The Eastern Orthodox Church

Ukraine is the birthplace of Slavic civilization and for more than 1000 years, that history has been closely tied to the Orthodox Christian faith. Like most American Protestants, Orthodoxy has always been a mystery to me, but four years ago I had the privilege of taking a Systematic Theology course with Dr. Robert Letham, an esteemed Reformed pastor and scholar from Britain. Letham is thoroughly in the Reformed Evangelical camp, so it was surprising to hear him regularly quote Orthodox theologians such as Bishop Kallistos Ware and Alexander Schmeman. I finally got around to reading these authors in the past year and have attended Orthodox worship services in Richmond, so I was delighted to recently receive notice from the Westminster Theological Seminary Bookstore that Dr. Letham's new book is called "Through Western Eyes: Eastern Orthodoxy - A Reformed Perspective." The publisher writes:

Eastern Orthodoxy is increasingly popular in the Anglo-Saxon world. It conveys a sense of mystery, of continuity with the past, of dignified worship at a time when evangelical Protestantism is increasingly cheapened and trivialized.

Letham's book examines the serious theological differences between East and West while cautioning Reformed believers that:

"There are clear and significant areas of agreement - a common allegiance to the triune God; the person of Christ; the authority of Scripture and the truth of the gospel."

Indeed, the Orthodox faithful have defended, fought for, and died for the faith since the very beginning of Christianity. Please don't miss the opportunity to visit the famous Orthodox sites while in Ukraine, and for an unforgettable experience, attend one of the beautiful Orthodox liturgies.

The Bell Tower at the entrance of the ancient St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv. You can see mosaic and frescoes here dating back to the 11th Century.

The seven gold domes of the stunning Dormition Cathedral at Kyiv's Monastery of the Caves, a modern replica of the building erected in 1077. The original was destroyed by the retreating Soviet Army in WWII.

Founded in 1051, the Monastery of the Caves is the holiest site in Slavic lands.

Visiting the actual caves is a bit of a trek, but because it is an active monastery, there is no admission fee. Women must cover their heads and legs. Men are not permitted to wear shorts and no pictures can be taken.

The Caves entrance. This is not for the claustrophobic! You wind your way through very narrow passages passing by the bodies of the mummified monks. This is a rare and moving experience.

No signs are in English and none of the tourist guides said anything about not taking pictures of the Priests (oops!).

One of the things I hope to teach my Russian-born son and Ukrainian-born daughters is that Christians are actually called to suffer (1 Pet 2:21). Modern Christianity doesn't teach this biblical truth much anymore, but few people have suffered more throughout history than Orthodox Christians. They have never forgotten what it means to take up the cross.