The Lure of the Lityrgical

[stephen]

We have noted how the materialism, emotionalism, neglect of Scripture, and embrace of error have prompted some to seek out liturgical churches whose seemingly unchanging practices appear to argue for stability.

New converts flocking to an ancient church.

Like many of his parishioners, Father Richard Petranek came to the Orthodox church in search of the past.

After 30 years as an Episcopalian priest, Petranek converted to the Antiochian Orthodox Church and leads a new but growing parish in west Houston, filled almost entirely with converts to the ancient faith.

"Most people come for the stability," he said. "The same thing that is taught today in the Orthodox church was taught 500 years ago, was taught 1,000 years ago, was taught 1,500 years ago."

At a time when most mainline Christian churches are losing members, Eastern Orthodox churches - which trace their beliefs to the church described in the New Testament - are growing, both in Houston and across the United States.

To outsiders, the first hint of what lies within is often the architecture; many of the churches are built in a neo-Byzantine style, capped by gold domes and other flourishes, standing out in a city of sleek skyscrapers, strip shopping centers and ranch houses.

Traditions vary from church to church, but in many congregations, members stand for much of the service. The priest faces the altar for long stretches of time, with his back to the congregation. (All Orthodox priests are male.)

Members make the sign of the cross throughout the service, they kiss icons of Jesus and the saints and, sometimes, the Communion chalice and the priest's robes.

"It's pretty freaky for people from the nontraditional churches," said Father John Salem, pastor of St. George Antiochian Christian Church in West University. "If you come from a non-liturgical background, it can be pretty overwhelming." But to many converts, the traditions are the main attraction.

New converts flocking to ancient church in Houston | Houston & Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle



[TBC: It is instructive that Petranek only goes back 1,500 years ago to show the consistency of Orthodox teaching. He has to. One may search long and in vain for scriptural support of their traditions and practice and certainly Christ never spoke of such things. Rather, in Matthew 15:9 He declared, "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."]

 

[hischildaswell]

Baptist-like congregations go back, way back, Monatists, Novatians, Donatists, Paulacians......Faithful local church assemblies remain today and Praise the Lord I attend one. The Universal Church lie started alomst immmediately with the sullying of the Gospel by Platonic Thought. Look and see....

 

[David777]

Traditional churches

Many of Paul's letters in the New Testament contain instructions and corrections to early churches. Early churches were failing to understand even the fundamentals of the Christian gospel. Paul was constantly anxious about them.

Moving through time 500 years, the same type of problems that the early churches had will be evident again.

When did an understanding of the christian gospel start to gain traction. With the advent of the printing press, Martin Luther, etc.

Forget about kissing an icon of Jesus, people need to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. Where is this found, in the Bible of course.

The Bible is the only real way of knowing what real Christianity is.
Who precisely was Jesus Christ, etc. Tradition honours more the superficial methods that men used to honour Christ.

If you want tradition, look at the catholic church. They used to say the mass in Latin for hundreds of years, no one understood Latin of course. Now that's a useful tradition.

 

[sharen]

Rituals and windowdressing make 'faith' easy. They present holiness as something that can be obtained through chanting, incense, rituals etc.

It's like pulling out your wallet to pay for something in a shop. Once the moneys changed hands, its yours.

Rituals make people feel holy, or like they've just done something holy, that gains Gods approval, without having to actually follow him pesonally or let him too far into their daily lives.

It's a bandaid option for a broken arm.

Even in all the rituals of the old testament, the most important law, 'love your neighbour as yourself' (lev 19) is still in there as a law (along with all the others.) Rituals make you feel safe, as does obeying laws, but they don't change the heart, ultimatly. (So rituals arn't necessarily wrong in themselves) but when used to replace faith or as a crutch instead of real faith, they can be very damaging.

Waving incense can't make you right with God any more then chanting, crossing yourself, praying certain prayers or singing hymns can. It's all about the heart, ultimatly. If it wasn't, God could be bought with flattery, and he can't, because he's righteous.