Orthodox Christianity: Navigating the Pandemic with Tradition
Orthodox Christian churches are defined by their steadfast adherence to ancient religious practices and strong resistance to change. This unwavering commitment to preserving the teachings, rituals and traditions of ancient Christianity posed unique challenges for Orthodox parishes when faced with the disruptions and forced adaptations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report, “Stubborn or Persistent: How American Orthodox Christians Dealt With And Recovered From The Pandemic” draws on data from parishes representing all the major Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States to explore two key questions:
- Compared to the overall picture of US congregations, what was distinctive about how Orthodox Christian parishes responded to the COVID-19 crisis?
- How has the pandemic affected the Orthodox Church?
Despite — or perhaps because of — their resistance to change, the data suggests that Orthodox Christian churches managed to navigate the pandemic quite successfully.
The findings reveal that Orthodox parishes stood apart from the national sample of U.S religious congregations in two notable ways:
- They were much more likely to maintain their regular in-person activities and “ignore” pandemic restrictions.
- They were more reluctant to adopt and use online worship services, even as they embraced other modern technologies more than the national average.
The outcomes of this approach were a “mixed bag.” On some measures, Orthodox parishes outperformed other congregations, such as gaining more new members and restoring in-person attendance to pre-pandemic levels. However, they also faced greater declines in overall participation and the percentage of regular volunteers.
As the nation enters a post-pandemic reality, future surveys will continue to monitor these dynamics and shed light on the lasting effects of COVID-19 on congregational life.
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