It may seem technical, but I would distinguish the family of Oriental Churches (Coptic, Maronite, Armenian, Antiochene, Chaldean, et cet.) from the family of Orthodox churches that are typically developed from the Greek tradition. Westerners tend to lump them all together, but the Oriental Churches arguably differ more from the Greek churches than mainline Protestants do from Catholics....

Generic Unitarian-Universalist -> 4 (Protestant Unitarian-Universalist) -> 1

1. (But my mother's side of the family are German Lutherans.)

3 (Anglo-Papalist) --> 1

 

3 -> 1

4 ->1,

1951-1970 unchurched.
1970 to present: 1

1.

(Save the Liturgy, Save the World)

double post. Forum gods are angry again.

6- Orthodox in communion with Rome. Byzantine Catholic, sometimes called "Greek Catholic."

Enough with the surveys. You think we are doing Nielsen ratings or something? LOL.

For one, I am surprised that that practically everyone here (except for you) has a path that ends with 1. But perhaps the others haven't posted yet, or choose not to.

Nah, I just work for the Latins. I am not one of them.

1 → flirted with 2 in college → 1

I have gone from 1 (Roman Catholic) to 5 (Maronite Catholic). The Maronite prayers are awesomely beautiful and ancient; the Holy Mysteries (Mass) is chanted throughout every time (no low Mass ever); incenses is used at every Mass; only the priest or deacon ever gives out Holy Communion; only Communion on the tongue is allowed; Holy Communion is by intinction always. These are just a few of the many reasons why I prefer the Maronite rite over the Roman rite in both the EF and OF.

4 (Lutheran) → 1

1

Born X/4, Baptised 1 at three years old and grew up among some of the most insidiously bland and anthropocentric liturgical [child] abuse and catechesis possible. Nothing outright heretical, or on the level of clown masses, but therein lied its insidiousness. There was merely nothing sacred or transcendent or beautiful or fruitful in the Faith as presented or in the Mass as performed [this isn't to denounce the validity of the Sacrament, merely the way it was treated]; it was treated as merely a humanistic event in which a human need was me or an itch for worship (of what might be debatable) was scratched. As pedestrian and grotesque in its vulgarization as casual sex.

Given this completely dissatisfying experience of the faith, as well as no philosophical formation, I fell into all kinds of heresy throughout the years. Even flirting with a kind of Solipsism, I'm sad to say. In spite of this, I somehow still followed the Faith as best I could, given what I had, and even loved it, especially as presented by Catholic radio, as something intelligent and clever, and grasped at glimpses of the Transcendentals present in the faith that were so in contrast to my experience of the Liturgy.

Thankfully, God had been working through an intercessor and kindred spirit, leading me from Catholic radio to C.S. Lewis in my adolescence, and to the intercessor himself, G.K. Chesterton, in Orthodoxy, shattering my self-dependent heresies. Along the way came exposure to a reverent, beautiful OF parish (which I recoiled from at first, given my misformed will, which was formed to think ugliness in the liturgy lovely). As my family moved more into that Parish, those strong German hymns were like milk that made me strong, presenting the Faith to me finally as something manly, demanding courage and strength and battle, rather than the sickening, stunting sentimentalized saccharine I had been raised on. And the Latin, intinction, incense, gold vestments, polyphony, chant, the Roman Canon, all pointed me ad orientem away from myself and mere human worship towards the transcendent Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of God.

In a particular way, Gregorian Chant has healed the will stunted by ugliness in the liturgy.

Nowadays, I'm studying Theology and Philosophy at Benedictine College, and trying to promulgate, realize, and educate on the Liturgy, especially as called for in Vatican II in whatever little way I can.

Wowza, that's long, but that's my rant. Guitars don't belong at Mass.

1

1

1 → 3

Gavin -

1 > 3 = Catholic > Anglican.
Is this true?
Is this correct?
Have you 'crossed the Thames'?

How interesting -
I had not realised that you had been 'non-practicing'. Too, I had thought that you were rather conservative-orthodox in your faith. This is quite a surprise to me. All Anglicans are not like the idiocy in their leadership that you so colourfully and accurately describe. You, it seems, are blessed to be in one of the saner spots. One rarely meets, any more, a true Oxford Movement Anglo-Catholic manifestation. I suspect that your parish is of the sensible, seriously Christian variety. You will, perhaps, learn first-hand by your associations and friendships, how genuinely sad it is that the Anglican church is so rent assunder by forces that one could only describe by the word 'infernal'. It is a sad, sad story of certain elements' dogged determination to take over and subvert. The Anglican church really did not deserve what has happened to it. All Catholics should weep, and weep bitterly. There was so, so much promise that has been utterly dashed. And, these same elements are not without their brethren and sistern in the Catholic church - in high places and low.

Please do continue to bless us with your presence as a Forumite.

Godspeed!

I do state on some Sundays, that I am running away to join the Methodists. They are pleasant, nice, happy people who are less stressful to be around than Catholics. LOL.

1. Catholic. "Taliban" according to John Allen. :)

I discovered at the university chapel that 'though this be Methodism, there is yet a madness to it'.

There is madness in every church, or so I have found. I have stated before that I had a much higher opinion of the Church before I worked for it. There is a side to it you don't really see when you only sit in the pew.