Bonovox

Many people are surprised to find out, that here I am an Orthodox deacon, and against the Institutional Church (IC).  To them, Orthodoxy represents all that institutional ism means to them.  Hierarchy, temples (worship centers), structured worship etc.

My response to them, is that if "family" is an institution, then that's exactly the kind of institution we are.  The family is centered around the father.  (an old fashioned idea to be sure, but one that I see as true.  The idea, that the family is centered around the PARENTS even, seems to be out of vogue these days as well)  The Church, is centered around the bishop.

The family builds a house to live in.  The Church builds a temple to worship in.

The family has rituals, like dinner-time, that helps the member identify themselves with the family.  The Church has rituals like the Mystical Supper (The Eucharist), to do the same.

But, can Orthodoxy be institutional?  Of course, just like any other good thing God has given can be warped from its true purpose.

Metropolitan HIEROTHEOS, in his great article SECULARISM IN CHURCH, THEOLOGY AND PASTORAL CARE, calls this "warping," "Secularism:"

In conclusion, we can say that secularism is the Church's gravest danger. It is what adulterates her true spirit, her true atmosphere. Of course we must repeat that it adulterates not the Church, for the Church is the real and blessed Body of Christ, but the members of the church. Therefore, we should more properly refer to the secularization of the members of the Church.

The Church is the jewel of the world, the charity of mankind. When, however, this jewel of the world is permeated by the so-called secular spirit, when Christians, the members of the church, instead of belonging to this jewel, instead of becoming the light of the world, are inspired by the world in the sense of passions and become the world, then they experience secularism. This secularism does not lead to divinization. It is an anthropocentric view of our life. The Church should enter the world to transform it rather than the world entering the Church to secularize it. A secularized Church is completely unable and weak to transform the world. And secularized Christians have failed at all levels.

There are many things done in contemporary Orthodoxy, that could be seen as "institutional."   But essentially, in my mind, Orthodoxy is the people of God, in harmony with their man of God, the bishop, worshipping God and serving Him together.

St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch and disciple of the Apostle John, writes in the first century:

That's it.  Simply put.  I am not against our beautiful liturgies and temples.  Nor am I against necessary administration.  But I am against Orthodox "mega-churches."  The bigger is better model of the Modern Evangelicals.  We should strive for a parish or mission in every community, not one large centralized one.  This may mean "living room liturgies," and "garage chapels."

Insitutionalism is about "programs."  Christ died for "people." 

I have a soft spot for the "post-moderns."  They realize what is important is 1) relationships, and 2) experience.  Is that not indeed what we Orthodox have to offer?  The expereince of the Living God, through a relationship with His people.