TA 3/2021 (126. vuosikerta)

From Converts to Members: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Discussion concerning the Status of New Adult Members in the Orthodox Community in Two Orthodox Periodicals — The relationship between people who have been baptized into the Finnish Orthodox Church as children and those who have become members as adults has sometimes been described as strained. In this article, I analyze how this relationship is depicted in articles published in two Finnish Orthodox periodicals between 1980 and 2019. Using rhetorical analysis, I identify four themes of central importance to this discussion: the connection between Orthodoxy and culture, the preservation of Orthodox tradition, the Great Commission, and Christian ethics. In the analysis, I also show how the debate surrounding the treatment of converts has dwindled down over time, as their presence in the community has become more common and accepted.

Membership and Participation among 20–45-year-old Inactive Members of the Orthodox Church of Finland — This article studies church membership and attitudes about and experiences of parish activities among 20–45-year-old inactive members of the Orthodox Church of Finland. The data (n = 74) are gathered through a survey conducted by internet and mail in 2018–2019. Analysis of the data indicates that, for ecclesiastically inactive members of the Finnish Orthodox Church between 20 and 45 years of age, the experience of intergenerational relationships through sacraments and services and the involvement of the church at important turning points of life (viz., birth, death, and marriage) are the main reason for maintaining church membership. Appreciation for church tradition and liturgy is also notably high among survey respondents. The main reasons for inactivity include obstacles created by family life, work, and hobbies, as well as feelings of loneliness and alienation experienced during ecclesiastical activities.