World Religions>>Orthodox Christianity -Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts
The Christian world can be divided into 3 main branches: Catholics, Protestants, and the Orthodox. This 3rd stream has been described as an “unknown world.” It is foreign and mysterious to most American Christians, yet it represents a major segment of our faith. For many of us, all we know of the Orthodox Church is the hit movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”
There are about 4 million Orthodox Christians in the US, with ties to churches in Greece, Russia, Armenia, Syria, Poland, Romania, Egypt, and the Ukraine. There are about 150 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. Because of where most of them are located, you’ll often hear them referred to as “Eastern Orthodox”.
The separation of Eastern European Christianity from Roman Catholicism came about over a rejection of Papal authority. Prior to this schism, (well before the Protestant Reformation) the Eastern Church had co-existed with the Roman Catholic Church as the principle expression of historic Christianity. The Crusader invasion of Constantinople, the growing power of the Pope, the issue of celibacy (Orthodox priest are allowed to be married) and conflict over which language should be used in worship were main points of contention that eventually resulted in division. The Eastern Church then subdivided into ethnic/national expressions.
Many of the important early church councils (on doctrinal issues) convened in the East. Christian monasticism and religious art began in the East. The term “orthodox” means “glorious teaching”, or “teaching about the One to whom glory is given”. Some Protestants and Jews use this term to describe their adherence to the historical truths of their faith. One of our CCCC churches in nearby Gloucester is the “Orthodox Congregational Church of Lanesville.” There, “orthodox” is used as a synonym for Conservative, a way of saying that they have remained true to the teaching and authority of the Bible.
Upon entering an Orthodox service, the first thing one may notice is that there’s no place to sit. In spite of the fact that Orthodox worship can often last for several hours, worshippers are expected to stand. The Orthodox calendar differs slightly with the Western Church, which is why, for example they celebrate Easter somewhat later than us (my former Battalion Commander who was Greek Orthodox was pleased when I wished him a Happy Easter a few weeks after mine). The church architecture, the dim lighting and the incense add to the exotic sense of wonder. The formal liturgy is chanted and sung--music is extremely important to convey God’s truth and majesty. Russian composers Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky both wrote sacred music for Orthodox worship.
Art is very important in the Orthodox Church. We’re somewhat familiar with icons, the pictures Orthodox Christians display in their worship. We may wonder if they venerate these images. The Orthodox Church regards icons as tangible expressions of Gospel truth. They are a source of revelation, or “theology in color.” They provide a way of “showing” people the message of Christ. I was presented with an icon in Hungary as a farewell gift from the chaplains I supervised, depicting the Nativity. When the Apostle Paul tells us that we bear the “image” of Christ, he uses the Greek word ikon:
o “Clothe yourself with the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image (ikon) of your Creator” (Col 3:10).
o “Just as we are not like Adam, the man of the earth, so we shall bear the image (ikon) of Christ, the man from heaven” (I Cor 15:49).
Like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church venerates saints from the Bible and from church history. Every day of the calendar is dedicated to a particular saint. While they do not worship these people, they’ve created, in essence, a holy “hall of fame”. Protestants to a lesser degree give honor to significant leaders like Calvin, Luther, Knox, Moody, Wesley, Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon, to name a few. By perpetuating their memory we learn from their teaching and example. The Orthodox Church seeks to help their followers to attain a historical appreciation of their faith. Protestants could well do a better job of teaching the history of Christianity. Many church-goers know little of what’s happened in the Church since the days of the Apostles.
The Orthodox Church puts a strong emphasis on “holy tradition”. They are not seeking to update the church to accommodate contemporary styles of worship; they rather are striving to keep the focus locked into the ancient ways. While this may alienate some, their goal is to be faithful to history. Protestants place less emphasis on tradition; we try to live as Biblical Christians in modern times. The Bible does not dictate an “order of worship” so we feel free to conduct worship in a variety of ways, with degrees of formal or inform expression. We’re also reminded of Paul’s warning in Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than Christ” (2:8). The only Apostolic tradition we follow is what we find in the Bible, our sole authority. We are not anti-tradition, yet neither do we elevate tradition to the status of Scripture.
As for church structure, each national Orthodox church has its own Patriarch (or Metropolitan), who serves as a member of the Ecumenical Council in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey). There is no central figure with authority to speak for the entire Church, although the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Alexandria and Antioch are regarded with special honor and respect. The council is a family of self-governing churches bound by history, tradition, and faith.
Some Orthodox writers claim their Church embodies the only true Apostolic faith. Critics of Orthodoxy label this view “triumphalism”, meaning an exclusive, narrow-minded view of Christianity. The Orthodox Church claims an unbroken succession with the NT apostolic church fathers. Ecumenism isn’t easy for everyone. Protestant Fundamentalists have an equally difficult time seeing people from other expressions of Christianity as part of their spiritual family. For example, “Landmark” Baptists also claim an unbroken succession all the way back to John the Baptist (Trail of Blood), and thus see themselves as the only legitimate church. While Congregationalism’s historic roots only go to Plymouth, we believe we have a spiritual connection to the NT church (as well as a spiritual link to Abraham and Judaism, Galatians 3:7, 29). The late George Florovsky, an Orthodox refugee from Communism and Nazism, was known for having a large circle of fellowship, one that included Catholics and Protestants. His reason, he stated, was that, “The Christian is never a stranger where our blessed Lord is loved and worshipped.”
The Orthodox view of salvation emphasizes that God must be known experientially, which is a mystery transcending human reason. It’s not enough to merely acknowledge Jesus; we must encounter Him. There is validity to this viewpoint; many Protestants have little tolerance of mystery; they act as though they have God fully figured out, what theologians call “putting God in a box”. There’s a place for mystery in faith; yet at the same time, we do have a faith rooted in revelation--God has explained in human terms, Who He is, in Scripture. We can be sure He hasn’t told us everything, but He’s given us all we need and all we can handle.
What do we agree on? We hold in common some key teachings: the inspiration of Scripture, the two natures of Christ (human & divine), His atoning sacrifice on the Cross, the resurrection, and our future hope of eternal life. Unity does not require uniformity; it often necessitates agreeing to disagree about distinctive doctrines, while being drawn together by faith in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We also affirm our commitment to the distinctives our Pilgrim heritage.
When we use the term “the church” we may be referring to an specific organized faith, but ultimately the church is the fellowship of all believers, which transcends all labels. The “Church” is the Body of Christ. While there are many expressions of Christianity, there is only one Body--the family of God.
Suggested Hymn: In Christ There is no East or West, a call to Christian unity
