[George W. Bush]

Interesting. I didn't know Schaffer's son went Orthodox. Given what his father preached, I can't be surprised.

The Orthodox have been on a bit of a roll in recent years even though they're not particularly well-known for proselytizing. I think most of their growth is ex-RCs fleeing the Roman church's pedophiles and theological scandals.

[The_Reader_David]

Actually all but one of the converts to Holy Orthodoxy whom I know personally (and that includes about 100 people all told, one of whom I catechized) converted from Anglicanism or protestantism (including ex- Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians and Mennonites).

The one exception is a man who converted from Byzantine Rite Roman Catholicism for the same reason St. Alexis Toth led most of the American uniates of his generation back to the Church: the Latins in North America will not honor the terms of the "Union" of Brest, and attempt to Latinize their Eastern Rite coreligionists.

Have there been a new wave of conversions from the Latin church since the clerical scandals broke? I've not heard anything about it. (Though my priest waggishly suggested to me on an occasion when I spoke about Holy Orthodoxy at one of the Latin parishes in our town that I tell the "Your children are safe with us." I did not take the suggestion.)

[Mamzelle]

Actually, I thought Francis himself converted before he died.

[kimosabe31]

The Orthodox do not believe it's right to proselytize among protestants and catholics, whom they consider to be Christians. They do, however, welcome converts from these worshippers.

[utahagen]

What did his father preach that makes you unsurprised the younger Schaeffer converted? I read Schaeffer's book and thought it strange he never wrote about his father's reaction to his coversion. In fact, I don't remeber Schaefer evene mentioning his father in his book.