About Orthodox Christianity

As the Apostles and their successors evangelized the world, they embraced the local people, creating alphabets, and translating scripture into the language of the indigenous people. Orthodox evangelism has a strong tradition of not being coercive, but drawing converts by living the example of a Christ-centered life. The liturgical services of the Church have traditionally been held in the language of the local population. For this reason, there exist Greek, Serbian, Russian, Carpatho-Russian, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic (Egyptian), the Orthodox Church of America, Ukrainian, and Antiochian Orthodox Churches, but they are one church in united in confession of the same belief, practicing the same faith, and seeking salvation in the same way. Many Orthodox Churches in America of ethnic origins now worship in English.

The Scripture of the Orthodox Church is the Greek Septuagint Old Testament and the original Greek of the New Testament. In using the 225 BC Greek translation of Hebrew scriptures, the Orthodox use of the Septuagint Old Testament is the same Old Testament used by Jesus Christ and the Apostles. The Greek New Testament is the foundation of all that is taught and practiced by the Orthodox Church, regardless of ethnicity or location. Since all but the Gospel of Matthew was originally written in Greek, the Church has not changed the text of the New Testament that is read and studied by the Church. English translations are measured against the original Greek text for accuracy of understanding and teaching.

We believe in one God, in three persons: the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. God is the creator of all out of nothing, and of all things visible and invisible. The eternal Son, Jesus Christ, is fully God and human, his two natures independent, born in the flesh of the Virgin Mary, and became man. He walked among humanity and taught at a point in history two thousand years ago. He lived a sinless life, suffered, was crucified by Pontius Pilate and physically died. As a human, he rose on the third day, conquering death, and demonstrating for all humanity that eternal life is accessible to all who live a life of love, charity, and humility in communion with God. The Holy Spirit, who gave the breath of life to humanity, spoke through the Old Testament prophets, who is a part of every person coming into the world, and lives in the Body of Christ, the congregations of the Church, and is the third person of the Holy Trinity.

The Orthodox Church teaches that salvation is a process. The process begins with one baptism in water and Trinity, Holy Chrism, anointing with Holy Oil and the receipt of the Holy Spirit, followed by regular receipt of communion, the Body and Blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. These rites of initiation into the Body of Christ are permitted for infants as the Lord commanded, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them” (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17). The Church is a spiritual hospital for humanity providing regular opportunities for the healing of body, mind and spirit through the regular participation in corporate worship, fasting, prayer, confession, anointing, and communion. The individual is responsible for incorporating a practice of Biblical study, establishing an intimate relationship with the Lord through unceasing prayer and regular fasting, and changing their thoughts, actions and behaviors to reflect the life of Christ in their own lives through continuous rededication.

The responsibility of the priest is to encourage our growth in Christ, administer the mysteries of the Church to the faithful, instruct the faithful in the word of God, provide spiritual counsel, and to provide opportunities for both accountability and forgiveness to the repentant sinner.

The Orthodox Church has for two thousand years recognized those individuals who have lived extraordinarily holy lives as being “not of this world,” but of living in the presence of God while in the flesh. As the standard bearers of how to live a holy life, the saints are held in esteem, and for their accomplishment as human beings, but not worshipped which is only for the Lord. Because they live eternally, and do not die, those Orthodox who are physically present are considered The Church Militant, and those who live eternally, The Church Triumphant. Since they are not dead, the Orthodox may ask the Church Triumpant to intercede before God for mercy, health, peace and salvation for themselves and others.

Church art forms include chanted ecclesiastical poetry and the pictorial representation of scripture. The hymnography of the Church rightly teaches the truth of God’s Word, relying upon the imagery and language of the Old and New Testament scriptures. Chanting is intoned in one of eight tones which aid the retention of the words. The iconography of the Church has been regulated for form and content to reflect scriptural truth, and to have a distinct two dimensional form in accordance with the scriptural injunction against craven images. The Orthodox Church holds that because God came in the flesh it is both possible and right to depict the Savior. An Orthodox icon is “written” not “painted or drawn.” In accordance with the strict teaching of the Church an icon is reverenced, or embraced as one would a friend, but not worshipped, or given honor, as one would give God.

For more information see here: Our Faith or contact Fr Chris.