Lesson 2: Sacramental Worldview

The biggest challenge in learning about the Faith of the original church is to realize that it embodies a different way of thinking. In western Christianity, including the ones you have been exposed to, have adapted the faith to a “western” mind. This has limited the full understanding of what Jesus taught and passed on to His Apostles. I hope as we go along you will be able to recognize this. The Orthodox mind assumes a way of thinking that is beyond that of the rational thinking mind that we are taught and drives the secular society we live in. This effects the meaning of words and concepts you may have already learned. For example the very nature of salvation and sin are quite different to the Orthodox mind. The action of the Holy Spirit is assumed to always be involved. And we don’t limit our understanding to worldly things. Entering the nave of the Church, we know we are entering a heavenly space where we will be joined with the angels and all the martyr saints. Worship is a joining of Heaven and Earth. There is assumed a unity of the heavenly realm with the worldly.

Let your mind be open to more mystical concepts. Don’t worry if you find this difficult, it often takes a long time to grasp it being brought up in our Western secular society.

To become Orthodox you need to be able to surrender to the teachings of the Church, which is coondi=sidred to be the Bod of Christ Himself. This includes not only Scripture, but also Holy Tradition that has been passed on to us by the Apostles. This is a surrender to Christ Himself who is the head of the earthly church, the Body of Christ. Wherever the Church is Christ is present. To make this surrender this you need to be comfortable with its foundation, its history and doctrines. Don’t worry, there is nothing that disagrees with Scripture in the Orthodox faith. There is more that comes from Holy Tradition and a sacramental worldview. It clarifies and will give you the a way of a life lived in union with Christ and the Holy Spirit.

In this lesson we will explore the differences between a Sacramental and the secular world vie of our society.

Read chapter 1 in the book: Orthodox Way: A Catechism for Seekers
View the video below and after these two steps provide brief answers to the questions linked below.