There are currently over 1, 175,000 people in the Nashville area. This includes all of the region's most populated Davidson and Williamson Counties. There are no more than 7 Eastern Orthodox Congregations of any jurisdiction within a 50 mile radius. There is only one Antiochian church in the area, and it was brought in as an established convert church over 20 years ago. There is no Antiochian church in Nashville proper. There is no Western Rite presence in all of Tennessee. How many regions in America have similar statistics?
I heard a representative of the SCOBA media outlet at a Parish Life Conference this year say, "Don't fool yourselves. We keep hearing that there are 6 million Orthodox in America. It is actually under 2 million." While we concern ourselves over ethnicity, jurisdictions, unity, and the like, are we forgetting to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature?" Why aren't we starting churches and ordaining priests? I do not accept the suggestion that there is a lack of those willing to serve. I would drop my profession in a flash, many would, if the Antiochian Archdiocese would put out a clarion call for priests and deacons and better facilitate, educate, and expedite them to the ministry. One of America's greatest hopes of finding the Savior and entering the Church is to establish Western Rite congregations. The debate is over. WR is fully Orthodox. To say or promote anything other than that, is to fly in the face of historic tradition, and discount the edict from our own Antiochian Metropolitan. The dispensational evangelicals have one thing over us. At least they expect Christ to return at any moment and seek after lost souls as if it was that soul's last second to live. Us? We act as if we have all the time in world."Go into all the world..." Okay, when? I think a non-orthodox Charismatic musician put it best when he wrote,
"Don't you see? Don't you see all the people sinking down? Don't you care? Don't you care? Are you going to let them drown? H ow can you be so numb, not to care if they come? You close your eyes and pretend the job's done!"
Oh, God, if our leaders will not hear, raise up a thousand like Athanasius who will grab the reigns of the Emperor! Anoint a hundred thousand like Nathan the Prophet who will say, "Thou art the man!" Oh Lord, if our Patriarchs, Metropolitans, and Bishops will not hear, shorten their days and give their mantle to another!
As one who has been seriously considering the WR and who has great respect for traditional ER Orthodoxy I think that the WR is a very good thing. Traditional ER Orthodoxy tends to be too limited to ethnic groups. It is not that the various parishes want to exclude people who are not Greek, Russian, etc., it just happens that way because the ER reflects ethnic culture and is a bit of a reach for those from western European culture. What WR parishes there are, are responsible for the largest growth in Orthodox membership from new converts. I pray that this growth will continue and will expand. The Catholic and Episcopal churches have deeply let many good Christians down and people are looking for real truth and faith, and for real orthodoxy (small "c") which Orthodoxy (big "c") has always provided. The WR gives us true Orthodoxy in a way that is more culturally "normal" to many of western European backgrounds/culture. May God bless those who seek to bring the ancient Orthodox faith to those of us in need.
ReplyDeleteYours in Christ,
Tim Alexander (Earl of Stirling)
Thank you, Sir Tim. Your thoughts are well reasoned, sincere, and accurate. Please let me now how I might be of assistance to you on your journey. By your leave, I am your humble servant.
ReplyDeleteNathan Lee Lewis
What is it that you like so much about Western Rite?
ReplyDeleteAnon, People. I like people I like the church. I love our Lord Christ who told us to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature...". The Western Rite is a means to fulfill that commission and it is a means that is fully Orthodox in doctrine and tradition whose shapes and forms better relate to the culture in which we live. This is not to say it is more relevant than the Eastern Rite, for both are relevant. My church is Eastern Rite which is liturgically beautiful.
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