Joseph! I'm a Roman Catholic studying in the Serbian Orthodox Church. My husband and I are converting. Your story is amazing, and honestly, I pray you also join the OC. I think you'll love theosis compared to the legalistic theology of the RC. Please look up Father John Peck's online catechism classes. You can learn about Orthodox Christianity at your own pace through recorded classes. Father would also be available by email with questions. God bless you!
God bless you, Joseph (my patron Saint!). I’ve followed you on Twitter for years (though I left Twitter for good many months ago). I made the decision last year to become Orthodox after a couple of years of mental anguish. My story is nothing like your own, but I did want to say that I pray you find peace. God bless.
Joseph, this was a wonderful interview. Your last question was my favorite. Father answered with great wisdom what he felt comfortable in answering. My parents are converts to Greek Orthodoxy. I love it. However, they miss out on all of the wonderful happenings and saints of last 1000 years. I personally feel the closest thing we have to the real Church is the SSPX and SSPV. Sadly, they don’t seem to get along with each other, at least in my observation. Also, it is noteworthy for me to add that it is the traditional Latin mass churches who stayed open during the pandemic and were there for their flocks and newcomers during a time in which the church and its sacraments were so desperately needed. My parents’ Orthodox Church was closed. That disappointed me greatly.
The vast majority of Orthodox Churches remained open. GOARCH lost scores of people who moved to other jurisdictions due to the cowardice of their bishops. The pandemic was a blessing it separated the wheat from the chaff.
I have really appreciated your insight.thoughtful thinking. Your humbleness and desire to be a disciple of truth and orthodoxy...thank you for that brother joseph...I am a convert to roman catholic church from evangelicalism but seeing the problems therein and lack of unity doctrinally I have looked into eastern orthodoxy...love this priest....so far my only hold out is that to my knowledge the orthodox are not truly universal ie church's all over the world...love your thoughts on this...god bless you brother..keep the videos coming...
Yes, exactly. We are all born in sin and have our own unique “bents” toward particular types of manifestations of sin. That’s why we need to be born again of the Spirit, so the old man can die and so one can become a new creature in Christ Jesus. And we do also have to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, continuing to learn the ways of God and continuing to choose daily to put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ, dying to self daily and living for God daily.
I remain in the Catholic Church, in spite of the human condition and brokeness. I am sure the Antiochian Orthodox Church has its own issues, not discussed here.
The problem is that Rome is deliberately causing its own madness, showing that Rome has defects. And it’s only logically Consistent with the Old and New Testament when the People of God separate from God and they are sent many sorrows. The Israelites turned to Idols and they were punished, exiled etc. And when they returned to God those were eased. Rome is in schism and has left God and thus is facing these issues. No hate, but it’s not “satan attacking the true church” if that were the case you should become an anglican
Very interesting. As a Bible-based Protestant, I agree with almost everything he said. One thing, though. He mentioned the scripture that said a bishop (or overseer) should be the husband of one wife, but later said that bishops in the Orthodox Church are celibate. That seems incongruous to me. I could understand the bishops being an older married man who’s children are grown and on their own, freeing him (and his wife, if she’s agreeable) to travel as needed on church business. And what about 1 Timothy 4:1-4?
With Pornography, it is the looking at other people with erotic lust, which the LORD says is very much equal to the physical act of sexual adultery. And, in a sense, Pornography is WORSE because one generally, if not always, is looking and lusting after way more than just "one person" as one scrolls through many pornographic images at one given sitting.
Both the Catholics and the Orthodox have erred greatly. The Orthodox have caved in to the culture on divorce and contraception. (I am not talking about individual believers here, because entire parishes in both churches have lost the real faith.) The Catholic Church has greatly exaggerated the authority of the Pope and turned him practically into an idol. The Orthodox are tied too closely to various nationalities and are hopelessly fractured along ethnic lines. The Roman Catholics are not divided by nationality, but much more gravely divided by orthodox vs. heterodox belief. One can find false teaching among the Orthodox bishops and priests, but to me, it appears much more prevalent among Roman Catholic bishops and priests.
It's a false idea that the "Orthodox are hopelessly divided by ethnic lines." In America you will find "Polish Catholic Churches" etc. So are the Roman catholics hopelessly divided by ethnic lines? Or the Divisions between Spanish speaking parishes and English. For example the uniates who upon coming to America were treated like second class citizens by the Irish and Italian Catholics (including their own Bishops who forbade their priests to continue the practice of being married) this led to St. Alexis Toth leading scores back into Holy Orthodoxy. Rome departed from Orthodoxy. The position that both are false makes Christ a liar when He says the gates of hell will not prevail over the Church.
With all due respect the early Church had the same teaching on divorce and remarriage as the Orthodox do today. Even the Latin west had the same view until they changed. So this is just ignorance on your end.
Orthodox Christians are not so divided on ethnic and national lines as you say. I come from a Greek Orthodox background but in the city I’m near there are no Greek Orthodox churches and I was welcomed with open arms by the local Antiochian church.
Love the analogy of the Church as a Hospital for souls, lost and redeemed.
Joseph!
I'm a Roman Catholic studying in the Serbian Orthodox Church.
My husband and I are converting.
Your story is amazing, and honestly, I pray you also join the OC. I think you'll love theosis compared to the legalistic theology of the RC.
Please look up Father John Peck's online catechism classes.
You can learn about Orthodox Christianity at your own pace through recorded classes.
Father would also be available by email with questions.
God bless you!
God bless you, Joseph (my patron Saint!). I’ve followed you on Twitter for years (though I left Twitter for good many months ago). I made the decision last year to become Orthodox after a couple of years of mental anguish. My story is nothing like your own, but I did want to say that I pray you find peace. God bless.
May the prayers of the Royal Martyrs, whose icon is behind you, Joseph, aid you in your spiritual journey.
Beautiful conversation, uplifting and holy!
I love your show Joseph. Thank you and may God bless you.
Congratulations from Brazil. Wonderful interview!
Love the discussion.
Keep up the good work bro. Joseph.
Thank you Joseph! God bless!!!!!!!
Excellent interview!
This is a great discussion!
I left the Catholic Church, praise be to God.
Which Church do you belong to now? and How is your new Church superior to the Catholic Church?
Joseph, this was a wonderful interview. Your last question was my favorite. Father answered with great wisdom what he felt comfortable in answering. My parents are converts to Greek Orthodoxy. I love it. However, they miss out on all of the wonderful happenings and saints of last 1000 years. I personally feel the closest thing we have to the real Church is the SSPX and SSPV. Sadly, they don’t seem to get along with each other, at least in my observation. Also, it is noteworthy for me to add that it is the traditional Latin mass churches who stayed open during the pandemic and were there for their flocks and newcomers during a time in which the church and its sacraments were so desperately needed. My parents’ Orthodox Church was closed. That disappointed me greatly.
What is SSPX SSPV?
The vast majority of Orthodox Churches remained open. GOARCH lost scores of people who moved to other jurisdictions due to the cowardice of their bishops.
The pandemic was a blessing it separated the wheat from the chaff.
I have really appreciated your insight.thoughtful thinking. Your humbleness and desire to be a disciple of truth and orthodoxy...thank you for that brother joseph...I am a convert to roman catholic church from evangelicalism but seeing the problems therein and lack of unity doctrinally I have looked into eastern orthodoxy...love this priest....so far my only hold out is that to my knowledge the orthodox are not truly universal ie church's all over the world...love your thoughts on this...god bless you brother..keep the videos coming...
Someone said even if one is "born homosexual", they still must be Born Again from Above in order to enter GOD's Eternal Kingdom.
Yes, exactly. We are all born in sin and have our own unique “bents” toward particular types of manifestations of sin. That’s why we need to be born again of the Spirit, so the old man can die and so one can become a new creature in Christ Jesus. And we do also have to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, continuing to learn the ways of God and continuing to choose daily to put off the old man and put on the new man in Christ, dying to self daily and living for God daily.
I remain in the Catholic Church, in spite of the human condition and brokeness. I am sure the Antiochian Orthodox Church has its own issues, not discussed here.
The problem is that Rome is deliberately causing its own madness, showing that Rome has defects. And it’s only logically Consistent with the Old and New Testament when the People of God separate from God and they are sent many sorrows. The Israelites turned to Idols and they were punished, exiled etc. And when they returned to God those were eased. Rome is in schism and has left God and thus is facing these issues. No hate, but it’s not “satan attacking the true church” if that were the case you should become an anglican
Very interesting. As a Bible-based Protestant, I agree with almost everything he said. One thing, though. He mentioned the scripture that said a bishop (or overseer) should be the husband of one wife, but later said that bishops in the Orthodox Church are celibate. That seems incongruous to me. I could understand the bishops being an older married man who’s children are grown and on their own, freeing him (and his wife, if she’s agreeable) to travel as needed on church business. And what about 1 Timothy 4:1-4?
This was good, but I prefer James Guirguis's interview on What They Believe.
With Pornography, it is the looking at other people with erotic lust, which the LORD says is very much equal to the physical act of sexual adultery. And, in a sense, Pornography is WORSE because one generally, if not always, is looking and lusting after way more than just "one person" as one scrolls through many pornographic images at one given sitting.
Celibate priests evangelized the world. Married priests stayed home with their families. Celibacy in the priesthood must be heterosexually oriented.
What a weird view, the Apostles were married…
Triple jump
Both the Catholics and the Orthodox have erred greatly. The Orthodox have caved in to the culture on divorce and contraception. (I am not talking about individual believers here, because entire parishes in both churches have lost the real faith.) The Catholic Church has greatly exaggerated the authority of the Pope and turned him practically into an idol. The Orthodox are tied too closely to various nationalities and are hopelessly fractured along ethnic lines. The Roman Catholics are not divided by nationality, but much more gravely divided by orthodox vs. heterodox belief. One can find false teaching among the Orthodox bishops and priests, but to me, it appears much more prevalent among Roman Catholic bishops and priests.
It's a false idea that the "Orthodox are hopelessly divided by ethnic lines."
In America you will find "Polish Catholic Churches" etc. So are the Roman catholics hopelessly divided by ethnic lines? Or the Divisions between Spanish speaking parishes and English.
For example the uniates who upon coming to America were treated like second class citizens by the Irish and Italian Catholics (including their own Bishops who forbade their priests to continue the practice of being married) this led to St. Alexis Toth leading scores back into Holy Orthodoxy.
Rome departed from Orthodoxy. The position that both are false makes Christ a liar when He says the gates of hell will not prevail over the Church.
With all due respect the early Church had the same teaching on divorce and remarriage as the Orthodox do today. Even the Latin west had the same view until they changed. So this is just ignorance on your end.
Orthodox Christians are not so divided on ethnic and national lines as you say. I come from a Greek Orthodox background but in the city I’m near there are no Greek Orthodox churches and I was welcomed with open arms by the local Antiochian church.