Orthodoxy (1)

05 June 2000 17:37

The following is taken, largely, from information provided to teachers for multi-faith educational purposes. The content is written by Orthodox contributors. The aim of this and subsequent mailings is to offer an awareness of Orthodox tradition and practice.

WHAT IS THE ORTHODOX CHURCH?

The Orthodox Church, often called Eastern Orthodox, because of its geography and history was founded in the Middle East, from where it soon spread. Today, it is mainly made up of people with a Greek or Slav background. It is not one single Church under one leader, like the Roman Catholic Church, but a group of independent national Churches: Greek, Cypriot, Russian, Serbian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Arab etc. which are in agreement in doctrine, have the same forms of worship and are in communion with one another.

Orthodox communities are often outposts of these national churches, so there can be a strong cultural element to church life. That is especially noticeable in the services, where the style of singing and the language used varies with each ethnic group.

Apart from language and music, various national customs have become part of Orthodox church life. They should not be confused with Tradition, which will be explained later.

WHAT DOES THE WORD “ORTHODOX” MEAN?

“Orthodox” comes from two Greek words, the first meaning “right” and the second meaning both “belief” and “worship”. So it means “right belief” and “right worship” – the two meanings are intertwined because the words of Orthodox worship express Orthodox faith, and people express their faith in worship. The services were laid down centuries ago, at the time when Church doctrine was being formulated, and have not been modernised or altered as has happened in some denominations.

SOME DIFFERENCES FROM WESTERN CHRISTIANITY

Orthodox Christians hold the major beliefs of their faith in common with all Christians. The Church’s faith is clearly set out in the NICENE CREED.

This creed is the common profession of faith of Christianity. It is also used in the Western Churches, but with one major difference. The words “and the Son” (in Latin “filioque”) are added after “the Holy Ghost …. who proceedeth from the Father. Whereas the Nicene Creed was drawn up by a Council of bishops (in the fourth century), and therefore had the authority of the whole Church, as well as the authority of Scripture (for instance, “proceeding from the Father” is a quotation from John 15:26), the addition had no such authority. It also altered the balance of the Trinity, making the Spirit subordinate to both Father and Son. So it was not accepted by the Orthodox Church.

That is one of the theological differences from the Western Churches. Orthodoxy also has certain differences in attitude: towards the Creed itself, which it insists on taking literally, rejecting the modern trend of “demythologising” the Creed or Scripture; towards theology (seeing it not as an academic study but as a knowledge of God obtained through prayer and then shared with others); towards the material and spiritual, seeing them not as opposed but as a wholeness, as man is one whole being of body and soul.

There is no equivalent to the Pope – no “infallible man” at the top. Orthodoxy is a family of independent churches (something akin to the worldwide Anglican Communion in structure).

The Orthodox have married parish clergy (though bishops are always monks). Orthodoxy has a less ‘legalistic’ attitude to faith and church life. There is, for example, no obligation to attend services each Sunday. The Orthodox tradition does not have juridical ‘requirements’. There is no codified Canon Law. Orthodox feel that legal minima do not sit well with that which should be a love affair.

Divorce, and remarriage in church are allowed. An Orthodox bishop would tell you that Our Lord’s example of personal celibacy is the ideal marital state. No re-marriage after the death of the spouse is the second best. Re-marriage after the death of the spouse for the sake of the children, is the third best, and so on acccording to a gradation process known as ‘Economia’. This is in contrast to the rather black and white rulings of the West which are tempered by annulments where canon lawyers argue the absence of a true marriage in the first place, despite the frequent evidence of early love and many children.

Baptism is by total three-fold immersion followed immediately by Chrismation (anointing) and Communion is given to all baptised Orthodox, including infants and children.

(to be continued)