What is the Orthodox Church

What is the Orthodox
Church?

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"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the
foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. "
(1 Corinthians 3:10)
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   The Orthodox Church is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by Jesus
Christ and His apostles. It is organically and historically the same Church that came fully
into being at Pentecost (Acts 2). Today, the Orthodox constitute the second largest Christian
body in the world. Some 200 million people identify themselves as "Orthodox," most of
whom live in Russia, Greece, Romania and other eastern European countries, as well as
throughout the Middle East. Approximately 4 million Orthodox live in the United States,
concentrated primarily in the Northeast, Midwest and California.

       Orthodox parishes tend to be identified and organized according to the language in
which services are celebrated and the national identity of parishioners. Thus they have come
to be known as "Greek Orthodox," "Russian Orthodox," "Latin Orthodox" etc.


   Orthodox Christians accept the Bible as the Word of God and the ground of their faith
and practice. The Bible took shape within Holy Tradition: the oral and written "memory"
of Israel and the early Church. To Jesus and the apostles, Holy Scripture consisted of what
we call the Old Testament: the Law, the Prophets and the Wisdom writings of the ancient
Jewish people. The New Testament writings came to be recognized as "canonical"
(authoritative and normative) over several centuries. They, like the Old Testament books,
were composed on the basis of Tradition.

   Orthodox faith is expressed most succinctly by the Nicene Creed, composed by
theologians who met at the first two (of seven) great Ecumenical Councils held in 325 and
381. Slightly different from the later Apostle's Creed, the Nicene confession is essentially
"trinitarian. " It declares God to be the Father and Creator of all things. It stresses the true
"incarnation" of the eternal Son of God, Who was "incarnate of the Holy Spirit AND the
Virgin Mary, and became man; Who died and rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and
will come again to judge both the living and the dead". It confesses the Holy Spirit to be
equal in nature and honor with the Father and the Son, to "proceed" eternally from the
Father, and to be the inspirational power behind God's self-revelation. The Creed concludes
with affirmations of faith in the One, Holy, Catholic (universal), and Apostolic Church, in
a single baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and in the resurrection of believers to eternal life.

   The major focus of Orthodox worship is adoration of God and communion with Him.
The Church's faith is expressed in its liturgical prayer. Individual services derive from
ancient Jewish services, taken over by early Christians and reshaped in the light of Christ
and His resurrection. The "liturgical day" begins in the evening (see Genesis 1, "an evening
and a morning, the first day"!) with celebration of Vespers. This is followed by Compline
and the midnight office of Nocturn. Around daybreak, Matins is served, and this is
followed by the First, Third, Sixth and Ninth Hours. On feast days, monastic communities,
cathedrals and most parish churches celebrate the Divine Liturgy or eucharist service, as all
Orthodox communities do on Sunday mornings.

   The Divine Liturgy may be considered to be the very heart of Orthodox life and faith. It
unites us with other Orthodox believers throughout the world in a common celebration of
the gift of Life offered to us by Christ's death and resurrection, by which the powers of sin
and death are overcome. The Liturgy also unites us with the whole of the "communion of
saints" -- the departed martyrs, holy fathers and mothers of past ages -- who join with us and
the heavenly host in glorifying God and receiving from Him the Bread of Life.

   Orthodox Christians are often asked if they observe the "seven sacraments" (eucharist,
baptism, chrismation, confession, marriage, ordination, unction). While these are all
sacraments in Orthodoxy, it is important to remember that all of life is given to us in order
that it might become "sacramental. " Through prayer, participation in the liturgical
services, ascetic struggle against our passions or sinful inclinations, and by gestures of loving
self-sacrifice, we enter ever more deeply into communion with the God of love.

   The beauty and richness of Orthodox liturgical services serve to draw the faithful into a
living experience of the triune God, to unite them in faith and love with one another and
with the saints of all ages, and to bless their lives with a profound sense of God's merciful,
compassionate presence in their midst. Although Holy Communion can only be offered to
Orthodox Christians who are prepared to receive it, we invite you most cordially to join
with us in our services of worship, to celebrate and glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

   What is Orthodox Christianity? In Jesus' own words, we invite you to "Come and see!"