Comments on: What I Didn’t Expect http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/ Jesus, God of my heart, come and unite me to Thyself forever. Sun, 20 May 2012 19:31:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Audrey http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-64 Audrey Sun, 07 Jan 2007 01:11:00 +0000 http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-64 Debating really frustrates me too. I don't like arguing with people. Sometimes I will do it anyways, but when people get upset that makes me really upset. So I can imagine how hard that must have been to have your family argue with you. Debating really frustrates me too. I don’t like arguing with people. Sometimes I will do it anyways, but when people get upset that makes me really upset. So I can imagine how hard that must have been to have your family argue with you.

]]> By: Rebeca http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-63 Rebeca Thu, 04 Jan 2007 23:35:00 +0000 http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-63 That sounds so much like me and my mom. I too have the tendency to get emotional and defensive, and I can write things down much better than I can say them. My Mom and Dad both grew up in Roman Catholic as well and had no concept of grace. <br />Blessings to you,<br />Rebeca That sounds so much like me and my mom. I too have the tendency to get emotional and defensive, and I can write things down much better than I can say them. My Mom and Dad both grew up in Roman Catholic as well and had no concept of grace.
Blessings to you,
Rebeca

]]> By: EYTYXOC http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-62 EYTYXOC Thu, 04 Jan 2007 21:59:00 +0000 http://orthodoxy.michelle.themccallums.org/2007/01/04/what-i-didnt-expect/#comment-62 <i>Her next question related to the ever-virginity of Mary. I have been quite shocked that this has been the most common question amongst my evangelical friends/family. I never in a million years though that this would be such a cause for controversy and a reason for people to back away from Orthodoxy. It isn't something that I even saw as controversial before it was mentioned to me by a friend.</i><br /><br />It's controversial because the teaching is not "Biblical." As you said:<br /><br /><i>I think that one of the biggest issues for my parents is being able to get past a "Bible-only" mentality.</i><br /><br />- - -<br /><br />The ordinary understanding one would probably have of Matthew 1:25 - which says that Joseph "kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son" (NASB) - is that after the birth of Jesus, they had marital relations. (I have read the counter-arguments.) Thus, to set forth as one's belief something that is not stated in the Bible (there are all those "brothers and sisters" of Jesus to deal with, too) is a big issue for the non-Orthodox (but not, of course, for Catholics).<br /><br />I'm not surprised to find that when they hear of the doctrine of the ever-virginity of the Theotokos (another term that makes them cringe!), it becomes a big issue for "Bible-believing" Protestants. What also surprises them, though, is for these supposed heirs of the Reformation to find out that both Luther and Calvin believed in Mary's ever-virginity - and I fancy that both Martin and John knew their Greek and knew all about Matthew 1:25 and Jesus's siblings. Her next question related to the ever-virginity of Mary. I have been quite shocked that this has been the most common question amongst my evangelical friends/family. I never in a million years though that this would be such a cause for controversy and a reason for people to back away from Orthodoxy. It isn’t something that I even saw as controversial before it was mentioned to me by a friend.

It’s controversial because the teaching is not “Biblical.” As you said:

I think that one of the biggest issues for my parents is being able to get past a “Bible-only” mentality.

- - -

The ordinary understanding one would probably have of Matthew 1:25 - which says that Joseph “kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a son” (NASB) - is that after the birth of Jesus, they had marital relations. (I have read the counter-arguments.) Thus, to set forth as one’s belief something that is not stated in the Bible (there are all those “brothers and sisters” of Jesus to deal with, too) is a big issue for the non-Orthodox (but not, of course, for Catholics).

I’m not surprised to find that when they hear of the doctrine of the ever-virginity of the Theotokos (another term that makes them cringe!), it becomes a big issue for “Bible-believing” Protestants. What also surprises them, though, is for these supposed heirs of the Reformation to find out that both Luther and Calvin believed in Mary’s ever-virginity - and I fancy that both Martin and John knew their Greek and knew all about Matthew 1:25 and Jesus’s siblings.

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