Church name: St. Joseph Orthodox ChurchChurch address:
Describe
the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your
regular context?
Attending St. Joseph’s was a
completely new experience for me. I have always gone to churches with a “low
church” tradition, where the few panes of stained glass – which no one really
paid much attention to – was only form of visual worship.
Upon entering St. Joseph’s, I was
immediately overwhelmed with the intoxicating fragrance of incense and
beautiful icons. Icons of every type adorned the walls, depicting scenes like
Mary and the Baby Jesus, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. At the font
rested an icon of the savior with some candles around it. I watched as people
entered, went to the front, kissed the icon, then proceeded to light a candle
and add it to the group.
Soon after, everyone stood and the
Divine Liturgy began. The service was mainly in Church Slavonic, but I was
given an English version of the Liturgy and somewhat followed along. However,
when the sermon started, I had no idea what was being said.
I wasn’t used to standing the whole
service, and personally it was a little distracting for that reason, but I can
see how – once one is used to it – it can be very engaging.
Communion was also interesting. The
priest used a gold spoon and a chalice to dispense the blood of Christ, and
then people took pieces of bread, dipped them in a saucer, and ate.
Everything about the service felt
foreign, and it was a very stretching experience. I am very grateful for this
assignment because it helped illuminate another side of Christianity very
different from my own.
How did the worship
service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?
The service was a very illuminating experience. Being in Church
Slavonic, the service literally sounded foreign to me - but I knew God
understood every word, and it was quite beautiful hearing praises to the king
in a language with such a rich liturgical history.
The icons were a visual testament to the rich history of the
Orthodox Church. Many of the images on the icons dated back hundreds of years.
They opened a door to understanding how people connected with Christ before it
was commonplace to own a Bible – or even read for that matter.
At the front of the church stood a magnificent wall covered in
iconography. It told the story of Christ – stating from the miraculous birth,
to the transfiguration, to the cross, to the resurrection. It also depicted
various saints important to the church.
I enjoyed every icon on the
wall, except one that stood out as especially peculiar. It depicted Mary and
baby Jesus, but hovering above them on clouds was God the Father. I couldn’t
believe my eyes when I saw it. Depicting the Father was expressly condemned in
the 7th ecumenical council – which the Orthodox Church adheres to. I
wanted to ask about the icon, but I didn’t feel it was appropriate at the time.
I’m still quite curious how that icon slipped into the main wall.
How did the worship
service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?
I felt
very connected to the Christians there - even though I couldn’t sing the songs,
take the communion, or understand the sermon. There was something transcending
about worshipping God with a completely different tradition from my own. I grew
in love and appreciation for the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
It was
strange not being able to take communion with them. I understood why, and I
agree that theology is very important, but nevertheless I still wanted to join
my brothers and sisters in the Lord’s Supper – even if we disagree on some
beliefs. The experience helped remind me to continually look up from my
protestant, evangelical lens and broaden my vision of the church body. I hope
to one-day share in communion with my brothers and sisters in not only the
Eastern Orthodox tradition, but also the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox
traditions – on this side of Heaven or the other. I hope the Church will be
able to have greater dialogue between its various traditions. We are to be
known by our unity, and we cannot be united if we refuse to even talk to one
another.
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