Hello Orthodoxa, glad you are over here. Yes I remember you posting this to me
a couple of years back on LP. You went into great detail that the Orthodox
liturgy includes a reenactment of the scene in Heaven from Revelation.
I am not one of those Mystery Babylon focused Evangelicals. Christian
fellowship as we see it in the NT has one joyful requirement. The loving
gathering of the faithful to celebrate the sacrifice (death) and resurrection
of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. As is said by the Master "do this in
remembrance of Me." If all the elements of this are in a Christian fellowship
worship gathering, Praise God!
As you probably know, at least for the evangelical church I am part of, 'church' on Sunday is almost a 'whole day' event. Worship service and the Lord's Supper is usually 90 mins, but can be longer as the Holy Spirit leads. Then there is what you refer to as the "auditorium session" which we call the Bible hour where we focus on the teachings in the Word of God and the elder or lay teacher provides a Christ centered sermon. I mention this because you may be familiar with some Protestant or Evangelical churches using the pulpit for politics. Has no place when the focus is Christ Jesus. While this occurs the youngin's are in Sunday school. Then most remain for some refreshments in the basement and some fellowship. Then later after dinner time usually at 7:30 a good amount show for the evening Bible hour. This is usually the time when a 'series' is discussed as in a study of a particular book of the Bible or topic. I say good amount because the younger folk with kiddos usually can't make this because of getting the kiddos ready for school the next day. Summers the evening Bible hours is usually packed. Then on Monday's the ladies usually have a ladies Bible study at a house. Tuesday night the elders meet after work. The elders like all the congregants have jobs. No one is a paid pastor or elder. Usually a retired gentlemen will become a 'full time' 'minister' to the elderly, and run our Gospel mission home for the recovering substance abuse residents, and just about every retired lady minister daily to those in need and visit nursing homes to care for the elderly. Then on Wednesday night is the weekly meeting for fellowship and scripture study. Thursdays are usually reserved for the men's Bible study at a house, but usually in the basement as we are not as skilled as the ladies in home preparation:) Friday and Saturday are about the only days there is something not going on.
The only negative feedback I get from my Orthodox friends (one being a Chaplain
priest) is "you better wear some comfortable shoes" as I believe your mass is
all standing:) That's the lighter side.
I am curious, if you have the time if you can describe your differences with
the Roman Church over real presence and if you have the same doctrine of
transubstantiation. Not asking to ignite a debate, just curious as you know
there are varying Protestant (Luther vs. Calvin et. al.) understandings.
Thanks in advance and may you have a blessed day and see His Glory in all His
In general content, it does not sound like you are really very different from the Orthodox. The first part of the Liturgy is the "Liturgy of the Word" which is derived from the synagogue services that the first Hebrew Christians were accustomed to. There is hymn-singing, Scripture-reading, and at least one sermon -- usually by a clergyman but sometimes a layperson will be blessed to deliver a homily as well. Usually the sermon will deal with the Scripture readings assigned for that particular day -- since our readings are scheduled with a liturgical calendar, one thing that a Protestant convert to Orthodoxy told me that he liked was that he was able to read ahead for the next Church service and "be prepared". Another benefit of the calendar, IMO, is that it is arranged so that if a faithful person attends every single possible Orthodox service for a year, they will have heard all of the New Testament and large portion of the Old Testament.
And then the second half of the Orthodox Liturgy is the "Liturgy of the Faithful" or the portion that is more specifically the Communion portion of the Liturgy. So it sounds like we do many things in common, although of course there are differences in timing and style.
LOL, yes in some of our Churches (especially Slavic ones in the USA) there are often not any pews, but even in those as you can see in the video for the OP, there are usually some chairs and benches along the walls for people that really do need them for whatever reason. Most Greek and Antiochian parishes in America usually have pews. When I've attended Churches without pews, one curious thing that I've observed is that it seems to me that toddlers especially like it without pews -- they are more free to look around and satisfy their curiosity (within reason) looking at Icons or other people or the things happening in the service. Their shorter attention spans sometimes seem to be challenged by a long service stuck in a pew, but when they can move around a little they seem to be happier. I can recall one service where a bolder toddler escaped from their parents and ran straight up to the Bishop seated upon his Episcopal Throne, who just calmly scooped the child up and held him for part of the service until he was ready to go back to his mom.
Regarding the subject of the Real Presence, the Orthodox Church has never tried to explain how the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, we just accept that it does.
In Corinthians 11 we read:
"23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
-- At least in my view, people do not become sick or die if it is only symbolic. And thus as the Apostle Paul is preaching to the Church of Corinth, we teach that it is important that the faithful each do their best to prepare for Communion. Most Bishops encourage people to partake each week if possible, although some people choose to partake a few times a year, typically for major feast days. Anyone who is not partaking of Communion can still go forward (they can signal that they aren't partaking by placing a finger over their mouth, like the "be quiet" signal) and those people can still receive a blessing and some bread called Antidoron, which is not the Communion bread but simply blessed by the Priest or Bishop. At the end of the service, everyone will usually get some Antidoron as well, in addition to getting a final blessing from the Priest or Bishop.
