Issue 8

Growth

Over the past several years, Orthodox parishes in the US have been experiencing a growth spurt unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It has become normal to hear about communities receiving 20 or 30 new converts at a time—and one study has found a 78% spike in new conversions.

In some ways, all this growth is an obvious cause for celebration. If thousands of people are being received, by baptism or chrismation, it means they’re encountering Christ in the Eucharist and other sacraments. They’re also participating in the broader liturgical life of the Church, which has the ability to transform us, however slowly—to help us overcome our egos and our selfish instincts.

This growth also does honor to Orthodox leaders and scholars from decades past—like Kallistos Ware, Anthony Bloom, Alexander Schmemann, Elisabeth Behr Siegel, and Al Raboteau—who devoted themselves tor bringing Orthodoxy more fully into the world of the Christian West.

On the other hand, many of us who have been in this world for years can’t help but feel skeptical—if not a bit dour—when we hear about these mass conversions. The surge has raised questions about the internet and the role it should play in Orthodox life. It is also bound to change American Orthodox culture, in ways that will make some people uneasy.

In short, what we should make of all this growth, and how we ought to respond, are not simple questions. In this issue of Jacob’s Well, we invited our contributors to reflect on them from a range of perspectives.

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