Source: Hartford Institute for Religion Research Hartford, CT — A new report examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Orthodox Christian churches in the United States reveals a unique approach to crisis management, characterized by adherence to traditional practices and resistance to change. The study, which draws on data from the Faith Communities Today (FACT) survey and two Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations (EPIC) surveys, offers insights into how Orthodox churches fared compared to other U.S. religious congregations. Key findings include: Orthodox churches were more likely to maintain regular activities, particularly in-person services, despite pandemic restrictions. These churches showed greater…
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Source: NPR by Odette Yousef When Sarah Riccardi-Swartz moved from New York City to a small Appalachian town in West Virginia in the fall of 2017, she was searching for an answer to a puzzling question. Why had a group of conservative American Christians converted to Russian Orthodoxy? “It’s typically an immigrant faith, so I was really interested in that experience and why it spoke to converts,” said Riccardi-Swartz, a postdoctoral fellow in the Recovering Truth project at Arizona State University. Riccardi-Swartz’s study focused on a community of mostly former evangelical Christians and Catholics who had joined the Russian Orthodox…