So What Is So Different

Not surprisingly, after I converted to Eastern Orthodoxy, I have been asked a question over and over: "So what is so different?"

The person who asks this presupposes that there are substantive differences and expects me to enumerate things that they not only understand to be different but also that they consider significant. I usually disappoint this type of person because many of the differences lie exactly in what we consider to be important. If I give a concrete example of a different belief, they will say that that is a peripheral issue and not essential. But if I try to explain the more abstract concept that many differences have to do with what we assign to the essential and peripheral categories, they cannot follow.

For example, I can list that I believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and they (probably unconsciously) believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. However, as soon as I say this, the response is, "But that is not important; those are just words. Tell me something that is actually important like what you believe about salvation." Their entire presupposition is that the only thing that matters is my model of the atonement; everything else is secondary. But this issue of what is important is the very difference.

Taking our cues from the Nicene Creed, the nature of the Trinity is very important to us. The Creed explicitly says a lot about the nature of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However, it says relatively little about the nature of the atonement ("For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven"). "For our salvation", now that is bare. It does not take sides in the dispute: Is it moral influence? Is it ransom? Is it satisfaction? And if satisfaction, it is to satisfy God's honor or his wrath? Etc. To the Fathers, your model of the atonement was not a key predictor of the salvation of your soul. However, your understanding of the Godhead was.

Take as another example this actual quote from my former pastor: "The main thing is where you stand in your relationship with Christ.  If it is healthy and based on a correct foundation of faith and grace, then the rests are just forms and traditions." He assumes that forms and traditions do not matter. So if I try to illustrate differences in forms and traditions, he will respond that I am missing the crux of the matter, avoiding the question, or looking too superficially at the faith. In fact, it is true that I am giving a superficial answer, but the reason is that it is hard to explain a difference in presuppositions. Defense mechanisms protect our presuppositions to the point that sometimes they are invisible to us.

In the above example, I could quote Scripture to explain my presupposition that the form of our worship is important ('For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”' Hebrews 8:5) or that non-Scriptural oral tradition is important ("So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter." 2 Thessalonians 2:15), but if he is not psychologically and philosophically prepared for a discussion of presuppositions, he will not be able to understand me.

To paraphrase one author that I read, whose name currently escapes me: The Orthodox don't just give different answers to the same questions; they actually ask different questions.

With all my friends and family as well as the missionary agency to which I belong all Evangelical Protestant, on the eve of the decision to convert, I was confronted with the fact that a conversion would bring a lot of "inconvenience" to my life, but the Orthodox Faith was too compelling to just ignore, so I converted. But now, by God's grace, I need to learn how to answer their questions graciously, humbly, and understandably.  Welcome to my new blog where I will share the journey as I learn in my heart to "regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).