English Corner

tabitha · #32 10.09.2015, 05:34:42

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 "knew well how life in Christ differs from life without him."

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 "heard" 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 "way", 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