve us. Rather, we are all called to serve it. We are all priests of the New Covenant in Christ Jesus, required to offer up "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God" (1 Peter 2:9). As priests, we are not called to create the Faith. Instead, we are enjoined to keep all its tenets, and observe all its sacraments. These we must observe faithfully—not as empty rituals and mindless doctrines, but as the essential steps in the mysterious and miraculous dance of love that Jesus Himself has choreographed for us.

If anyone reading this is interested in reading Mr. Gallatin's book, let me know and I'll send you my copy. My only stipulation is that you pass it on to someone else when you're done. M.M.