Throughout the 20th century, the Orthodox Church in the Americas was predominantly known for its ‘immigrant status’, with a great number of faithful having come from Orthodox countries (such as Greece, Russia, Serbia and others). At that time, they sought to built Churches, start various programs and make it a point to keep their traditions alive and well. Throughout the years, however, a change began to occur – a change that would change the “immigrant status Church” to a more universal-outlook Church – indeed, how the Church is and should always be. The late 20th and now 21st century has definitely seen this, with a 2008 study of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute in Berkley, California, showing a larger than expected number of converts to Orthodox Christianity, mostly from Roman Catholic and Protestant backgrounds. Many of these converts have even joined the ranks of the Clergy, although the majority are simple laypeople in the Church.

Throughout their journey to Orthodoxy, however, converts have found different obstacles in their path. Today, iEcclesia sits down with a convert and his wife to discuss both their respective paths to Orthodoxy, the challenges that they had to experience and the advice they have for those interested in joining the Orthodox faith.

Join us today, our first podcast of 2010, as we talk about Baptizing All Nations: Cradle Christians and Converts.