In Depth:  Eastern orthodoxy

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Eastern Orthodoxy & evangelicals: An iconic moment?
Eastern Orthodoxy & evangelicals

Eastern Orthodoxy & evangelicals: An iconic moment?
Ken Brownell
Ken Brownell

I begin this occasional series on Eastern Orthodoxy by taking a look at icons. Icons are perhaps the thing that most non-Orthodox people associate with Orthodoxy.

Flat and two-dimensional images of saints, the Virgin Mary (often referred to as the Theotokos or Mother of God in Orthodoxy) and Jesus Christ, icons can be seen in Orthodox homes but most prominently in Orthodox churches. There they are placed on the walls, but are most concentrated on what is called the iconostasis, which is the screen in the church before and behind which the liturgy is conducted.

Letter

Eastern Orthodoxy - your views
Date posted: 31 Jan 2026

Dear Editor,

As an Evangelical Christian with a longstanding academic and pastoral interest in Eastern Orthodoxy, I have followed with interest the story surrounding the ex-FIEC congregation in Halifax which recently converted en masse (no pun intended) to Eastern Orthodoxy. I have appreciated the coverage of this story in en, namely the articles by Lydia Houghton (see here) and particularly the one by Kenneth Brownell (see here). In my experience, in Russia and the English-speaking world, Eastern Orthodoxy holds a certain appeal for Evangelical Christians, particularly in situations where theological truth seems too confused or personality-based, and where public worship becomes too casual and reduces the divine means of grace to “explanation” and “symbol”.

Eastern Orthodoxy and 'Trojan Horse' church planting

Eastern Orthodoxy and 'Trojan Horse' church planting
Russell Phillips
Russell Phillips

I have been interested in Eastern Orthodoxy ever since spending my linguist's year abroad in Novosibirsk in 1995/6.

On my return, I began to read up about church history, and was later encouraged in that by my friend, Donald Fairbairn, who was at that time a PhD student at Cambridge.

Letter

Eastern Orthodoxy
Date posted: 10 Dec 2025

Dear Editor,

I am writing regarding the recent en article, “Ex-FIEC church explains switch [from evangelicalism] to Eastern Orthodoxy”.

Orthodoxy & evangelicals – what’s the appeal?

Orthodoxy & evangelicals – what’s the appeal?
Kenneth Brownell

The news that a church affiliated to the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) has become Orthodox (see this en article) will have come as a shock to many.

An evangelical Anglican congregation defecting? Possibly we could understand that, since it would be used to formal liturgy and bishops etc; but an FIEC church...!

Biblical orthodoxy
editorial

Biblical orthodoxy
Editorial
Editorial

The news that a former FIEC-affiliated church has now become Eastern Orthodox (click here to read the article) is an interesting development.

It is a not untrodden path. One of the most influential Orthodox figures in the UK of the last century, the late Kallistos Ware, grew up in an evangelical home; and some while ago, Peter Gillquist, a former leader in Campus Crusade for Christ, led a whole group over to Orthodoxy in the USA.

Ex-FIEC church explains switch to Eastern Orthodoxy

Ex-FIEC church explains switch to Eastern Orthodoxy
Lydia Houghton
Lydia Houghton

The leader of a former FIEC-affiliated church which became Eastern Orthodox in September has been explaining why they made the move.

Hope Church Halifax, which was part of the Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, has become St Hilda’s Orthodox Church, part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland. It now uses a Roman Catholic building, St Malachy’s, for its services.

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