Most Holy Theotokos, Save Us

Buy why focus only on non-Orthodox? By your own admission, not all Orthodox are saved.

I never implied that I focused only on non-Orthodox. Also, not only by my own admission; it's by the doctrine of the Church. It's not like we've been obscuring this idea for two millennia and that I finally let out a dirty little secret.

I see Christ as the the known and given path to salvation, not any church (big C or little c).

The Church is the body of Christ.

I don't remember who said this, but I think it captures my feelings well - "There is only one way to God - that is Christ. But, there are many ways to Christ."

And there is one specific way to Christ that Christ gave us, which is the Church (which is to say, to Christ through Christ).

I'm not trying to convert you or argue with you, I just feel like it's necessary to explain the doctrine of the Church.

I don't doubt your dedication to Christ or your sincere belief that your faith in Christ is the right faith in Christ for you, but I disagree with some of the fine print, and this discussion, I hope you see, is one of love and not confrontation. When I came out of atheism and into Orthodoxy, I used to engage in these terribly polemic "discussions" that were not productive at all (or worse, counterproductive), and I hope it doesn't seem like I'm doing that here.

If you're interested in exploring the differences between Orthodoxy and other denominations from a decidedly Orthodox perspective, I recommend checking out the podcast Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy but I caution that it is polemic, and on purpose. (Start at the beginning, obviously). It's a great resource if you want to see why I believe what I believe and how it's different from what you believe, by someone who can put it into better words than I can. If you decide to check it out, I hope we don't engage in a fruitless debate, but I'd love to talk about your experience with it via PM. Similarly, if you have a resource that highlights the differences between your communion and Orthodoxy, I'd gladly check it out and we can share both experience.

/r/Christianity Thread Link - saintbarbara.net