American Conversions to Eastern Orthodox Christianity

Abstract

This paper explores conversions to Eastern Orthodox Christianity in the United States. It discusses the analytic value of different categories used to describe American Orthodox Christians; examines theoretic models that best explain American conversions to Orthodoxy; and focuses on American conversions to Orthodoxy as resocialization into a new religious group, which implies the unlearning of certain ideas and practices. The paper is based on data collected by the author in Eastern Orthodox communities in the United States in 2018–2019 and 2024, as well as on the author’s previous cross-cultural observations that shed light on American conversions to Orthodoxy.

Keywords

• Eastern Orthodox Christians
• United States
• models of religious conversion
• converts
• reverts
• cradles