The Eastern Orthodox Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost in 33 A.D. The formal name of the Church is The One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. This phrase shares with us the nature of the Church as the Body of Christ.
- One - means that the Church is one because God is one. "There is one body and one spirit...one hope....one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." (Ephesians 4:4-6).
- Holy - The Church is holy because our Lord made her so. "Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of the water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy without blemish." (Ephesians 5:25-27).
- Catholic - The Church is Catholic, literally meaning "concerning the whole", because the wholeness of the faith of Christ has been preserved within the Orthodox Church, that which has been passed down from Christ to the Apostles. This is the same "Faith which was once delivered to the Saints." (Jude 1:3). This should not be confused with "Roman Catholic" - communion between the Pope of Rome and the Orthodox Church was broken in the 11th century.
- Finally, the Church is Apostolic as it teaches what the Apostles taught and it traces her existence directly to the Apostles via a direct lineage of bishops.
The Church (or 'Ecclesia' in the original Greek) is more than just a building or institution. Ultimately, the Church is the sum total of the practices, methods, sacred writings, testimony, and teachings of Christ, the Apostles, and the Saints on how to know God, of which the organizational structure is but a part. The Church is seen as a spiritual hospital with the treatments and cure of humanity's spiritual ailments that obtruct our communion with God.
THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST
THE HOLY TRINITY
The Orthodox Church confesses that God exists in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These Persons are distinct but are of one Divine essence and are undivided.
Even though the word Trinity is not found in the Scriptures, we see many references to its presence. For example, at the Baptism of our Lord, the Holy Trinity was made manifest through the voice of the Father, the presence of Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove (see Matthew 3:16).
Our Lord in the Great Commission, prior to His Ascension, gave the command, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19).
The Holy Trinity plays an active role in the Life of the Church. One will hear countless times the invocation of the Trinity as a form of supplication, adoration, confession, and praise.
WORSHIP IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
The central focus of worship in the Orthodox Church is found in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
The word liturgy means a common action - thus, we have a common action which all, priest and laity offer unto God. We use the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which dates back to the late 4th century, for most of the year. During other appointed times the Church uses the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.
The entire focus of the Divine Liturgy is centered around the celebration of the Eucharist - the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the life-giving Holy Spirit, the common elements of bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. It is through the partaking of Holy Communion that we are joined together with the Savior Jesus Christ. For our Lord said, "For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him." (John 6:55-56).
HOLY MYSTERIES (SACRAMENTS)
The Mysteries of the Church (also known as 'sacraments' in common usage) are divine rites instituted by Jesus Christ where we experience personal encounters with our Lord. Through these Mysteries, God shares with us His Life and Divine Grace, redeems us from the curse of sin and inaugurates us into His Kingdom. They are the tools for living the Christian life.
The primary Mysteries of the Church are: Baptism, Chrismation, Communion, Repentance (or Confession), Ordination, Marriage, and Unction.
THE CHURCH STRUCTURE
Every Orthodox Church is divided into three sections: the Narthex, Nave, and Altar. The Narthex is the lobby of the Church. It is an area where the worshipper comes and refocuses from the natural world to the spiritual world. Upon entering into the Narthex, the Orthodox Christian lights a candle and offers a prayer that Christ will illumine the path on which we should follow. Then after venerating the icons, the Christian enters into the Nave. The Nave is the large area where the faithful gather for worship. And finally, the Sanctuary or Altar area which is reserved for the clergy, is where the priest conducts the Divine Liturgy and other services of the Church.
THE ICONS
The Icons play a significant role in the life of the Orthodox Church. The Icons are the Scriptures in living color displaying the acts and the life of Jesus Christ. They also portray the men and women who gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel, or by their lives have proved to be well-pleasing to our Lord. Just as we have portraits and paintings of our loved ones, the Icons display the loved ones of the Church.
There have been times when the Icons have been controversial. People called iconoclasts, or "icon breakers", have tried to destroy Icons because they believed them to be idolatrous. Orthodox Christians, on the other hand, insist that because God has Incarnated into the man Jesus - making the invisible visible - it is lawful to make an image of Him. It should also be pointed out that we do not worship the icons, as this is due to God alone, but rather we venerate (or honor) them. More specifically, we venerate the person or event that the icon depicts.
HOLY SCRIPTURE
Holy Scripture is the inspired Word of God and the written record of His revelation. As such the Scriptures are the primary source of worship, inspiration, history and authority in the Church. The Old Testament relates the manner in which God prepared the world for the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. The New Testament completes God's revelation by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord, God, and Savior. Holy Scripture is the foremost product of Holy Tradition.
HOLY TRADITION
That which is passed on or given over within the Church - the unwritten record of God's revelation - from the time of Jesus Christ to the present, is known as Holy Tradition. Holy Tradition is the ongoing life of God's people, and is a living link by which Orthodox Christians of all ages are united together in a common Faith and Life. "Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle."(2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Elements of Holy Tradition include our prayers, our Divine Liturgy, the Nicene Creed, the Councils of the Church, the writing of our Church Fathers, the lives of the Saints, and the Church's artistic and musical expressions.
SALVATION
Salvation in the Orthodox Church is ultimately and objectively obtained through the the Incarnation, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through our baptism we experience the saving grace of God, and our Christian journey begins. Our personal salvation, on the other hand, involves a daily process of growth through the repentance of our sins and the cognizant walk with Jesus Christ, with the eventual goal "to become partakers of the Divine Nature" (2 Peter 1:4) - meaning to reach a deeply personal communion and union with God and become by grace what God is by nature. Salvation is neither a one time experience, nor is it permanent for those who neglect it. St. Paul reminds us: "To work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). The whole emphasis of the Orthodox way of life is on "putting on Christ" and receiving the Holy Spirit through the Sacraments, prayer, and ascetic practices such as fasting, vigils, and almsgiving.