You’re Christian. You’ve always been Christian. The Orthodox Church is the Church that wrote the Nicene Creed, defined the Trinity at the councils, and gave the world the New Testament canon.
But you’re going to hear otherwise. Your Baptist aunt will say you’ve joined a cult. Your coworker at the plant will ask if you worship Mary now. Someone at the gas station will hand you a tract about idolatry when they see your cross. This happens to Orthodox Christians all over Southeast Texas, and it stings every time.
Here’s what’s going on. Most folks around here define “Christian” as someone who’s had a personal conversion experience, reads the Bible as their sole authority, and doesn’t pray to saints or venerate icons. That’s a Protestant definition, and it’s only about 500 years old. It’s not the definition the early Church used.
The early Church defined Christians as those who confess the Nicene Creed. We believe in one God, Father Almighty. We believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, born of the Virgin Mary. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. That’s us. That’s what we confess every Sunday.
When someone says you’re not Christian, they usually mean one of three things. First, they think you worship Mary. You don’t. We call her Theotokos, which means “God-bearer” or “Mother of God.” That title was defined at the Council of Ephesus in 431 AD to protect the truth that Jesus is fully divine. If Mary isn’t the Mother of God, then Jesus isn’t God. It’s that simple. We honor her as the greatest saint, the one who said yes to God’s plan. We ask her prayers like you’d ask your grandmother to pray for you. That’s not worship.
Second, they think icons are idols. They’re not. An icon is a window into heaven, a theological statement in paint and gold. When you venerate an icon of Christ, you’re not worshiping wood and paint. You’re honoring the person depicted. The Seventh Ecumenical Council settled this in 787 AD. The honor passes through the image to the prototype. If you’ve ever kissed a photo of your kids or saluted a flag, you understand the principle.
Third, they think asking saints to pray for us means we don’t believe Christ is our only mediator. Wrong again. Christ is the one mediator between God and man. But we’re all part of His Body, and the saints who’ve died are more alive than we are. They’re with Christ right now. Why wouldn’t we ask their prayers? You ask living Christians to pray for you. We just don’t think death stops someone from being part of the Church.
Here’s what you say when someone challenges you. Stay calm. Don’t get defensive. Start with what you share: “I believe Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that He died for my sins and rose from the dead, and that salvation comes through Him alone.” Then add: “The Orthodox Church has believed and taught this since the apostles. We’re the church that gave you the Bible and defined the Trinity.”
If they push back about Mary or icons, ask them a question. “Do you believe Jesus is fully God?” When they say yes, say, “So do I. That’s why we call Mary the Mother of God. If her son is God, she’s the Mother of God. The early Church fathers used that title to defend Christ’s divinity against heretics.”
For icons, try this: “Do you have pictures of your family? Do you love the pictures or the people in them? Icons work the same way. They help us remember and honor the saints, but we worship God alone.”
You’ll notice I’m not telling you to win the argument. You probably won’t. What you’re doing is bearing witness to the ancient faith and showing them you’re not in a cult. You’re in the Church that St. Paul founded, that St. Athanasius defended, that St. John Chrysostom preached in.
Some people will keep insisting you’re not Christian. That’s their problem, not yours. You can’t control what others think. But you can control how you respond. Be patient. Be kind. Don’t match their heat. Remember that you were probably just as confused about Orthodoxy a few years ago.
And here’s the thing nobody tells you: this accusation hurts because it’s personal. These are people you love questioning your salvation. That’s hard. It’s okay to feel hurt. It’s okay to need time to process it. Talk to other Orthodox Christians who’ve been through it. They’ll understand.
The Church has faced this accusation before. The Romans said Christians were atheists because we wouldn’t worship their gods. Muslims said we were polytheists because of the Trinity. Protestants said we were pagans because of the saints. We’re still here. We’re still confessing the same faith we’ve always confessed.
You’re Christian. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But don’t be a jerk about it either. Live your faith, love your neighbor, and trust that the Holy Spirit is working even in difficult conversations. Sometimes the best apologetic is just showing up to Liturgy every Sunday and letting Christ transform you into His likeness.
