Orthodoxy Conclusion...

I had a long chat with Barb today, and talking really does help me to process my thoughts. It was only while talking to her that I realized that I have already decided not to become Orthodox. I don't think I can explain it well here, but here are some of the reasons:

- I can be Anglican, and Emerging Church, and go to Taize services and pray with candles and icons and... But if I became Orthodox I would have to be Orthodox alone, since they won't tolerate eclecticism of this kind.

- Being Orthodox means accepting the whole box and dice, as explained by the Orthodox church. This means accepting that women can't be ministers, not for any theological reasons, but just because there never have been.

- Being Orthodox means accepting traditions as well as Tradition. Most people can't tell the difference, so in practice every church has a whole bunch of rules about "the way we do things here" and it is impossible to tell which of these are "real" from God inspired things, and which are just human and man-made things. If you are truly Orthodox you don't ask.

- Being Orthodox means essentially being "frozen" when Byzantium fell, which in my opinion, means becoming increasingly irrelevant and disconnected to live as people live it now. The discordance between everyday life and church life will be continuously widening. This is in many ways the complete opposite to the Emerging Church, which seeks to meet people where they are. In terms of evangelism, ministry and connecting with people, I know where I can more comfortably and usefully be.

So it is with some sadness that I acknowledge that I cannot be Anglican and Emerging Church and Taize and Orthodox - because the Orthodox won't allow it. So I will take some of the lovely symbols and traditions from orthodoxy and incorporate them into my own faith but I will never actually be Orthodox myself.

Strangely enough, Dean seems somewhat relieved that my little exploration of Orthodoxy is over. He thought it was weird that I was interested, then concerned that I might join it, now relieved that I have decided not to. I don't know why this is the case, but I hope it is because he likes Solace and would rather join there than become Orthodox again!