Convert Pride?

Second one today... I'm out of control!

You’re probably familiar with different degrees of ethnic pride. You might even experience it in your home parish if yours is particularly ethnic. At the church I attend, St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, the ethnic/cradle Christians make up about 1/3 (maybe more?) of the parish, the rest consisting of converts. I am one of them. And while Greeks might have a certain affinity for their ethnicity, I’m realizing that I am just as much at fault for my subliminal pride in being a convert.

Looking back over the past three years, I’m slowly realizing how many times I’ve introduced myself as a convert as if to imply, “Oh, I’m a convert, not to be confused with those ‘irreverent cradle’.” It sounds so horrible, but I really think I am at fault for this. Lord have mercy!

With such a subconscious demeanor, it’s no wonder there’s an ever-so-slight rift between cradle and converts. At least, I’ve noticed it.

I have a friend who is very faithful cradle Orthodox Christian. Hers was one of the first families to attend St. John’s in its earliest form. Most of the earliest members were from the Holy Trinity, a large and mostly Greek church in Portland, so there was a strong connection among the youth as they grew up together. As more and more people started coming to St. John’s, the convert ratio began to expand. But it wasn’t until recently that the parish has attracted a sizable number of young adults (ages 18 to 30-ish).

It’s only now that I’m noticing a bit of a division between the cradle youth (many of whom are now young adults) who’ve been at St. John’s for years and years, and the new young adults who converted. My friend who I mentioned earlier has expressed at various times in the past that she is intimidated by all of the converts who, in her eyes, “…seem to know everything.” She hears us discussing Orthodox literature and the Fathers, spouting off factoids about different councils, etc. Man, it’s no wonder she feels intimidated! :D Whereas I would gladly engage in one of these discussions, I can definitely remember a time when I found myself quite intimidated.

I guess my question is this: how can we smooth the cradle/convert rift? Can we really just call ourselves Orthodox Christians without harping on the term “convert” or “cradle” as if it were a measure of reverence or devotion? IF we are living humble lives, we shouldn’t be repelling others away from us, namely other Orthodox Christians. And: how can we learn from cradle individuals and their rich lifetime of Orthodoxy, having grown up in the Faith? I think that we have some wonderful things to offer to one another, if only we took the care to walk across the fellowship hall to talk with someone new. I admit it’s kind of risky, and the “love” might not be fully reciprocated. But you never know--you might make an unsuspecting friend.

I don’t know. Your thoughts?