tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post113675133542775123..comments2023-07-08T08:12:28.854-04:00Comments on Oh Taste and See: Faith as EncounterFr. Davidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137776399447345942006-01-20T11:59:00.000-05:002006-01-20T11:59:00.000-05:00I'm curious about the retention rate in the conver...I'm curious about the retention rate in the convert boomlet as well. From what I can tell it's not nearly as revolving-door as the megachurches.<BR/><BR/>ORU, eh? For a few years when I was a kid, before my parents started going to an old-fashioned Episcopal church when I was 12 (I was baptised Anglican), Oral Roberts on the box <I>was</I> church! He seems to have the strengths and weaknesses of Ecgberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06354592772973677609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137734141126505932006-01-20T00:15:00.000-05:002006-01-20T00:15:00.000-05:00Hey Bryan Peter,I appreciated this post. After be...Hey Bryan Peter,<BR/>I appreciated this post. After being an inquirer for five years and being chrismated at age 19, I was ready to just "be Orthodox." You know, there comes a point in all of our convert walks when the excitement of our new faith simmers down, and we have to ask ourselves, "What's the next step?" Do I skip on to the next exciting church/spiritual experience, or do I start to Xenia Kathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08880128865699100105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137205083501611432006-01-13T21:18:00.000-05:002006-01-13T21:18:00.000-05:00Hey, Christina.Thanks for posting! I didn't know ...Hey, Christina.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting! I didn't know you were blogging again; I had taken you off my blogroll! I think your policy on godparents is very wise.Fr. Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137202357183015602006-01-13T20:32:00.000-05:002006-01-13T20:32:00.000-05:00Being a cradle Orthodox I have seen people come an...Being a cradle Orthodox I have seen people come and stay and people come and go. I think a lot of it has to do with our American/Western mindset which is very difficult to let go... when something goes wrong, we move on. When we don't like our spouse, we get a divorce and marry again. When we don't like our job (or problems arise in our work), we quit and find a new one. Life happens in wavesChristinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10700003554793325075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137103861995252692006-01-12T17:11:00.000-05:002006-01-12T17:11:00.000-05:00Ari,Not surprised!Ari,<BR/><BR/>Not surprised!Fr. Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137091465258018462006-01-12T13:44:00.000-05:002006-01-12T13:44:00.000-05:00"I've had my own ups and downs with 'convertitis' ..."I've had my own ups and downs with 'convertitis' and with God's grace I will one day be cured."<BR/><BR/>I checked out your website and see that you've had some "downs" with convertitis. The "Frankish" church? Seriously, Fr. Romanides doesn't even begin to understand Roman Catholicism.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137070379905829432006-01-12T07:52:00.000-05:002006-01-12T07:52:00.000-05:00I got it from Father George. ;)I got it from Father George. ;)Father Aristibule Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137043119638615512006-01-12T00:18:00.000-05:002006-01-12T00:18:00.000-05:00Owen,Don't worry about the long post. It was grea...Owen,<BR/><BR/>Don't worry about the long post. It was great.<BR/><BR/>I remember your sharing that story of you working in the bookstore, but I don't think you mentioned what was going on with Wheaton or that guy in particular. Wow.<BR/><BR/>That story prompts two thoughts: <BR/><BR/>1) "He told me that of the original 40 or so converts at Wheaton who got the whole thing going...Most had Fr. Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1137001431831793112006-01-11T12:43:00.000-05:002006-01-11T12:43:00.000-05:00Sorry BP...you're right.I guess my overall point w...Sorry BP...you're right.<BR/><BR/>I guess my overall point was i saw much more fall-out as an Evangelical. I agree with Aristibule as I've seen it at our parish...the return to the faith with a renewed committment...it is most refreshing to see this amongst the cradle college aged kids who seemed to check out in high school and have now come back with a gracious zeal.Munkeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05817410572901118548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136998348114333672006-01-11T11:52:00.000-05:002006-01-11T11:52:00.000-05:00Could it be an unwillingness to put away the 'theo...Could it be an unwillingness to put away the 'theory' of Christianity, and in all obedience begin the 'praxis' of prayer, humility, and worship? The consistent point of seen made by so many spiritual fathers is that the convert does need to simply *stop* all the constant activity, theorizing, etc. and simply live the faith. Its such a simple thing, but the very step it takes to simply follow Father Aristibule Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136955256238234502006-01-10T23:54:00.000-05:002006-01-10T23:54:00.000-05:00Aaron,I think you may have misread me (or I miscom...Aaron,<BR/><BR/>I think you may have misread me (or I miscommunicated; very possible). I'm not concluding that "this consistent problem with American Christians is the Holy Church's fault." If you look back, I said this trend could be seen in "any purposeful move from one confession to another." This is, simply, just a failure to see and experience Christ in every aspect of the faith. <BR/><Fr. Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03489705490983833993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136939780947850842006-01-10T19:36:00.000-05:002006-01-10T19:36:00.000-05:00hmmm...i have trouble with this. The church hoppi...hmmm...i have trouble with this. The church hopping that i did as an evangelical was astronomical...coupled with the change from denom to denom...coupled with the "i don't want to go to church" phases often labeled with various and sundry spiritual excuses. I've watched people come to zealous faith in each and every one of the groups i was apart of and "go go go" for a couple years only to Munkeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05817410572901118548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136858954820699302006-01-09T21:09:00.000-05:002006-01-09T21:09:00.000-05:00I chalk it up to convert burnout - I've noted many...I chalk it up to convert burnout - I've noted many folk in the parishes I've visited who converted years ago, did nothing for a decade or two, then came back. So in the end - it doesn't worry me, though it might trouble or sadden me. Eventually, they'll find their way back (we hope.) We also have to remember that we don't know what all is going on with them - many had religious abuse before Father Aristibule Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00393651388803251279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136840586797037362006-01-09T16:03:00.000-05:002006-01-09T16:03:00.000-05:00I agree, it's a very interesting statistic.I'd *th...I agree, it's a very interesting statistic.<BR/><BR/>I'd *think* though that really the fault can't be placed on Orthodoxy, it's about your relationship with God, getting through the dry spells and working towards your salvation.<BR/><BR/>I don't know, though.<BR/><BR/>I've heard the retention rate is quite high, but I've never heard numbers.Mimihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02645484704486562810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136830884914103652006-01-09T13:21:00.000-05:002006-01-09T13:21:00.000-05:00Unfortunate as any "jurisdictional wars" are they ...Unfortunate as any "jurisdictional wars" are they cannot be blamed for a person's lack of dedication. <BR/><BR/>And by the way an excellent post. I've had my own ups and downs with 'convertitis' and with God's grace I will one day be cured.Jacob Aleksanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13184419203736561534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10336499.post-1136785604749274442006-01-09T00:46:00.000-05:002006-01-09T00:46:00.000-05:00I've been very curious about the 'retention' rate ...I've been very curious about the 'retention' rate for us converts to Orthodoxy. I suspect that this is the dirty little secret of the Orthodox convert boomlet. <BR/><BR/>I have my theories about this. I think that it's because we converts can become so incredibly gung ho that the religious 'fervor' can't be maintained long term. <BR/><BR/>I also suspect that all of the jurisdictional wars Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com