What is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians?
The Eastern Orthodox Church is not a single church but rather a family of 13 self-governing bodies, denominated by the nation in which they are located (e.g., the Greek Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church). They are united in their understanding of the sacraments, doctrine, liturgy, and church government, but each administers its own affairs. The…
What is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church?
There are three groups in Ukraine that use the name “Ukrainian Orthodox Church,” but only one is officially recognized by Eastern Orthodoxy. That one is called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, and it is under the umbrella of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) is considered a self-governing…
What is Coptic Christianity, and what do Coptic Christians believe?
“Coptic” means “Egyptian,” and Christians living in Egypt identify themselves as Coptic Christians. As a denomination they originated in the city of Alexandria, one of the most faithful, respected, and fruitful cities during the Apostolic Period. Proudly, the Coptic Christians acknowledge and herald John Mark, (author of the Gospel of Mark), as their founder and…
What is the Romanian Orthodox Church?
The Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous (or self-governing) church within Eastern Orthodoxy. Being independent, the Romanian Orthodox Church has its own patriarchate (ecclesiastical jurisdiction). The Romanian Orthodox Church is headquartered in Bucharest, Romania. According to the World Council of Churches, the Romanian Orthodox Church has almost 19 million members worldwide. The vast majority of…
What is the Syriac/Syrian Orthodox Church?
The Syriac Orthodox Church, also called the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, is a self-governing branch of Oriental Orthodoxy. The Syrian Orthodox Church is based in Damascus, Syria, and has vicariates in Australia, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the U.S., Turkey, Israel, and other countries. The Syriac…
What is the Greek Orthodox Church?
The Greek Orthodox Church (GOC) is a branch of Eastern Orthodoxy, which formally broke with the Western (or Roman Catholic) Church in AD 1054. Even though the Greek Orthodox Church is separate from Catholicism, many of its practices are similar, such as the veneration of saints. The term orthodox means that they believe they hold…
What is the Oriental Orthodox Church?
The Oriental Orthodox Church is a family of six self-governing church bodies in the East. The Oriental Orthodox Church includes the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Egypt), the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (also called the Indian Orthodox Church).…
What is the Ethiopian Orthodox Church?
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church broke away from mainline Christianity long before the Great Schism and only recognizes the first three ecumenical councils: Nicea, Constantinople, and Ephesus. Ethiopian Orthodox churches are unique for strongly emphasizing certain Old Testament laws such as dietary…
What is the Antiochian Orthodox Church?
The Antiochian Orthodox Church, more formally called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, is a self-governing church within Eastern Orthodoxy. The Antiochian Orthodox Church is different from the Syriac Orthodox Church (also called the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East), which is part of Oriental Orthodoxy. Being independent,…