Praying with non-Orthodox | Online Orthodox Christian Assembly

elionberger
Hermit

Orthodox Church of Korea

Catechumen

Posts: 65

Praying with non-Orthodox Sept 4, 2012 6:32:47 GMT 2

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Post by elionberger on Sept 4, 2012 6:32:47 GMT 2

I am now faced with something I have never been faced with. Before I discovered Orthodoxy I never really knew how to pray with other people. Anytime somebody prayed before their meal at a restaurant, I became uncomfortable and just stared at my plate until they were finished. Also, during church services during prayers I found myself asking, "Is this really prayer?"

The closest thing I came to, before Orthodoxy, was the Centering Prayer movement of the Thomas Merton/Thomas Keating school in the Roman Catholic tradition. I practiced this for some time and even met Fr. Thomas Keating and had a one to one conversation with him. He is an amazing person, as a side note. Eventually, though, I fell out of it and then never picked up a daily prayer practice until now.

Now . . I feel so at home when I pray. The prayers given to me by the church fit . . when I don't know what to say or do, I know I have the prayers of the church. Also, the Jesus Prayer . . . I cannot even begin to explain the power of this . . Just praying it throughout the day helps me tremendously.

My question here is not one of theologicality or what "God wants" but it is one of a social nature. I still have friends that are Protestant and, from time to time, I join them for weekend trips or lunches, etc. They always say a prayer before meals or before we leave on a trip which is great . . . but, I always feel awkward for some reason. I find myself just saying the Jesus Prayer to myself (btw, my friends are Korean so pray in Korean and so I really don't understand what they are saying except for a few words here and there).

Why do I feel so akward? I want to cross myself and be comfortable . . but . . I just feel weird about everything when this happens.

Anybody experience this same situation? Could you share or give me your thoughts on this matter? I'm sure we could help each other out. I want to grow into Orthodoxy and be comfortable expressing my faith in appropriate "Orthodox" ways so I don't offend or make others feel akward . . .

+In Christ
Erik

jelly1
Novice

Posts: 3

Praying with non-Orthodox Sept 4, 2012 9:52:15 GMT 2

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Post by jelly1 on Sept 4, 2012 9:52:15 GMT 2

I was kind of in the same situation. I was born in the society where crossing yourself is a normal thing, and Orthodoxy is not new,but then i went to America for a year, and i also felt kind of weird when people prayed before meals and trips. But then after a while, some of my closest friends wanted to see my way of praying and they were very curious about it,so that helped my situation.
I think that your shouldn't be uncomfortable about it at all, you have the right to practice your religion just as anybody else! Maybe it would help it you talked to them about it? Just let them know what it all means, and i am sure they would understand.
I'm sorry if i wasn't helpful, but there's not much you can do except explain it to them

OrthodoxBrit
Administrators

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

Kyrie Eleison, Lord Bless Us, Amen.

Posts: 234

Praying with non-Orthodox Sept 4, 2012 17:08:45 GMT 2

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Post by OrthodoxBrit on Sept 4, 2012 17:08:45 GMT 2

Hi Erik,

I teach as part of the Theology Department in a Roman Catholic school and at times find it very awkward. I previously taught at a Catholic College, run by a monastic order, and had difficulties with saying my prayers in front of people but have become used to it since then because I remember that my prayers are between me and God.

I still have to attend the Mass every week, at which point I needed to explain to them why I refused to go to the Altar and recieve communion (or even a blessing) but again, I see this as my perogative.

You will always feel awkward praying with the non-Orthodox because of the pure ecclesiological issue of Church/Non-Church relations. My work friends find it strange that they attend Church on Sunday together whilst I head to the other side of London for it as well as their praying their Rosary and my reading the Agpeya. You just have to remember that it is between you and God, not a matter of you casting them aside.