Path: utzoo!mnetor!tmsoft!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: COSC2U2@uhvax1.uh.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Glasnost and the Orthodox Church Message-ID: Date: 20 Sep 89 07:25:17 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Houston Lines: 147 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Speculations on what Glasnost will mean to the future of U.S. Christianity [Definitely Controversial] As you know, Russia is gradually relaxing their totalitarian grip due to Economic Pressures. The process has started even during the Stalin years, when Stalin needed every friend he could find to beat the Nazis. The Russian Orthodox Church was not actively persecuted with the same zeal, and was looked upon as a needed internal ally. Khruschev, a man that Americans now LOVE & HATE simultaneously, started the reforms of the fifties cautiously, to get Russia out of its backward state. True, the purges were gone as well as the nastier aspects of Soviet Politics (in the preson of Beria). Still, religious persecution persisted. The somewhat harsher Kosygen-Breshnev-Andropov -Chernenko regiem built up the pressure that Gorbachev is now reacting to. The Russian Orthodox Church, the second largest Christain denomination, stands to gain greatly from these developments. The persecution has made the faithfull strong. Glasnost will make them bold. A GIANT WILL BE UNLEASHED!!! The Russian Orthodox Church (henceforth called ROC) has been the most agressive evangelizers of the Orthodox Churches. They propogated their church in Alaska in 1792, and later in California. Since then, their direction of spread has been from West to East (All other denominations spread from East to West.) Other Orthodox peoples came to the U.S., but the ROC was more or less in charge. The Russian Revolution caused a few splits. Some started the ROC Outside of Russia, which is now the American Orthodox Church. Other groups preserved their autonomy by reverting their alleigance back to their home church, like the Greeks or Copts. Though generally left out of the Great Revival, they recruited from imigrants, . . . till NOW ! ! ! With the advent of Glassnost, Russians will not be detested with the same zeal as they were in the fifties. Some of the more adventurous Americans will venture out to their Church Festivals ( I've already attended the Egyptian Festival in Houston this year. I am planning to visit the Greek, Mediterranean, and Armenian Festivals. I will buy some icons, books, and gain a few pounds), and will become exposed to the various forms of Orthodoxy. With the home church now able to agressively back the ROC, you can expect changes in the U.S. religious landscape. In the eighties, the Eastern Orthodox were able to make gains from two different sources. The more Conservative Episcopaleans (High Church) saw Eastern Orthodoxy as viable alternative to the excesses of their liberalized Low Church. Second, the recent Fundamentalist scandals of Bakker, Roberts, et. al. have caused a fallout. Since the Eastern Orthodox Church is a Conservative Church, they were able to corral some maverick lambs. What do they have to offer Americans? * Hymnology - with composers like Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov, they are going to make a big splash in this area. Check out RK's Russian Easter Overture and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, segments of which often occur in religious services. Of course, God the Omnipotent by Lvov is in most of the U.S. Hymnals, and also occurs at the end of the 1812 Overture. * Art - Icons are regarded to be Windows into Heavan. The saints are painted in their humility, usually with much red and gold. This art is dydactic, and not a "realistic" portrayal. Saints have long noses to express their dignity, small mouths and open ears to express their hearing of the Word. - Architectecture is Byzantine. Domes contain religious paintings (and windows to Heavan). More symbols. All Churches face East, towards the Resurrection. The altitude of the church rises toward the East, like a ship pointed eastward. Churches are Arks to carry believers. All aspects are modeled after the Holy of Holies. Let's not forget that Russian Churches use Cupolas instead of domes to keep the weight of the snow from colapsing their domes (surely everyone has seen a picture of St. Basils in the Kremlin, that church that resembles an ornate Banana Split). * Theology - The Orthodox Church observes all Councils up to the time of the Photian Schism. They hold the Nicene Creed to be special, the Pronouncement of the Church as a whole on the beliefs necessary for salvation. * Tradition - They hold that each generation of believers is the successor to the previous one, inheriting certain privileges. They have Apostolic Ordination. Each Priest can trace his ordination through a line of ordinations to one of the Apostles. Spritual kinship is recognized. The best man/maid of honor at an Orthodox Wedding has de facto consented to be the Godparents of the children of that union. The Sponsor of a new member is also the Godparent of that new member. Godparents have claim to the right of civil adoption in the event of demise of all suitable blood relatives. No marriage between spiritual relatives. * History - The Eastern Orthodox Church considers themselves to be the Mother Church of Christendom, the Historical Church, and the Trinity to be the God of History. There seems to be a a higher percentage of Historians in this Church. This Church has an emphasis on Patristic Literature that is not usually present in Protestant Denominations. Their sole weakness seems to be in their religious service. It consists of liturgy (often in Greek) and a 5 minute sermon. Everyone stands during the service. Man is the only errect animal, therefore he worships errect. People come and go to service as they please. There are no chairs or benches in the Russian Churches. However, some reform in this area should go a long way. ORIGIN St. Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, an ethnic Khazar, saw that an opportunity was lost when the Khazars converted to Judaism, a few centuries before. The Khazars were the #1 World Power at this time, but were at least on good terms with the #2 Power, the Byzantine Empire. The Khazars were trade partners with the Jews scattered throughout Asia Minor. When the Khazar King went to decide the matter of what the official Khazar Religion would be, the Rabii at Court suggested a test: Ask the Catholic and the Turk who erred the least. Both chose the Jew, and as a result, Russia became Jewish for a time. The Popes, in St. Photius'es mind, were too domineering. A break was made when St. Photius noted that the Popes unilaterally inserted the "Filioque" clause into the Nicene Creed without ratification from a Church Council, that is, "The Holy Ghost proceeds from the Son". A new power in from the North was prevailing over the Khazars. When it became time to select a new religion, Eastern Orthodoxy was chosen. Islam was ruled out for their hypocricy. The Popes were considered too domineering. The Khazeer Jews were "Under a Curse" that the Tsar wanted no part of. As a result of St. Photius'es daring move, the Eastern Orthodox Church was founded, as well as the eventual conversion of Russia. Effect on the U.S. Religious Landscape: Undoubtably, Reformed Protestantism will wane as a result of the expected competition from Orthodox beliefs. Interest will be spurred in Patristic Literature. Hymnology, Architecture, and Religious Art stand to gain greatly as these art forms become more stylistic among Catholics and Protestants. Emphasis on Separation of Church and State will become more pronounced, as some recent Orthodox writers have expressed laments about what happened under the Tsars. The Eastern Orthodox will insist upon using "Divine Grace" instead of "Predestination" where the meanings coincide. Although they have been missed by the Great Revival, it will be interesting to see if the Great Revival resumes in an Orthodox Phase during the 90s, spurred on by Glasnost. Although I am a Protestant by membership, I have undergone an Eastern Orthodox Confirmation Class as part of my amateur studies in Byzantinology. I learn much by reading THEIR books which is where I prognosticated the direction their Church is heading. IN THE EVENT OF GORBACHEV'S SUDDEN REMOVAL FROM POWER --- ALL BETS ARE OFF !!!!! --ceb