Orthodox Christian doctrine about human nature—which we call anthropology—teaches that man was created by God to worship Him in communion with Him, made according to His image to attain to His likeness (Gen. 1:26). Each human being is of infinite value, because we bear the indelible stamp of our Creator.

What is Orthodox Christianity?

The Orthodox Christian Church, also called the “Eastern Orthodox,” “Greek Orthodox” Church, or simply “the Orthodox Church,” is the oldest Christian Church in the world, founded by Jesus Christ and with its beginnings chronicled in the New Testament.

Does the Orthodox Church exist in America?

However, in spite of its size, relatively few Americans are aware that it exists. The Orthodox Church has deep and lasting roots in Christian antiquity and is steeped in rich Biblical tradition. It has been the context of Christian living for millions of Christians for almost twenty centuries.

Is Orthodoxy a “niche” religion?

Orthodox Christianity is also not a “niche” religion, suitable only for a certain ethnicity, temperament, age, or social status. Orthodoxy is a timeless, universal and saving way of life.

Is naturalism justified in a Christian worldview?

Naturalism in a the broader sense can make more sense of these properties, but the are most adequately justified in a Christian worldview that gives a personal explanation for moral and mental facts, and the implications of these properties. Post, John F., “Naturalism,” Ed.

Communism as a state ‘religion’

In reality, no Communist government from Pyongyang to Tirana respected religious freedom, or failed to persecute the faithful and expropriate church property. The destruction of the Russian Orthodox Church began at the end of 1917.

Comparing bicycles with elephants

Methodologically the authors approach is off-base in this respect: One must be cautious combining opinion polls results (the World Value Surveys, WVS) with the expert assessment of Transition Progress by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), an analogue of the World Bank for the post-Communist countries.

History bites

The actual experience of the Orthodox Church, especially during the Ottoman period, is very different from the impression Djankov and Nikolova give their readers.

What do Orthodox Christians worship?

Orthodox Christians worship the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit —the Holy Trinity, the one God (Matt. 28:19; II Cor. 13:14; I Peter 1:1-2; Rom. 14:17-18, 15:16, etc.). Following the Holy Scriptures as interpreted by the Holy Fathers of our faith, the Church believes that the Trinity is three divine persons of one essence.

What is the Orthodox faith?

The Orthodox Christian faith is that faith “handed once to the saints” (Jude 3), passed on to the apostles by Jesus Christ, and then handed down from one generation to the next within the Church, without adding anything or taking anything away.

How many members does the Orthodox Church have?

With roughly 250 million members worldwide, Orthodoxy is second in size only to the Roman Catholic Church. However, in spite of its size, relatively few Americans are aware that it exists. The Orthodox Church has deep and lasting roots in Christian antiquity and is steeped in rich Biblical tradition.

What is the oldest Christian church in the world?

The Orthodox Christian Church, also called the “Eastern Orthodox,” “Greek Orthodox” Church, or simply “the Orthodox Church,” is the oldest Christian Church in the world, founded by Jesus Christ and with its beginnings chronicled in the New Testament. All other Christian churches and groups can be traced historically back to it.

Why do we have the opportunity to become by grace?

Because of who He is and of what He did for us, we have the opportunity to become by grace what He is by nature, to the fullness of the stature of Christ (Eph. 4:13). We can put on the divine, becoming partakers of the divine nature (II Pet. 1:4). That’s Who Jesus is and what He came here to do.

How is the Holy Tradition transmitted?

Holy Tradition is transmitted to the Christian from the Apostles of Jesus Christ both by word of mouth and in writing (II Thess. 2:15, 3:6). The Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky famously described Tradition as “the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church.” It is dynamic in its application, but unchanging in its doctrine. It is growing in expression, yet always the same in its essential meaning.

What is the primary statement of what the Church believes about God?

The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is found in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, usually just called the Nicene Creed, which was formulated in AD 325 and 381 at the First and Second Ecumenical Councils.

How many readings are in the liturgy on Great and Holy Saturday?

The Liturgy on Great and Holy Saturday—the day before Holy Pascha—features 15 readings from the Old Testament—in addition to the appointed Epistle and Gospel readings—that span God’s plan of salvation for His People from the moment of creation.

What do Orthodox Christians believe?

In short, we as Orthodox Christians firmly believe in the One Whom the Bible reveals as Lord and Savior—Jesus Christ. While we indeed firmly acknowledge that the Bible is the revealed, written word of God, our belief is centered not on the Bible as such, but on the One Whom it reveals as the only-begotten Son of God, …

What are the first and second antiphons?

Thus, at the outset of the Divine Liturgy, the first and second antiphons consist of the singing of Psalms. The Hymn of the Incarnation—an ancient hymn glorifying Christ as the only-begotten Son and immortal Word of God—contains several direct passages from Scripture.

What is the living word of God?

As such, our faith and belief is in the person of Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, Who is revealed in the written word of God—Holy Scripture. It is often curious for Orthodox Christians to hear that they place “little emphasis” on Scripture, especially when one considers the worship of the Church.

Is the Magnificat in the Bible?

And the entire text of Luke 1:46-55—widely known as the “Magnificat”—is sung at every celebration of Matins, the Church’s morning worship. So, the Bible indeed is central to Orthodox Christians, and widely used in public worship, or “liturgy,” far more than in any other tradition. Yet it is in the One Whom the Bible reveals—Jesus Christ—that our …

What is the most popular religion in the world?

Naturalism , or philosophical naturalism, is one of the most popular religions in the world today, although most people don’t recognize it as such because it has no obvious worship centers, clergy, liturgy, or holy book. It has adherents in every country and dominates many countries, especially among the intellectual elites in the culture.

Where did deists and atheists gain influence?

Many of them gained influential positions in the scientific establishment of Europe and America, where they subtly and effectively promoted naturalistic thinking. Brooke, noted historian of science, comments on the subtle influence of deistic forms of naturalism when he writes:

What is the fifth humanism?

Flowing out of those two starting points, the fifth states, “FIFTH, humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values. . . . Religion must formulate its hopes and plans in the light of the scientific spirit and method.” 5.

What are the beliefs of naturalism?

So what are the beliefs of naturalism? The most fundamental belief from which all others flow is that nature or matter is all that exists. It has always existed or it came into existence from nothing. There is nothing outside or before nature, i.e., the material universe that is studied by modern science. There is no God and no supernatural. Although nature has not always existed in its present form, what we see today is the result of time and chance and the laws of nature working on matter. Miracles are not possible, because they would be a violation of the laws of nature. Non-material things such as hopes, plans, behaviors, languages, logical inferences, etc., exist, but they are the result of and determined by material causes.

What is the definition of religion?

According to the 11th edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, one definition of religion is “the service and worship of God or the supernatural.”. That obviously doesn’t apply to atheism.

When did deistic and atheistic philosophy become widespread?

But the effects of deistic and atheistic philosophy on biblical studies and Christian theology also became widespread on the European continent in the late 18th century and in Britain and America by the middle of the 19th century.

Where did the Enlightenment take place?

The roots of this modern dominance of the naturalistic religion or worldview can be found in the Enlightenment, an intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries in Europe that elevated human reason to the place of supreme authority for determining truth and understanding ultimate reality.

How many Orthodox Christians are there in the world?

While the Orthodox Church boasts 260 million members worldwide, it’s a much smaller portion of the United States. In the 2020 version of the CES, just .6% of all respondents were Orthodox (or about 20 million Americans). That means they are about the same size as Hindus, or Buddhists and just slightly smaller than Muslims who are 1% of the population.

What is the CES question?

The CES asks several questions about a respondent’s view of racial issues that are part of the racial resentment battery. I have included two of them in this analysis because they have been consistently included in the survey over a longer period of time. On both questions, the analysis is incredibly clear: Orthodox Christians have shifted their views of race/racism and most likely as a result of the last several years of protests.

Do Orthodox Christians like to cut the deficit?

It’s pretty clear that Orthodox Christians like plugging the deficit by cutting the budget, not by raising taxes. While a fair number each year like the 50/50 approach, the majority do fall to the right of center on economic issues. And, what’s even more notable, is that the mean response for each year actually moved ever so slightly to the left between 2008 and 2020. In 2008, it was 68, but by 2020 it had shifted to 62. Thus, there’s no evidence here that Orthodox folks have become more conservative on taxing and spending – just the opposite.

Can you click on a photo to make it larger?

All images can be clicked on for a larger/hi-res version.

What is the root of honest compassion and forgiveness?

The ontological understanding is the root of honest compassion and forgiveness as well. Here is a little snippet from Richard Wurmbrand that makes that point I think talking about an Orthodox priest he met in the camps:

What is Orthodox understanding of symbols?

Orthodoxy is not interested in “invented” symbols, as in “let’s let this stand for that.” It discerns symbols – relationships that are true and real in which one thing indwells or coinheres in another.

What is the least appreciated aspect of classical Christian thought?

Among the least appreciated aspects of classical Christian thought is its treatment of time. It is an understanding that is necessitated by the treatment of time within the Scriptures themselves and not by some alien metaphysic. It is Christ Himself who most reveals time in its proper perspective. He is both Beginning and the End (Rev. 1:8). This is not at all the same thing as saying that He will be both at the beginning and at the end. He is the Beginning and the End. This makes Him both Cause and Goal.

What does the Christian model of meaning mean?

The classical Christian model sees meaning as real and generally permanent. It is discerned rather than assigned. Meaning is referential (it has a reference outside itself) and is grounded in eternal relationships and meanings. Christ is the Logos (John 1:1). One translation of Logos is meaning. He is the ultimate meaning of all things (“For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things” Rom 11:36).

What is the relationship between a person and a contract?

Similar to the psychological relationship is the contractual relationship. This describes modern “marriages” – people who have agreed to certain responsibilities and mutual arrangements. But the contract is essentially psychological – it lasts as long as we feel it does – then we can tear up the contract.

What is self existent?

1. Things are self-existent. They require nothing outside of themselves to exist.

Why can we say that the universe has a Christ-shaped shape?

Because the logoi of all things have their ground and origin in the Logos, we can say that the universe has a Christ-shape. We can even say that it has the shape of the Crucified Christ. And so New Testament writers can say that the “Lamb was slain before the Foundation of the World.”

What does it mean when a woman is naked?

When a woman is naked by someone other than her husband she is in danger of causing other men to sin by causing adultery in their hearts. Same is for a man. I prefer to call it pornography.

What does Solomon pray for?

a. Solomon prays to be given "an understanding heart to judge your people, to discern between GOOD AND EVIL. For who is able to judge this your weighty people?" ( I Kings 3:9).

How to be sure you don’t have lustful thoughts?

Actually the only way to be sure that you don’t have lustful thoughts is maybe castration.

What does "I aggree that we should all be modest" mean?

I aggree that we should all be modest, and by that I mean all clothes.

Why do we need clothes in the creation?

Naturally, Man would need clothes for the very practical purpose of protection from the environment.

Should women be covered head to toe?

The inevitable consequence is that women should be completely covered, head to toe, so they won’t cause any men to sin.

Is atonement permanent?

Today, our sacramental covering (atonement) is BAPTISM (water). It is permanent, unlike the animal skins (barring apostasy), which could be removed at any time. The woman has an additional "covering" of subordination, which is her long hair (I Cor.11).

What is the Homoousian doctrine?

The Homoousian doctrine, which characterized Jesus as both God and man with the canons of the 431 Council of Ephesus, won out in the Church and was referred to as orthodoxy in most Christian purposes since this was the understanding of early Christian Church Fathers and was confirmed at the ecumenical councils.

What is the most important season of the Orthodox Church?

Easter is the most meaningful and holy season of the Orthodox Church calendar. Orthodox Easter primarily commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a series of celebrations or movable feasts. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, the spiritual preparations begin with Great Lent, 40 days of introspection and fasting (including Sundays), which starts on Clean Monday and finishes on Lazarus Saturday.

What was the Western Church called after the 1054 Great Schism?

Following the 1054 Great Schism, both the Western Church and Eastern Church continued to consider themselves uniquely orthodox and catholic. Augustine wrote in On True Religion: “Religion is to be sought … only among those who are called Catholic or orthodox Christians, that is, guardians of truth and followers of right.” Over time, the Western Church gradually identified with the "Catholic" label, and people of Western Europe gradually associated the "Orthodox" label with the Eastern Church (in some languages the "Catholic" label is not necessarily identified with the Western Church). This was in note of the fact that both Catholic and Orthodox were in use as ecclesiastical adjectives as early as the 2nd and 4th centuries respectively.

What is Orthodox belief?

Orthodoxy is belief or adherence to traditional or affirmed creeds, notably in religion. In the Christian sense, the term means, …

What is the wisdom of the Fathers of the Church?

The wisdom of the Fathers of the Church is fundamental to the Orthodox way of life as today’s successors of the "true faith and Church" passed on in its most authentic form. By maintaining the virtue of the received teachings of the apostles, followers are more conscious of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit being present both in history and in …

What is the meaning of the word "orthodox"?

In historic Christian use, the word orthodox relates to the collection of doctrines which were accepted by the early Christians. Several ecumenical councils were gathered over a period of several centuries in an attempt to establish these doctrines.

When did the first ecumenical councils start?

The first seven ecumenical councils were between the years of 325 and 787 A.D. with the purpose of establishing accepted doctrines. In historic Christian use, the word orthodox relates to the collection …

How does materialism relate to morality?

Materialism may be able to tell a story about how moral properties supervene on physical properties, but this account cannot capture the irreducible features of morality that we are referring to when we speak of morality. Describing moral entities in terms of causal properties of the physical facts does not mean that the nature of moral facts are physical. Moral facts are unnatural entities in materialism. Supervenience does not explain how real moral facts, which have no physical features, come from unconscious matter. Morality cannot be deduced from the composition of physical structures. Correlation between moral and physical states does not answer the question of why morality arises from physical states at all.

What defenses do materialists offer?

Many materialists offer a defense for morality and mind in terms of functionalist and supervenience theses, which are part of a monist account of ontology. (Though these are not the only strategies to defend morality and mind in materialism, they are very common and I will restrict my critique to these.)

What is the primary way that materialism describes morality?

The primary way that materialism describes morality is in terms of functionalism. A functionalist theory of moral value describes moral facts as facts about human well-being and flourishing. Supervenience is a way of accounting for the existence of moral properties in a monistic universe.

What is the role of functionalism in moral realism?

Functionalism is a causal role in which a mental state plays a role in the activities which are characteristic of the person as a whole. According to functionalism, moral facts are just like other scientific facts that have natural explanations based on physical laws. Basically, morality is a matter of inputs and outputs that perform a certain function, that in the case of morality brings about human flourishing and well-being.

What is morality in science?

Basically, morality is a matter of inputs and outputs that perform a certain function, that in the case of morality brings about human flourishing and well-being.

Why should we accept the causal identification of moral and physical categories?

Materialism has no persuasive reasons why we should accept the causal identification of moral and physical categories except that it is stipulated in a materialist worldview. It attempts to stretch the categories of the physical world to encompass any facts we find in the world, but materialism will not accommodate ontologically unique facts. Moral facts resist this reduction.

What is James Sire’s characterization of naturalism?

1 Though naturalism can be characterized in broader term, which I will address briefly later in this paper, Sire’s characterization is really of materialism. Ontological or metaphysical naturalism is …