This blog is primarily concerned with my own personal journey through Christianity. I was raised Mormon, left the church as a teenager and joined independent, Word-of-Faith, Evangelicalism. It was nearly 20 years later that I discovered my true home in the Eastern Orthodox Church. This blog is partially my experiences of the journey as it happens as well as a compilation of various theological and philosophical wrangling.
I hold a BA in Pastoral Ministry and a M.Th in Theological and Historical Studies from Oral Roberts University. I am currently working on a MA in Counseling Psychology from Northeastern State University.
Besides formal studies, I’ve spent the better part of my adult life studying music, languages, and philosophy. If trapped on an island with only 3 books at my disposal I would take the Bible, the Philokalia and the collected works of Soren Kierkegaard (okay, that’s more like 40 books total, but…).
You really need to update your “about”
Haha, I completely forgot about it till your comment. Thank you Andrew.
You’re welcome.
Does this mean you have no more Zen in your life?
Zen has many things going for it. The ancient Chinese understood what many Christians fail to see, that is that the kingdom of heaven is within you. Where they miss it is their idea of total emptying without the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Their understanding of turning inward and rejecting the false “glitters” of the world is something all Christians should pay heed.
Zen actually set me up long ago to accept the physical rigor of aseticism, something the churches I grew up in rejected without question. Not that I’ve ever lived as a hermit, but I’ve always been oriented in that direction (I once spent 2 weeks alone in the woods fasting and praying for a radical visitation from God, IT WORKED). I don’t sit around reading Zen philosophy anymore. Following Eastern Orthodoxy, in my opinion, puts Zen to shame in its physical and mental training, to say nothing of the obvious: Zen no Jesus.
Eric – You certainly have been looking, like an unsettled person who is trying to find his way. I can’t say that I agree with all your finds, and that you are set in them. You’ve had so many beliefs that I wonder if you’ll ever land on the right one…the right one for you. Some people are born to be full of questions and cuiriosity, and I think that is true of you. I know for the present that you have landed on these Orthodoxy beliefs, and you seem satisfied, but I have to ask myself how did you get to this point. I looked at your Facebook profile, and you listed some very divergent books as being your favorite reading. If I were in the process of finding the right religion for myself, after reading these books, I would be confused. I leave my life open to being an agnostic. I don’t want to completely cut God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost out of my life, but I look at them and listen to them in a whole new way than I did when I was called a Christian. I see I’ve run out of room…
David, I was definitely unsettled and definitely looking. Growing up Mormon I was never satisfied. My brief dip into Zen left me miserably unsatisfied. As a young teenager I found Christ in a wild charismatic church. But, my worship life and doctrinal life was always unsettled in the independent, Evangelical world. It wasn’t until God led me to His Church till I found peace. I am, for the first time in my life as a 30-something, settled. What I could never do in Evangelicalism, I can do in Orthodoxy: I can trust the faith, I can trust the liturgy, the sacraments, and the Holy Apostolic Tradition.
My book tastes come from many years of my love of study. History, philosophy and religion have always been my intellectual heartthrob. Those authors displayed on my Facebook page are only some of the more influential ones in my life. You’ll notice that they are not as divergent as you might think. 3 are Orthodox writers, one is basically an Orthodox philosophical writer, one is Catholic, but primarily a satirist, and the other is loved by almost every modern Christian tradition. Which of them are you familiar with (which have you actually read) and why do you find them divergent?
I I can’t find your Facebook page.
I can’t find your Facebook page.
Hello Dean. You can find it here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1526897591
Eric- I am new to your blog, but I wanted to express my thanks for the encouragement and edification I have received from your many posts. I have recently journeyed to Orthodoxy with my family. It has been a tough because I was in ministry (a deacon) within the Anglican church (REC). My journey began a couple of years ago and I knew I had to become Orthodox, but had to move cautiously, because my wife and family were just quite there yet. But then, my wife made the decision we should go back to the local Orthodox church, “to check it out again,” she was as they say hooked. One minister once said that when God wants a husband and wife to make a major move, he will inspire both of them to embrace it. My wife became enthusiastic about the possibility of becoming Orthodox. Needless to say we hope to be chrismated very soon. Thank you the posts, and please continue to encourage those of us who have made the decision to become what we should have done many years ago. Dave
Thank you Dave, that touches me deeply. My wife was raised in the deep, deep Charismatic world. She wanted nothing to do with Orthodoxy when I became interested in it in grad school. Her first 3 trips to the Church were literally painful for her, but after a single catechism class, where, for the first time, she was presented with the history of the Church she was totally hooked. We’ve never been more happy and peaceful in all our Christian lives since we made the move. Its been an amazing journey so far. My love and prayers to you and your family.
Eric, I grew up in a mainline Calvinistic Church, became a minister and is now retired. I sometimes visit charismatic churches, and sometimes orthodox, but find myself comfortable with both the teaching and spiritual atmosphere in the middle.
You mention your journey ending in an Eastern Orthodox Church. Yet I don’t quite understand how you experience the difference and especially your connection and unity with God. Have you posted on this subject on your blog yet?
I found your posts Calvinism, Atheism and “spiritual, not religious” very enlightening. Thank you.
God bless,
Herman Grobler
Hey Herman, glad to have you on. I actually wrote a long series on my first year experiences with the Orthodox Church. You’ll find it under “My Journey with the Orthodox Church” tab. I would love to hear more about your own experiences.
Cheers!
Hi Eric,
Your journey resonates with me – to mix a cliched metaphor. I have been a Pentecostal my whole life and frequently find myself frustrated with the relentless positivity of it, the narrowness of focus, the sermons that are like leadership seminars with scriptures tacked on. I have a great deal of respect for my church leaders in person, and I have no calling or plans to leave, but often I wonder why I haven’t!
I am about to start an MSc next year in Psychology, aiming for Clinical Neuropsychology.
I look forward to your future posts.
Anna
Wow, yah, I’d say our stories have more than a few points of similarity. I was at the point, just before converting the the Orthodox Church, of throwing in the towel and declaring the whole of modern Christianity a fraud. All I can say is thank God for the Church or I would have given up on church.
Great to have you one, Anna. Cheers.
“the relentless positivity of it.”
Interesting turn of phrase. Slightly on topic, I’ve been looking for a good answer for why pretty much all icons have a sadness or frown. Anyone?
Dean, I believe it speaks to the idea that the saints were champions in their struggles against life’s trials and tribulations. The countenance on their faces reflect the battle posture of humility.
Hi Eric, nice meeting you as well. I wish I were able to write in a less public way, but couldn’t find a contact form.
I wanted to share some background with you. I was once an agnostic, a hair this side of atheism. I disliked Christians.
A Pauline encounter with Jesus Christ occurred that led me to faith and the Roman Catholic Church. I studied and read, moving into deeper theology than most new Christians. I developed a close connection with Spirit, who guided me closely. Spiritual direction helped to keep my feet on the floor.
Over time, I entered a Carmelite Monastery, later spirituality and theological studies, and serving the oppressed and poor in a Missionary order. Eventually, I left the church because I couldn’t remain obedient to the Pope, and I couldn’t be a hypocrite.
After marrying, I continued studying and had an increasingly more eclectic and expanding contemplative spirituality and service to the poor, but old age and poor health are bringing the later to a end.
Art is a tool at the moment to help a dying friend. I haven’t really practiced much of my own art for a long time, only an occasional splash of intuition, which is more abstract.
I remember back at how many absolutes were once in my life and have to smile at how life and choices alter our thinking, opening us to new understandings and visions. I guess the one lesson I have learned is to be open to the inspiration of the Spirit, which we think will be much different than it sometimes is. Everything is for the advancement and evolution of our souls. For that I am grateful and rejoice.
You may now understand why I defend the paths that people travel spiritually, even without organized religion, and how I trust in Spirit to grace and guide all travelers. I have lived it and been exceedingly blessed. I am also grateful for the foundations of my spirituality that were born before religion and were formed in religion.
I wish you the very best with your continued studies and hope you are filled with continual grace in all you do.
Thank you, Suzanne. I’m touched that you took the time to introduce me to your story. I’m sure there are volumes more that could be told. I pray for your continued growth and inspiration. Thanks for giving me another chance.