Conversion

Normally, changing church affiliations is known simply as "attending another church."

When someone decides to stop attending the local non-denominational church and start attending the Lutheran church up the road, for example, he doesn't necessarily consider himself to be "converting." The word "proselyte" doesn't even occur to him.

However, making the move from Protestantism to Orthodoxy involves much more than simply altering the geography of one's Sunday worship; it is more than singing a different set of hymns, or exchanging pews for theater seating, or vice-versa. It is learning a whole new language; it's becoming the country mouse in the big city; it's Alice slipping through the looking glass; it's Dorothy, discovering that simply moving from one grayscale room to another isn't getting her anywhere, and stepping out the front door and into the lush Technicolor land of Oz; it's Butch and Sundance plunging off the cliff; it's "Alea iacta est" and "One giant leap" rolled into one.

I would say that, yes, the word "conversion" would apply here.

Since before Kathryn and I married, we attended a church at which we were both very comfortable, where the people were warm and welcoming, where we knew and loved the pastors, where were were able to assist with our time and tithes. It was the church in which we were married, so there was—and is—an emotional connection. We could easily continue for many years to attend and worship at Christ the King and be perfectly comfortable and content there.

But knowing what we know now, we can see that for us to remain at that church, or at any Protestant church, is to be part of a church whose doctrine and practice are demonstrably different from the Church of the first century; it would be to hold the Scripture over the Church, and to believe that my interpretation of the Scriptures is superior to the consistent witness of the Church through the ages; it would be to reject the written testimony of the Early Fathers in favor of Enlightenment scholars, and to believe that, until the Reformation, God reneged on His promise not to allow the gates of hell prevail against His Church.

We recognize now that, despite whatever argument we can devise to justify doing so, for us to continue for another day within any Christian body other than the Holy Orthodox Church would be to remain in willful and obstinate separation from the very same Church of the Apostles, the Church founded on Pentecost.

At approximately 4 o'clock on the afternoon of February 21st, Kathryn and I will be baptized into the Orthodox Church. Any of my readers who feel inclined to attend are invited to do so. It will take place at St. Sabbas Monastery in Harper Woods.*

If, however, between now and then someone can give me reason to believe that there is another Christian body out there that...

...can better or more clearly demonstrate continuity between its present self and the Church established at Pentecost,

…can be shown to have adhered to and taught more steadfastly the "faith which was once for all delivered to the saints,"

…more consistently and accurately reflects the teaching of the Scriptures,

…gives more appropriate respect and honor to “the mother of my Lord,”

…has a fuller and more active and robust prayer life,

...can prescribe more effective means of denying myself and taking up my cross,

...worships in a manner more consistent with Biblical worship,

…can make a better case to being the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,

then we will immediately put the baptism on hold.

However, I don't expect that will happen. I don't believe it can happen. I believe beyond any reasonable doubt that this is the "one fold," this is the fullness of the Faith. This is Christianity as God intended, undiminished, uncorrupted, undistorted.

I invite all my readers who haven't already done so to get out of the black-and-white, and step through the front door into the color. Don't take my word for it: come and see.


*Attendees are reminded to dress appropriately, including skirts and head coverings for women.