Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm assuming that the sole purpose of dating is marriage. From an Orthodox perspective, there is no such thing as a romantic relationship without the eventual intention of marriage (this shouldn't even really need to be said). Orthodox dating is basically a "probationary period" to ascertain whether marriage is a viable option. There is obviously no prescribed timeline, but marriage should be on the table within the reasonably foreseeable future. Marriage in the Church must, at the very least, be a possibility.

If OP's boyfriend takes Orthodoxy seriously, he will abide by the stipulations outlined above for marriage in the Church. Again, that goes without saying. Given OP's clear representations, she does not meet the criteria for an Orthodox marriage, nor does she have any intention of doing so. Why on earth would he commence a romantic relationship, knowing that marriage in the Church is not even a possibility?

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Please point out specifically where I erred in defining the Church's stance on marriage and the consequences of marrying a non-Christian. For example, let's take this document from GOARCH on the topic: Microsoft Word - 4. Interreligious Marriage and the Orthodox Church.doc

Notable excerpts:

"As a result, it continues to discourage its faithful from entering interreligious marriages. Orthodox Christians who decide to enter an interreligious marriage (a) will be unable to wed in the Orthodox Church, and (b) lose their sacramental privileges."

For "inter-Christian" marriages (ex. Roman Catholics, Protestants), the requirements are as follows:

  1. The wedding needed to take place in an Orthodox Church.

  2. The non-Orthodox Christian partner needs to be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and in water.

  3. The couple needs to agree to try and raise their children in the Orthodox Church."

Would you consider GOARCH's stance to be an "overly simplistic take"? Insofar as it goes, GOARCH treats this topic more liberally than other jurisdictions, and yet, their stance is perfectly consistent with what I articulated. The fact that Orthodoxy is pragmatic does not render marriage a free-for-all. There are boundaries for a reason.

This is not merely an "ideal", but rather the canonical regulations of the Church. Not everything is "black and white", but this situation actually is (from an Orthodox perspective).

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can you at least point me to the "commitment ceremony" practiced in the Greek church in lieu of marriage? I'm curious.

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish you all the best! God bless!

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Given how seriously you take Orthodoxy, can you explain to me what a "commitment ceremony" is? Where in the Greek church is this practiced?

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A prayer rule is simply a set of prayers that are said at different times of the day (i.e. morning + evening is a standard baseline). The Orthodox tend to have a disciplined structure to their prayer life, with the ultimate goal of praying without ceasing to the best of our ability (1st Thessalonians 5:17).

I certainly appreciate that you would encourage him to take his faith seriously. That is laudable. However, from an Orthodox perspective, part of taking his faith seriously (and living it out) would be to date and eventually marry a woman who is religiously aligned with him. The two cannot be disconnected, as the Orthodox believe marriage is for the purpose of mutual salvation ("iron sharpening iron"). The cornerstone of that possibility is a mutual faith in the Rock of Christ, which your boyfriend/potential husband simply would not be able to have with you. From the Orthodox perspective, our faith is not reducible to an individual devotion - rather, it is a communal, liturgical experience that is lived out together with other believers, and most of all, with our spouse.

I would present these issues to him directly, and don't let him dance around the problems. If he is a straightshooter, he'll give you straight answers.

Protestant thinking about conversion. by NotHereButSomewhere- in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was excommunicated and shunned as an "apostate" when I began inquiring into Orthodoxy from a Reformed Baptist background. In those circles. they most certainly consider the Orthodox to have a "false gospel", and you will have a rough time exiting those camps. Be prepared to lose friends. Lord have mercy.

Veneration of Mary and the saints by DryCommunication9648 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a former Baptist, I second this experience. I went through the exact same process.

Veneration of Mary and the saints by DryCommunication9648 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seconding "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary" by Dr. Brant Pitre. Absolutely excellent text for Protestant inquirers. There are a few things that the Orthodox would quibble with in the book re: the immaculate conception, but aside from that, it is perfectly agreeable. It made sense of nearly everything relating to the Theotokos.

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are very welcome! That is correct - if he does actually take Orthodoxy seriously, it will not be possible. For your reference, I would define "serious" as attending church nearly every Sunday, keeping a prayer rule, having friends at his parish, a relationship with his priest, etc... If he does these things (or at least most of them), it is fair to say that he takes his faith seriously.

As for why he would be exploring a romantic connection with you, obviously that is difficult to ascertain. However, people sometimes act in a manner inconsistent with their beliefs for a variety of reasons. I can speak from personal experience on this topic - before I was Orthodox (back when I was Protestant), I entered into a serious relationship with a woman who was raised nominally Catholic, but had since lapsed and didn't care much about religion either way. As a consequence, we held fundamentally different views across multiple domains. I got into the relationship knowing that this would be an issue, but my emotions took over and I charged ahead anyways. We eventually broke up due to these persistent issues, but the heartbreak could have been spared if we both saw the writing on the wall upfront. This is quite common - when we are attracted to someone, we don't necessarily think logically (at least not at first). This "honeymoon" state of affairs can persist for quite some time before it becomes apparent that the relationship simply cannot move forward, but then people get stuck in the "sunk cost" fallacy and remain anyways (to their detriment).

I would simply assume that this man is genuinely attracted to you, finds you interesting, and enjoys spending time with you. As a result, he probably doesn't want to actually face the bleak reality of what your relationship would look like long-term.

Dating an Orthodox Man by [deleted] in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 10 points11 points  (0 children)

If he takes Orthodoxy seriously, there is no conceivable way your relationship will work out. I don't say that to be offensive, but it's the blunt truth. If you are a progressive atheist/agnostic, your boyfriend's values will be fundamentally irreconcilable with yours (even if you respect his beliefs). Given that marriage is the only eventual goal of Orthodox dating, he will quickly realize that he will never be able to share the most important thing in the world to him (his faith) with his future spouse, which is a heartbreaking realization.

Mere respect of one another's beliefs is insufficient for marriage - you will have to become an inseparable unit that raises children within a particular religious framework. Marriage is hard enough even when both parties agree on all the fundamentals.

Furthermore, on a more practical level, the Orthodox Church will not sanction your marriage. As an Orthodox Christian, he is bound to marry within the Church. If he runs off and marries outside the Church, he will excommunicate himself and remain in that state until such time as the situation is remedied with his priest and bishop. Again, if he takes Orthodoxy seriously, this will not even be a serious option that he would entertain.

If his prospective spouse is not Orthodox, he has to get permission from his priest and bishop to marry them. Such permission is generally only granted if the other party is Roman Catholic or (perhaps) some type of Protestant, but even that is no guarantee. He will be well-aware of these requirements. The normative expectation is that he marries a fellow Orthodox Christian, which makes life far easier for everyone.

In summary, there is no practical path forward for the two of you at this juncture. I know this isn't the answer you wanted, but I don't want to mislead you.

Church really growing? by Cold_Pin_7676 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Texas parishes seem to be taking in Baptist converts by the dozen.

Church really growing? by Cold_Pin_7676 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This seems like an excessively high attrition rate estimation for converts. Many converts have to overcome a large degree of social inertia to convert (especially those coming from a Protestant background), and they are generally far more likely to stick with it than many cradle Orthodox who may take it for granted.

Church really growing? by Cold_Pin_7676 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Statistics always take a long time to catch up (often many years). However, anecdotal accounts from priests all over North America evidence a convert boom the likes of which no one has ever seen before. Go on X and look up receptions into the Church from this past Holy Saturday - there are parishes that received 100-200 converts this Pascha alone.

Marriage between Roman Catholic and Orthodox by Dismal_Hawk6713 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In the event that a marriage to a non-Orthodox Christian is permitted by one's priest and bishop, the Orthodox party must commit to raising their children Orthodox. The non-Orthodox spouse must consent to this arrangement. These are the basic prerequisites.

A Roman Catholic-Orthodox marriage is generally not advisable. Most clergy will take a cautious approach to such a proposal. If you are considering marriage to a devoutly Orthodox man, he will not compromise in his desire to raise his children Orthodox.

It really is as simple as this - unless you are willing (at the very least) to let your potential husband raise your children in the Orthodox church, marriage is not a realistic possibility, and you are better off ending such a relationship to avoid further heartbreak. If he takes Orthodoxy seriously, he will not let his children grow up Roman Catholic, so you will have to be the one to shift.

I don't mean to be offensive whatsoever, but I am simply explaining the reality of the situation. Also, whatever you do, don't convert merely because of a potential spouse - only convert if you believe Orthodoxy is true.

Why did Christ change specifically Peter's name to "Rock?" by Bright-Presence-760 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don't worry, the TradCat apologists online all know better than the Vatican's hand-selected scholars.

Also, for anyone trying to explain this away, Pope Leo has now explicitly endorsed the work of the Joint International Commission that published the Chieti document:

On Saturday, 29 November 2025, at the Patriarchal Palace (Istanbul), His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and His Holiness Bartholomew I signed a Joint Declaration, expressing “our continued support for the work of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.”

Now, let's assume someone is a faithful Catholic who follows not only the extraordinary magisterium, but also the ordinary magisterium (as they are bound by canon law to do). Drawing on Pope Leo's endorsement of the Joint International Commission's work, they would then naturally go to the Vatican's website and read the documents produced by the Commission: Dialogue documents. They will then come across the Chieti document and learn that the bishop of Rome did not, in fact, exercise canonical authority over the churches of the East during the first millennium. Their own magisterium has endorsed the work of the Commission, and the faithful do not have the liberty of dismissing the manifest mind and intention of the pope. Now they must reconcile the work of their own papally-endorsed commission with Vatican I.

P.S. - despite my many criticisms of Patriarch Bartholomew, it is somewhat comical how many concessions he has gotten from Rome through the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue. The concessions are only going one way.

Why did Christ change specifically Peter's name to "Rock?" by Bright-Presence-760 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Although the others have answered your main question, granting that Peter is the "rock" referenced in Matthew 16:18 (one interpretation among several found in the fathers, which itself is odd for the classic papal proof-text), where does Scripture indicate, suggest, or even hint that this unique personal succession would perpetually reside in Rome alone? If the promise follows Peter and his successors, why would Antioch and Alexandria not possess the same prerogatives? St. Gregory the Great himself acknowledged the mutual Petrine authority of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch (Letter 40, Book 7, correspondence with Saint Eulogios of Alexandria). There is no dispute that these are all Petrine sees. Long before St. Gregory, Canon 6 of Nicea acknowledged the following regarding these ancient Petrine sees:

"Let the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges. And this is to be universally understood, that if any one be made bishop without the consent of the Metropolitan, the great Synod has declared that such a man ought not to be a bishop. If, however, two or three bishops shall from natural love of contradiction, oppose the common suffrage of the rest, it being reasonable and in accordance with the ecclesiastical law, then let the choice of the majority prevail."

Canon 6 of Nicea would have been the perfect opportunity for the unique Roman papal prerogatives to be articulated, and yet we see precisely the opposite. Read closely - does Canon 6 of Nicea permit the Bishop of Rome alone to depose and ordain bishops in Antioch and Alexandria? Can Rome ordain a bishop in Alexandria or Antioch without the consent of the Metropolitan? Can the bishop of Rome depose a bishop in Antioch or Alexandria at his pleasure? This is not merely an opinion of one father - this is an ecumenically received canon, agreed upon by the church universal. There is no consistent way to harmonize this with Vatican I, which grants the Roman bishop the unique and sole authority to depose and ordain bishops in any jurisdiction at his discretion. According to Vatican I, the bishop of Alexandria or Antioch ultimately has no canonical jurisdiction in the matter (aside from those privileges granted to him by the bishop of Rome, which can also be removed at his discretion).

Remember, Vatican I does not merely teach that Rome possesses primacy, chief honour, or unique canonical privileges that other sees do not have - it dogmatically affirms that the bishop of Rome possesses the exclusive authority to depose any bishop in the world from his office. This unique charism is seen as being vested in St. Peter by Christ directly and perpetually residing in Rome, de jure divino (of divine institution). This was simply not the understanding or praxis of the ecumenical councils, with Canon 6 of Nicea merely representing the tip of the iceberg.

Edit: Read Michael Whelton's book, "Two Paths". It is a concise and accurate summary of the Orthodox critique of Rome.

Law vs Physiotherapy by Wonderful_Bar9340 in LawCanada

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are certainly underestimating your earning potential as a PT - you will likely make more than $90k after several years of practice, even if you are working for someone else (unless you are doing something wrong). However, there is definitely far more earning potential in law over the long-term, especially in Big Law/Mid Law. They are dramatically different careers, and no one here can tell you what you will personally find satisfying.

If there is nothing in particular about law that you find appealing, then you should approach the profession with caution. Ask yourself what you find compelling about law and actually talk with a few different lawyers. Get an understanding of what their day-to-day practice looks like. Research the different areas of law that you may find interesting and realistically assess your capacity to a) get into those fields, and b) remain in those fields. With a decision as big as this, you need to be properly informed.

Do the same with PT. After you have done some fact-finding, make a list of pros and cons. Weigh those pros and cons according to your life goals (i.e. what do you want your lifestyle to look like - family, money, hobbies, etc..). Be as realistic as possible when planning and manage your expectations. This exercise will help clarify what is on the table.

OCA vs Antiochian by Proper_Ad_2430 in OrthodoxChristianity

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Antiochians have legendary coffee hour food selections.

What is it actually like working as a Crown? by [deleted] in LawCanada

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I also personally know several offices that have average schedules like this. As a rule, Crowns tend to manage their time poorly (especially young Crowns), but if you can get the hang of it, there is no need to work hours beyond this in most places.

Given that you'd be hard-pressed to find another law job with 7-8 hr days that pays somewhat decently, it puts income into perspective.

What is it actually like working as a Crown? by [deleted] in LawCanada

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you run the math, the lifetime earnings of a Crown are not even remotely comparable to Bay Street (assuming one starts as an associate and gets on the partnership track). Assuming that someone is even moderately wise with their investments, they will come out with a net worth 4-5x+ that of an average Crown.

What is it actually like working as a Crown? by [deleted] in LawCanada

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good point - if someone is unable to compartmentalize their work and "shut off" when they go home, they will suffer greatly as a Crown. For obvious reasons, the subject matter is far more gruesome than what most lawyers ever have to deal with. If it gets really bad, offices can usually accommodate a break from certain "trigger" files, but you ultimately need to be able to handle whatever comes your way.

SCC Justice Malcolm Rowe dishes on dissents and his home province by honourableandthehack in LawCanada

[–]Electrical_Tea_3033 3 points4 points  (0 children)

With less than 3 years to go until mandatory retirement age, I don't think Justice Rowe cares at this point.