Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is also referred to by other appellations:

• The Orthodox Christian Church
• The Church of the Seven Councils
• The Apostolic Church
• The Ancient Christian Church.
• The Church Ecumenical

Traditionally and formally the Orthodox Church refers to itself as the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" (Ware, p. 307).

The Orthodox Church is distinguished from the Western Christian Churches which are primarily the Roman Catholic, Protestant and non-denominational churches.

The primary foundation of the western churches lies in the common background of the Papal centralisation and Scholasticism of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. The Orthodox Church did not experience a Reformation or a Counter-Reformation (Ware p. 1).

The Orthodox Churches embrace the same basic dogma (axiomatic beliefs) of the Western Churches embodied in the Nicene Creed (referred to as the Symbol of the Faith) with the exception of the Filioque. The Orthodox Church also stipulates regional jurisdictions and a college of the Bishops in contradiction to the Papal claims of ultimate arbitration (supreme authority) and inerrancy.

Canonicity

A key term in The Church of the Seven Councils is “Canonical.” The Canons of the Seven Ecumenical Councils established basic beliefs and administrative guidelines. Adherence to these ancient canons is the foundation of a church’s canonical status and thus its interaction with other Orthodox Churches, a state referred to as “in communion.” Canonical churches are “in communion” with each other. Those that are not canonical are removed from the list of those in communion. Adherence to the Seven and only the Seven Ecumenical Councils is another distinguishing character of the Orthodox Catholic Church. The Roman Church convened numerous other councils in which the other churches did not participate or vote

Patriarchates, Autocephalous and Autonomous Jurisdictions

The primary divisions in the Eastern Orthodox Church are administrative and not theological. They are comprised of geophysical, national and often linguistic differences. The Ancient Church acknowledged and constructed jurisdictions around ancient Roman districts and countries from which the current regions have evolved.

Ancient Patriarchates

As of the 21st century the four ancient patriarchates still exist intact (Ware pp. 127, 133 & 134).

• The Patriarchate of Constantinople. Also known as the Ecumenical patriarchate, this Patriarchate is the legal leader in a number areas of the Church of the Seven Councils in that it can consecrate bishops and establish monasteries in other canonical districts.
• The Patriarchate of Alexandria
• The Patriarchate of Antioch
• The Patriarchate of Jerusalem

The Roman Patriarchate, which technically still exists in the Pope and the Vatican, does not envisage itself as a patriarchate and thus an equal with the other ancient patriarchates. This is one of the major divergence principles and dates to the 11th century during the Great Schism.

The jurisdictional regions also include other autocephalous and autonomous divisions. An autocephalous church may appoint their own metropolitan (archbishop) and is self-governing. Some of them are designated Patriarchates. An autonomous church receives a metropolitan or bishop that is consecrated (and thus appointed) by another jurisdiction but is largely self-governing otherwise.

Other Patriarchates

• Armenia: Also known as Armenian Apostolic Church or the Armenian Orthodox Church is no longer in communion with the canonical churches. Armenia separated from the Eastern Orthodox Church in AD 506, after the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451).
• Bulgaria: Bulgaria’s autocephaly has been recognised more than once due to political and military upheavals which extinguished or exiled members of the church on various occasions. Autocephaly dates first to 927 A.D. (declared in 919 in Bulgaria and recognised later by the Ecumenical Patriarchate) and was reinstated twice thereafter in 1235 and 1945 following WWII.
• Georgia: the Georgian church was originally part of the territory of the Patriarchate of Antioch. The church was granted autocephaly by the Patriarch of Antioch in 466. The Georgian Orthodox Church lost its autocephalous status in 1811 when it was subsumed by the Russian Synod. It regained its autocephalous status in 1943 by the Russian Orthodox Church and was recognised again in 1989 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
• Russia: Autocephaly recognised in 1589 by Ecumenical Patriarchate
• Serbia: Serbia’s autocephalous stature dates from mid 14th century, was briefly lost and restored in the mid 16th century
• Romania: Although Romania’s Orthodox Church dates from the 1st century, it was only recognised as autocephalous in 1885 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Autocephalous and autonomous churches without Patriarchate status

• The Church of Sinai. The Church is centered around St Catherine’s Monastery on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. The original construction was a chapel denoting the site of Moses’ encounter with God, the Burning Bush, built by Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine I. The Monastery was built by Emperor Justinian I during the period 527-565 A.D. The Church of Sinai is autonomous and its Archbishop is consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem (Ware. p. 135).
• The Church of Cyprus. Autocephalous since the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.) (Ware, p. 136)
• The Church of Greece; Autocephaly recognised in 1850 by Ecumenical Patriarchate (Ware. p. 136).
• Poland: Poland’s autocephaly was recognised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1924.
• Albania: Recognised autocephalous in 1937 by Ecumenical Patriarch.
• Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands: Autocephaly recognised in 1998 by Ecumenical Patriarchate
• Orthodox Church in Slovakia: Autocephaly recognised in 1998 by Ecumenical Patriarchate
• Orthodox Church in America: Formerly known as the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America, The OCA was granted autocephalous status by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1970 and as yet has not be recognised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
• The Church of Japan: The Church’s autonomy was recognised in 1970 at the same time the Patriarchate recognised the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in America. Its primate (Bishop) is consecrated by the Russian Patriarchate.
• The Church of China: The Church has a mission in Hong Kong whose Metropolitan is appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
• The Church of Finland: Autonomous status was granted by Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1923.
• Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church: The Estonian Church was granted autonomy by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1921 and again in 1996
• Orthodox Church of Ukraine: Autonomy recognised by the Russian Patriarchate in 1990. There are three churches in the Ukraine, Church of Ukraine (Moscow Patriarchate) (UOC-MP) (which is in communion with the Orthodox Church) and the Church of Ukraine (Kiev Patriarchate) (UOC-KP), Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) neither of which are in communion with the mainstream Orthodox Churches.

Nicaene Creed

The Nicaene Creed (also referred to as the Nicene-Constantinople Creed) embodies the fundamental beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men, and for our salvation, came down from the heavens, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became man; and was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; and suffered, and was buried; and arose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into the heavens, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; and shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; Who procedeeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spake by the prophets. In One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins; I look for the resurrection of the dead, And the life of the age to come. Amen.

The Creed is sung or read at every celebration of the Eucharist and twice daily at Midnight Office and Compline. The Nicene Creed, unlke the Apostles Creed or the Athanasian Creed, is the only creed proclaimed by an Ecumenical Council and thus the only creed vested with the authority of the Orthodox Church. The Apostles Creed is an ancient statement of faith whose use as a Baptismal Creed and inherent teaching is respected by the Orthodox Church but it is never used in Orthodox Service. The Athanasian Creed is also not used in Orthodox worship services but is occasionally printed out in the Book of Hours (Horologian) without the Filioque

Filioque

The Filioque represents one of the two greatest differences of opinion between the Orthodox Christian Church and the Roman Catholic Church and arguably led to the Great Schism of 1054. The opinions expressed today by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church demonstrate this explicitly in their language which is often couched in the strongest terms. The dispute is also founded upon yet another principle that the Eastern Orthodox Church rejects, the Primacy of the Roman Catholic Pope (the ultimate authority of what the Eastern Churches often refer to as the Latin Church).

The Filioque simply put is a dogma in which the Holy Spirit originates from the Father and the Son. Its canonicity is disputed on the basis that it was not a term used in the original creed of Nicea nor subsequent amendments in the Seven Councils.

In the 589 A. D. the Synod of Spain at the Third Council of Toledo added the phrase “Credo in Spiritum Sanctum qui ex patre filioque procedit ("I believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and Son") in the Nicene Creed. “Filioque” stipulates that the Spirit proceeds from the son as in “and from the Son.” In the clause “And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.” this reads “And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.”

The Eastern Orthodox Church recognises only the canons of the Seven Councils while the Roman Catholic Church stipulates canons added after the last of the Seven Councils, notably, in the case of the Filioque, at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), the Second Council of Lyons (1274), and the Council of Florence (1438-1445). This last council was declared fully ecumenical by the Latin Church in that the Eastern Orthodox Church had sent representatives. At the time the Greek Empire (Constantinople) was attempting to enrol allies in their conflict with the Ottoman Turks. To this day Roman Catholic sources insist that a reunification of the ancient patriarchates was effected at the Council of Florence Meanwhile, Orthodox sources emphatically insist this was never accomplished.

Apostolic Succession

The Orthodox Christian Church adheres to the concept of Apostolic Succession. The basic premise of this concept is that the Eastern Orthodox Church hierarchy has a historical heritage of ordination descended directly from the original Apostles. This implies three essential components: a body of beliefs handed down directly from the first followers of Jesus, the Twelve Disciples, (a concept claimed by many other Christian churches who may or may not incorporate the term “Apostolic” in their own title and tend to interpret this in numerous ways); an actual physical succession of ordination of the church hierarchy unlike other churches with the exception of the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church  ; and a spiritual lineage. This line of succession therefore dates to the original twelve Disciples without break over a period of nearly 2000 years.

The primary reference for the Apostolic Succession is found in the New Testament, Matthew 16:13-19. In response to his disciple Peter who states, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus says, “Blessed are you, Simon bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, there are a number of important concepts that are derived from this passage.;

• Jesus clearly states the intention to form a corporate Body, the Church, corporate in the sense that it has a physical form. The believers who hold to the belief stated by Peter are not to be disassociated, disconnected individuals. Believers are to be members of this Church and theirs is a shared faith.
• Peter is a rock upon which the church will be built, metaphorically, the essence of the foundation, Peter, the first stone of the Church’s foundation. St. Paul, in the Letter to the Ephesians (2:20) elaborates on this by saying, “the church has been built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Jesus Himself being the chief cornerstone.” In the Gospel of John, (21:15-23) Jesus also states Peter’s mission (“Feed my sheep”) and he gives Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven, again with the authority to bind on earth what is bound in heaven. While this authority is given to Peter first, it is also given to the other Apostles (John 20:20-23).
• The Rock upon which the Church is built is in fact faith embodied in Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This refers to the statement that the Orthodox perception is that the Christ Himself, the Truth, is the One upon who the Church is built.

These points are contested by the Roman Catholic Church who believe that Peter is the one and only Rock and therefore authority for God rests with his direct successors in Rome. It also diverges from Protestants and non-denominational Christian’s beliefs which hold that the concept of succession is to all Christians and is wholly spiritual or even metaphorical in that there is no actual physical succession handed down through an elect church hierarchy and therefore, there is no unified corporate body of the Church. There are many interpretations integral to other creeds and denominations which diverged from the original Orthodox doctrine sometime after it was established in the early part of the first millenia A.D.

A paramount premise of Apostolic Succession is that the Christ is the Truth Incarnate, or God made flesh. The concept of Jesus as God and Man is a integral part of the Nicaene Creed and as such is axiomatic in the Ancient Christian Church. Truth, seen from this perspective is not a body of ideas or a proposition but a physical manifestation, the Christ.

The premise of Apostolic Succession also places the authority of church in the priests and bishops who are the teachers fulfilling the sacramental office as the officers of the first true believer, Peter the Disciple.

Apostolic Commission

The Commission inherent in the Apostolic Succession is, simply put, a directive issued by the Christ to the original disciples, sending the out into the world as he had been sent by God the Father. The implications for the role and authority and the responsibility of the Orthodox Clergy are stated in the Book of John Chapter 20, verses 21-23. The Disciples are to “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”

The Seven Ecumenical Councils

The doctrines of the Eastern Orthodox Church were estabished in seven different ecumencial councils in the first millenium. These doctrinal definitions are, in the eyes of the Orthodox Church, infallible statements of faith and constitute "an abiding and irrevocable authority".