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Not Just *Greek* Orthodox

I’ve always considered myself a little spoiled when it comes to religion.

 

I was born into an Orthodox family, baptized as a baby, and grew up in the Church.  On the one hand, this gave me an incredible support system for my beliefs, and a strong foundation.  Orthodoxy has been an important part of my life from before I can remember.  Truth isn’t something I ever had to work for, or seek out.  It’s always just been a part of the landscape of my life, and I’m incredibly thankful for that.

 

On the other hand, being spoiled has limited my understanding of Orthodoxy.  Having the Faith as a given in my life has often led me to take it for granted.  Yet the more I learn and explore, the more I’m able to move beyond the assumptions that have limited my experience of the Church.  

 

That’s one of many reasons I consider myself blessed to be in New York City.

 

As I mentioned last week http://blogs.goarch.org/blog/-/blogs/finding-the-right-parish, I’m trying to find a new parish.  That initially seemed like a serious (and terrifying) undertaking, but I’ve come to realize it’s really a fun new adventure--not to mention a great opportunity.  So in an attempt to embrace this exploration I’ve been accepting advice in any and all forms: from my family and friends, my spiritual father, and of course (like a true Millennial) from Google.

 

And it’s leading me into uncharted territory.

 

I’ve been surprised to learn that the overwhelming consensus seems to be that maybe, just maybe, my new Orthodox parish doesn’t necessarily need to be Greek.

 

This is very new for me.

 

I have always loved my heritage (we Greeks are a proud people, after all).  I love hearing the language spoken, I love learning my Grandmother’s recipes, and I love our rich history.  

 

I also love my Church, and my Greek identity was always a big part of that.  It often felt like you couldn’t be Greek without being Orthodox, or Orthodox without also being Greek.  That was a natural conclusion when so many of our community activities revolved around a combination of religion and culture.  

 

Though this connection between faith and ethnicity is beautiful, and helped shape my experience of the Faith for so long, I’ve come to realize that it’s also left me a little limited.

 

And I never really considered how limited my own view of Orthodoxy actually was until I came to a place with so many parishes, and so many different kinds of parishes.  I grew up Greek Orthodox, and never knew about the rich Orthodox tradition in places like Russia and the Middle East.  I never realized that Greek is a qualifier for Orthodoxy, not a synonym.  

 

So, as an adult, I initially assumed that a Greek parish would become my home away from home.  After all, that’s all I’ve ever known.   

 

Now I realize that the same Faith has taken root in a variety of cultures and traditions, and that’s helping me become a better Orthodox Christian.  

 

While I’ve always loved that my religion and my heritage are so much a part of one another, I also love how universal Orthodoxy is.  It’s amazing that I can expand and deepened my own view of the Church through a lens that isn’t Greek.

 

It’s really cool that I can walk into an Orthodox Church anywhere and understand the service on some level, even if it’s not exactly what I’m used to.  Hearing the Liturgy in a new language or seeing it celebrated in an unfamiliar way challenges me to pay closer attention to what’s happening.

 

This in particular has been really helpful for me, since I often struggle to actively participate in the services I attend, as many of us do.  Experiencing the familiar in an unfamiliar way has helped make Church more than a routine, something I actively engage with rather than passively sit through.

 

It’s been a pleasant surprise.

 

A few months ago, the decision to explore beyond Greek Orthodoxy would have been overwhelming and well outside my comfort zone.  Yet now I see, how blessed I am that I can participate in the Church in so many different ways, in so many languages, and with such diversity of peoples and cultures.  

 

It’s incredible to realize how vast Orthodoxy truly is, that it fits just as well in a Greek village as it does here in New York, or anywhere in the world.  

 

I’m always going to feel more at home in my dad’s parish in Utah.  But the realization that there is so much more to Orthodoxy than what I’m used to, that it reaches so many more people than I had considered, makes me remember that I’m part of something so much greater than myself.  

 

I’m part of more than an ethnic club.  I’m a member of the Church, the very Body of Christ.  

 

And I’m working hard to make sure I don’t take it for granted anymore.

 

Charissa is a Young Adult Ministries Coordinator for Y2AM.  Charissa grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and studied political science at the University of Utah.  She enjoys sunshine, the mountains and snowcones.  Charissa currently lives in New York City.

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For more on exploring Orthodoxy, check out this episode of Be the Bee: