Reddit reviews Orthodox Alaska: A Theology of Mission

Orthodox Alaska: A Theology of Mission
By Fr. Michael Oleksa
link

Orthodox Alaska is a great book on the subject, for those interested.

Sts Jacob Netsvetov and Innocent are men I greatly admire.

Hello, English-speaking white boy here. I was baptized in a very well-educated OCA parish years ago and moved to my current city for work. Here there is only a Greek parish, a very ethnically Greek parish, so I understand what you are feeling.

The reason so many "ethnic" parishes exist in the Western world versus the missiological route taken by Sts Cyril and Methodius which offers services in a native language is because of the way the bulk of Orthodoxy arrived in the West.
Though there were missionary trips (check out "Orthodox Alaska" for a taste of the missions work among the native people), most of Orthodoxy came with the immigrants as their religion and their culture. Many people groups upon arriving in America settled into ethnic ghettos and though they had become part of the world's 'melting pot,' they were still very isolated. Their culture was still their identity and was passed down to following generations.

Much of my parish is still first-generation Americans and where I live, we don't get too many inquisitors about Orthodoxy because it's in the 'Bible Belt,' so this parish has remained mostly Greek in language. The current priest is an American-born Carpatho-Russian priest who has added some English, but on a 'good' day we're still at 80% Greek.

For all of the 'ethnic' parishes around there are plenty that offer services in English, whether OCA, Antiochian, Greek, ROCOR, etc. But, as my priest has to remind me when I jump on my "I want English!" soap box, the Greeks in our parish are just as much the sheep he has been entrusted with as we English-speaking people are. And (I am not speaking on a wide scale, I am simply stating from my particular parish), so much of their cultural identity is wrapped in Orthodoxy that if we abandoned the Greek, many in our parish would stop coming, even though they speak English.

It can be frustrating, but I have learned much of the liturgical Greek since arriving and since I know the Liturgy in English, the transition hasn't been too bad. Because I am not Greek, I do stand out a bit. The Greeks refer to me as "the Russian," though I'm not sure why. There are many who haven't spoken the first word to me in three years, but then again, there are many others who have welcomed me and tried to Greek me up a bit (though I still haven't gotten the taste for ouzo).

A unified American Orthodox Church is still a long way in the future, but it is something being worked toward. There is much to decide upon, much to sort out. I'm all for a uniquely American Orthodoxy (I would even propose our Liturgical chant be based on Sacred Harp, but that's just my opinion), but it will take time, lots of time, just like Orthodoxy around the world has required hundreds and thousands of years to take its place among the people.

> Eskimo: "If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?"

Highly recommended to students of real, non-hypothetical Christian mission (not at all limited to Orthodox mission): Michael Oleksa's excellent book Orthodox Alaska recounts the encounter between the Aleut, Tlingit, Yup'ik and other Eskimo peoples the first Christian missionaries to Alaska.

The conversation didn't start with "You're going to hell." It started with learning the Alaska Natives' cultures and languages, and finding bridges between what they already knew to be so, and the additional complementary revelation Christ brings.

They already knew there's a Creator to whom they're accountable, and they already had a liturgical understanding of time and worship. Without needing to threaten anybody, missionary monks and priests were able to demonstrate Christian community; care for and defend the Native people against mistreatment; show them a way of worship fuller and deeper than they previously knew; and introduce them to the Savior who's worthy of honor and service.

Missionaries assumed everybody in Alaska was following whatever light of truth their traditional faith provided - and they knew God would judge the Native people as individuals, by the degree to which they allowed Grace to make them righteous. But the missionaries also knew that most people don't find their way independently to the righteousness apart from law; everybody wants to be a "good person" but falls short. So the missionaries brought the good news that now everyone has, in Christ, the ability to become the righteousness of God in Him.

No wonder the Natives embraced the faith.

My husband is currently reading Orthodox Alaska by Oleksa and enjoying it.

https://www.amazon.com/Orthodox-Alaska-Theology-Michael-Oleksa/dp/0881410926