I Ended Up in the Greek Orthodox Church and Found I Was Just as Dumb as Before

Last updated on: March 12, 2015 at 5:41 pm by Frank Schaeffer

I Ended Up in the Greek Orthodox Church and Found I Was Just as Dumb as Before 2015-03-12T17:41:22-06:00 Frank Schaeffer

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(Tulips, Wind & Sun Oil on canvas 24 x 24 by Frank Schaeffer)

In 1990 I joined the Greek Orthodox Church because, in the words of Umberto Eco, I aspired “to the construction of narratives capable of providing [me] with an explanation and a model, an exemplary image.” At first I missed the point of my escape from my evangelical past almost altogether. I argued the finer points of theology and church history with my long-suffering evangelical mother and sisters. (Dad was spared. He’d died in 1984.) I argued as if any church I happened to join was ipso-facto the gatekeeper to heaven.

I argued in a way that implied that a human can find THE TRUTH and judge others by it. I argued in a way that denied the reality that human our brains process what we hear and see and touch and therefore all “information” is just another story more than a fact.

In our human desperation for meaning we see things very clearly. They just happen to never quite be as true as they’re cracked up to be.

Speaking of which I wrote a book (Dancing Alone) about all that is theologically and historically wrong with the Protestant Reformed tradition I’d fled. I laced my rant with the zealous spirit of proselytizing certainty typical of the fundamentalist “born-again” religion I thought I’d escaped. Ironically I did this while defending an Orthodox tradition that, at its heart, is about ineffable mystery and freedom.

It gradually sank in that if I was honest I’d admit that I didn’t join the Greek Orthodox Church for theological reason, but because it wasn’t my childhood faith and I needed a change. It gradually sank in that when it came to where I went to church “Hide not, but judge not” would be my motto. It gradually sank in that life’s a journey.

I’m still on that journey. I changed my mind once and may again. It gradually sank in that (as I have a character say in my book And God Said, “Billy!“) “there is only one defense against the rising worldwide fear-filled fundamentalist tide engulfing all religions: The embrace of paradox and uncertainty as the virtuoso expression of Christ-like humility.”

It gradually sank in that my ego must be curtailed by what I do not know, which is far more than I do know.

Follow Frank Schaeffer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/frank_schaeffer

See Frank Schaeffer’s paintings HERE!

Follow Frank on Facebook HERE

Frank Schaeffer is a writer. His latest book — And God Said, “Billy!“ exploring the roots of American religious delusion, and offering another way to approach true spirituality, is on Kindle, iBook and NOOK for $3.99, and in paperback. It spent 8 weeks as Amazon’s #1 best seller for Political Humor.

Previous Post

January 30, 2014

Here Are My Paintings That Sold So Far in the Last 10 Days of My Online Art Show

Next Post

February 6, 2014 My NEW Art Website Is Up & Working Nicely Many Thanks for Checking it Out!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art children Christmas family parenting political humor politics religion sex Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz