Orthodox and Evangelical

Last Saturday night, my young son and I visited the Russian Church Orthodox Abroad cathedral in London. (It looks just like St. Vladimir's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Canada.*) We ventured in right in the middle of the Liturgy of the Word. What a truly awesome site never to be forgotten; candles everywhere highlighting the gold screen and images, and a deep reverence mingled with humanity and humility! Fortunately, I'd already discovered that it is acceptable to walk in or walk out during Divine Liturgy, so we walked in. I did not understand a word, not being Russian, (it sounded just like Pentecostal tongues).

Anyhow, back to the Liturgy: the Bishop lifted the Bible high, (actually the Gospels richly bound in gold), and set among the people on a stand. (See photos of a similar liturgy in Canada). The faithful approached, crossed themselves, kissed the Book and then received a blessing from the bishop, kissing his hand. To answer your question not yet formed, "Yes, I did kiss the Gospel Book and also the hand of the bishop! I had to study what was going on and follow the best I could; the Orthodox even cross themselves differently than Catholics, which my son can do as his school is Catholic. By the way, the Orthodox Church does believe in the priesthood of all believers; as do the Roman Catholics.

Now, listen to this. As I approached God's Holy Word, bowed down and kissed this precious Book, full of our Saviour's love and compassion for us all; the anointing of the Holy Spirit was upon me in a mighty manner. It was as strong as any Pentecostal meeting I've been in. Then, as I stepped to the bishop, and kissed his hand in accordance to the Liturgy, it was all I could do not to throw my arms around him, and cry out, "My brother!" The Holy Spirit's hallmark is that of love, and He was so present in that act.

It is very moving to see how the children go first to kiss the Gospels, with the adults following behind: certainly demonstrating to me the child-like faith that pleases Christ. At my side, however, my son was not sure what to do, so he touched just about everything there, by the Gospel Book. (Being so young, he could get away with it, but it is not a good idea to go touching stuff in an Orthodox Church.) Afterwards, Jean-Paul asked me, "Dad, was that a foreign language, or was that God's language?" I told him that it was probably both! Thereupon, he began singing in the car, on our way home, the liturgy he'd just heard, in "God's language" -- it sounded just like in the church! Then he sang in English, "I love, I love, I love you Jesus!" over and over again! Right there, an eight year old demolished the idea that "liturgy" is too hard to understand; something weird or cultish.

On arriving home, I checked the Net to see what had been actually going on. (I knew it was true worship; this is nothing to do with pagan ritual, but rather a symbolic and mystical worship of God and His son Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit; a rite that is one of the oldest and most evangelical in the whole of Christendom, past or present.) It's not that I'm not a pentecostal, or charismatic, an Anglican or Evangelical. Labels highlight human disunity. I am one thing only, and that imperfectly: I trust in grace alone to be a disciple of Jesus. Thus, my one main desire is to be at peace with all my "separated brethren" who love Jesus Christ in sincerity and truth.

*These hyperlinks go to the home page of St. Vladimir's Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, not the Cathedral in London. However, this site gives a very good 'feel' of what the Cathedral is like in London, England, (the other links go to images within that website). The blue and gold cupola, (i.e. the external onion-like dome) as featured on the Canadian website, for instance, appears identical to the one over here, and is a striking landmark when driving from Heathrow into Central London: see it on your left, behind trees, just as you come off the elevated section of the M4/A4 dual carriageway (see map-quest).