Syriac Orthodox Church missionary activities in Latin America- your thoughts?
Hi folks, For years I’ve been watching the SOC grow exponentially in Latin America. They now have dozens of churches in urban and rural areas. They have trained at least a few dozen priests and ordained an excommunicated catholic priest as a bishop.
I look at their masses and am absolutely shocked how they conduct themselves. There are statues present on the altar. They venerate tissues that the priest hurls into the congregation. They parade the monstrance (never leaves altar in my experience) for the congregation to touch with their cellphones and wallets. The priests and deacons jump up and down on the altar yelling at the top of their lungs.
I have decades of experience with the Syrian Orthodox Church in America. I have NEVER seen anything close to the behavior I see them routinely engaging in.
What is going on? Does anyone else see this? See this as a problem?
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At least here in Brazil, a lot of Syriac Orthodox churches have adopted Pentecostal practices like healing services and speaking in tongues. Some of them don't even look Syriac anymore, have ad populum Liturgy (probably so the local population won't find weird) and practice the Rosary and other popular devotions. I think that happens because a lot of people don't get to be ordained Catholic priests, and often look for easier ways to be ordained, which leads then to join "lesser known" communions. A lot of schismatic EO churches in my region have origin in these Syriac communions.
At least here in Brazil, a lot of Syriac Orthodox churches have adopted Pentecostal practices like healing services and speaking in tongues. Some of them don't even look Syriac anymore, have ad populum Liturgy (probably so the local population won't find weird) and practice the Rosary and other popular devotions. I think that happens because a lot of people don't get to be ordained Catholic priests, and often look for easier ways to be ordained, which leads then to join "lesser known" communions. A lot of schismatic EO churches in my region have origin in these Syriac communions.
Edit: grammar