Orthodox author Frederica Mathewes-Green was interviewed by National Review Online recently about the Orthodox faith, particularly why she became an Orthodox Christian.
Question: How does life in Christ differ from life without him?
Answer: In the book, I say that the Eastern Orthodox have not had a lot of practice explaining their faith to other Christians, and so aren'€™t familiar with many of the historic theological controversies of the West. But they did have lots of experience with non-Christians (Persians, Mongols, Muslims, Communists), and they "€śknew well how life in Christ differs from life without him."€ť
Now that you ask, I don'€™t really know how to express it! Christ is
life. It'€™s having the Creator of the Universe with you. It'€™s having the source of all love with you. It'€™s indescribable. And it'€™s real, palpably real. I had a miraculous conversion experience, 41 years ago. I was hitchhiking around Europe (at that time, calling myself a Hindu), and went into a church to look around. I was looking at a statue of Jesus, and then I had an overwhelming sense of his presence, with me, within me. I "€śheard"€ť him speak to me (not with my ears, but inside). It was kind of scary, and also really wonderful, and it turned my world upside down.
Ever since, all I have wanted is to be closer to him -€” to stay in his presence. When I became Orthodox some 22 years ago, I was amazed to find that that'€™s what it'€™s all about. It'€™s a "€śway",€ť a program, a science, of union with God -€” 2,000 years of wisdom on how to safely, sanely, increase in the presence of Christ. That'€™s why I'€™m excited about Orthodoxy; it'€™s what I always wanted, and I didn'€™t even know it existed.
Full interview :
http://www.nationalreview.com/articl...x-nr-interview