www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization inviting a neighbor to church

My family has become good friends with a neighbor who is from Eritrea, and have come to know his story a bit. He was raised Orthodox, but was sent to Catholic boarding school as a young child. His parents eventually took him out of the school because the good sisters were turning him into a Catholic. At the age of 17, he became a Jehovah's Witness. He remained a Jehovah's Witness for many years, but left them about 5 years ago, in the aftermath of the organization's decision to request NGO status with the UN, which he saw as the ultimate hypocrisy and betrayal of those who had lost their jobs and even lives in his country because of their refusal to join organizations and political parties. He is soured on organized religion (for himself), but I sense in him a deep longing for God.

I'd like to invite him to church with us or perhaps ask him to accompany me to the Coptic Church. I believe that an experience with a beautiful and prayerful liturgy will touch a hidden part of his soul, and perhaps awaken long deadened sensibilities. I am not at all familiar with the Coptic liturgy. My question for this forum is this: Is the Byzantine Rite liturgy similar enough that it will feel familiar to him in the way that I'm hoping?

Elizabeth

Always present the Gospel to anyone you can. Just be clever about it yet harmless as the dove. Keeping in my mind that its only us who do the planting and God who waters and makes things grow. Ultimately the grace of conversion comes from Jesus.So spend as much time praying for him and prepare beforehand before inviting him along to Church with you.

Each and every human being has a longing for God and that includes those who say there is no God. It's built into us.

So I say yes definitely give the invite. I think His Beatitude Sviatoslav said recently that we must be prepared to present the Gospel to people even at the risk of them being offended at such an invitation.

Often our fear of presenting the Gospel to others often arises from the concern that we may have to suffer a rebuke of some sort, and the enemy often puts it into our mind that we will ''only further drive them away if they refuse and they be lost forever''. Ignore all this and invite him.

God bless and goodnight from Ireland.

Slava Isusu Khrystu

Stephen

Well, most Orthodox Churches do follow the St. John Chrysostom Divine Liturgy, and I'm pretty sure that the Coptic Orthodox is no exception. Although please note that the Orthodox version does not mention Pope Benedict in their liturgy, but since the Coptics do have Pope Shennouda III (or the late Pope), they are one of the few Orthodox variants that actually do have this to worship for. So, outside of the tone used, and such, you shouldn't be too far off.

I thought that they used a different liturgy, as they are not Byzantine. If this is the case, it would be an easy decision for me. He can just come to church with us. He doesn't have any particular connection to Egyptian/Eritrean community and I don't really think he desires one, which would be another reason for leaning toward the Coptic Church.

Oops, my bad, you're right, it's the Liturgy of St. Basil, found a YT video on an entire Coptic Liturgy here:

Is it the same Liturgy of St. Basil the Great that we use, or a different one?

This is what I found on Wikipedia:

Oriental Orthodoxy

The Oriental Orthodox Churches use the term "Divine Liturgy" for their Eucharistic services, even if also other names such as Holy Qurbana and Badarak are usual in some Oriental Orthodox traditions. Oriental Orthodoxy owns a richness of different liturgies, which are named after the anaphora included.

At present, the Coptic Orthodox Church has three Divine Liturgies:

The Coptic Liturgy of St. Basil (4th century AD)
The Liturgy of St. Mark the Apostle, this liturgy is also known as the Liturgy of St. Cyril
The Liturgy of St Gregory the Theologian

The Liturgy of St. Basil is celebrated on most Sundays and contains the shortest anaphora. The Liturgy of St. Gregory is usually used during the feasts of the Church but not exclusively. In addition the clergy performing the Liturgy can combine extracts of The Liturgies of St. Cyril and St. Gregory to the more frequently used St. Basil at the discretion of the Priest or Bishop.