Lutheranism

Question: 

I am a Lutheran and I am considering coverting to Russian Orthodoxy. Will I have to give up on my own values to do this and what would I have to do to change my denomination?

Dr. Alexander Roman alex@unicorne.org

The first thing you should do is to seek out a Russian Orthodox priest to discuss your situation. 

The Orthodox Church of America is an excellent jurisdiction with parishes of different cultural backgrounds (and not only Russian) with varying intensities of cultural commitment. You might wish to visit their website at:  www.oca.org to begin your search.

To become an Orthodox Christian, you will not give up any of the Christian values that you already have as a Lutheran.  The famous "monk of the Eastern Church," Father Lev Gillet was an Eastern Catholic priest when he became Orthodox.  He wrote to his mother that he wasn't going to "a different Light, but to a clearer Light."

Martin Luther, as you know, favoured the Orthodox Church in his lifetime and considered the Eastern Church to be the "better half" of Christendom as he said when he debated the Roman Catholic theologians of his day.

One person who is considered by Protestants to be a herald of the Reformation, Jan Hus of Bohemia, was also believed, by the Orthodox, to be standing in the Orthodox tradition of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in the first instance.  He insisted on the Scriptures being in an understandable language, Communion in both Kinds, a married priesthood and the like - values that are clearly part of the tradition of Holy Orthodoxy. 

There is an Eastern Akathist service that I've written in honour of Jan Hus that you can find on this site.

Lutheranism therefore stands very close indeed to Orthodoxy.  Lutheranism was and is a reform movement within the Church. It was not intended, as you know, to be a movement of separation from the historic Church of Christ. 

And there are a number of Lutheran scholars who have found the fullness of the Christian faith and tradition in Orthodoxy, including, of course, Dr. Jaroslav Pelikan who has published extensively on Eastern Christian history and patristics.

So what is best about the Lutheran tradition is also part of the central "pulse" of Orthodoxy.  The Orthodox Church is the original Church of the New Testament - something that Martin Luther himself would never have denied.

And to become Orthodox does not mean that you must discard your values as a Lutheran or even your Lutheran heritage.  Orthodoxy would simply complete what you already are - a sincere servant and follower of Christ.

May God bless you!

Ukrainian Orthodoxy