TABLE OF CONTENT
The main beliefs of Orthodox Christianity include the following:
- The Holy Trinity: The belief in one God who exists as three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.
- The divinity of Jesus Christ: The belief that Jesus is the Son of God and that he is fully God and fully human.
- The Holy Spirit: The belief that the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity, who is present in the Church and in believers, guiding them in their faith and helping them to understand the teachings of Jesus.
- The Bible: The belief that the Bible is God’s inspired word and contains all the teachings necessary for salvation.
- The Church: The belief that the Orthodox Church is the true Church founded by Jesus Christ and that it is the source of salvation for all people.
- Sacraments: The belief that there are seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church, including baptism, chrismation, holy eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and marriage.
- The Virgin Mary: The belief that the Virgin Mary is the mother of Jesus and that she is the Theotokos, or “God-bearer.”
- The Resurrection: The belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion and that all people will also rise from the dead on the Last Day.
- The Last Judgment: The belief that on the Last Day, all people will be judged by God according to their deeds and that those who have lived a good life will be rewarded with eternal life in heaven, while those who have lived a bad life will be punished with eternal damnation in hell.
- Iconography: The use of icons, or religious images, in worship. Orthodox Christians believe that icons are not just works of art but rather a window into the spiritual realm and a means of connecting with the saints and with God.
- Liturgy: The belief in the importance of liturgical worship, which includes the use of traditional prayers, hymns, and rituals in the services. The Divine Liturgy, which is the celebration of the Eucharist, is the central liturgical service in the Orthodox Church.
- Monasticism: The belief in the value of monasticism, or the practice of living a contemplative, ascetic life in a monastic community. Monks and nuns are considered particularly close to God and are often venerated as saints.
- Tradition: The belief that the Orthodox Church is the guardian of the original teachings and practices of the early Christian Church and that it has maintained the continuity of the apostolic faith through the centuries. The tradition of the Church is considered to be equal in authority to the Bible.
- Theosis: The belief that through the grace of God, it is possible for human beings to become deified, or to become like God, in this life. This is seen as the ultimate goal of the Christian life.
- Energeia: The belief that the sacraments are not symbolic representations of God’s grace but actual divine energy that change the person receiving the sacrament.
- Theosis is achieved through the Energeia of the sacraments, through the ascetic practices of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, and through the imitation of the lives of the saints.
These are some of the key beliefs of Orthodox Christianity, but it should be noted that there are variations and nuances within the Orthodox Church, as it is divided in many autocephalous (self-governing) and autonomous churches.
