DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Advice on marriage (esp. ceremony) for non-Orthodox/Orthodox couples

**QHdy5Z3A** · 07-08-2009, 03:30 PM

Only, I have to say, in a very attenuated way if you are not Orthodox. The spiritual life of an Orthodox Christian is inextricably bound up with the Orthodox faith and the sacraments of the Church. You may fast with your husband-to-be: but for what? Fasting is a spiritual preparation for an Orthodox feast. But you will not be able to participate in that feast. And it is forbidden for him to participate in the services of your church. Consider this: you will never be able to share Easter together. Sorry to be blunt. Anyway, what's stopping you from becoming Orthodox?

Your question is a good one, and one I have spent a lot of time on, but finally I cannot reconcile my beliefs to those of the Orthodox Church. I do not think of the Eucharist as the Orthodox Church does; while I respect the Church Fathers as immensely wiser and more blessed with insight that I could ever be, I do not set their interpretations on a par with Scripture. I do not venerate the saints represented through icons.

I think the popular reputation of the Anglican Church can sometimes be misleading. It's true that it is a deliberately inclusive Church that brings together many different strands of belief, not always easily and not always to the mutual satisfaction of its members. However, I must point out that, as far as I am aware, the Anglican Church also requires its members to bring up their children in the faith of the Church, while accepting marriages between Anglicans and members of other faiths. I am sure that both my vicar and my partner's priest will be firm on this issue: that is their duty. We do not yet know what we will do, and we need to speak to both at greater length. However, a person who does not bring their children up in the knowledge of the Anglican Church is not an Anglican, so if the Orthodox Church requires there to be no knowledge of any other faith in the home, then necessarily it does *not* permit marriages between Orthodox and Anglican couples.

07-08-2009, 03:30 PM	#48
QHdy5Z3A Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 393 Senior Member	Only, I have to say, in a very attenuated way if you are not Orthodox. The spiritual life of an Orthodox Christian is inextricably bound up with the Orthodox faith and the sacraments of the Church. You may fast with your husband-to-be: but for what? Fasting is a spiritual preparation for an Orthodox feast. But you will not be able to participate in that feast. And it is forbidden for him to participate in the services of your church. Consider this: you will never be able to share Easter together. Sorry to be blunt. Anyway, what's stopping you from becoming Orthodox? Your question is a good one, and one I have spent a lot of time on, but finally I cannot reconcile my beliefs to those of the Orthodox Church. I do not think of the Eucharist as the Orthodox Church does; while I respect the Church Fathers as immensely wiser and more blessed with insight that I could ever be, I do not set their interpretations on a par with Scripture. I do not venerate the saints represented through icons. I think the popular reputation of the Anglican Church can sometimes be misleading. It's true that it is a deliberately inclusive Church that brings together many different strands of belief, not always easily and not always to the mutual satisfaction of its members. However, I must point out that, as far as I am aware, the Anglican Church also requires its members to bring up their children in the faith of the Church, while accepting marriages between Anglicans and members of other faiths. I am sure that both my vicar and my partner's priest will be firm on this issue: that is their duty. We do not yet know what we will do, and we need to speak to both at greater length. However, a person who does not bring their children up in the knowledge of the Anglican Church is not an Anglican, so if the Orthodox Church requires there to be no knowledge of any other faith in the home, then necessarily it does not permit marriages between Orthodox and Anglican couples.
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