What's an Orthodox to Say?

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 18 February 2004 1:20 pm

My wife and I have barely begun telling people that Mary is pregnant (many family and friends haven't been told yet, for various reasons), and already we are feeling pressure from some family members about things like baptism. One family member, for instance, wanted to know why we couldn't just go to "our old Church" (part of a jurisdiction I am no longer in) which is close, so that all the family could attend the baptism of the baby. How can an Orthodox Christian of a traditionalist mindset deal with questions such as these? None of the relatives in question will believe that there are any significant differences between Orthodox and Catholic (let alone between various jurisdictions)... and I don't want to be unChristian in my response or end up doing something that makes Orthodoxy look sectarian and cultish.

尼古拉前执事 · Wed 18 February 2004 1:24 pm

Ask them why they cannot just join the Orthodox Church when they ask you why you cannot just have an RC Baptism. Then just tell them that it is your choice to have your child Baptized by a priest you know in a church that he or she, God-willing, will be raised in.

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Wed 18 February 2004 1:28 pm

Well, they want to know why he/she can't be baptized in an Antiochian Church just down the road, and if I give your response--which I think is a good answer --that will raise the question: "what's the difference which Orthodox Church?" That's a question I've not even tried discussing with family yet (as I said, I haven't even gotten through to them that there are major differences even between Catholicism and Orthodoxy yet). Normally when the subject comes up (about divisions in Orthodoxy) I just say something vague or esoteric and normally they don't ask again for a while. I don't think that'll work this time...

Mary Kissel · Post by **Mary Kissel** » Wed 18 February 2004 1:29 pm

it's also really tough to answer their questions especially when some of them like to take our answers and twist them around and try to get us to debate with them about things.

尼古拉前执事 · Wed 18 February 2004 1:35 pm

Well you could just tell them that this specific Antiochian church fell away from Orthodoxy in accepting heretical teachings of Monophysitism. That way you are not saying that your CHurch broke away, rather that this other group did and that might make more sense to them, if you just mention them.

If they are still confused you can ask the RCs if they would have their child Baptized at the local Lutheran or Anglican parish that has the same Mass as theirs even though the believe different things. If they say yes, I do not know what to say.

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Wed 18 February 2004 1:43 pm

Well...if the God-parent is a member of the church were you want the child to be baptized you could then tell your family that that is the reason it's being done at that particular church.

Mary Kissel · Post by **Mary Kissel** » Wed 18 February 2004 1:48 pm

thankyou.... any other thoughts or suggestions?