Rev. Webber on Eastern Orthodoxy Today

There are two things I hear often about the Eastern Orthodox, especially from my fellow Lutherans. The first is that the current Orthodox church is not the same as the ancient one. The comment is usually made that the current Orthodox liturgy is not the same as the original.

The second thing I hear is that the Orthodox in the home countries are not at all like the Orthodox (especially the converts) you meet in America.

Perry Robinson addresses both of these topics in his response to the Issues Etc. interview with Rev. Webber. In regards to the Orthodox liturgy, Perry states:

"Then Webber alleges that the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom has been so altered as to not be recognizable by its author. In fact while it has been shorted in some places and some prayers and hymns for example were added under Justinian, its fundamental content and structure has remained the same. So much so that anyone familiar with the original would just find Webber’s laughable. And then of course he gives the parting shot that the liturgy is meant to evoke a “mystical feeling” and preaching is diminished."

In regards to the comments about the Orthodox in the home countries, Perry states:

"Then he charges that in the home countries most Orthodox are superstitious, ignorant, etc. This is probably true in many cases, but that says little about the truth of Orthodoxy any more than a similar situation in Germany or the US indicates the falsity of Lutheranism. Is this the standard he really wishes to be applied to Lutheranism as well? The spiritual health of Germany, which is nearing legalizing incest if it hasn’t already, isn’t exactly stellar. How many Germans are now to be taken seriously as professing Lutherans? Obviously not enough to repopulate the country. And when we look to the US, American Lutherans are by and large functionally Pelagian. Barna polls indicate that a majority of Lutherans think you get to heaven by good works and by “being a good person.” Only about 21% think that one is saved apart from good works. I can go through the average local LCMS parish and start asking basic questions about Trinitarianism and Christology and we all know what that will reveal. Besides, no one said that the Orthodox Church made every member into an academic theologian. But wasn’t putting the Bible into the hands of every Christian and making his conscience the judge applying the rule of Scripture supposed to have better results than that?"