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Hey. I am somebody who went from Orthodox to Catholicism back to Orthodox my question is does the orthodox church actually do missionary work in other countries? When it comes to reaching out to Orthodox parishes is it as simple as just starting conversations with people at coffee hour or something like that? I am simply just trying to find ways to stay Orthodox. Because when I was in Catholicism, it didn’t feel right, but it was a completely different situation at the time I was in it.

The EOB New Testament has excellent (i.e. scholarly) articles. The translation is nigh unreadable, but the _study notes_ - the study notes are great 👌 The OSB isn't much of a study bible. Maybe it's okay as a devotional bible 🤷‍♂

We need more apologetics in orthodoxy and theologians speaking on the air

I have to say, I do find that there’s this view that we as orthodox should be focusing solely on Protestants and Roman Catholics… yet, most of our population are agnostic and atheists, or nominally “Christian”. I was an atheist before converting and I felt I truly found true Christianity. It would be nice to see a focus on the fact that anyone who is not Orthodox is outside of the Church, period, and all of us need His healing, and this healing is found in the One Church, the Orthodox Church. I also want to add that we, as Americans, should pay great respect to the Russians, Greeks etc.. those cultures who gabe us true Christianity.

Orthodox New Testament Vol 1 & 2 are the best English translations for the New Testament out right now. Give those a purchase.

There is a lot of coping in the comments, so I'll add a bit of perspective to help. I was Orthodox for 16 years. Perry Robinson was my godfather. I spent three years as a catechumen, and read a lot. I was made a catechumen under Fr Josiah in 2008, and was officially received in the Greek Orthodox church. Prior to becoming Orthodox I was headed towards Catholicism, and it was Catholic apologetics that broke my protestant framework. I won't do a exposition on why I left, because I don't feel it is a good place to platform my issues with Orthodoxy. What I will say is that this video is at least intellectually honest and fair, so I appreciate the aim here.

It's not even a Bible, it's just the New Testament. The Bible is comprised of the Old and New Testaments.

I looked into the Orthodox Church and can’t get past their view on the Eucharist, and the Mary stuff. I don’t mind veneration though. I can wrap my head around that. There was another thing I couldn’t square as well but it isn’t coming to mind right now. I wanted to be Orthodox. I’ve also heard that many of the things the Orthodox believe don’t date back to the beginning of the Orthodox Church. I do think the Orthodox Church was the original church, but they’ve added stuff onto it later (sometimes much later). If there was an Orthodox branch that was more like the first and second century church I’d probably be more attracted to it. I’m obviously not a scholar, but that’s how it seems to me.

Father Peter heers is great and I'd recommend anyone to watch his content. He will always refer to the saints. If anyone is interested his channel is "Orthodox Ethos." Another great source is Patristic Nectar Films which is run by Father Josiah Trenham. Both very trustworthy sources.

I thought you guys had everything sorted out. After all you’ve had 2000 years.

Shoutout to the “First Bible of the Church” Project.

...by the 'Our Father' I gave in, took off my hat, and crossed myself. One does not simply listen to the Trisagion prayers lol.

There's a lot online that I would be careful of. I came to Orthodoxy from traditional Roman Catholicism and some online commentators were very helpful for me. There are some who get a lot of criticism like Fr Peter Heers, Jay Dyer and Orthodox Kyle and others. Even if their approach can sometimes be a bit abrasive for my taste, I have to say that I would not be Orthodox today but for them. This is especially the case in apologetics and thrashing out some of the real obstacles that a Trad RC would have in considering Orthodoxy.

My story, I was raised a Protestant, Reformed Presbyterian, really small denomination, the CREC. I was practicing all up until 21 or so, you could say that I wasn't very faithful before that. I didn't open up and decide to begin searching again till 2020, I wanted to stop living badly and fix my relationship with God. I wasn't interested in other denominations at first, I just went to Bible study and one of my friends was Orthodox, one was Catholic. I met a girl, she was Orthodox and I moved to be with her and then began going to an OCA church with her. It opened my eyes to another form of Christianity that I wasn't familiar with. I never thought of God in this way. I began a prayer rule and a day hasn't passed where I have not prayed since. I was there from December 2021 to June 2023. I met lots of converts there. I was an enquirer and surrounded by many others interested in Orthodoxy. I talked and tried to understand the Orthodox way. I got familiar with Mary and comfortable with devotions to her. Though, I will say that I thought the way the Orthodox interacted with icons was really weird. Even after I understood the explanations behind it. I didn't really know Catholicism at the time, but I had asked around in the parish about it, eventually someone told me to read 'Two Paths', I bought it, I read it and thought it was stupid. Exaggerating stuff about Catholicism. I decided to give the Catholic view a chance. I bought some books and started reading the Catechism. This really started to convert me interiorly. I wanted to know what the faith meant, I wanted an explanation, everything about Orthodoxy had this opaque exterior and mystic interior, I felt like I was getting gatekept out essentially. But Catholicism, it was as simple as cracking open a book to understand it. Reasonable. Made sense. I remember I had this perception that Orthodoxy was the crown jewel and nothing Catholic could compare, then I went to Mass with a Catholic friend of mine and feeling at home, seeing a lot of similarities between this and Orthodoxy. While all the more just making sense to me. At some point, a friend sent me a rosery, I began praying it and really that was it for me. I was pretty leaning in on Catholicism in December of 2022 and finally decided to make the jump and go to RCIA in June of 2023. As for April 1st 2024, I am a fully accepted Roman Catholic. I am thankful to God for this. As for some final hurdles for me, the book Pope Peter by Joe Heschmeyer convinced me of the papal claims and that the first Pope was indeed Peter the Apostle.

Have you on full volume still cant hear nore than a whisper.

The reason for the number of videos is the number of internet addicted people who convert to orthodoxy. If you have actually converted to orthodoxy, that means you are a member of a church and you go to church every weekend at least. Internet orthodoxy is a meme church online.

I found your channel yesterday. Thank you for your insights and I appreciate this. I, too, am looking toward Orthodoxy and would like to communicate with you privately. I do understand the Traditional Latin Mass and am aware of the Western Rite of Orthodoxy. My knowledge of computers is bleak at best. So I don't know how to get in touch with you other than this way. May God bless you!!

Imagine search in your whole life, finding orthodoxy and then going in submitting to the Pope. Oh, Lord, let it never be.

One of the issues I hear about the Orthodox is that the various churches are "national". You have the Russian Orthodox and the Greek Orthodox, etc. I understand historical reasons for this, but the Catholic Church, for all its problems, is not centered on a national or ethnic identity.

❤ love you 🥰

Highly recommend Living Orthodox with Fr Michael. He’s very insightful and solid on spiritual and apologetics topics especially and has an episcopal blessing.

what is good price to pay for icon?

I was very pleased to hear your praise for the Ignatius Press Bible which is based on the RSV-CE version. Here in the UK the Catholic Bishops' Conference has, in its wisdom, chosen the ESV-CE for the new Lectionary commencing on first Sunday of Advent (1 December 2024). Unfortunately, that too is based on the NKJB. A very strange choice given the excellence of the RSV-2CE.

Same evil. NO gospel truth in both.

most oca priests have m div bro

Usually people leave because of some hard saying, that gave them the ick, or personal incredulity. People choose something that fits their taste disregarding for where the fullness of Truth is. So in conclusion, people leave because they take personal taste over personal salvation.

I've been Orthodox for 17 years and I struggle to stay sometimes. I married a Greek guy and converted into his Greek church. I was pretty much the only odd-ball convert at the time. Orthodoxy healed my fractured Protestant heart. But a few years into it we got a convert priest and that was the end of my content Greek ethnic Orthodoxy. He took me right back to my Protestant years and has me messed up in my head to this day about Orthodoxy. He was so by the book that he messed up a lot of people.

So which would you suggest we buy for now?

All these "why Orthodoxy might not be for you" videos always seem so far off the mark.

I don't instantly trust clergy 100% these days. I've noticed a lot of heretical teachings from so called Fathers so... Obviously, The Church has been infiltrated long ago and the fruits are now obvious with the slackening of scriptural teachings eg: baptism, ecumenical leanings and female clergy! Perhaps warn people of this too. It's far more dangerous/ugly in my opinion. Orthodox Ethos, Jay Dyer and Father Josiah Trenham are my solid go to's at the moment. All offering different things to my understanding. All Glory To God ☦

Cradle Eastern Orthodox now catholic here

From my experience the catechesis is woefully lacking in UK. I imagine it is the same in many places...

Could you address the current issue surrounding the deaconess? It's one thing I'm having a hard time with right now.

The primary language of the Byzantine Empire was Greek so most of the early father's writings and services were written and performed in Greek. However, all jurisdictions have their own customs and that's important. Do I think it should be 1 language throughout the entire world? No. Each patriarchate and church should speak in their native tongue so everyone is able to perform the liturgy. ☦

Lol I always miss these!! Great video, hope to join the next live one to ask all of my questions!

Who uses Roman orthodox, uniates? I'm unsure.

Thank you.

as a former trad cat, i find your perspective interesting. Currently a Catechuman. I am trying to fully embrace the full ethos of Orthodoxy and shedding the legalistic mindset the RC offers.

when you describe the process of priests reconverting to protty, it sounds like they are not using a rigorous process of discernment, there are numerous theological/philosophical defeaters for the undergirding of both catholicism and prottyism. If the other systems are disqualified and Orthodoxy isn't, then it makes discernment far easier.

luckily for me im a blank religious slate, i went to a few non denominational churches , knew from the start it wasnt for me, attended an orthodox church today and i think im going to keep going. i didnt even know orthodoxy was a thing until 2 weeks ago, i thought church was church. i need an adult place, not a childrens show , those non denoms felt like an episode of Barney the dinosaur, i dont need Kyle screaming into a mic " hi guys, do you love Jesus?!?!?! " " Yeaaaahhh!!!"..but i dont know much about anything, just how i feel

Μείνετε δυνατοί κατά τη διάρκεια του ταξιδιού σας στην Αρχαία Καθολική Πίστη της Ορθοδοξίας!!

So... You're saying they leave because they can't let go of their western mindset? Makes Sense.

Thanks for the video. I am a Swedish-born Eastern Orthodox since 7 years. My perspective as a non-American convert to the EO is a lot different than what you stated. I converted in 2017 in a Swedish-speaking parish under the Serbian Patriarchate. This parish has long since closed its doors. An attempt was made to transfer Swedish-speaking parishes to the Antiochian Patriarchate a few years ago. There were subsequent problems since the bishop electus, an archimandrite, got himself involved in shady business activity. He was later expelled from the country and ended up in an old calendars group. COVID delayed the whole process which eventually fell apart and the various parishes ended up under different jurisdictions. Right now we have to travel 350 km return trip to go to Stockholm. Unfortunately, Swedish is used only once a month and Russian/Church Slavonic for the rest. The Paris Exarchate closing down meant that our priest had to go look for a jurisdiction that could take us in. Strangely enough, our Bulgarian bishop is now in New York, USAS on the other side of the Atlantic. I thought we were in Europe. Were there no Bulgarian bishops in Europe to take us in? Apparently not. 150 meters down the street sits the Greek Cathedral under the Patriarch of Constantinople where the Metropolitan resides. He is a Metrolpolitan som he should be our bishop but he is not. Sweden is full of Orthodox bishops all claiming equal jurisdiction of the same land area, something thing I think is a clear violation of canon law. The Greeks use the Greek language whereas we use mostly Church Slavonic. These two parishes use different calendars which means that they are not celebrating the same feasts, fasts, persons or events OR readings for any given day. When the Greeks eat Christmas dinner we still fast. That's unity for you. We cannot celebrate the Nativity of Our Savior on the same day but celebrate it twice. My parish has existed for 400 years but is still not using the language of the land. There are other parishes in Sweden of course, most if not all cater to the specific ethnic group. Each use their own language. Very few use the language of the land that the people of the land can actually readily understand. Still, these parishes have been here for at least a generation if not more. My daughter was baptized in the church in 2021. She can hardly understand anything what is prayed and/or sung. In Sweden we have Greek Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Finnish Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, Ukrainian Orthodox. Most of these care not predominantly for the people of the land since many do not even care to have the church service schedule in the local language. I have been to Athos twice, visited Valaam, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and several other monasteries in Finland, Cyprus and Greece, had many a conversation with monks and nuns. We have seen many wonderful things few see and had great blessings from these wonderful encounters. I was even a lay reader in church in the beginning of my journey the first years. As beautiful and rich as Eastern Orthodoxy is, I still feel is is schismatic. It is a union of separated ethnic national churches. This is the result of the schism with Rome. Eastern Orthodoxy is not an entity that can claim to be the universal church. It is therefore with good conscience that I need to convert to the Catholic Church. Eastern Orthodoxy is falling apart since there no jurisdiction to deal with schism or control doctrine. We see schism deepening by every year. We see the divisive issue of female deaconesses creeping in. We see a Great Council of Crete in 2016 which took decades to arrange but essentially did not fix any of the issues that need to be adressed. We see disrespect for Constantinople with the old man almost being in house arrest. And we see zealots still, after 2000 years debating how converts should be received or focus on that St Porfyrios recommended married couples to cense the room and pray together before making love. Strangely, same guys mean we shouldn't readily pray with the heterodox which apparently means only lighting up the incense in my case. I am not living in America, hopefully things are a little bit better there. As a Swedish convert, a dummy who is not a polyglot nor a linguistic genius, things are not still not cut out for us after 2000 years. I thus cannot say that Eastern Orthodox is the true church as an entity. This country was never Orthodox in the present sense of that word. There are a few supposedly Orthodox Viking graves from the 900s that me and my 11 year old daughter of course could visit and tearfully weep over. We could ponder the days when men were truly men with big beards and the Orthodox were truly Orthodox in my native land. Ah! Such times we had. Such times! Oh sweet sweet mystery! Or I could convert, which I am doing soon. Still many will get angry, saying it's all my fault. Like Greta Thunberg some may possible fret: - How dare you?! (How any Orthodox could revert back to the heresy of Protestantism is beyond me.)

When people make videos saying they left orthodoxy I laugh.

Just be greek-catholic

The Western Rite may feel familiar to our Catholic brothers and sisters. Orthodoxy does not necessitate Eastern-ness. ☦️

I liked and subscribed because this is mature Christian advice ☦️

I do wonder if having an Orthodox catechism or indeed catechism classes may be part of the problem. It gives a very Catholic/Protestant understanding of the Faith as being a series of tenets or dogmas which must be adhered to. As an outsider to American Orthodoxy, I am wondering if instead seekers should be encouraged to live the faith first rather than discuss or be instructed in doctrine. Would it not be more Orthodox to be given the following (1) a family in good standing who could take the prospective convert under their wing and provide a witness to the lived experience of Orthodoxy (2) an initial prayer rule to follow and guidance about the fasting etc (3) insistence in attending certain liturgies and learning the more common prayers. Then we have prayer, fasting and community and doctrine can follow. Also I think it is really important to stress to wannabe converts the apophatic nature of the faith: the Divine Darkness, if you prefer that phrase. We know that we can't know and through this comes humility and patience and without these any progress in the faith with be like those plants which spring up rapidly but die away again through lack of good soil. I was a Catholic know-it-all. Straight away my Orthodox spiritual father spotted that pride may be a fault of mine and rather than engage in debates and talks about spiritual matters, he insisted my journey into Orthodoxy would be done away from the intellect and done through standing in prayer, mostly outside .... Orthodox from the feet up! I felt like my feet had to take root in the rich soil and only then would I be slowly transformed into a healthy plant.

The ethno-centrism is my biggest gripe as an Orthodox convert. Along with the Ecumenism (which is why I left the Rome/SSPX position!) And I agree you need to live Orthodoxy to understand the Fathers. I have been reading the Latin Fathers and have been pleasantly surprised how well they compliment Orthodoxy. Has really given me a better understanding, particularly how well the Dogma of Uncreated Grace/Operations answer the Pelagian heresy.