I'm concerned about "True Orthodoxy"

[AJB4]

TAW user (and fellow New Zealander) MichaelArchangelos has told me that he will be baptized into a "True Orthodox" church while we were in a PM discussion.

These "True Orthodox" churches, no doubt, think that the "canonical" Orthodox churches are not true Orthodox churches, and that they are engaged in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism.

I'm quite concerned about these. Should I be concerned? The church in my town is Greek Orthodox and that's one of the churches that they said were heretical, involved in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism, and was in communion with the heretical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Seriously, this could be an area of concern for me...someone dissuade me please.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

Oh boy.... stay ffaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr away from anything with the name "True" or "Genuine" in the name. It's a sure sign that it is NOT.

 

[ma2000]

Unless, of course, it's The One True Old Posters of the Genuine Ancient Way in Exile From Christian Forums Resistance in Communion with Baklavas Synod in Exile Abroad.
Other than that, stay away!

 

[Ioan cel Nou]

TAW user (and fellow New Zealander) MichaelArchangelos has told me that he will be baptized into a "True Orthodox" church while we were in a PM discussion.

These "True Orthodox" churches, no doubt, think that the "canonical" Orthodox churches are not true Orthodox churches, and that they are engaged in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism.

I'm quite concerned about these. Should I be concerned? The church in my town is Greek Orthodox and that's one of the churches that they said were heretical, involved in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism, and was in communion with the heretical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Seriously, this could be an area of concern for me...someone dissuade me please.

I've been where you are back when I converted. My wife's home town is pretty much in heartland of the Romanian Old Calendarists and I know, and have spoken to many times, a monk from their monastery at Slatioara. They are undoubtedly good and sincere people with genuine concerns (and the Romanians are far more moderate than some others in the 'True' Orthodox groups), but do these concerns justify schism? My answer, after much soul searching, was no. I don't normally recommend arrticles from this website because it's full of Old Calendarist articles itself and can be rather shrill, but this article is well worth a read in my opinion, and deals with this exact issue:

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/anti-patristic-stance-old-calendarist-zealots.aspx

James

 

[choirfiend]

Heresy is from matters of doctrine. Ecumenism is neither a matter of doctrine, nor a way of error when practiced correctly. It is the movement to work with people in denominations to bring show them the truth. It is possible to go too far and say that "everyone is ok" as is practiced in MOST Protestantism (your denomination excluded,) but this is not an Orthodox teaching, and is not part of the regular, good ol' Orthodox Church.

"True" Orthodox churches are no such thing. They are either schismatics or vagante, are outside the Church, and as such, are no different than any of the thousands of those groups who have missed the mark and not understood the Truth. However, I personally find them to be must worse off than your general uninformed denomination--b/c they have met the Truth face to face in Orthodoxy, and have chosen to become schismatic or remain separated. This is an active rejection of the Church, and is NOT something to get mixed up in. It brings me SO much sadness to hear that our young convert friend is so deluded. Stay FAR AWAY!

 

[AJB4]

Heresy is from matters of doctrine. Ecumenism is neither a matter of doctrine, nor a way of error when practiced correctly. It is the movement to work with people in denominations to bring show them the truth. It is possible to go too far and say that "everyone is ok" as is practiced in MOST Protestantism (your denomination excluded,) but this is not an Orthodox teaching, and is not part of the regular, good ol' Orthodox Church.

"True" Orthodox churches are no such thing. They are either schismatics or vagante, are outside the Church, and as such, are no different than any of the thousands of those groups who have missed the mark and not understood the Truth. However, I personally find them to be must worse off than your general uninformed denomination--b/c they have met the Truth face to face in Orthodoxy, and have chosen to become schismatic or remain separated. This is an active rejection of the Church, and is NOT something to get mixed up in. It brings me SO much sadness to hear that our young convert friend is so deluded. Stay FAR AWAY!

Believe you me, I'm not deluded by it...I was just wondering, I guess. In the Greek Orthodox church in my city, I visited them, and they seemed to be fully committed to one church. They seemed accepting of the sincerity of people from other churches (as I would be), but they weren't accepting of other churches as such.

 

[Prawnik]

The fact that the "True Orthodox In Resistance" constantly divide, schism and feud amongst themselves should tell you something.

To speak of Tradition, the Bishops that shepherded the Church did not always like each other or get along, but they didn't anathematize each other at the drop of a hat, either.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

I somehow get the feeling that this is a thread I should not be reading.

*backs out slowly*

 

[nestoj]

The fact that the "True Orthodox In Resistance" constantly divide, schism and feud amongst themselves should tell you something.

To speak of Tradition, the Bishops that shepherded the Church did not always like each other or get along, but they didn't anathematize each other at the drop of a hat, either.

Hey! We are not doing any such thing.

The One True Old Posters of the Genuine Ancient Way in Exile From Christian Forums Resistance in Communion with Baklavas Synod in Exile Abroad, is solid as a rock and in unbreakable union with each of its members...

nestoj
God helps

 

[Emmanuel-A]

All of the True Orthodox Churches

You mean there's more than one True Church ?

 

[Kristos]

TAW user (and fellow New Zealander) MichaelArchangelos has told me that he will be baptized into a "True Orthodox" church while we were in a PM discussion.

These "True Orthodox" churches, no doubt, think that the "canonical" Orthodox churches are not true Orthodox churches, and that they are engaged in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism.

I'm quite concerned about these. Should I be concerned? The church in my town is Greek Orthodox and that's one of the churches that they said were heretical, involved in the "mother heresy" of ecumenicism, and was in communion with the heretical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Seriously, this could be an area of concern for me...someone dissuade me please.

Stick with the local Greek Church. Not because it's Greek but because it's local AND it's Orthodox. You won't go wrong there.

 

[TrueHope]

For more information see www.esphigmenou.com

I will pass this info to my hub. This is very interesting. Since, though I am here in GR. I do not watch tv nor follow the news (They speak far too fast for my measly brain to catch half of what they say...)

My priest has not mentioned anything regarding this...and if he has, I may not have understood due to his way of speaking. Again, I have to fully concentrate and even then, I get about 70% and pray I can fill in the puzzle correctly. This is an outrage!!!! A downright outrage!!!!!!

 

[Jacob4707]

TAW user (and fellow New Zealander) MichaelArchangelos has told me that he will be baptized into a "True Orthodox" church while we were in a PM discussion.

That does not come as a surprise.

 

[AureateDawn]

I somehow get the feeling that this is a thread I should not be reading.

*backs out slowly*

*looks around*

Hrn. I think I get the same feeling.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

Michael, these "true" Orthodox churches then turn on each other as not "Orthodox" enough and continue to splinter, splinter, splinter. These "true" churches are not even in communion with each other, for heaven's sake. How is THAT the Church?

I hope you do not do this unwise thing you are considering.

 

[Sothron]

Michael, these "true" Orthodox churches then turn on each other as not "Orthodox" enough and continue to splinter, splinter, splinter. These "true" churches are not even in communion with each other, for heaven's sake. How is THAT the Church?

I hope you do not do this unwise thing you are considering.

I agree 100%. I feel you are making a terrible mistake by associating with these schismatics.

 

[Vasileios]

Dear Lord, not the esphigmenou story again...

Michael, you are breaking away from the church that gave us the elder Porphyrios and the elder Paisios. Both warned sternly against these churches you consider joining. It is a GRAVE sin to splinter the Body of Christ and an even greater to deny the Holy Spirit as some of those "true" churches do, claiming that the Holy Mysteries are invalid.

You are treading on a terribly dangerous path. For the love of Christ, reconsider. I have seen the fruits of these churches and they are not good.

As for the esphigmenou, I have posted stuff about them elsewhere, if anyone wishes to read about that sad affair. Suffice it to say, nobody in the Holy Mountain agrees with what they are doing.

 

[Andrew21091]

There are some churches out there that refer to themselves as "true" Orthodox churches. They are schismatic and not in communion with the rest of the Church.

 

[Sothron]

If they do not have bishops recognized by the Orthodox Church then they are schismatics. Who is the bishop and archbishop for this "True Orthodox" church?

 

[E.C.]

True/Genuine Orthodox Churches are not.

With regards to the local Antiochian priest; this could just be a priest thing. Yes, priests are human as well which means that not all are perfect. However, this does not give license to judge the entire Orthodox Church because of the faults of one priest. Am I to think that all white people in Birmingham, Georgia hate all the teenage black girls because of when three were killed at a Baptists church in the 1960's just because they were black? Because Jack the Ripper was in London am I to think that all Londoners are rapists? Stalin was from the country of Georgia, am I to think that all people from here are just as bad if not worse than he?

Think about it.

(BTW, the Orthodox Church, at large, does recognize Roman Catholic priests to the point that if an RC priest became Orthodox, he would not have to go through the four or so years at seminary; or something like that)


But before you dismiss the entire Church as "heretics" or "ultra ecumenists" or whatever, visit a different Orthodox church that is not this Antiochian one and that is not one of the so-called "True" Churches.