JimCBrooklyn
Sr. Member
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Faith: Orthodox Christian
Jurisdiction: Moscow Patriarchate-Diocese of Saint Petersburg/ROCOR-Diocese of Eastern America and New York
Posts: 569
Если бога нет, то все позволено
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« on: February 08, 2011, 05:58:17 PM » |
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Greetings,
Some of you know my deal; RC inquirer into Orthodoxy, living in Russia to study literature, and so my wife (who is Russian, and Orthodox, though only just coming to know her faith) and kids can be by her family. I have had a hard time, playing the one foot in, one foot out game, often to the overall detriment of my spiritual life, for a while now, and though I've recently leaned more firmly towards Orthodoxy, I've had trouble jumping in. Especially here in Russia, I have not been quite certain how to go about it/who to talk to. I've also been afraid of what it all means...
Oddly enough, I was finishing up a workout at the gym here today, and had literally just put my phone down, where I had been reading something posted on this forum, and a guy across the locker room asked me whether I was American; he had seen an old tattoo of mine that gives it away. We got to talking; he turned out to be a grad Russian lit student, also from the states, studying here. I asked him what area of lit interested him, and he said it was actually Orthodox Theology, which really perked my ears up. He went on to say that he had converted to Orthodoxy (not from a Greek/Slavic background), and that that had been the catalyst for his entire path of study. I briefly told him that I would love to discuss that with him more at length, and we exchanged numbers.
I can't help but see this as a great opportunity, if not even a sign.
Perhaps this seems a stupid question, but, does anyone have any thoughts on how to open that dialogue? I wanted to put that out there, and also just share the story. I gather there aren't that many American Orthodox converts, let alone ones studying literature in St. Petersburg this year.
God Bless,
Jim
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