Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church

A Chismation service being done at Saint Nicholas Russian Church

"And we have people from various backgrounds who converted to Orthodoxy and it’s very…it’s wonderful to see people being drawn to the church"-Anna Keith interview, 2008

Converts

The process of conversion is gradual, and often involves assigned Godparents whose responsibility is to guide converts through their spiritual journey.  For many, this relationship becomes very important as the years go on. 

Some converts come from a Russian ethnic background, but many do not.  For most, the draw to the Orthodoxy is not about a specific cultural heritage, but about a more original and historically authentic Christianity.  Matushka Anna Keith, who herself converted in  1979, explains it this way:  “The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church split back in about 1040, and basically the Orthodox Church never changed.  The Orthodox Church has been the same since 33 AD.”  This sense of an unchanging faith is often deeply significant for followers, who value the Orthodoxy’s stability in spite of a long history of political and social turmoil.

Though it often begins with Chrismation, where holy oil is poured onto a convert’s head, the process of conversion is lifelong.  Once believers begin to explore their new faith, they often find the possibilities for education to be endless.  Herman Middleton, who converted ten years ago, has since devoted many years to studying Orthodox history and theology.  For him, this has included receiving a doctoral degree from the University of Thessaloniki and publishing a book about elders in the Greek Orthodox Church.  He describes becoming Orthodox as ongoing, with education and reflection vital to continuing spiritual development.  He sees this education as related to the Orthodox view of salvation, which requires that a believer first accept the faith and then continue to seek sanctification throughout his or her life. 

In the future of Asheville’s Russian Orthodox community, converts will almost certainly play an important and evolving role.  Today, they are some of the church’s most active participants.  Tomorrow, they will help ensure the continuation of the community and its traditions.

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