Orthodox Christianity

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
S

SoliDeo

Guest
#1
Hello Everyone.
May the Father of Lights illuminate us and lead us into the Ever-Eternal Light of His Son Jesus. Amen.

I am interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church. I have done some study in the past, but stopped for various reasons. Last night I watched a video on Youtube about Frank Schaeffer (Francis Schaeffer's son), and his reasoning on converting to Greek Orthodoxy. Why I Converted To Eastern Orthodoxy : Author Frank Schaeffer - YouTube

I would like to talk to actual Orthodox Christians around the world. I already know of a few Orthodox Christians on CC. One question I have is the Churches view of Mary as Theotokos. Can someone please explain?

Also, to Protestant Christians: I am not interested in various refutations of Orthodoxy that you may believe are refutations. Thank you.

Love you all, for God is Love.
SoliDeo
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,718
3,655
113
#2
Hello Everyone.
May the Father of Lights illuminate us and lead us into the Ever-Eternal Light of His Son Jesus. Amen.

I am interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church. I have done some study in the past, but stopped for various reasons. Last night I watched a video on Youtube about Frank Schaeffer (Francis Schaeffer's son), and his reasoning on converting to Greek Orthodoxy. Why I Converted To Eastern Orthodoxy : Author Frank Schaeffer - YouTube

I would like to talk to actual Orthodox Christians around the world. I already know of a few Orthodox Christians on CC. One question I have is the Churches view of Mary as Theotokos. Can someone please explain?

Also, to Protestant Christians: I am not interested in various refutations of Orthodoxy that you may believe are refutations. Thank you.

Love you all, for God is Love.
SoliDeo
you seem pretty headstrong in that direction, why not ask on an E.O. or R.O. board? Or are you hoping some of us will be persuaded through a discussion here? I mean, you want to 'talk' to EO adherents but you are not interested in any refutations?
BTW Franky Schaeffer was a poor example in honoring one's father and mother.
 
A

Alexandr

Guest
#3
Hello Everyone.May the Father of Lights illuminate us and lead us into the Ever-Eternal Light of His Son Jesus. Amen.I am interested in learning more about the Orthodox Church. I have done some study in the past, but stopped for various reasons. Last night I watched a video on Youtube about Frank Schaeffer (Francis Schaeffer's son), and his reasoning on converting to Greek Orthodoxy. Why I Converted To Eastern Orthodoxy : Author Frank Schaeffer - YouTubeI would like to talk to actual Orthodox Christians around the world. I already know of a few Orthodox Christians on CC. One question I have is the Churches view of Mary as Theotokos. Can someone please explain?Also, to Protestant Christians: I am not interested in various refutations of Orthodoxy that you may believe are refutations. Thank you.Love you all, for God is Love.SoliDeo
As an Orthodox Christian who converted in January, I can tell you a few things. We refer to the Holy Virgin as the "Theotokos" or Mother of God because that is what she is, she gave birth to God in the flesh, Christ. Christ, as we see him, is another person of the Holy trinity who are three persons in one God, Christ being the Word of God who took flesh inside the Holy Virgin. What the Orthodox church does that all other churches don't do is actually venerate the Theotokos, we have icons of her, we ask for her intersession/help, we celebrate her rise into heaven to sit on Christ's right hand, etc. But to make a long story short, like I said, Theotokos just means "Mother of God" in Greek, it's original form. If you have any other questions, I do have a few book recommendations, I can assist you as much as I can, but like I said, I've only been an Orthodox Christian for about 6 months now, but, I also know that many Orthodox Church websites have an outline of Orthodoxy. I hope this helped, and may God bless youAlexandr
 
C

Confused99

Guest
#4
Hello! I'm so glad to hear you're interested in Orthodoxy! Being born and raised in an Antiochian Orthodox home, I can say that Alexandr did a good job of explaining the Theotokos to you. Simply put, without Mary, where would we be? Unlike the common belief, no, we do not worship her. We honor her as the mother of our Lord and Savior who said yes. We ask her to pray for us, but we do not pray TO her. I hoped this helped! And again, thank you for being interested in Orthodoxy! It's the best part of my life; it's so deep and abounding with riches.

May Gid continue to guide you as you go on this journey of faith.
 
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#6
I agree with Crossnote. Why would you come to a fairly "anti-Catholic" forum to talk about a spin-off of the Catholic church? Doesn't make sense.
 
C

Confused99

Guest
#7
I actually beg to differ. The Orthodox Church isn't a spin off of the Catholic Church. There was only one church after Christ, and in 1054 the church split into orthodox and catholic. Protestants came from the catholic.
 
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
413
0
#8
I actually beg to differ. The Orthodox Church isn't a spin off of the Catholic Church. There was only one church after Christ, and in 1054 the church split into orthodox and catholic. Protestants came from the catholic.
You're right. I suppose they really ARE a branch of Catholicism.
 

GuessWho

Senior Member
Nov 8, 2014
1,227
34
48
#9
You're right. I suppose they really ARE a branch of Catholicism.
Protestantism is a branch of Roman-Catholicism, not eastern christianity.

The Catholics have ex-communicated the whole eastern christianity in 1054 because they refused to submit to Pope's totalitarian authority.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,909
26,698
113
#10
Simply put, without Mary, where would we be?
You say that as if you believe God's plan would have failed without her. By the way, Jesus never once referred to Mary as His mother, yet you and other Catholic adherents promote her as the mother of God. There is such a discrepancy in your view it is difficult to even begin to address it. It is certainly disturbing.

 
K

kaylagrl

Guest
#11
The western Church, which included Rome, became the RomanCatholic Church. The Eastern Church, which included Greece and nations to the east, became the Orthodox Church. The primarydifference between the two churches is the issue of the pope's infallibility. Wiki.

Protestants began with Martin Luther questioning the Catholic church.
 
S

sealabeag

Guest
#12
You say that as if you believe God's plan would have failed without her. By the way, Jesus never once referred to Mary as His mother, yet you and other Catholic adherents promote her as the mother of God. There is such a discrepancy in your view it is difficult to even begin to address it. It is certainly disturbing.
With regard to the bold section; What do you mean? Of course Mary was Jesus' mother.

Edit: Oops I just realised this is an old thread. Wouldn't have posted had I realised...
 

GuessWho

Senior Member
Nov 8, 2014
1,227
34
48
#13
You say that as if you believe God's plan would have failed without her.
The idea is that God loves His creatures and wants to save them with their agreement, not against their will. If her response didn't matter then the evangelists wouldn't have mentioned her at all. She would have remained just an impersonal tool that God uses to save humanity.

By the way, Jesus never once referred to Mary as His mother, yet you and other Catholic adherents promote her as the mother of God. There is such a discrepancy in your view it is difficult to even begin to address it. It is certainly disturbing.
Only for people incapable of amazement this is disturbing.

Do you not realize that she bore in herself the One whose essence no one can touch? That she breast fed the One that fed manna to his creatures? That she took care of the One that looks after His creatures?

How could you not bless her and be happy for her?
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
56,909
26,698
113
#14
The idea is that God loves His creatures and wants to save them with their agreement, not against their will. If her response didn't matter then the evangelists wouldn't have mentioned her at all. She would have remained just an impersonal tool that God uses to save humanity.

Only for people incapable of amazement this is disturbing.

Do you not realize that she bore in herself the One whose essence no one can touch? That she breast fed the One that fed manna to his creatures? That she took care of the One that looks after His creatures?

How could you not bless her and be happy for her?
Why do you not address what I actually said?

Sealabeag, good catch; I did not notice that either. I hate it when that happens ;)
 

GuessWho

Senior Member
Nov 8, 2014
1,227
34
48
#15
Why do you not address what I actually said?


What? That Mary is not the mother of Jesus Christ (God)?

I honestly don't even know what to begin with in order to address such affirmation that goes against Christianity.
 
S

sydlit

Guest
#16
I dont even want to write these words, but ive said this 'prayer' in the past with sincerity (tho in ignorance) and it was pretty well understood WHO was being prayed to... It says ...Hail Mary- -Who is that directed TO?
It says ...The Lord is with THEE- -Who is that directed TO?
It says ...Blessed art THOU- -Who is that directed TO?
It says ...Holy Mary,,,Pray for us sinners- -Who is that directed TO?
How does one address another directly, petition them with a request of dire need, and yet claim to NOT be praying TO them?
Ppl are free to pray to whoever they want to, but let's at least be honest about it.
•Father in heaven, help us, Lord, to see you more clearly, and to see that one reason Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave is in order to bring us back into fellowship with YOU, and you call us to pray directly to YOU in Jesus' name. Thank you for this privilidge, Father God. Thank you Jesus said It is finished, the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom, and the way in to your throne of grace is now open to whosoever will come to you by way of faith in Jesus. And no one else, and no other way. Help us, Lord , to give you the glory thru our praise and our prayer to you only in Jesus' name, amen.
 
Feb 9, 2010
2,486
39
0
#17
They put Mary on a level that she should not be,for Mary is the same as any other saint,which Jesus never called her mother,but woman.Although Mary is the mother of Jesus,but that is according to the flesh,Jesus always called her woman when addressing her,at least as an adult.

Jesus demonstrated in the Bible that we should not view Mary as any better than any other saint.Jesus was speaking to a crowd,and His disciples said,Jesus,your mother and brethren are outside the crowd desiring to speak to you,and Jesus said,who is My mother,and who are My brethren,and then pointed at His disciples,who were all men,and said,behold My mother,and My brethren,for whoever does the will of God the same is My mother,brethren,and sisters.

Jesus said whoever does the will of the Father,the same is His mother,showing us that Mary holds no special significance above any other saint.Jesus even went as far as pointing at His disciples,who were men,and said,behold My mother,to show without a doubt,do not exalt Mary,coming straight from the savior's mouth.

Jesus was speaking to a crowd,and a woman spoke up and said basically,blessed is the woman who gave birth to you,but Jesus said,yea rather,blessed is he that hears the word of God and does it.Again Jesus said that anybody that does God's will is as blessed as Mary.Another tidbit of truth coming from the savior's mouth.

Mary being the mother of God is not true,for God cannot be born,and all she did was give birth to the flesh,and God gets the glory for the conception happened because He gave the life.

To say that Mary is the mother of God,because she gave birth to Jesus,would be the same as saying Mary is the mother of Joseph,if she had a child by Joseph,but of course the child would not be Joseph in the flesh,but God cannot be born who is the Father,and Joseph cannot be born being the father of that child.

Sometimes I will clutch at straws,and show by different ways,how something someone believes is not true,if it is not true,so sometimes it might not seem like it makes a lot of sense,but hopefully enough sense.I do not want to get too crazy.

God is an omnipresent Spirit,and His Spirit fills all space,and there is not a space that His Spirit is not at,which God's Spirit cannot be separated,or disconnected from any part of the Spirit,but is an omnipresent Spirit whole,and cannot be broken up.

When the Bible says God was manifest in the flesh,it means,that God manifest all His attributes to the child Christ Jesus,and is a visible manifestation of the invisible God,and the Spirit in Christ is still connected to the omnipresent Spirit of God,for God cannot be separated.

It is the same as God making Him a human body to appear to Abraham twice,to converse with Him about Sodom and Gomorrah,and as Melchizedek,king of Salem,the High Priest of the most High God,except this time God made Him a human body from Mary,instead of making Him one not from a woman,which Mary does not get the glory,but God made Him a body by a woman,instead of making Him one from the dust,and God gets the glory.

Since Jesus is God manifest in the flesh,and the Spirit in Christ is connected to the omnipresent Spirit of God,for God cannot be separated,then the only way Mary can be the mother of God is she gave birth to the omnipresent Spirit of God,and in actuality the only way Mary can be the mother of God is if God never existed,and she gave birth to the entire ominpresent Spirit of God in a body,but that is impossible for the heaven,and the heaven of heavens,cannot contain God,which God's Spirit cannot fit in any body form,for He would be outside that body.

The point is God cannot be born,and His Spirit cannot be broken up in part,but is always connected together,and God does not have to move for His Spirit is already there,so Mary cannot give birth to God,and the only person that came forth from Mary is the flesh,the Spirit did not move outside the body,for the Spirit does not have to move,but where ever Jesus is at,He has the Spirit that occupies that space,for He is a human manifestation of God,and God is in all,and through all,and God does not have to move.

They say Mary was born without original sin,and no personal sin was attached to her during her life,but Mary said that Jesus was her savior,and God said all that are born in to this world,with the exception of Christ,are sinners,and in need of a savior.

Also to use the logic that Mary had to be in that position,because she gave birth to Jesus,would mean that Mary's mother would have to be in that position to give birth to Mary,who gave birth to Jesus,and then it would have to back up all the way to Adam and Eve,then all would be sinless.

God said to not make an idol of anything,in the air,or in heaven,or on earth,or in the sea,or of a man,or a woman,and bow down to it.God said do not make an idol of Him and bow down to it,because you do not know what He looks like.

The truth is the other religions have a female diety,so they have to have one too,and they cannot believe that an ordinary woman like Mary can give birth to Jesus,the savior of the world,so she must be special.

They also call her the Queen of Heaven,but when I read the Bible,God said He is the only ruler in heaven,and the universe,and the King of Heaven.

It seems like gender only refers to the flesh,and not the spiritual realm,so how can she be the Queen of Heaven,as if God got married.There is only one God,so who would He marry.If all are sinners,God is not going to inscribe any human being with that kind of exaltation that they give Mary.

I will go by words of Jesus to not exalt Mary for she is no better than any other saint.

Everybody has their labor for the kingdom of God.Mary had her labor,no pun intended,and we have our labor,but our labor whether Mary,or any other saint,does not give us a higher position than any other saint.

All Mary did by having Jesus was laboring for the kingdom of God,just like all the other saints,and not an act that deserves special attention for her,and Jesus said anybody that does the will of God is just as blessed as Mary.Mary was blessed because she did the will of God,not for having Jesus,although she would be blessed for doing the will of God,and giving birth to Jesus,but not above any labor of any saint.Look at what all Paul went through,way more than us,shoud we exalt him too.

And then they exalt Peter as the first Pope,and they seem to like exalting certain saints above other saints.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,718
3,655
113
#18
Why is this relevant?
Franky Schaeffer the son of Francis, went to the E.O. faith and was a despicable example of their faith (or was he?) when he would belittle his father after his father's death.
 

crossnote

Senior Member
Nov 24, 2012
30,718
3,655
113
#19
I actually beg to differ. The Orthodox Church isn't a spin off of the Catholic Church. There was only one church after Christ, and in 1054 the church split into orthodox and catholic. Protestants came from the catholic.
I never used the term spin off. Both were breaks. The E.O. and Rome went separate ways over the Filioque and Rome declared Luther and the Protestants Anathema over the article of Justification by Faith Alone (amongst others ).
 

GuessWho

Senior Member
Nov 8, 2014
1,227
34
48
#20
Franky Schaeffer the son of Francis, went to the E.O. faith and was a despicable example of their faith (or was he?) when he would belittle his father after his father's death.
And what relevance has this individual's moral behavior have with the eastern orthodox christian faith?
Was he less of a sinner before discovering the orthodox faith and becoming an orthodox christian?
I don't know how he belittled his father (you never said how, only that he did it), but if indeed, he dishonored his father, how do you know that he didn't repent for it? If he didn't repent from it it means that he didn't dishonored his father and has a clear conscience about how he treated his parents. Either way, we don't know. And bringing intimate things of this man's life seems like a dishonorable thing in itself and with no relevance on the topic.