Orthodox Trail 2 by Gea Gort
05/02/09 21:19
My heart for the
Eastern-Orthodox world opened that evening with the Dutch couple in
their house in Nijkerk. The fellowship I experienced with them
kindled an eagerness to learn from their history, their theology,
their worldview. …
… There are some things to learn out there, from history, from those who have gone before us, from other Christian traditions. I’ve learned from my Orthodox brothers and sisters. I’m not naïve to think that they ‘have all the truth’. The Eastern Orthodox Churches do exist of humans – not angels – they aren’t flawless either. I compare my recent experiences with the Orthodox family with what happened to me when I was growing up. As a child I really believed that my own family was flawless. Without giving it thought, I just presumed this was the way you did things. When I became a teenager I started questioning some of my family’s views and traditions, especially when I met other families. These other families ‘mirrored’ my own families’ ways of behaving. This was especially true when I engaged with families who had very different manners of doing things. It would challenge the way I grew up and learned to behave. The Eastern-Orthodox Church to me, serves as such a ‘very different family’.
My heart for the Eastern-Orthodox world opened that evening with the Dutch couple in their house in Nijkerk. The fellowship I experienced with them kindled an eagerness to learn from their history, their theology, their worldview. Shortly thereafter I got a change to learn much more while traveling for two weeks through Turkey and Romania on the Orthodox trail. In Turkey I tasted the Orthodox Christian history, a history which is also part of my own Christian heritage. I got a taste of the former greatness of the Byzantine Empire as I visited the impressive Aya Sophia museum, which was build as a church in the sixth century. Historians like Ray Bakke, who were with us on the trail, have the gift to make history come alive. I imagined the church choir of 1500 (!) clerics singing in this massive building. I learned about the Byzantium Empire and the city of Constantinople, a place which was ‘the centre of Christianity’ from the fourth to the eleventh, or some say even to the fifteenth century. While seeing the fascinating nature of Cappadocia, located in the middle of Turkey, I heard the stories of heroes of the faith of the Cappadocian Fathers like Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus (also known as Gregory the Theologian). Romanian Orthodox theologians, who were with us on the trail know these stories by heart, they’ve grown up with the life stories of their forefathers. In this intriguing area over 4000 cave-churches in Cappadocia still give a strong testimony to the rich spiritual life which once existing in this area in the middle of Turkey.
During the trail, I not only learned about our Christian history and spiritual roots, but also saw some of the present Romanian-Orthodox church life. After fifty years communism more than 85% of the Romanians confess to be Orthodox believers.
To experience all this was impressive and enriching. But again, meeting these Orthodox brothers and sisters, was what impressed me most of all. Six Romanian-Orthodox were with us on the trail: two Fathers with their partners, a monk and a dean of an influential college in Romania. The language was a barrier, but during two weeks we shared highs and lows: during the visits to historical sites and during the long hours on the bus. There was no language barrier with Father Mihai, who also studies at BGU and was our guide and bridge into the Orthodox world. I questioned Mihai a lot and we became good friends. All these Orthodox I saw and met had something about them, as was the case with the Dutch couple. I took notice. I watched them; their ways, their demeanor, their eyes. What was it, which was so attractive to me? What caused it?
On returning home, I asked Father Stephan if I could interview him for this paper. He was happy and willing to cooperate. I interviewed him three times on themes like the Orthodox view of God, view of mankind, view of the incarnation.
So I invite you along. I invite you to walk a few yards with me on my Orthodox pilgrimage, as you listen with me to Father Stephan. Even though I can do little more on these view pages than give you a taste of Orthodoxy. Still, I hope and pray that you also will sense her richness. And meanwhile catch a few glimpses in the mirror.
… There are some things to learn out there, from history, from those who have gone before us, from other Christian traditions. I’ve learned from my Orthodox brothers and sisters. I’m not naïve to think that they ‘have all the truth’. The Eastern Orthodox Churches do exist of humans – not angels – they aren’t flawless either. I compare my recent experiences with the Orthodox family with what happened to me when I was growing up. As a child I really believed that my own family was flawless. Without giving it thought, I just presumed this was the way you did things. When I became a teenager I started questioning some of my family’s views and traditions, especially when I met other families. These other families ‘mirrored’ my own families’ ways of behaving. This was especially true when I engaged with families who had very different manners of doing things. It would challenge the way I grew up and learned to behave. The Eastern-Orthodox Church to me, serves as such a ‘very different family’.
My heart for the Eastern-Orthodox world opened that evening with the Dutch couple in their house in Nijkerk. The fellowship I experienced with them kindled an eagerness to learn from their history, their theology, their worldview. Shortly thereafter I got a change to learn much more while traveling for two weeks through Turkey and Romania on the Orthodox trail. In Turkey I tasted the Orthodox Christian history, a history which is also part of my own Christian heritage. I got a taste of the former greatness of the Byzantine Empire as I visited the impressive Aya Sophia museum, which was build as a church in the sixth century. Historians like Ray Bakke, who were with us on the trail, have the gift to make history come alive. I imagined the church choir of 1500 (!) clerics singing in this massive building. I learned about the Byzantium Empire and the city of Constantinople, a place which was ‘the centre of Christianity’ from the fourth to the eleventh, or some say even to the fifteenth century. While seeing the fascinating nature of Cappadocia, located in the middle of Turkey, I heard the stories of heroes of the faith of the Cappadocian Fathers like Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus (also known as Gregory the Theologian). Romanian Orthodox theologians, who were with us on the trail know these stories by heart, they’ve grown up with the life stories of their forefathers. In this intriguing area over 4000 cave-churches in Cappadocia still give a strong testimony to the rich spiritual life which once existing in this area in the middle of Turkey.
During the trail, I not only learned about our Christian history and spiritual roots, but also saw some of the present Romanian-Orthodox church life. After fifty years communism more than 85% of the Romanians confess to be Orthodox believers.
To experience all this was impressive and enriching. But again, meeting these Orthodox brothers and sisters, was what impressed me most of all. Six Romanian-Orthodox were with us on the trail: two Fathers with their partners, a monk and a dean of an influential college in Romania. The language was a barrier, but during two weeks we shared highs and lows: during the visits to historical sites and during the long hours on the bus. There was no language barrier with Father Mihai, who also studies at BGU and was our guide and bridge into the Orthodox world. I questioned Mihai a lot and we became good friends. All these Orthodox I saw and met had something about them, as was the case with the Dutch couple. I took notice. I watched them; their ways, their demeanor, their eyes. What was it, which was so attractive to me? What caused it?
On returning home, I asked Father Stephan if I could interview him for this paper. He was happy and willing to cooperate. I interviewed him three times on themes like the Orthodox view of God, view of mankind, view of the incarnation.
So I invite you along. I invite you to walk a few yards with me on my Orthodox pilgrimage, as you listen with me to Father Stephan. Even though I can do little more on these view pages than give you a taste of Orthodoxy. Still, I hope and pray that you also will sense her richness. And meanwhile catch a few glimpses in the mirror.