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Good morning everyone. I have set up a time today to meet with an elderly Priest at my church, both for Confession, and also to discuss Spiritual Direction. I have had the definite leaning toward this for several years now, but since I have become Orthodox and realize how very little I truly understand of it being a lifestyle, rather than just my faith, I recognize how much guidance I need. I am a voracious reader, but I honestly don't think everything can be learned in a book ... I think some things are best learned listening to a wiser, mature, Guide.
I am being honest when I tell you that I have no idea even where to start. I am hoping that he will be able to help me in this. This is all so new, and while I feel God is showing me definite new ways of seeing some things (i.e. suffering), as far as knowing what direction to be taken in Spiritual Direction ... well, I'm pretty much a blank slate.
If any of you have any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them. Many thanks ....
abby
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Dear Abby,

Slowly you will take in Orthodox thought, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you need to discard all that was good in your Evangelical roots...

What I see as the basic difference is the approach. I find Orthodoxy very monastic...very emphatic on humility and repentance, and it being the key to one's salvation. There is room for joy in the faithful Orthodox, but not arrogance about one's spiritual state.

Reading the writings (again the internet is a great source) of holy elders and saints embues one with a certain calm and sense of peace.

Reading some of the better loved books really helps too.

I know, because many of us cradle (in my particular jurisdiction) are just now discovering Orthodoxy, despite a full life of being in it!

'A Mountain of Silence' by Kyriakos Markides is REALLY good for a devout beginner from another faith. Mr. Markides is an agnostic University Professor reared in the Greek Orthodox tradition who has a series of conversations with a living saint, young Monk/Elder from the Holy Mountain who has just been given order to go to Cyprus and start up a monastery. These series of conversations are really to learn about Orthodox mysticism as a part of a whole new agey university series on different mysticisms. After this book, Mr. Markides and his wife, (another univ. professor-formally new age, if I remember correctly) are so profoundly affected by the Monastic Elder that they become committed Orthodox.

There are lots of other books we can all recommend.
Does your church or a nearby Orthodox church have a bookstore?

Also, reading sites like this one and a couple of others, actually help one to learn alot about the Eastern faith.

My church sponsors an Introduction to Orthodoxy series (for converts and reverts) every Lent. Maybe you can find something like this to attend? Ask your priest about it. If there are a few others interested, maybe he might want to do something like this.

In Christ,
Alice

Hi Alice .... thank you so very much. Yes, that wonderful sense of humility and repentance is one of the very things that drew me to Orthodoxy ... in addition to the real history and tradition which I so lacked before. There is a solid bedrock of those that have gone before, who have lived this life, walked it for years, that is so rich and full that it is like (to me...)a giant bowl of M&M's and I just can't decide which to take first! ((I know, simple...)).
I actually have Mountain of Silence in my stack to be read, along with several other books. Right now I'm reading "A Beginners Guide to Prayer" and "A Beginners Guide to Spirituality" which I got from Regina Press. My church is a new mission church, renting an old historic church at present, so we really don't have a library as of yet. We have a Catholic Bookstore in town, but not an Orthodox one. But, there is a large Greek Orthodox Church in town and I would imagine they might have a Library ... I may call them and see if others can utilize it. Among others I've read are "The Faith" and "The Way" which really were hugely helpful to me .... I also ordered and just received "The Ladder of Divine Ascent."
Before we all were taken into Orthodoxy we had 12 classes which literally took us from the time of Christ, up through each century to the present day explaining all of the history. After that the classes became focused on all the many aspects of Orthodoxy and its lifestyle. They were great classes and so helpful and very eye-opening. Several of us kept asking ourselves, "why have I never heard this before?" I guess that question will remain unanswered, but thank God, He has chosen to show it to us now.
Thanks again, Alice, for all your help ..... I am open to all suggestions.
In Christ,
abby
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Hi Abby. The only thing I'd add to all this wonderful advice and the wise steps you're already taking is to remeber that no one knows everything. If your daughter ask something you don't know,there's nothing wrong with telling her that you understand her concerns and,that you want to fully address them with correct information after you've done a little research.

Congratulations for joining the Church, and may you be a beacon of light to your family.

Abby,

I just figured out what your signature symbol was. Took me a minute!

Alexis

Abby
Glory to our Risen Lord Jesus Christ

Maybe you can clarify somthing for me are you western rite?


In Jesus and Mary
David

I may not know much but I can tell you the others are right.

Amberpep, as christians we do not believe in death as the final thing. We believe death is merely a transition into new life. Hence, even though one has gone through "death", they are in fact still alive. Ask your daughter if she believes in praying for a friend that is sick. If she says "yes" then explain to her that the dead aren't really dead but rather still alive in another, more fuller sense. So technically do we ever pray for the dead?

Hi David ..... Yes, I am ....
abby
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Good morning everyone ... I spent about an hour with the elderly Priest at my church yesterday afternoon ... what a lot of ground we covered. We talked a lot about spiritual direction (or guide) and he did give me the name of a woman about 45 min. from me who is married to an Orthodox Priest. I know of her as she's written several books and does speaking engagements. I went on her website last evening and signed up for her e-mail newsletter to sort of get a sense of her. And, as I read her site, where there are many articles listed, one that struck me was about her own journey into Orthodoxy ... a very real account .... from what she called at the time "the bells and whistles" to her "aching feet!" It was so well written, that I sent a copy to each of my kids to help them understand why "Mom has become Orthodox." It's an excellent article, well-written, and honest and I think it may be helpful to them.
Thank you all so much for your kindness to me .... like I said ... I feel like a 64-year old kid in a candy store!
In Christ,
abby
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Christ is risen! Congratulations on your reception at Pascha!

It sounds like your session with the Priest at your church yesterday afternoon was very helpful. I'm sure he and the resources he suggested will be of ongoing support to you in your journey.

Since you mentioned you're an avid reader I'll add another book I like very much: _Bread & Water, Wine & Oil: An Orthodox Christian Experience of God_ by Archimandrite Meletios Webber, himself a convert to Orthodoxy. It's remarkable to me in being "easy" to read but not dumbed down. I didn't struggle getting through the pages, but also I have re read and re read sections as I pick it up over and over again.

Another ongoing on line resource for teachings is http://ancientfaith.com/playing/ (scan down to "Now Playing on Ancient Faith Talk" for talk programs.)


I think it's safe to say that the mindset/worldview of Evangelicals, and most Western Christians, including Roman Catholics most of the time, of which I am one, is really very different from the mindset of the East. So the way that these topics are explored can be so different.

I can think of a number of Roman Catholic apologists who have written books and do on air/online apologetics meant to address these specific topics (sola scriptura, praying to the saints, and the Theotokos, the Blessed Mother, another frequent source of concern to those Christians). It seems to me there are quite a lot of Evangelicals at least in the US who have come into Orthodoxy. I hope there are apologists from that group writing on these same topics which are always brought up in arguments about our beliefs.

You know from your own experience as an Evangelical that your daughter's concern is a genuine concern for your soul. It's her love for you and her love for our Savior that drives her. God bless her for her faith. We believe that our Blessed Mother has the perfect mother's heart. Look to her for guidance and solace with this journey now with your children.

It's wonderful hearing your joy! Glory to Jesus Christ!
-Marylouise

I think that Khouria Frederica will be a great help to you and your family in understanding Orthodoxy.

God bless,
Alice

Abby, this sounds so interesting. Would you mind sharing her website with us?

Hi ... if you go into a search engine and type in her name ...
Frederica Matthews Green, it will come up. Her husband is the Priest at an Orthodox Church in Linthicum, MD ... I think it's Holy Cross, but I'm not sure about that. His name is Father Gregory.
Hope this helps.
abby
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Abby

Glory to our Risen Lord Jesus Christ!

First of all welcome to the fourm and secondly(this may deserve a thread of it's own) How has your experience with the Western Rite been I know you've only been orthodox for a short time but I was just wondering.

Congratulations on your entry into the Church

In Jesus and Mary
David