I am often asked the question "why did you choose to pursue doctoral studies at an Orthodox Seminary?" Usually this question hides a deeper concern, namely, "are you veering away from the Reformed Faith to Orthodoxy?" No, not in the least! My studies with the Orthodox have only deepened my appreciation for the Reformers and their recovery of biblical Christianity. However, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary offered a Doctor of Ministry program that was more demanding than the versions offered by Reformed seminaries. Their faculty had the expertise in the history and theology of worship that I wanted. Regrettably conservative Reformed seminaries do not have serious programs of liturgical studies. Yet I am sadly aware that some other Reformed Christians have found Orthodoxy so enticing that they have abandoned the Reformed Faith for Orthodoxy. With that concern in mind, I begin this series of essays on the Reformation and Orthodoxy. In this installment, the goal is to sketch briefly the appeal of Orthodoxy.
During my studies at St. Vladimir’s, I was often asked by students I met, "Are you Orthodox?" It always felt awkward to be asked such a question. I thought of myself as orthodox, doctrinally speaking. I am a minister in The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. So as far as I was concerned, that was sufficient to claim the word "orthodox." But I do not belong to the communion of churches sometimes called "Eastern Orthodox," but more properly called simply "Orthodox." I am not Greek Orthodox or Russian Orthodox or Antiochian Orthodox. As far as the Orthodox are concerned, I was not Orthodox. I was always "non-orthodox" in their minds regardless of my agreement with them on a number of doctrinal matters such as the Trinity, the incarnation and resurrection of Christ, and the incorrectness of the papacy. My studies at St. Vladimir’s allowed me the opportunity to become acquainted with Orthodoxy and to become friends with a number of Orthodox Christians: professors, priests and seminarians. My diploma was even signed by Metropolitan Theodosius, the head of the Orthodox Church in America. From the Metropolitan to the seminarians, I was received kindly and treated with respect and friendliness. I am not the only Calvinist to have made the acquaintance with Orthodoxy in recent years. Sadly, a number have not only made the acquaintance, but have left the Reformed Faith for Orthodoxy. What is Orthodoxy and what is its appeal to some in the Reformed churches?
Since the days of the apostles there have been Christian communities in such ancient cities as Alexandria in Egypt, Antioch in Syria, and Corinth in Greece. In such places the Christian church grew, endured the tribulation of Roman persecution and ultimately prevailed in the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity. But unlike the increasingly Latin-speaking Christians in the western half of the Roman Empire, the eastern Christians did not submit to claims of the bishop of Rome to be the earthly head of the entire Church. And why should they? The centers of Orthodox Christianity were as old or even older than the church in Rome. All the great ecumenical councils took place in the east and were attended overwhelmingly by Christian leaders from the east with only a smattering of western representatives. The decrees of those councils were promulgated in Greek, not Latin. Indeed, most of the great theologians and writers of the ancient Church (we commonly call them the Church Fathers) were eastern, Greek-speaking Christians: Polycarp, Ignatius, Cyril, Athanasius, Chrysostom, and on the list goes.
The Orthodox churches are Christian communities that have descended in an unbroken succession of generations from these ancient roots. From their perspective, they are the one, catholic and apostolic Church of the Nicene Creed (which the Orthodox refer to as the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed.) As the Orthodox see it, the western church followed the Bishop of Rome into schism in part by adding a clause to the Nicene Creed called the filioque. So from their perspective, we Protestants are a schism off a schism. The Orthodox believe they are the unbroken continuation of the churches founded by the Apostles. Orthodoxy can allow that we Reformed might be Christians, but our churches are not part of the true church, our ordinations are not valid and our sacraments are no sacraments at all. Orthodoxy alone kept the faith of the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Fathers and the Councils.. Orthodoxy alone has preserved the true worship of God in its Divine Liturgies. Its worship is commonly viewed as an unbroken continuation of that instituted by the Apostles. Therefore, the Orthodox church is the holy, catholic, and apostolic church. Period. No qualifications. Everyone else is schismatic. This is how the Orthodox view themselves and how they present themselves to the outsider. (Of course, there are Orthodox scholars who recognize that the issue is more complex than this!)
What has just been described constitutes much of the appeal that Orthodoxy has for evangelical Protestants. Orthodoxy has the feel of antiquity and catholicity. This is accentuated by the fact that Reformed Christians are not well educated in their own heritage. We tend to pit the Bible against the tradition of the Church. The Reformers, who were avid students of the Ancient Fathers, were much more nuanced in their assessment of the ancient tradition of the Church. Indeed, they appealed both to the Scripture and to the Fathers in their critique of medieval Roman Catholicism. But contemporary American Protestants are suffering from the general cultural malaise of modernity, and from the special sickness of historical forgetfulness. We are a rootless people. This makes Orthodoxy very appealing.
Secondly, Orthodoxy is not just Roman Catholicism minus the pope. The most important issues of the Reformation were the result of the doctrinal developments of western scholastic theology. Orthodoxy, unlike Roman Catholicism, is not burdened with such objectionable formulations as the papacy, purgatory, indulgences, transubstantiation, the immaculate conception of Mary and her assumption into heaven. In fact, the Orthodox have a "liturgical celebration" of the burial of Mary known as the Dormition of Mary. The transition from Protestantism to Orthodoxy does not involve an embrace of the most objectionable of the Roman Catholic dogmas. Orthodoxy is ancient and catholic without being Roman. So then, Orthodoxy is ancient; it is unified in a way Protestantism is not; it is unencumbered by most of the medieval doctrines and practices that gave rise to the Reformation.
Further, in light of the liturgical chaos among evangelicals, Orthodoxy with its complex and multifaceted liturgies, its glorious garbing of the clergy, its gestures, symbols and icons can be very attractive. If it is true that the distinctive mark of Reformed worship is simplicity, then even more so the distinctive mark of Orthodox worship is glory. But another aspect of the appeal of Orthodox worship (at least for Protestants) is its other-ness. It is most certainly not western, not juridical, not didactic, but is instead mysterious, sensual, and as the Orthodox see it - heavenly. Orthodox worship at its best makes you feel like you have been transported into one of the worship scenes in the book of Revelation. Of course, if the priest chants off-key or the choir sings poorly, it is not quite so wonderful.
This is the appeal of Orthodoxy. There are many other things that could be mentioned, but I’ve included the things that struck me. These were also the things that converts from Protestantism said attracted them. So then, is this Orthodox Presbyterian about to drop the "Presbyterian" and become simply Orthodox? No! Orthodoxy has many appealing features, but it also has shortcomings. And in my estimation those shortcomings outweigh its many fascinations. A comparison of Reformed faith to the Orthodox faith is a difficult undertaking made all the more difficult because Orthodoxy has no short, precise credal formulation comparable to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Orthodoxy is the consensus of faith arising from the ancient fathers and ecumenical councils. This includes the 49 volumes of the Ante-and Post-Nicene fathers, plus the hermits and monastics known collectively as desert fathers! In the next edition we will begin, with some trepidation, to chart the differences between Orthodoxy and the Reformed faith. We intend to do so in a way that is fair to Orthodoxy (no cheap shots and no name calling). Yet we do so in the conviction the Reformed Faith is the most consistent expression of the Biblical Faith.
Dr. Jack Kinneer