Comments | methodius: Monastic tonsure and Orthodox youth conference

methodius

Monastic tonsure and Orthodox youth conference

Dec 11, 2006 08:23

This last weekend has been a historic occasion for Orthodoxy in Southern Africa, with the first diocesan youth conference and the tonsuring of the first South African monk in South Africa by His Beatitude Theodoros, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria ( Read more... )

orthodox youth, orthodoxy in southern africa, orthodox monasticism, african orthodoxy, greek orthodoxy, pope theodoros ii, serbian orthodoxy, orthodox mission

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ibid December 11 2006, 13:10:26 UTC

That sounds interesting, I'm glad it was such a positive weekend.

Orthodoxy and culture, racism and ethnocentrism
Do post your notes on these! The latter 2 especially being my pet topics I'd be extremely glad if you would.

Orthodoxy and culture, racism and ethnicentrism methodius December 12 2006, 03:16:59 UTC

OK, here are some brief notes from what I wrote when the groups reported. There was only one "cradle Orthodox" person at the conference ( ... )

Re: Orthodoxy and culture, racism and ethnicentrism ibid December 12 2006, 11:06:49 UTC

People born into Orthodoxy have difficulty in separating ethnicity from the Orthodox Faith
To what extent is this true for people for whom Orthodoxy is reletively recent (say those born to converts?) and to what extent is there an orthodox culture?

Thanks for posting

Re: Orthodoxy and culture, racism and ethnicentrism ibid May 5 2007, 02:50:35 UTC

In Alaska how many indigenous, Native American men are tonsured? How many have been in the past? I truly believe that in your heart there is no racism nor ethnocentrism on a conscious level. However as I have been to Orthodox services I have never felt a genuine warmth from the folks there. Cordial, yes, and polite, but not a warmth. Percentages as well demographics would be interesting for countries such as South Africa as well. Just an observation. Also I would think that countries like America would be the ideal place to show the world just how broad minded the Orthodox culture truly is, compared to the Old World that is.

Re: Orthodoxy and culture, racism and ethnicentrism methodius May 5 2007, 08:08:39 UTC

You'd have to ask someone from Alaska, or at least someone familiar with it, how many are tonsured there.

As for percentages in South Africa, at the last census about 20000 people claimed to be Orthodox Christians, and this was the first one to be tonsured as an Orthodox monk in South Africa. There are some who have gone to monasteries overseas and been tonsured there, maybe about 4-5, certainly not more than 10, and probably not as many.

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