Are you a convert to Orthodoxy?

[Antiochian]

I'd just like to know an estimate on the number of people here who are actually converts or are Orthodox by family association.

[Donna Rose]

...a poll that's easy enough for me to participate in

convert from the RC church here.

D

[jlerms]

Originally RC then dabbled in Buddhism and now found the One True  Church.        Juliana

[bergschlawiner]

To split hairs many may be of the same tradition like Greek Catholics or Melkites who just made a switch as many do back and forth in  these societies in Europe and the US. 

[Innocent]

I'm a convert from the RC church.

[Grigorii]

I'm a convert from Pentecostalism, thru Catholicsm, to Orthodoxy. Been Orthodox for a couple of years now, and have finally found home.

IC XC

Grigorii

[QuoVadis]

I'm a convert to Orthodoxy (glory to God) from the Protestant church.  Although my Dad's family are of the Orthodox faith, and my Mum's family are of the Protestant faith.

[AnthonyPL]

Although I became Orthodox nearly a decade ago, I still feel unworthy to be Orthodox.  This, I do understand, comes out of pride: it would be easier to be Catholic, at least in relations with my family; I feel "less" Orthodox than the Greeks, Russians, or Georgians who were raised in the Faith--although all have equally opened their arms to me and other converts.  This, I should add, all while I feel a great pull to the priesthood--since even before I became Orthodox (although then I was pulled towards the "ministry)--even though I push myself away from that area.

Anyhow, this came out rather muddled, but I'm curious to know if anyone else besides me has ever experienced these problems.

[Asteriktos]

I'm a convert from Christian fundamentalism of various shades.

[djrak]

Although I became Orthodox nearly a decade ago, I still feel unworthy to be Orthodox.ÂÂ  This, I do understand, comes out of pride: it would be easier to be Catholic, at least in relations with my family; I feel "less" Orthodox than the Greeks, Russians, or Georgians who were raised in the Faith--although all have equally opened their arms to me and other converts.ÂÂ  This, I should add, all while I feel a great pull to the priesthood--since even before I became Orthodox (although then I was pulled towards the "ministry)--even though I push myself away from that area.

Anyhow, this came out rather muddled, but I'm curious to know if anyone else besides me has ever experienced these problems.

hey Anthony dont feel like that man, I'm sure God doesnt want you to... He's your father and He's glad you're home dont compare yourself to others. anyway dont rush the priesthood thing, give it time and put it all in God's hands, He'll let you know loud and clear. 

[AnthonyPL]

The priesthood, and by extension seminary, is the one thing I can guarantee I won't rush toward.  I've got another five or six years of school to look forward to anyway.

[Michael]

In the process of converting, having left Anglicanism.

[MaryCecilia]

I'm a convert from the roman catholic church as well.

Mary

[PhosZoe]

Born into an Orthodox family but not baptized until adulthood. I'm a convert from Betty Crocker wicca.

[AnthonyPL]

Born into an Orthodox family but not baptized until adulthood. I'm a convert from Betty Crocker wicca.

Is that cake made with twigs and candles? 

[Ebor]

There wasn't a space for "None of the above"... ah well. 

Ebor

[PerogiPincher]

I'm 4th generation Russian Orthodox.  Our daughter is now 5th.

Although, my husband converted from Byzantine Catholic.



Deborah

[irene]

Born protestant, converted to RC, and found home with the Orthodox Church. 

Lots of RC converts!

Irene

[ExploringOrthodoxy]

In the process of converting, via evangelical Anglicanism and then Anglo-Catholicism.  God willing, being received early next year.

Ian.

[PhosZoe]

Is that cake made with twigs and candles? 

LOL. Yep with a little wax "goddess" cake topper. It was also soaked in mead for spice.

[orthotex]

Yes, my husband and I converted to OCA from Lutheran four years ago.  Just found this forum today- very cool!

[JoeS]

Yes, my husband and I converted to OCA from Lutheran four years ago.ÂÂ  Just found this forum today- very cool!

Infant Baptised Episcopalian, later "conditional" baptised in Roman Catholic church, and now Orthodox for 5 years through Chrismation.

JoeS

[Ebor]

A Conditional baptism from the RC's?  Interesting. I'm just curious and if you prefer to not answer I apologize for asking.  Were the records lost?  Was it a regular RC Church? (as opposed to an off-shoot like some I've read that claim to be the Real RC's) Was this long ago?

Respectfully,


Ebor

[suzannes]

Wow, lot's of RC converts.  Interesting.  I haven't met that many in real life.  I know our Matushka said that she thought it was hardest for RC's to become Orthodox, which I agree with.  I know I torture myself with the question "if it was pre-Vatican II times, would I have found Orthodoxy?"  But you can drive yourself crazy with questions like that.

[Friar Tuck]

Yes,

I was born into a relatively non-practicing catholic family. I came to the faith after seriously examining the faith and I believed that I truly could not affirm that the Catholic Church and its teachings were the the true faith. That was almost 25 years ago, and I have no regrets.

Friar Tuck

[suzannes]

The family thing can really kill you though.  My grandfather had been in a seminary, and my grandparents were very pious, E. European, old-style RC.  It's interesting, because I guess my grandmother would cover the mirrors during Lent, and not allow the radio to be played.  Now of course, if you keep Orthodox Lent, people think you're nuts, as in "Fasting??? WHAT??"

When I was a little kid, my grandmother gave me a Catholic holy picture, and it is still a very precious thing to me.  I know that some converts really believe the RC's are evil, but I just don't have that view.  Misguided, but not evil.  Interestingly, we have a RC priest who sometimes attends services at our ROCOR parish.  Our priest keeps asking him when he's going to convert.

[Vasili Kosta]

I am converting from the Protestant Pentecostal Movement, specifically Foursquare.

My journey has been long and strenuous, as I also went from Foursquare to Messianic Judaism in search of the first church. My wife and I drove roughly 70 miles each Saturday to attend something which was new to us both, searching for the Truth of the First Church. Little did I know that the One, True Church was right in my old hometown not 6 miles away, and I glanced by it everytime I drove by not thinking that someday I would eventually attend and desire the fullness of the Mysteries that lie within. That Church which I ignored for so many years was this little Greek Orthodox Church. My wife and I are in the process of joining whereas our two girls are already baptized and chrismated.

VK

[Fr. David]

What a great thread.  Vasili, welcome to oc.net!  I, too, dabbled in so-called "Messianic Judaism" before finding Orthodoxy.  Didn't really like the Byzantine liturgy when I first saw it, but I DID acknowledge immediately how "Hebrew" it was.

[Vasili Kosta]

What a great thread.ÂÂ  Vasili, welcome to oc.net!ÂÂ  I, too, dabbled in so-called "Messianic Judaism" before finding Orthodoxy.ÂÂ  Didn't really like the Byzantine liturgy when I first saw it, but I DID acknowledge immediately how "Hebrew" it was.

Same here. I saw how Jewish the service was, the similiarities that show us the fulfilment of the Messiah as Jesus. I miss the Hebrew though, mainly because my Greek is horrible(lol) and my Hebrew is okay. But I honestly sense that it was a good passing from the Messianic synagogue to the Greek Orthodox Church. It prepared me for a Liturgical service as well as showing fulfillment of the Church.

I love where I am at now. It's home!

VK

[BJohnD]

Baptized as an infant in the Presbyterian Church (now PCUSA)
Confirmed in the United Methodist Church at age 12
10-year vacation from church
Return and conversion to Episcopalianism at 31
Found Home in Orthodoxy at 37

[germanus]

Baptized at six yrs. old in 1st Baptist church in L.A. (unusaual for baptists-18 or older to be baptized-rule of thumb) by my own choice.
Ran away from God to study many "gods" until I became Rastafarian @ 22 yrs.
found the Orthodox church @ 25 1/2 yrs.
baptised @ 27
now 29
"Lord have mercy." + + +

[Protokletos]

I am a convert to the Antiochian Archdiocese from the United Church of Christ (or "Unitarians Considering Christ" as they are sometimes called).  I did actually receive a Trinitarian baptism (which I'm not sure they do any more).  When I was in high school, I had many "evangelical" friends, and so I started going to church with them and reading the Bible.  This raised in my mind a lot of questions about the differences between Christian churches.  But when I went to talk to my UCC pastor about it, he just told me something like, "Whatever path you choose to follow is the right one for you." 

So I was evangelical/charismatic/fundamentalist for a while and went to a Bible college.  It was there I found out about Orthodoxy.  In my studies of the Scriptures and Church history, it became obvious to me that the early church was sacramental and hierarchical, and that "sola scriptura" and "sola fide" were not taught anywhere until the 16th century.  About half way through my Protestant seminary training, after shedding my Protestant/egalitarian/higher critical baggage, I was chrismated into the true Church, the fullness of the Christian faith. 

[Sarah]

Born and raised Antiochian Orthodox.

[Beavis]

Mainline Protestantism.  Islam.  Atheism.  Charismaticism.  Orthodoxy.   ...in that precise order.

[SouthSerb99]

Born and raised in the Serbian Orthodox Church.  After having moved, went to a "Macedonian" Orthodox Church (for 4 years), thinking it was the same thing, just a different flavor.  After realizing I was wrong, went back to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

[SouthSerb99]

Mainline Protestantism.  Islam.  Atheism.  Charismaticism.  Orthodoxy.  ÃƒÆ’‚ ...in that precise order.

...and lived to tell about it 

[Beavis]

Born and raised in the Serbian Orthodox Church.ÂÂ  After having moved, went to a "Macedonian" Orthodox Church (for 4 years), thinking it was the same thing, just a different flavor.ÂÂ  After realizing I was wrong, went back to the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Why?  What's up with the Macedonian Church?

[Elisha]

Why?ÂÂ  What's up with the Macedonian Church?

They're Schismatic...and are being used/using their government to justify their existence, while both a) persecuting the legitimate Serbian Orthodox Church and b) allowing their government to use them (the MOC) for their own political agendas.

[ozgeorge]

While I was born into an Orthodox family, I haven't voted until now because I disagree with the way the title of this thread seperates believers. No one is born Orthodox, we are all converts to it. It is our second birth (baptism) not our first which determines Orthodoxy.

[Veniamin]

Raised high-church Methodist, drifted (very, very slightly) into Anglicanism during high school, whence I fled back to Orthodoxy.  I say "back to" since Orthodoxy really is the "faith of my fathers," until they arrived here fleeing the Russian Revolution, anyway.  I'm the first in four generations, so far, to come back to the Church.

And an off-topic hello to Orthotex, since we attend the same parish.  Hi! 

[JoeS]

A Conditional baptism from the RC's?ÂÂ  Interesting. I'm just curious and if you prefer to not answer I apologize for asking.ÂÂ  Were the records lost?ÂÂ  Was it a regular RC Church? (as opposed to an off-shoot like some I've read that claim to be the Real RC's) Was this long ago?

Respectfully,


Ebor

Sorry for getting back with an answer so late, but to answer your question:  There must have be some recognition of baptisms as performed by the Episcopal church by the Roman Catholic church.  Otherwise, I would have been UNconditionally baptised.  Remember I was baptised in the Episcopal church some 65 years ago when Episcopalians were very conservative and you dont see the things happening in their church as you see today.  Conditional baptisms are or were performed by the RCC quite frequently and I believe the words go something like this: "On the condition that this (baptisimal name)  was not baptised I baptise thee in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost". Or words to this effect.

[Ebor]

Thank you for the reply.  Interesting. 

Ebor

[Carpatho Russian]

Born and raised in the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church of North America (what was commonly referred to as the Metropolia and now know as the OCA).

[Padre Ambrogio]

Raised as a very nominal RC, wandered off for a decade of so of restless religious search, came back to the Orthodox Church.

Currently putting some effort in trying to live as a good Christian (maybe will be able to do that, when growing up...)

[SouthSerb99]

Father,

Nice to have you here.  Enjoy the site!

[Tags:]

OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Convert Issues (Moderator: Thomas) > Topic: Are you a convert to Orthodoxy?