Frequently Asked Questions
iiiii What is the Orthodox Church?
iiiii Are all Orthodox Churches the same?
iiiii What is your worship like?
iiiii What does the Orthodox Church offer me that I cannot get?
iiiii Where did the Orthodox Church begin?
iiiii Are there other names for the Orthodox Church?
iiiii How is the Orthodox Church organized and how is it held together?
iiiii What about all those titles? What does all of this mean?
iiiii What are the clerical offices?
iiiii What about the layman? Do they have a role?
iiiii Are you Jewish?
iiiii Are you Orthodox Presbyterians?
iiiii Are you "Eastern Orthodox"?
iiiii Is that like "Greek Orthodox" and "Russian Orthodox"?
iiiii How can you claim that you are neither Protestant or Catholic?
iiiii Why do you call yourselves "Orthodox"?
iiiii Are you a conservative Church?
iiiii Which do you believe in, the Bible or Tradition?
iiiii Do the Orthodox use the Bible as other Christians Do?
iiiii Are Orthodox Christians "saved"?
iiiii Can only the Orthodox who believes these things can be saved?
iiiii Where in the Bible do you get your elaborate worship?
iiiii Are you bound by your Tradition, that it can't change?
iiiii Do you have the Virgin Mary, saints, etc. "like the Catholics"?
iiiii Does your Church practice "open communion"?
iiiii Why do you have all those pictures in your Church?
iiiii Isn't your doctrine and worship irrelevant to modern American life?
iiiii What about the Orthodox relation to war?
iiiii What about such very specific issues as divorce, birth control, and abortion?
iiiii Is it really reasonable to expect people to live this way?
iiiii Can you say something more about the Divine Liturgy?
iiiii Would you agree that the Liturgy reveals what Orthodoxy really is?
iiiii Some facts about Orthodoxy
What is the Orthodox Church?
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church is the first Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and
iiiiidescribed in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the
iiiiiway back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles.
iiiiiIncredible as it seems, for almost twenty centuries she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered
iiiiifaith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship, and structure remain intact. The Orthodox
iiiiiChurch maintains that the Church is the living Body of Jesus Christ.
iiiiiMany of you may be surprised to learn that for the first thousand years of Christian history there was
iiiiijust one Church. There were no denominations. It was in the eleventh century that a disastrous split
iiiiioccurred, resulting in the Western Church, under the pope, separating itself from the Orthodox Church.
iiiiiThe papacy sought to establish itself over all of Christendom and finally succeeded in the West. But the
iiiiirest of the Church rejected this innovation, knowing no so-called "universal head" apart from Jesus
iiiiiChrist Himself.
iiiiiBecause the Roman Catholic Church was in isolation from the rest of Christianity after the schism of
iiiii1054 AD, changes in the teachings began to creep into the Church. In isolation, there was no other
iiiiiauthority to keep the Roman Church on track and true to the original teachings of Jesus Christ and the
iiiiiApostles. By the late 1400's a Roman Catholic Monk named Martin Luther sought to "reform" the
iiiiiRoman Church but instead of returning to the original teachings, retained most of the profound changes
iiiiimade by Rome. This was the second split in the Church and began the Protestant Reformation.
iiiiiBy the 1900's there were about 200 different denominations, all having split from the Roman Catholic
iiiiiChurch or from another Protestant Church. By 1995 there were 28,000 denominations. Today,
iiiiiChristianity has fragmented into over 33,000 different identifiable denominations, each one teaching
iiiiisomething different from the original teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles and each of the other
iiiiidenominations. Is it any wonder that 70% of Americans have given up trying to find the truth and no
iiiiilonger attend any Church?
iiiiiecause the Orthodox Christian Church has never lost the review and checks and balances that come
iiiiiwith collegiality, the teachings have not changed. The worship is the same. The baptism is the same.
iiiiiThe Orthodox Christian Church is a continuum of The Church that Jesus Christ built in 33 AD with
iiiiiJesus Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and the Prophets of the Old Testament as Her foundation.
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Are all Orthodox churches the same?
iiiiiAll Orthodox churches share the identical faith and doctrine, a common tradition passed down from
iiiiithe teaching of the Apostles, and the same basic form of worship. Individual Orthodox communities,
iiiiiespecially those that are made up of members from a particular country of origin, may use their own
iiiiilanguage for parts of the services and have some of their own ethnic customs. Our services are all
iiiiiconducted in English.
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What is your worship like?
iiiiiThe roots of Christian worship actually go back to Old Testament Judaism. We, as 20th Century
iiiiiChristians, often forget that the early Church was born from the midst of Judaism, and that the first
iiiiiChristians actually met for decades in the synagogues and temple for worship. The early Christians, like
iiiiiChrist, did not "destroy the law but fulfilled it" in their worship, and "Christianized" many of their former
iiiiiworship practices. Thus, like synagogue worship, ours is liturgical, having elaborate and very meaningful
iiiiiset forms of practices and prayers. The worship is literally "heaven on earth" and thus God is
iiiiiapproached with great reverence and awe.
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What does the Orthodox Church offer me that I cannot
get from other Churches?
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church is the most ancient Christian church on earth. It possesses nearly two thousand
iiiiiyears of unbroken continuity in its thought, teaching, worship and practice. The theology and spirituality
iiiiiof this Church has been worked out across twenty centuries by men and women who lived lives
iiiiidedicated to the will of God, many times dying for their faith. Since the time of Christ and the Apostles,
iiiiithe Orthodox Church's teachings and way of life have been tested and proven to be the cure for our
iiiiihuman failings and the path to true knowledge and of union with God. All teachings and practices are
iiiiicarefully weighed and held up to the light, lives and teachings of Jesus Christ, His Scriptures, and the
iiiiigreat Saints of the Church. Without apology, we carefully guard these truths. In the Orthodox Church
iiiiiyou will find both grace and truth (John 1:17). Accordingly, here you will encounter both obedience and
iiiiifreedom, love and accountability, discipline and mercy, truth and acceptance. For Centuries, we held
iiiiithese things and many more in a delicate balance. Therefore, you will find that Orthodoxy offers a level,
iiiiisolid and steadfast, foundation for your faith and spiritual life.
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Where did the Orthodox Church begin?
iiiiiChrist founded His Church on Pentecost in Acts, Chapter 2 when the Apostle Peter first preached the
iiiiiGospel of Jesus and 3,000 people were baptized. The Orthodox Church traces its leadership and
iiiiipractices back to the apostles and their teachings. The head of the Orthodox Church is Jesus Christ
iiiiialone. (Ephesians 1:22-23) While the Church has leadership in its bishops, there is no single person
iiiiiwho is an "earthly head" of the Church.
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Are there other names for the Orthodox Church?
iiiiiYou have probably heard of the Russian Orthodox Church or of the Greek Orthodox Church. Usually
iiiiitheir country of origin (or their Patriarchate) accounts for the names of the Orthodox churches you see.
iiiiiWe are of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, which traces its roots back to the Apostles Peter and Paul
iiiiiand the church of Antioch where "the disciples were called Christians first." (Acts 11:26)
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This leads one to think of Orthodoxy as a very loosely
organized body. How is the Orthodox Church organized
and how is it held together as one world-wide Church?
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church as a whole is the unity of what are called local autocephalous or autonomous
iiiiichurches. These words mean simply that these churches govern themselves, electing their own
iiiiibishops and organizing their own lives.
iiiiiEach of these churches has exactly the same doctrine, discipline and spiritual practices. They use the
iiiiisame Bible, follow the same canon laws, confess the authority of the same Church Councils and
iiiiiworship by what is essentially the same liturgy.
iiiiiIt is nothing other than this communion in faith and practice which unites all Orthodox Churches
iiiiitogether into one world-wide body. In this sense, there is no one dominating authority in the Orthodox
iiiiiChurch, no particular bishop or See or document which has authority over the churches.
iiiiiIn practice, the Church of Constantinople has functioned for centuries as the church responsible for
iiiiiguiding and preserving the world-wide unity of the family of self-governing Orthodox Churches. But it
iiiiimust be noticed that this responsibility is merely a practical and pastoral one. It carries no sacramental
iiiiior juridical power with it and it is possible that in the future this function may pass to some other church.
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What about all those titles then: patriarch, metropolitan,
archbishop, bishop? What does all this mean?
iiiiiIn Orthodoxy, the bishop is the leading church officer, and all bishops have exactly the same
iiiiisacramental position in guiding the people of God.
iiiiiA bishop of a large and important area of leadership (usually called a diocese) may be called
iiiiiarchbishop or metropolitan. The latter meaning simply the bishop of a chief city, or metropolis.
iiiiiThe patriarch is the bishop of the most important city and diocese in a local church and is normally the
iiiiileading bishop of a country (PATRIA means country). This is especially the case when within the
iiiiiself-governing church of which the patriarch is primate there are other bishops with metropolitan Sees.
iiiiiFor example, in Russia the bishop of Moscow is the patriarch, the bishops of Kiev and St. Petersburg
iiiiiare metropolitans; and there are other archbishops and bishops within the local church.
iiiiiowever, once again, it cannot be over-stressed that all bishops, regardless of their title or the size and
iiiiiimportance of their diocese, are identically equal with regard of their sacramental position. None is
iiiiihigher or greater than the other; none rules over another.
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Speaking about the clergy, what are the clerical offices in the
Orthodox Church and what are their significances?
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church has the three classical Christian offices: bishop, priest (or presbyter), and deacon.
iiiiiThe bishop is the highest office since the bishop is the one responsible to guide the life of the church,
iiiiito guard the faith and to preserve the unity of the churchly body in truth and love. Bishops are
iiiiitraditionally taken from the monks, and by a regulation dating from the 6th Century, must be unmarried.
iiiiiA widowed priest or an unmarried man can be elected to the office of bishop.
iiiiiThe priests (or presbyters) carry on the normal pastoral functions in the Church and lead the local
iiiiiparish communities. They are usually married men. They must be married prior to their ordination and
iiiiiare not allowed to marry once in the priestly state. Single priests or widowers may marry but in this
iiiiicase, they are no longer allowed to function in the ministry.
iiiiiAt the present time, the diaconate in the Church is usually a step to the priesthood, or else it exists
iiiiisolely as a liturgical ministry. The deacon may also be a married man, with the same conditions as
iiiiithose for the married priesthood.
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Your explanation until now makes the Orthodox Church look like a highly clerical body with
strong hierarchal control. What about the layman in the Church? Do they have a role?
iiiiiFirst of all, it has to be understood that all members of the Church are full members, each with his own
iiiiicalling and responsibility.
iiiiiThe clergy are those members who have a special service within the body, and not over it or apart from
iiiiiit. They are chosen from the people and are ordained within the community with the special
iiiiisacramental function to lead and to care for the life of the faithful.
iiiiiThe clergy, however, are in no way infallible. They also have no "personal" rights or powers. Their entire
iiiiiservice is organically carried on in and for the Church. If they fail in their service and prove themselves
iiiiiunworthy, they may be challenged by the lay people and by procedures clearly indicated in church laws
iiiiithey may be removed from their ministry. There are many examples in Orthodox Church history when
iiiiilay people have preserved the Christian Faith in opposition to unworthy hierarchs.
iiiiiAlso it must be seen that there are conciliar bodies on every level of church life in which lay people
iiiiiparticipate. The majority of theologians and teachers in the Orthodox Church, as well as church
iiiiiadministrators and workers of various sorts, are lay people and not clergymen.
iiiiiThus, although the clergy have their own particular function of leadership, and that by sacramental
iiiiigrace and not merely by human choice or selection, the lay people have their functions as well. All,
iiiiihowever, are responsible for the integrity of the Church. This traditional Orthodox position has the
iiiiiofficial confirmation of the famous Encyclical Letter of the Eastern Patriarchs of 1848. In this letter it is
iiiiiclearly expressed that the entire body of the Church is the bearer of the Orthodox Faith and Life, with
iiiiieach member bearing full responsibility before god and men for Christian unity in the Truth and Love of
iiiiiGod. Thus, if we can speak about any infallibility at all, or of any power or authority, it must belong to
iiiiiGod who lives and acts in all of His People, led by the sacramental hierarchy.
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Are you Jewish?
iiiiiNo. We're most definitely Christians.
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Oh, then you're Orthodox Presbyterians!
iiiiiNo. We're neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic.
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Oh, You Mean Like "Eastern Orthodox".
iiiiiYes, except that we as Americans are very much in and of "the West." Ironically it is from the West
iiiiithat "The Eastern Orthodox Church" came to these shores some two hundred years ago through
iiiiiAlaska and California. Since that time Orthodox Christianity has been flourishing in the Americas.
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Is that like "Greek Orthodox" and "Russian Orthodox"?
iiiiiYes, but . . . The Orthodox Church is One Church. Currently, however, Church organization in North
iiiiiAmerica is divided among several different "jurisdictions," or governing bodies of varying national origin
iiiiiwithin the One Church.
iiiiiThe doctrine and worship of each jurisdiction and parish is the same, though in some, languages other
iiiiithan English continues to be used in the services.
iiiiiOrthodox Christianity in a number of ways is quite different from Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
iiiiiThe following questions and answers point out some important points of contrast and similarity.
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I thought there were just two kinds of Christians:
Protestant and Catholic. How can you claim you are neither?
iiiiiFrom the Orthodox point of view, Roman Catholicism is a medieval modification of the original
iiiiiOrthodoxy of the Church in Western Europe, and Protestantism is a later attempt to return to the
iiiiioriginal Faith. To our way of thinking, the Reformation did not go far enough.
iiiiiWe respectfully differ with Roman Catholicism on the questions of papal authority, the nature of the
iiiiiChurch, and a number of other consequent issues. Historically, the Orthodox Church is both
iiiii"pre-Protestant" and "pre-Roman Catholic" in the sense that many modern Roman Catholic
iiiiiteachings were developed much later in Christian history.
iiiiiThe word catholic is a Greek word meaning "having to do with wholeness." We do consider ourselves
iiiii"Catholic" in that sense of the word, that is, as proclaiming and practicing "the Whole Faith." In fact,
iiiiithe full title of our Church is "The Orthodox Catholic Church."
iiiiiWe find that Protestants readily relate to Orthodoxy's emphasis on personal faith and the Scriptures.
iiiiiRoman Catholics easily identify with Orthodoxy's rich liturgical worship and sacramental life. Roman
iiiiiCatholic visitors often comment, "in lots of ways your Liturgy reminds me of our old High Mass."
iiiiiMany of the "polarities" between Protestants and the Roman Communion (i.e., "Word versus
iiiiiSacrament" or "Faith versus Works") have never arisen in the Orthodox Church. We believe Orthodox
iiiiitheology offers the "western" denominations a way in which apparently opposite differences can be
iiiiireconciled.
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Why do you call yourselves "Orthodox"?
iiiiiThe word orthodox was coined by the ancient Christian Fathers of the Church, the name traditionally
iiiiigiven to the Christian writers in the first centuries of Christian history. Orthodox is a combination of two
iiiiiGreek words, orthos and doxa.
iiiiiOrthos means "straight" or "correct." (It is also found in the word "orthopedics," which in the original
iiiiiGreek means "the correct education of children.") Doxa means at one and the same time "glory,"
iiiii"worship" and "doctrine." So the word orthodox signifies both "proper worship" and "correct doctrine."
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church today is identical to the undivided Church in ancient times. The Protestant
iiiiiReformer Martin Luther once remarked that he believed the pure Faith of primitive Christianity is to be
iiiiifound in the Orthodox Church.
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Then you must be a very conservative Church.
iiiiiIn current American usage, the words "conservative" and "liberal" indicate a variety of often-conflicting
iiiiiviewpoints. Usually we don't really fit either category very well.
iiiiiOn seven major occasions during the first millennium of Christianity the leaders of the worldwide
iiiiiChurch, from Britain to Ethiopia, from Spain and Italy to Arabia, met to settle crucial issues of Faith.
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church is highly "conservative" in the sense that we have not added to or subtracted from
iiiiiany of the teachings of those seven Ecumenical Councils. But that very "conservatism" often makes us
iiiii"liberal" in certain questions of civil liberties, social justice and peace. We are very conservative, or
iiiiirather traditional, in our liturgical worship.
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Which do you believe in: the Bible or Tradition?
iiiiiA good short answer to this question is "Yes!" The question implies precisely a kind of polarity (i.e.,
iiiii"Bible versus Tradition") which is not found in the Orthodox Christian worldview.
iiiii"Tradition" or in Greek paradosis, is used very often in the New Testament both as a verb and a noun
iiiii(See I Corinthians 11:23, where literally translating the original Greek, Paul says "for I received of the
iiiiiLord that which I also have traditioned to you . . ." See also I Corinthians 11:2, and II Thessalonians
iiiii2:15 and 3:6).
iiiiiTradition means "that which is handed over." The New Testament carefully distinguishes between
iiiii"traditions of men" and The Tradition, which is the Faith handed over to us by Christ in the Holy Spirit.
iiiiiThat same Faith was believed and practiced several decades before the New Testament Scriptures
iiiiiwere set down in writing and given canonical (i.e., official) status. We experience the Tradition as
iiiiitimeless and ever timely, ancient and ever new.
iiiiiWe distinguish between The Tradition ("with a capital T") which is the Faith/Practice of the Undivided
iiiiiChurch, and traditions ("with a little t") which are local or national customs. Due to changing
iiiiicircumstances, sometimes cherished traditions must be altered or respectfully laid aside for the sake
iiiiiof The Tradition.
iiiiiThe New Testament Scriptures are the primary written witness to the Tradition. Orthodox Christians
iiiiitherefore believe the Bible, as the inspired written Word of God, is the heart of the Tradition. In the New
iiiiiTestament all basic Orthodox doctrine and sacramental practice is either specifically set forth, or
iiiiialluded to as already a practice of the Church in the first century A.D.
iiiiiThe Tradition is witnessed to also by the decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the Nicene
iiiiiCreed, the writings of the Fathers of the Church, by the liturgical worship and iconography of the
iiiiiChurch, and in the lives of the Saints.
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We have not talked much about the Church itself. For example, what about the Bible?
Do the Orthodox use the Bible as other Christians do?
iiiiiFor the Orthodox, the Bible is the book of the Church, written by and for those who believe in God and
iiiiiconstitute His people.
iiiiiThe Four Gospels are the center of the Bible, just as Christ is the center of the Church. For this reason
iiiiithe Four Gospels are always enthroned on the Altar in the Orthodox Church building.
iiiiiThe Orthodox generally interpret the Bible in terms of Christ. In this sense, the Old Testament is partial
iiiiiin that it prepares for the time of Christ the Messiah, who fulfills its message and history.
iiiiiThe New testament writings are also centered around Christ, and tell of His action in the world and in
iiiiithe Church through the Holy Spirit.
iiiiiThus the Orthodox position about the Bible, would be that the New Testament is prefigured in the Old,
iiiiiand the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New.
iiiiiThe Bible is central in the life of the Church and gives both form and content to the Church's liturgical
iiiiiand sacramental worship, just as to its theology and spiritual life. Nothing in the Orthodox Church can
iiiiibe opposed to what is revealed in the Bible. Everything in the Church must be biblical.
iiiiiThe Bible itself, however, not only determines and judges the life of the Church. but is itself judged by
iiiiithe Church since it "comes alive" and receives it proper interpretation and significance only within the
iiiiilife of the Church as actually lived and experienced by the People of God.
iiiiiThis would be the basic Orthodox approach to the Bible. Very sadly however, it must be mentioned
iiiiithat the knowledge of the Bible among Orthodox is not very great. There is a conscious attempt being
iiiiimade today to renew the reading and meditation of the scriptures by the faithful of the Church.
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Are Orthodox Christians "saved"?
iiiiiOrthodox Christians speak of salvation as a three-fold process:
1) We are saved by the power of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection when
we receive the Christian Mystery ("born again") at baptism.
2) We are being saved by the working of the Holy Spirit through prayer, the
Holy Gifts (the Eucharist), and all the Mysteries of Divine healing; and
3) By the mercy of God we shall be saved for Eternal Life at the Partial
Judgement at the moment of our death, being made worthy by the Life-
Giving Word and Holy Tradition.
iiiiiThe Holy Spirit, through the Orthodox Church, teaches that attaining everlasting life (being "saved") is
iiiiia lifelong process and that during our earthly life there is no guarantee that we are saved.
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You talk as if only the Orthodox who believe these things can be saved.
What about other Christians and all other men in the world?
iiiiiIn the first place it must be made clear that it is not enough for anyone merely to believe these things,
iiiiior merely to be a formal member of the Church. In order to be saved one must live by the truth and love
iiiiiof God.
iiiiiIt is the common teaching of the Orthodox Christian Tradition that the Church has no monopoly on
iiiiigrace and truth and love. The Church teaches on the contrary that God is the Sovereign Lord who saves
iiiiithose whom He wills.
iiiiiThe Church believes as well that salvation depends upon the actual life of the person, and God alone is
iiiiicapable of judging since He alone knows the secrets of each mind and heart. Only God is capable of
iiiiijudging how well a man lives according to the measure of grace, faith, understanding, and strength
iiiiigiven to him.
iiiiiThe Orthodox would insist, nevertheless, that an honest seeker of truth and love will see these things
iiiiiperfectly realized and expressed in Jesus Christ and will recognize God, the end of their seeking, in
iiiiiHim.
iiiiiWe all know, however, that our image of Christ is deformed both by the lives and the doctrines of those
iiiiiwho claim Him, and thus His truth and love and His very person remain obscure and hidden to those
iiiiiwho might follow Him if they could see Him clearly.
iiiiiBut once again let it be clear that every man is judged by God alone according to the actual truth and
iiiiilove in his life. This goes for Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. And although the Orthodox confess that
iiiiithe fullness of truth and love is found in the life of the Church, nominal church membership or formal
iiiiiassent to some doctrines does not at all guarantee salvation.
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Do you mean you Orthodox believe your elaborate worship is based on the Bible?
I'd like to know where.
iiiiiThe Christian Church learned to worship in the Jewish Temple and in the Synagogues. Again and again
iiiiithe New Testament tells us that Jesus, Paul and the others worshipped regularly in Jewish houses of
iiiiiworship. (See for instance Luke 4:16; Acts 3:1; Acts 17:1-2.) We know from archaeology, and from
iiiiimodern Jewish practice, that Synagogue worship was and is highly liturgical, i.e., communal,
iiiiiorganized, ceremonial, and done decently and in order (I Corinthians 14:40).
iiiiiThe French Protestant biblical scholar Oscar Cullman demonstrates very convincingly in his little book
iiiiiEarly Christian Worship that when John describes heavenly worship in the book of Revelation, he is
iiiiifollowing the Hebrew custom of portraying Heaven's worship in terms of earthly liturgy. The writers of
iiiiithe Bible thought of earthly worship as a "shadow" or "type" of Heaven's liturgy. (See Isaiah 6, Hebrews
iiiii8:4-6.) In other words, a biblical passage such as the fourth and fifth chapters of the Book of Revelation
iiiiigives us an accurate picture of a very early Christian worship service. That service very much resembles
iiiiimodern Orthodox worship.
iiiiiOrthodox worship is also very Scriptural in the sense that it is a kaleidoscopic mosaic of Scriptural
iiiiiquotations, paraphrases, references, and allusions. It is, quite literally, "to pray the Bible!"
iiiiiApart from the fact that we worship in English, and use modern harmonies with our ancient melodies,
iiiiiour services are basically identical to those of the early Christian Church. For that reason our worship
iiiiisometimes seems a bit "strange" to Protestant and Roman Catholic visitors. We often hear, "Your
iiiiiservices are just beautiful, and the music is outstanding, but they feel somewhat different."
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It sounds as if you are ridgidly bound
by your Traditions. You mean it can't change?
iiiiiThe Tradition as a set of basic principles outlining our worldview is a constant. Its very constancy, however, sometimes will even demand change. As a simple instance of this, by Tradition our worship is to be celebrated in a language understood by the worshipping congregation. This means the Tradition not infrequently requires a change in liturgical language. As another instance, the Tradition also requires constant change in ourselves as, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we grow spiritually and respond ever more fully to the call of God in Jesus Christ..
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Do you have the Virgin Mary, saints, pray for the dead,
and have confession "like the Catholics"?
iiiiiThere are points of contact between Orthodox and Roman Catholic belief on these issues, and modern
iiiiiRoman Catholic practice. There are also significant differences. To discuss them in depth is beyond
iiiiithe scope of this short summary. The following is a brief statement of the Orthodox point of view.
iiiiiWe honor the Virgin Mary as "higher than the Cherubim and more glorious than the Seraphim" because
iiiiishe is the woman who gave birth to Jesus, Who is the Word of God, Who is God, (in Greek,
iiiiiTheotokos). We call her blessed and think of her as the greatest of missionaries, for her unique
iiiiimission was to deliver the Word of God to the world (See Luke 1:43, 48: John 1:1, 14; Galatians 4:4).
iiiiiWe likewise honor the other great men and women in the life and history of the Church - patriarchs,
iiiiiprophets, apostles, preachers, evangelists, martyrs, confessors and ascetics - who committed their
iiiiilives so completely to the Lord, as models of what it means to be fully and deeply Christian. These
iiiiimen and women are called "saints;" a word deriving from the ancient Latin word meaning "holy." For
iiiiiexample, we believe that men like the apostle Paul - in their devotion to Christ - led holy lives and that
iiiiiwe are indeed to be imitators of him, as he was of Christ.
iiiiiWe also believe that in the risen Christ, prayer transcends the barrier between life and death and that
iiiiithose who have gone before us pray for us, as we remember them in our prayers. In Christ, we are one
iiiiifamily (See Hebrews 12:1; II Timothy 1:16-18).
iiiiiAs indicated in John 20:21-23, and James 5:14-16, we practice sacramental confession and absolution
iiiiiof sins. The presbyter (priest) is the sacramental agent of Christ. The priest sacramentally conveys
iiiiiChrist's forgiveness, not his own.
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Does your church practice "Open Communion"?
iiiiiIn the strictest sense the Communion of the Orthodox Church is open to all repentant believers. That
iiiiimeans we are glad to receive new members in the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox concept of
iiiiiCommunion" is totally holistic, and radically different from that of most other Christian groups. We do
iiiiinot separate the idea of "Holy Communion" from "Being in Communion," "Full Communion,"
iiiii"Inter-Communion" and total "Communion in the Faith."
iiiiiIn the Orthodox Church therefore, to receive Holy Communion, or any other Sacrament (Mystery), is
iiiiitaken to be a declaration of total commitment to the Orthodox Faith. While we warmly welcome visitors
iiiiito our services, it is understood that only those communicant members of the Orthodox Church who
iiiiiare prepared by confession and fasting will approach the Holy Mysteries.
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Why do you have all those pictures in your Church?
iiiiiIcons are not pictures in the sense of naturalistic representations. They are rather stylized and symbolic
iiiiiexpressions of divinized humanity (See II Peter 1:4; I John 3:2.). Icons for the Orthodox are sacramental
iiiiisigns of God's Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 12:1). We do not worship icons. Rather, we experience
iiiiiicons as Windows into Heaven. Like the Bible, icons are earthly points of contact with transcendent
iiiiiReality.
iiiiiIn the original Greek of the New Testament Christ is called several times the icon (image) of God the
iiiiiFather (See II Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). Man himself was originally created to
iiiiibe the icon of God (Genesis 1:27).
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Isn't all your old-fashioned doctrine and worship a bit
irrelevant to modern American life?
iiiiiWe believe that God quite literally does exist. He is not a figment of pious fiction or wishful thinking.
iiiiiGod and His will is therefore our "top priority." We believe that the Word of God quite literally became
iiiiiIncarnate as Jesus of Nazareth. We believe the Lord Jesus literally rose from the dead in a real though
iiiiitransfigured and glorified physical body. We believe that life apart from God is hollow and meaningless.
iiiiiWe notice that people today talk often of "meaningfulness," "the meaning of life," meaningful
iiiiirelationships," "the common good," "the good of humanity," "hope for the future of mankind" and so on.
iiiiiAlso, various cults continue to attract many followers in all parts of our land. This indicates to us that
iiiiipeople today are hungry for the answers we believe God has revealed through His Word, Who is Jesus
iiiiiChrist.
iiiiiWe believe ultimate human values are revealed to us by God, and serve as constant guides in the use
iiiiiof our steadily expanding scientific knowledge. We seek to evaluate technological advances in the light
iiiiiof those basic values.
iiiiiIt is our experience that our venerable Liturgy and the ancient Christian doctrines about God and the
iiiiimeaning of human life are just as relevant today as yesterday. These define our basic values. We know
iiiiithe whole ancient Christian Faith as that which makes more sense than anything else in this world of
iiiiiconstant change, confusion and conflict.
iiiiiGod is the Source of all Meaning; we believe that "mankind's noble ideals" such as truth, beauty,
iiiiifreedom and love, are not "merely ideals," but real characteristics of a real Lord.
iiiiiIn and through Christ Jesus, God reveals Himself in human terms and in human terminology as One
iiiiiwho is at the same time Trinity of Persons. The word "person" as used in classical Christian theology
iiiiiis not the singular form of "people;" God is not "Three people." Person here means something similar to
iiiii"I," or "Subject," as in the subject of a sentence. The One God is revealed as having three personal
iiiii"Centers of Being." God is therefore neither alone nor lonely, for the One Lord is also a perfect
iiiiiCommunion of Persons. God as Trinity is the model and source of human inter-personal communion
iiiiiand fellowship.
iiiiiMan was created capable of communion (mystical union) with God. Human matrimony is a favorite
iiiiibiblical image of this communion-relationship. Our capacity for divine communion was soon damaged
iiiiiby human error, stubbornness, and evil (i.e., sin). Because of God's infinite love, our potential for
iiiiicommunion with God has been restored, renewed, and transfigured by Christ Jesus. Christ
iiiiicommunicates His very life to us through His Word and Sacraments. In Christ and the Holy Spirit we
iiiiican and do experience varying degrees of a mystical union with God now in this life, and on a regular
iiiiibasis.
iiiiiWe believe that the purpose of human life is for us to become partakers of the divine nature through the
iiiiigrace of the Holy Spirit, in prayer, sacrament, study of the Word, fasting, self-discipline, and active love
iiiiifor others. All other human projects and purposes, however noble, and important, remain secondary to
iiiiithat, which gives ultimate meaning to human existence.
iiiiiThis brief outline of Orthodox Faith necessarily but touches upon a number of more involved issues. If
iiiiiyou would like to find out more, we would welcome your inquiries.
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What about the Orthodox relation to war? The fact that the Orthodox has
blessed the military seems to contradict your entire position,
not to mention the teaching of Jesus about non-violence.
iiiiiOn the contrary, we hope that the Orthodox position relative to the military supports what we have
iiiiialready discussed.
iiiiiChrist taught that perfection requires the love of enemies and the absolute renunciation of resisting evil
iiiiiby evil. Thus if a man will be perfect he will renounce the relative values of the world totally and will not
iiiiiparticipate in any act which is morally ambiguous. In this way, for example, the Church forbids the
iiiiibearing of arms to its clergy and does not allow a man to continue in the ministry who has shed blood,
iiiiitheoretically even in an accidental way!
iiiiiHowever, the Orthodox church follows Christ and the apostles in teaching that the relative and morally
iiiiiambiguous life of his world requires the existence of some form of human government which has the
iiiiiright and even the duty to "wield the sword" for the punishment of evil.
iiiiiIn the Gospels, for example, we do not find Christ or the Baptist John, or the Apostles commanding the
iiiiisoldiers which they met to cease being soldiers. Even the early Christians bore the arms of the pagan
iiiiiRoman state for the welfare of society in this world.
iiiiiBut still, if a man will be perfect and give his life totally to Christ, he will of necessity renounce military
iiiiiservice which always and of necessity is involved with relativistic values and greater and lesser evils
iiiiiand goods. Such a man will also renounce his possessions and follow Christ totally and in everything.
iiiiiThus total pacifism is not only possible, it is the sign of greatest perfection, the perfection of the
iiiiiKingdom of God. According to the Orthodox understanding, however, pacifism can never be a social or
iiiiipolitical philosophy for this world; although once again, a non-violent means to an end is always to be
iiiiipreferred in every case to a violent means.
iiiiiWhen violence must be used as a lesser evil to prevent greater evils, it can never be blessed as such, it
iiiiimust always be repented of, and it must never be identified with perfect Christian morality.
iiiiiAlso, one final point of great importance is that Christians who are involved in the relativistic life of this
iiiiiworld must resist military subscription when the state is evil. But when doing so they must not yield to
iiiiianarchy, but must submit to whatever punishment is given so that their witness will be fruitful.
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What about such very specific issues as divorce, birth control,
and abortion? What do you have to say about such things?
iiiiiThese important issues all bear upon the appreciation of the family, and generally we can say without
iiiiihesitation that the Orthodox understand the family to be willed by God as a created expression of His
iiiiiown uncreated life. Thus, in principle, the family must be preserved and glorified as something divinely
iiiiiand eternally valuable.
iiiiiRegarding divorce, the Orthodox follow Christ in recognizing it as a tragedy and a lack of fulfillment of
iiiiimarriage as the reflection of divine love in the world. The church teaches the uniqueness of marriage, if
iiiiiit will be perfect, and is opposed to divorce absolutely.
iiiiiIf, however, a marriage breaks down and collapses, the Orthodox Church does in fact allow a second
iiiiimarriage, without ex-communication, that is, exclusion from Holy Communion, if there is repentance
iiiiiand a good chance that the new alliance can be Christian.
iiiiiMore than one marriage in any case, however, is frowned upon. It is not allowed to the clergy, and the
iiiiiservice of second marriage for laymen is a special rite different from the sacrament as originally
iiiiicelebrated.
iiiiiThe control of the conception of a child by any means is also condemned by the Church if it means the
iiiiilack of fulfillment in the family, the hatred of children, the fear of responsibility, the desire of sexual
iiiiipleasure as purely fleshly, lustful satisfaction, etc.
iiiiiAgain, however, married people practicing birth control are not necessarily deprived of Holy Communion,
iiiiiif in conscience before God and with the blessing of their spiritual father, they are convinced that their
iiiiimotives are not entirely unworthy. Here again, however, such a couple cannot pretend to justify
iiiii themselves in the light of the absolute perfection of the Kingdom of God.
iiiiiAs to abortion, the Church very clearly and absolutely condemns it as an act of murder in every case.
iiiiiIf a woman is with child, she must allow it to be born. In regard to all of the very difficult cases, such as
iiiiia young girl being raped or a mother who is certain to die, the consensus of Orthodox opinion would be
iiiiithat a decision for abortion might possibly be made, but that it can be made, but that it can in no way
iiiiibe easily justified as morally righteous, and that persons making such a decision must repent of it and
iiiiicount on the mercy of God. It must be very clear as well that abortion employed for human comfort or
iiiiito stop what a contraceptive method failed to prevent, is strictly considered by the canon laws of the
iiiiiChurch to be a crime equal to murder.
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What you say sounds super-human. Is it really reasonable
to expect the people to do it? Indeed, who can do it?
iiiiiThe question about who can do it was asked a long time ago. St. Peter asked it of Christ when he was
iiiiilistening to His teachings. the answer of Christ was conclusive: "With men these things are impossible.
iiiiiBut with God all things are possible."
iiiiiThis is the point. Christian morality is, strictly speaking, not a human morality designed for the happy
iiiiilife in this world. Christian morality is the morality of perfection. "Be perfect as your Father in heaven is
iiiiiperfect." these are the words of Christ in the Sermon on the Mount.
iiiiiSuch a morality in this world is really open-ended. It is never complete. As a matter of fact, it is the
iiiiiteaching of the Orthodox Church that man's life is never complete even in the kingdom of God. Man will
iiiiialways be "on the way." His very perfection, as one saint put it, is always to grow more perfect.
iiiiiTo be perfect as God is impossible to men. But to move towards this perfection eternally and forever is
iiiiiwithin man's possibilities with the help of God. And this is the life and the moral position to which
iiiiiChristians are called.
iiiiiThe Church is always ready to forgive the sinner, since Christ is the Head of the Church and He has
iiiiicome exactly to save sinners. But while condescending to forgive every sort of sin and weakness and
iiiiinecessity to indulge in relativistic and morally ambiguous actions (such as warfare and politics and
iiiiibirth control . . .), the Church cannot give these actions complete approval and cannot change its
iiiiigospel which proclaims that man is created for the Kingdom of God and divine perfection.
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Can you say something more about the Divine Liturgy?
It is obviously the center of Orthodox life.
iiiiiThe Divine Liturgy is indeed the center of the Orthodox Christian life. As we mentioned, it is the
iiiiisacrament of sacraments, or to use the more traditional Orthodox expression, the "mystery of
iiiiimysteries." The word for "sacrament" among the Orthodox is usually "mystery."
iiiiithe central mystery of the Orthodox faith is the service of Holy Communion, called the Eucharist. As
iiiiiwords, liturgy means "common action" and Eucharist means "thanksgiving."
iiiiiThe first action of the liturgy is the gathering in common. The baptized and confirmed gather in one
iiiiiplace. After the common prayer of the Church called the Great Litany in which petitions are made for
iiiiiall of the essential elements of life, biblical psalms are sung and the Word of God is presented to the
iiiiifaithful. Here the emphasis is on the epistle, the gospel and the sermon.
iiiiiThen follows the offering of the bread and the wine as the offering of ourselves and our world to God in
iiiiiChrist. We ask God to accept us and our gifts (the bread and wine) as we love one another and confess
iiiiithe Orthodox faith, the Nicene Creed which we, or our sponsors for us, proclaimed at our baptism.
iiiiiWe then offer up ourselves and our gifts to God in Christ in remembrance of all that He has done for us:
iiiiithe cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting on the
iiiiiright hand of God the Father, and the second and glorious coming again.
iiiiiWe then call the Holy Spirit "to come upon us and upon our gifts" and to make the body and Blood of
iiiiiChrist and to give us the experience of the Kingdom of Heaven. thus we receive back our gifts of bread
iiiiiand wine as the gift of Holy communion with God the Father through Christ and the Spirit.
iiiiiFinally we depart in peace to bear witness in the world to the Kingdom of God which has been given to
iiiiius, calling all men into this unity with God and each other in Him.
iiiiiThe Orthodox celebrate this Mystery of the Kingdom of God, the Divine liturgy on each Lord's Day as
iiiiiwell as on feasts and special occasions. It is the living experience of what all Christianity, and indeed
iiiiiall of life, is really about.
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Would you agree then that the Liturgy
reveals what Orthodoxy really is?
iiiiiYes, of course, the Liturgy is the central revelation of the Christian mystery, and in it the whole of
iiiiiOrthodoxy is somehow contained, remembered and given to our living experience.
iiiiiAll the icons, the vestments, the candles, the singing . . . everything taken together in harmony and
iiiiiunity serve to disclose just one thing: Man is made for God and finds his identity, fulfillment and
iiiiiperfection in Him.
iiiiiWe speak much today about identity and fulfillment. Who am I? What am I doing in this world. What is
iiiiithe sense of it all? Does it have any meaning?
iiiiiThe Orthodox Church says that the answer to all these crucial questions lies in Christ, His Cross, and
iiiiiHis Resurrection. Through Christ the meaning of myself and the world and everything that exists is
iiiiidisclosed and revealed. Through Christ, the Kingdom of God is opened to men and the possibility for
iiiiimy becoming myself is guaranteed. I become myself only in God. My nature finds its meaning in Him.
iiiiiMy existence, as an image reflecting His divine reality, is secured. My life as an eternal being is
iiiiiestablished.
iiiiiIn this life this means that I must put on Christ and take up His Cross and follow Him. I must suffer for
iiiiitruth and love and goodness. And yet there is joy in this suffering, for obedience to the Word is fulfilled
iiiiiin the Marriage Banquet of the Lamb of God in the Kingdom of God.
iiiiiThis is the Christian Mystery which the liturgy reveals and for which alone, the Orthodox Christian
iiiiiChurch exists in the world.
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Some facts about Orthodoxy
iiiiiIt is the oldest Church in Chistendom.
iiiiiThere are over 300 million Orthodox Christians in the world.
iiiiiMost Christians in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia, Russia, and Ukraine are Orthodox.
iiiiiOver six million Americans are Orthodox Christians.
iiiiiOrthodoxy is the Church of some of history's greatest theologians, scholars, and writers—people like
iiiiiJohn Chrysostom, Jerome, Augustine, Dostoyevsky, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
iiiiiThe heaviest concentrations of Orthodox in America are in Alaska, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New
iiiiiYork, and Ohio.
iiiiiOrganized Orthodox Church life first came to America in 1794 with missionaries from old Russia who
iiiiicame to Alaska.
iiiiiCenturies of vigorous Orthodox missionary activity across 12 times zones in northern Europe and
iiiiiAsia was halted by the Communists after the Soviet Revolution in 1917.
iiiiiIn the Twentieth Century alone, more than 20 million Orthodox Christians have given their lives for their
iiiiifaith, primarily under communism.
iiiiiSo high is the commitment of many Orthodox Christians to Christ and His Church, she has often been
iiiiicalled "the Church of the Martyrs."
iiiiiOrthodox missions are active in Central Africa, Japan, Korea, and many other parts of the world.
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