Austin Stapella - Church Visit I

Church name: St. Athanasios

Church address: 1855 5th Ave. Aurora, IL

Date attended: October 11, 2015

Church category: Greek Orthodox

Describe the worship service you attended. How was it similar to or different from your regular context?

When I entered the sanctuary I was immediately struck by its artistry. No protestant church I have attended could match the beauty of exquisite iconography that covered the entirety of the walls. The back of the room hosted an artistic depiction of the life of St. Athanasios, showing the many trials he endured during his time in exile, his victory over the Arians, and ultimately his peaceful death surrounded by the clergy and his faithful supporters. In the churches dome were pictures of the prophets holding verses from their respective biblical book. What stood out to me about this artwork was the obvious respect for tradition that this church expressed. I was constantly reminded that my theology and the very framework of my worldview is a mere footnote of the great minds who have proceeded me. In this room there could be no "chronological snobbery" as it is an artistic testament to the giants on whose shoulders we stand. 

In the front of the room was a small doorway, inside this area was the shrine where the priest preformed his rituals.  Again reflecting the devotion to those who have transmitted the gospel, I read that this small doorway was a physical representation of the Gospel accounts. They provided the doorway of truth that gives us access to God. This kind of symbolism is typically absent in the churches I have attended. Behind the small door way the priest prayed inaudibly and waved incense around the shrine. As he went about his rites, two men stood in the left hand corner of the room and recited the liturgy, some of it in Greek, some of it in English. The lack of participation in worship was very different than the Non-Denominational Protestant Churches I have usually attended. The only time the congregation spoke was to affirm their faith through the recitation of the Creeds.

How did the worship service illuminate for you the history and contours of global Christianity?

It was very clear that they are a people who respect their historical roots. The the Saints, the writers of the Gospels, the prophets are all held in the highest esteem. Despite the respect for history, there were certainly very modern aspects of the service, the translation of most of the liturgy into English stands out as a break from tradition. However, overall the service seemed much more traditional than the worship services/pop-rock concerts I have previously attended. Though most of the liturgy was spoken in English, a large portion was Greek. The heavy emphasis on symbolism felt more ancient and stuck out against my post-enlightenment backdrop. Perhaps the most distinct part of the service was the way they partook in Eucharist. During this time, there was no English translation, the entirety of the liturgy was in Greek. The Priest spread incense around the whole sanctuary and then after moments of quiet and interspersed liturgy. He then asked us not to partake, as one has to be baptized in the Orthodox church to join with them in communion. The reverence reminded me of the way Eucharist has been looked at in the past, not a mere reminder of Christ's actions but an actual antidote for our sin.

How did the worship service illuminate for you your personal identity as a Christian?

None can challenge the reverence displayed in the service I went to. The many exhortations towards God to remember us on the Day of Judgement was a humbling reminder that we are totally undeserving of the mercy God has graciously bestowed upon us. He does not owe us anything, we are in a position of total and utter dependence. All we can do is cry out to him and trust he will be faithful to his promises. The idea that grace is not something God owes us is often lost in the protestant circles I have been in.

Though I do not believe in the veneration of the Saints or Mary, I felt convicted regarding the high honor they bestowed upon those who came before us and showed exemplary levels of holiness. I often forget my place, and believe myself to have some sort of intellectual independence. By covering four walls with nothing but icons of the Saints, the Orthodox Church leaves no room for this kind of foolishness. The theology we take for granted was worked for by generations of Christians to get it to the point that it is today, and though as a Protestant I affirm that traditions should be open to reform, we cannot forget their place. Even in challenging the perspective of another we can respect them in recognizing their importance in bringing the questions they raised to life in the first place. I hope and pray that I can take the reverence and humility that I saw displayed at the Orthodox Church and bring it to form in my own life.