Orthodox Christian Dating

[gzt]

Some priests do that, or at least have that as their normal rule, but it's not universal and it's not, like, required. The ones that do it that way have the justification that religious differences in a marriage can lead to strife - and they can! Especially if it's a new thing, one spouse converting. Or especially in parishes that have a more "totalizing" approach to Orthodoxy. It is definitely better for both spouses to convert, but going without your spouse is generally possible.

 

[All4Christ]

Some priests do that, or at least have that as their normal rule, but it's not universal and it's not, like, required. The ones that do it that way have the justification that religious differences in a marriage can lead to strife - and they can! Especially if it's a new thing, one spouse converting. Or especially in parishes that have a more "totalizing" approach to Orthodoxy. It is definitely better for both spouses to convert, but going without your spouse is generally possible.

That sounds really strange to not allow someone to become a part of the Church...to prevent them from partaking of the Eucharist and to withhold the life-giving sacraments of the church. Is there some economia or something for those who want to be a part of the Church but are told not to because their spouse will not do so??

 

[gzt]

I don't like it, either, but it's a priest exercising his pastoral authority. That's what economia is - household management. Every pastoral decision is economia. I suppose you could find another parish with a priest who has different ideas or try to convince the priest. I'm sure there aren't any that are absolutists when push comes to shove. But who knows what the exact circumstances are when there's a priest who says he won't baptize somebody without their spouse? I don't have the information and I don't have the training. I'm not going to question somebody's pastoral prerogatives, especially in a general and contextless situation.

 

[buzuxi02]

Huh? That makes no sense.

The only pastoral situation is if the priest deems converting without your spouse is a detriment to you physically or spiritually. Perhaps the non-believing spouse can cause you troubles. In that case you can remain a catecumen and be baptised on your deathbed.

 

[E.C.]

If a spouse was, say, Muslim or Hindu or a LaVeyan Satanist than I could definitely understand a priest holding off until the spouse converted. If the spouse were Roman Catholic, or Baptist; different story.
There was a couple back home who were Orthodox and Roman Catholic and for years attended both churches until the Roman Catholic basically woke up one day and said, "Father, I'd like to be Orthodox". He was chrismated that afternoon.


As for the Orthodox Christian Dating site, I have heard of it. I only know of one married couple that had known each other as kids, reconnected on the site, and later married. Personally, I had thought about trying it out at one point, but decided against it. Truth is, Orthodox women can be picky and don't always like military folk

 

[GregConstantine]

"Orthodox women can be picky"

Truth!

 

[truefiction1]

My wife wasn't picky at all.