By Milica Yaksich

Is it because so many of our people have never had the benefit of Sunday School, never read a book about our faith, never ventured beyond the occasional church service to attend an Orthodox lecture, retreat or study group? Is this why I am hearing things coming out of the mouths of people who profess to be Orthodox that sound more like Protestant ideas and attitudes? What has become of us that we no longer know who we are and what we believe? Perhaps there are too many who have fallen into a sense of false security. ``I was born Orthodox and baptized as an infant. I have been Orthodox all my life and attended church. I celebrate the great feasts of the church year and my patron saint. What else is there to know?'' Is it truly wonderful that so many of us exist in this `fait acomplit' or is it in fact a handicap? Some may realize just how much of a handicap the first time they converse with a convert and are impressed by their zeal and the scope of their knowledge.

We are all exposed on a daily basis to ideas and views through the media that are imposed on us as politically and socially correct but are atheistic, anti-religion, and even those that are purported to be ``Christian'' are often anything but Orthodox. These things are like an infection spreading through the minds and souls of the Orthodox community and resulting in prelest, heresy and even blasphemy! Though they may profess to `believe', that means little when many have never read the fine print to fully understand what that belief is and are consequently lacking the `Shining Armour of Light' when they face the enemy. Our Lord sent His Apostles into the world to spread His teaching, so that the faithful may know how to find the path to salvation and how to follow it up into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Would you embark on a trip, without planning a route to your destination, making reservations, and making sure you have the resources to pay for everything? Why, then, would you think that the most important journey of your life would be any different? Our Lord Jesus Christ and His one true Apostolic Orthodox Church has always taught us that salvation is a journey, whether the journey is described as taking place on a path, in an ark or ship with a rudder sailing on a waterway, or climbing a mountain or a ladder. We begin that journey by answering a call, for God calls us to be saved, but sadly as scripture tells us ``many are called, but few are chosen''. (Matt.22: 14)

Those born into an Orthodox family normally begin this journey by being Baptized and Chrismated as infants. Waiting until the child is old enough to decide for him/her self is a Protestant idea, not Orthodox. The Orthodox understand that it is necessary to be Baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity in order to enter Heaven. Jesus Christ said, ``unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.'' (Jn. 3:5) and He instructed His Apostles, ``Go you therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'' (Matt. 28:19) There is reference in scripture to entire households being Baptized and this would include infants (Acts 10, Acts 16: 25-34) and furthermore Jesus Christ commanded ``Let the children come to Me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven.'' (Matt. 19:14). The Holy Sacrament of Chrismation which means unction with Holy Chrism, in which the bishop or priest anoints the baptized with the Holy Chrism, immediately follows Baptism. The grace of the Holy Spirit is conferred upon the baptized with this sacrament to sanctify and strengthen him in his spiritual life. Having completed these two sacraments the newly baptized may receive Holy Communion. If the newly baptized had been an adult he would have prepared with repentance and confession and made a commitment to live a godly life. For an infant the sponsor takes responsibility for the child. In the Orthodox church children do not have to be ``confirmed'' or wait until they are seven or older to take ``first communion'' or reach the ``age of reason''. These are Roman Catholic and Protestant ideas. In the Orthodox Church infants and children may receive Holy Communion without fasting or confession until they are seven years old, after which they are required to prepare.

We believe that the bread and wine of Holy Communion is in fact the Body and Blood of our Saviour, which the faithful receive for salvation and eternal life. Jesus Christ instituted this sacrament at His Last Supper. This is not just a symbolic gesture in memory of our Lord but a true sacrifice on His altar. In the Orthodox church the sacrament of Holy Communion can only be prepared by an ordained priest in the altar where there is an antimins containing holy relics. It is by the grace of the Holy Spirit that the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This sacrament is received after the Holy Sacrament of Penance, from a bishop or priest. In situations where the person receiving Holy Communion is too ill or infirm to come to church, the priest can come to them to administer it. In Protestantism there are numerous erroneous and heretical teachings and beliefs. Whereas the Orthodox church holds that there are seven sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Communion, Penance, Priesthood, Matrimony and Unction with Blessed Oil, the Protestant only recognize two: Baptism and Holy Communion. The Protestants, however, reject their sacramental aspect and only accept their symbolic aspect. This essentially means that the bread and wine are just that- bread and wine! In Orthodoxy each sacrament has two aspects: a visible ritual and the invisible grace of God. If one only considers the symbolic aspect then that only leaves a visible ritual and eliminates the ``invisible grace of God''!

The Holy Sacrament of Priesthood can only be performed by a bishop. By the laying of Episcopal hands and with the appropriate prayers the grace of God is invoked on the candidate, authorizing him to perform his sacred duties according to the respective order of priesthood (deacon, priest, or bishop). It is through this sacrament and the laying on of hands that we can trace succession through our priesthood back to the Apostles. This unbroken chain of Apostolic succession cannot be claimed by any Protestant church. In scripture St. Paul tells St. Timothy, ``Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you.'' (1 Tim. 4:14) In recent times, I have noticed an unfortunate lack of respect toward the priesthood. So many are eager to criticize and find fault that they forget our Lord's words, ``Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam in thine own eye?''(Matt. 7: 1-3) It also occurs to me that some of our people approach the Church with a secular mind, forgetting that it is not a democracy but a Theocracy. Humility and obedience are virtues and we as the flock are expected to be obedient to our shepherd or priest just as he is obedient to the Church (hierarchy) and all of us to God.

In the space afforded to me in this article I can only hope to scratch a small part of the surface of our faith and how it differs from Protestantism. I have seen some evidence of contamination wherein those who are involved are unaware that they have picked up incorrect ideas from either televangelists or other media or social sources. When our people talk about changing things and modernizing practices and attitudes in the church I wonder if they even know the meaning of the word Orthodox. I have also seen some of our people leave the church to attend Protestant services because of language or location or for other reasons, not fully understanding the differences in ideology. For this reason I present an excerpt from Fr. Mateja Matejic's book ``Orthodoxy: Courage to be Different ~ Strength to Remain the Same'' wherein he lists the following errors and heresies in teaching in the various different Protestant denominations: `` 1) Unitarianism -- rejection of the Holy Trinity; 2) Negation of the divinity of Christ (modern Arianism);3) rejection of immaculate conception of Jesus Christ;4) filioque and other erroneous teachings concerning the Holy Spirit; 5) the erroneous teaching concerning the essence of human nature prior to original sin and after it. Insistence on the incorrigible corruptness of human nature, which allegedly was changed in substance by original sin;6) Erroneous and heretical eschatological teachings: a)the grace of God is the sole factor in human salvation; b) human good deeds are irrelevant for the salvation of the soul; c) predestination; d) sins can be forgiven by God alone, yet can never be cleansed from human nature; e) disbelief in immortality and the Last Judgment; 7)Unorthodox teachings concerning the Church: a)ecclesiastical monophysitism,i.e. reject the human nature of the Church; b) rejection of hierarchy; c)denial of the infallibility of the Church; d)acceptance of only two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion, but in fact rejecting their sacramental aspect and accepting only the symbolic aspect. e) rejection of the external deeds of piety (fasting, asceticism, etc.) 8) Rejection of the veneration of the Mother of God and the cult of Saints; 9) Rejection of Sacred Tradition, the teachings of the Holy Fathers, the decisions of the Seven General Councils as the source of teaching and discipline; 10) Ministers and bishops allowed to marry even after ordination, and allowed to divorce and remarry; 11) Ordination of females; 12) No Apostolic Succession; 13) Manner of the ordination of the clergy; 14) No baptism of infants (some, not all Protestant denominations); 15) Rejection of the veneration of sacred objects, icons, relics of saints, and the Holy Cross; 16) Rejection of prayers for the deceased; 17) Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures entrusted to individuals; 18) Change of calendar and celebration of Easter contrary to the rules set by the General Councils; 19) Arbitrary acceptance and/or rejection of the canonical parts of the Holy Scripture.'' Be aware that this list, though lengthy and seemingly thorough is still not a complete list of all the errors in teaching!

Recently I read an article on the internet about Sola Scripture written by John Whiteford, a former Nazarene Associate Pastor who converted to the Orthodox faith and while continuing his religious studies has since been ordained a Deacon in the Orthodox Church. It is interesting to me that more and more theology students and clergy are recognizing the Orthodox Church as the one true Church of Christ, while those with little religious education are slipping into the abyss. In his article he examines the problems with ``sola scripture'': the Protestant premise of scripture alone without Holy Tradition. It occurs to me that inasmuch as the media is to blame for some of our people being led astray there are ample opportunities through the internet for Orthodox education. I caution that there are problem groups and sites there too that call themselves Orthodox but are heretical, however there are many more trustworthy sites that are a great source of spiritual wisdom.

I am saddened by the lack of Christian understanding these days when so many in the public eye find it ingratiating to praise God in one breath and condone ungodly practices and lifestyles in the next. When we condone sin we are as guilty of that sin as if we committed it ourselves. Do not misunderstand me. We are all sinners and I am not the least of these. I am not speaking out of false piety, rather I am observing a tragic condition in people that suggests to me a need for greater education and understanding of God's truth. I propose that each parish consider offering adult catechism classes, invite Orthodox guest speakers, make Orthodox literature more accessible, and consider how to engage youth and adults in spiritual discussion and activities in order to promote greater spirituality.

I have known many good people who have done great acts of charity and appeared in every sense to live good decent lives who are Protestant. A few years ago I was present when one of our priests was asked the question, ``What do we believe will become of all the other Christian denominations? Will all those people be lost because they have been taught by their church things that are heretical and incorrect?'' I could see that he regarded the question carefully, obviously aware of its complexity before he answered, ``Only God can judge who will be saved and who will not. If this is all they know of Christ's Church then those who led them astray will be judged for that. On the other hand, if one knows the truth of our Lord's one true and original Apostolic Church and turns away from it then that is a terrible sin, a sin against the Holy Spirit''.