QUESTION:

9/20/2009: Could you elaborate on why it's important to become Orthodox? Let's put forward a hypothetical situation, where a body of Christian believers believe everything an Orthodox believer believes, but they feel out of place in an Orthodox church, with the vestments, and the incense, etc. So they continue to gather by themselves, practicing the Divine Liturgy, participating in the Sacraments, but do not identify as an Orthodox church. What is it about identifying as an Orthodox church, or having their priest be ordained by a Bishop, that makes it any different? Are the Sacraments empty of God's grace if not prepared and served by a priest with Apostolic succession? Is there a scriptural basis for that concept, if so?

ANSWER:

It is essential to remember that the Church (i.e. both the eschatological Church and its local manifestation in the Eucharistic gathering) were specifically established by the Lord. The Church accomplishes, actualizes and renews our unity with Christ and as such is the only means of salvation. Everything will perish except the Lord and those who are in him (Hebrews 1:10-12). The Church - which has a particular structure and form of worship - is the "pillar and foundation of truth" (1 Tim. 3:15-16) and the divine means of salvation. The issue is not that of grace which is a very Western concept, it is that of unity with Christ in the mysteries and of assurance that this unity is real. For this reason, both Ignatius of Antioch and Cyprian of Carthage concur: assurance that this unity with Christ is accomplished according to God's purpose and means necessitates unity in the Church (i.e. the legitimate bishop and his presbyter and deacons and people). Orthodox worship which is based on the heavenly patterns implies the use of incense, vestments, etc - these things are part of the patterns of divine worship (vision of Sinai, Isaiah, Ezechiel, Revelation) and serve to manifest the transcendence of the Church into specific places and times. Being part of the properly structured local Church and being in communion with the historic Churches is an essential aspect - in reverse, breaking away from the unity of Church and causing a schism in the Church or from the Church are very serious matters indeed. The Lord willed the Church to be made manifest in every place and time in a very specific way - St Ignatius explains that the role of bishops is "according to the mind of Christ." This is why the early Christians understood that "there must be only one bishop in the catholic Church" - this is the place where the body of Christ is formed and made manifest. Finally, one who does not feel at home with Orthodox worship has not yet come to understand the necessity of this pattern of heavenly worship, and such books as "Temple Theology" "The Great High Priest" or "Temple Themes in Christian Worship" (by Margaret Barker) will be helpful.

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