Compare The Trends Of Orthodoxy

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Trends and Orthodoxy As culture changes, trends come and go. The Orthodox Christian is faced with how to respond to these trends whether to embrace or repel them. Christians must understand these new trends and response seeking how it measures up to traditional orthodoxy. New Age religion and the prosperity gospel are trends that Christianity is current exploring to define their response. New Age Religion New Age religion is a mixture of science, Christianity, Eastern spirituality, ancient mythology and recovery practice (Gavriluţă, 2012, page 1).” New Age religion takes Christian beliefs and blend them with astrological, sociological, and pre-Christ components. Jesus is acknowledged in New Age religion, but is defined by Helen Balawatsky…show more content…
The prosperity gospel embodies a specific emphasis of God’s influence on people’s money and health (Schieman and Jun, 2012). The prosperity gospel emphasis God’s desire to bless an individual as his highest purpose, God becomes a tool or asset for individuals rather than an authority to follow. Both New Age religion and the prosperity gospel emphasis the individual’s happiness and health as the primary concern. Orthodoxy emphasizes God’s happiness as the primary concern for followers. Orthodoxy follows the specific guidelines given in Scripture for and obedient life that emphasizes God’s happiness. Orthodoxy is a selfless belief while New Age/ prosperity gospel is selfish as its core. New Age/ prosperity gospel thinking limits God in his role and his overall mission. Orthodoxy has a mission to reach the world for Christ at whatever cost understanding the greater good for God over an individuals preferences or ideals. Orthodoxy emphasizes denial of self, becoming a new creation that lives for the Lord and his values seeking a godly reward in heaven, not expecting one here on earth. New Age resists conformity and limitations seeking immediate results. God does provide blessings and rewards here on earth in Orthodoxy but is not always the standard for obedience. The Israelites went through many trials but God remained with them. Job was obedient when all was taken from him and content with just…show more content…
These approaches generate positive action based on the perceived reward they desire to receive. Both of these approaches focus on God or a higher being desiring their followers to be rich or healthy (Gbote and Kgatla, 2014). The primary focus is on self rather than on others or on God. Orthodoxies primary focus is on honoring and following God, in doing so we become more like Christ, who did not experience a rich or health life, but was persecuted and ultimately murdered. Orthodoxy is the surrender of one’s self and in many case in the American church believers are blessed with health and riches. In orthodoxy, if one is not blessed with riches or healthy, it is not a sign of disobedience or a distant God. New Age religion or the prosperity gospel, if one is not blessed with health or riches something is missing. New Age religion is individualist offering an endless amount of ways while orthodoxy offers one way for salvation with is through Jesus Christ. New Age includes everyone without requirements, which appears attractive but standing for everything is standing for nothing. Orthodoxy could display a love for others more effectively like the New Age religion without denying their beliefs. There is a message of prosperity in Scripture, God desires to bless his people, but there is also warning about following Christ and the persecution and trails that come as well. The
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