Foundations of Orthodox Spirituality · Orthodox church es - tablished in New Orleans LutherÕs 95 Theses. Reforma - tion begins 1517 Church of England 1529 1854 Dogma of Immaculate

Foundations of Orthodox Spirituality:

Question

Why Join the Church?

I believe in Jesus Christ and desire to surrender and follow the Teachings of His Church

Why Orthodox Church?

I desire to know the full truth and follow what the Apostles taught without modification.

Orthodox Church Maintains Fullness of Apostolic Faith

1. Unbroken historical continuity.

2. Maintained the Faith as Taught by the Apostles.

3. Maintained the Tradition initiated by the Apostles with worship directed toward Trinitarian God.

4. Acceptance of fullness of Human Nature.

See Timeline

Fullness of Apostolic FaithHistory begins with beginning of Time - Christ before time

Creation of cosmos

Fall of Man

Prophets

Incarnation of God - Birth of Jesus Christ

Crucifixion & Resurrection - Victory over Death

Establishment of Earthly Church for healing

Existence historical fact! Roman historian Tactius 100AD and Jewish historian Josephus born in AD 37 describes Him as follows:

Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works, teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to Him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He is Christ;

Historical Jesus

When Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians so named after him, are not extinct to this day.

Historical Jesus

Bible contains most of what we know about Jesus.

Contains eye witness accounts

Where did the Bible come from?

The Church in 4th century produced canon of NT and still uses it in the original Greek.

Historical Jesus

What do we Know about Him from the Bible:From seed of Holy Spirit born from a virgin, Mary.Was Christ, the Son of God, fully divine and human. Fulfilled over 300 O T prophecies.Showed his mercy - performed many miracles. Came for our healing of our created nature. Transformed human nature and showed how to live in union with God - to love God and our neighbor.Suffered and was crucified and then Resurrected - victorious over death. Thomas verifies.Ascended into Heaven opening the gates of Paradise.Sent the Holy Spirit, transforming His Apostles who began converting thousands establishing the Orthodox Church.

Historical Jesus

What did Jesus bring and leave with us?He didn’t write anything, so he did not come to leave us a book.Path to Salvation - return to Paradise - union with God - Theosis.

What did he establish?Church where we heal our brokenness and work out our salvation.

Orthodox Christianity is not based solely on a Book but primarily on Jesus Christ and His Church.

Historical Jesus

The Beginnings

What happened at Pentecost and Why is it seen as the Beginning of the Church?Christ sent the Holy Spirit and commissioned the Apostles. (Acts 2)

Early Church (Acts)

Many Baptized

“Devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers.” (Acts 2:42)

Daily worship

Shared all with each other

Praised God and were “held in esteem by all the people.”

Members were added each day.

The Beginnings

Where was first Church?They healed in the name of Jesus - led to their persecution.

“They were filled with the Holy Sprit and proclaimed the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31)

Persecutions led to spread of Faith - Saint Stephen the 1st of many martyrs.

Jews and Gentiles became ChristiansPersecutor Saul converted - PaulPaul & Apostles head missions in far lands & face Martyrdom.

The Early Church - Foundation

Ec cle si´a means “to Gather”

Images of Church from New Testament

Vineyard (John 15:1-8)

Shepherd and the flock (John 10:1-16)

Head and the Body of Christ (Eph 1:22-23)

A building under construction (Eph 2:19-22)

A house or family (1Tim 3:15)

Church is not a human-made institution.Not a building. Not a set of rules.A living relationship in union with Christ.

The Ecclesia

Church Hierarchy Established by Christ Through His Apostles

All are equal before the judgment of God.This hierarchy was established by Jesus Christ.

He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:11-13)

Apostolic Succession

No one can take upon himself the hierarchal ministry Only one who is called and lawfully placed through the Mystery of Ordination. No man taketh this honor unto himself, but that is called of God, as was Aaron. (Heb 5:4)

Apostolic succession

Hierarchy

Ecumenical Council

Bishop

PresbytersDeacons

Hierarchy

The Apostles placed Bishops as their immediate successors Presbyters (elders - priests) from Apostolic times the second degree of the hierarchy - helpers of the bishops.Apostle James tells us that presbyters perform the Church’s sacred rites, and that in the early church there could by several presbyters in each community.Is any sick among you? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14)

Metropolitan AlexiosMetropolis of Atlanta

Father Tom PistolisPresbyter

HierarchyThird hierarchal degree is the deacon.Seven in number where chosen by the community in Jerusalem and ordained by the Apostles.To help the Apostles in practical, secondary activity: entrusted to “serve tables” to give out food, and be concerned for the widows.Appointed by bishops (1 Tim 3:8-13)Justin Martyr (150A.D.) writes: Those called deacons among us give to each of those present communion of the Bread upon which has been performed the Thanksgiving (Eucharist) and of the Wine and the Water, and they carry them out to those who are absent.”

Saint Stephen

Councils of the Church

How did Apostles resolve their disputes?To resolve dispute about circumcision of Gentiles, Apostles gathered in Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15)

In Council the Holy Spirit gave them direction.The decrees of this Council were acknowledged as obligatory for the whole church. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily (Acts 16:4-5).They established example of conciliar resolution of important questions in the Church for all times.

ONE HOLY CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH The Eastern Orthodox Church

The Roman Catholic Church

33Pentecost

69

Bishop

Ignatius

consecrated

in Antioch

150

Justin Martyr

describes liturgy

325

1st

Ecumenical

Council and

the Nicene

Creed

397

Synod of

Carthage

ratifies Biblical

Canon

451

Council of

Chalcedon

589

Filioque added

to Nicene creed

by Synod in

Spain and later

adopted by Ro-

man Church

787

Icons approved

at seventh Ecu-

menical council

880

The Photian

Schism

988

Conversion

of Russia

begins

1054

Great Schism

CRUSADES

1204

Sack of

Constantinople

by Crusaders

1333

Gregory Palamas

defends Ortho-

dox spirituality

1453

Turks overrun

Constantinople

1768

Arrival of

the first Greeks in

US.

1794

Rusian

Mis-

sionaries

arrive at

Kodiak

Island

Alaska

1864

1st Greek

Orthodox

church es-

tablished in

New Orleans

Luther’s

95 Theses.

Reforma-

tion begins

1517

Church of

England

1529

1854

Dogma of

Immaculate

conception

1870

Dogma of

Papal Infal-

ibility

A Time Line of Church History

1095

1291

Apostalic Age Byzantine Empire

1921

Greek

Orthodox

archdiocese

established

in US.

1993

Con-

struction

begins on

Cathedral

in Green-

ville.

1832

Greece

recognized

a Free

Country -

Treaty of

Constanti-

nople

LIBERATION

& CREED

Liberation from Persecution

4th CenturyEcumenical CouncilsByzantine period

Constantine's Great Accomplishments

Edict of Milan (313)Constantine and LiciniusToleration of Faith

Establishment of Constantinople as 2nd capital

Inauguration of city - 330No pagan rites - Center of Orthodoxy

Calling the 1st Ecumenical Council of the Church

Liberated Christians from Persecutions

The Church of Seven CouncilsCenters of Church at Time of Constantine

Principle of Conciliarity

1st Council - Acts 15 - 50 ADNow the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. (Acts 15:6)

The Councils - Conciliar Neither Dictatorship nor Individualism

Early Church - Decisions

Significance of Ecumenical Councils

Defend and clarify the Teachings of Apostles: Purpose: aid spiritual healing and protect from heresy.Affirm the Basic Faith of Christianity - To restore proper relationship between man and God, broken by sin. God sends His Son who redeems man from sin and death for the purpose of deification - theosis.Each Council protected the doctrine of Incarnation - Christ as fully God and fully Human.

Church of Seven Councils

Nicea - 325

Arius condemned - taught that Son of God was not true God but a created being.

Affirmed Christ is one in essence with the Father. Fully human and fully God.

Canons - Established the Patriarchates.

1st Ecumenical Council


Constantinople - 381Doctrine of the Trinity affirmed - Holy Spirit proceeds from Father.Athanasius & Cappadocians - Gregory Nazianzus, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa supported the Orthodox Doctrine.3rd Canon - Constantinople 2nd in honor after “Old Rome.”

2nd Ecumenical Council

Nicene CreedOutcome of the first two Ecumenical Councils

Review Creed


Ephesus - 431

Mary confirmed as The Mother of God - Theotokos

Theotokos is a compound of Greek Θεός (God) and τόκος (childbirth). Patriarch Nestorius argued Mary should be called Christotokos, meaning "Birth-giver of Christ"

3rd Ecumenical Council

Church of Mary in Ephesus


Calcedon - 451Tome of Leo the Great - affirming the divine and human nature of Christ.Confirmed Constantinople 2nd in honor. Pentarchy of Patriarchates - division of Christianity into spheres of jurisdiction.All bishops equal

Bishop of Rome - primacy of honor, not supremacy in external power and jurisdiction

4th Ecumenical Council

St. Leo I, was Bishop of Rome from the years 440 to 461 A.D.


Constantinople - 553

Reaffirmation of Chalcedon



Constantinople - 680-1

Condemned Monotheleticism - Christ, having two natures, but being one person has only one will, the divine.

Since Christ has two natures He has two wills. This, so that full humanity and full divinity is not impaired.Why would this be important?



Iconoclasts (icon-breakers) sought destruction of icons as latent idolatry - strong in Asia Minor.Iconodules (icon-servers) saw icons dogmatic as well as liturgical issues.Began by Emperor Leo III - 780

7th Ecumenical Council - Nicea 787, taught honor and reverence for icons.

Iconoclastic Controversy


Councils keep Christians on trackDefended the original teachings of the Apostles.

Not defining God but clarifying who God was not.

Constantly defending the incarnate God as both fully man and fully God.

Important for the salvific nature of Christ.



33Pentecost

69

Bishop

Ignatius

consecrated

in Antioch

150

Justin Martyr

describes liturgy

325

1st

Ecumenical

Council and

the Nicene

Creed

397

Synod of

Carthage

ratifies Biblical

Canon

451

Council of

Chalcedon

589

Filioque added

to Nicene creed

by Synod in

Spain and later

adopted by Ro-

man Church

787

Icons approved

at seventh Ecu-

menical council

880

The Photian

Schism

988

Conversion

of Russia

begins

1054

Great Schism

CRUSADES

1204

Sack of

Constantinople

by Crusaders

1333

Gregory Palamas

defends Ortho-

dox spirituality

1453

Turks overrun

Constantinople

1768

Arrival of

the first Greeks in

US.

1794

Rusian

Mis-

sionaries

arrive at

Kodiak

Island

Alaska

1864

1st Greek

Orthodox

church es-

tablished in

New Orleans

Luther’s

95 Theses.

Reforma-

tion begins

1517

Church of

England

1529

1854

Dogma of

Immaculate

conception

1870

Dogma of

Papal Infal-

ibility


1095

1291


1921

Greek

Orthodox

archdiocese

established

in US.

1993

Con-

struction

begins on

Cathedral

in Green-

ville.

1832

Greece

recognized

a Free

Country -

Treaty of

Constanti-

nople

GREAT SCHISMLIBERATION

Great Schism

1054

Schism of 1054

What caused the split of the Church between east and West?

Many causes but doctrinal was primary A long period of estrangement preceded

Schism of 1054

Christianity first spread in the Roman Empire of East and West

Many groups but one EmpireBroad Greco-Roman civilizationGreek common language.

Schism of 1054Cultural unity was slowly lost.

Political unity first lost - Old versus New RomeBarbarian invasions beginning in 5th century

Rise of Islam - Mediterranean was largely under their control.Greek forgotten in West & Scholars used different sources.Holy Roman Empire re-established in the West 800AD under Charlemagne.

Western Roman Empire anti-Greek - led to development of separate Christian culture, with little in common.

Schism of 1054Non Theological causes of division

Charlemagne accused East of heresy - not using the filioque and rejected the 7th Ecumenical Council making East enemy.Church government ideas differed reflecting civil status.

East held equality of Bishops, many Apostolic sees, conciliar characterWest - Rome Church seen in feudal terms with Pope supreme and other Bishops subordinate.

Rise of Political authority of Popes as consequence of dissolution of political authority in West as result of barbarian invasions.West - only clergy educated: Class divisions between clergy and laity.East - Education widespread, clergy and laity; no sharp division.Theological misunderstanding because of a lack of common tongue.

Schism of 1054

Theological Tensions

Latin approach to doctrine - practical, legal concepts, unity in Trinity, Christ as victim, man’s brokenness deserving punishment, redemption rational.

Greek approach to doctrine - emphasis on liturgy, threeness of the Trinity, Christ as Victor over death, man’s goodness and deification, mystical.

Schism 0f 1054

Direct Theological Conflict - Papal Claims

Papal claims in West did not concern the East. As soon as Popes sought to extend them to the East, conflict arose.

For the East, Pope had primacy of honor, not a universal supremacy; authority not in one See, but in the Church as a whole Council - Conciliarlity.

Schism of 1054Direct Theological Conflict - Filioque

Filioque (“and the Son”) added to the creed regarding the procession of the Holy Spirit began in Spain officially at Council of Toledo 589.808 Leo III had Creed without Filioque inscribed at Saint Peter’s Cathedral. Support for use grew in West. Charlemagne made it political.

Orthodox Objections:Innovative arbitrary change breaking Church unity - no one party has right to change Creed.Filioque is technically unsound - heretical -

Destroys correct relationship of the TrinityLeads to false understanding of Spirit and Church.

Schism of 1054

Other issues of conflict

Celibacy of clergy in west - married Priests in East

Different rules and understanding of Fasting

Unleavened bread in communion in West; leavened bread in East.

Schism of 1054

1054 Pope Leo IX sent delegation to Constantinople to work out differences.

Negotiations break down

Delegation places bull of excommunication on altar at Saint Sofia based on omission of filioque .

Friendly relations remained. Average Christian was not aware of the separation.

Estrangement to Schism

First Crusade bloody success militarily. Antioch 1098: Jerusalem 1099Latin Patriarchs set up. This left two Patriarchs in Jerusalem and Antioch.Fourth Crusade 1204. Crusaders originally bound for Egypt turned aside, sacked Constantinople; Systematic acts of sacrilege.

Crusades - “Frank Invasions”



33Pentecost

69

Bishop

Ignatius

consecrated

in Antioch

150

Justin Martyr

describes liturgy

325

1st

Ecumenical

Council and

the Nicene

Creed

397

Synod of

Carthage

ratifies Biblical

Canon

451

Council of

Chalcedon

589

Filioque added

to Nicene creed

by Synod in

Spain and later

adopted by Ro-

man Church

787

Icons approved

at seventh Ecu-

menical council

880

The Photian

Schism

988

Conversion

of Russia

begins

1054

Great Schism

CRUSADES

1204

Sack of

Constantinople

by Crusaders

1333

Gregory Palamas

defends Ortho-

dox spirituality

1453

Turks overrun

Constantinople

1768

Arrival of

the first Greeks in

US.

1794

Rusian

Mis-

sionaries

arrive at

Kodiak

Island

Alaska

1864

1st Greek

Orthodox

church es-

tablished in

New Orleans

Luther’s

95 Theses.

Reforma-

tion begins

1517

Church of

England

1529

1854

Dogma of

Immaculate

conception

1870

Dogma of

Papal Infal-

ibility


1095

1291


1921

Greek

Orthodox

archdiocese

established

in US.

1993

Con-

struction

begins on

Cathedral

in Green-

ville.

1832

Greece

recognized

a Free

Country -

Treaty of

Constanti-

nople

REFORMATION

LIBERATION GREAT SCHISM

Reformation

Reformation - 16th CenturyOrthodox Church NOT involved in the issues surrounding the Reformation.Initiated due to indulgences as penance & and appointment of individuals to positions in Church based on financial contributions.Led to rejection of Tradition and reliance only on Scripture “Sola Scriptura” (1500 years of Tradition rejected).Innovative doctrines introduced such as salvation by “faith only.”Led to thousands of branches due to different individual interpretations of Scripture. Tradition no longer used.

Fullness of Apostolic FaithChurch faithfully maintained the Apostolic Faith

Apostolic succession - Saint Andrew

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew - 270th

Church of the Seven Councils

Roman Church introduced numerous innovationsFilioque ClauseImmaculate conception of MaryInfallibility of Pope

Protestant churches regularly change teachingsNow over 38,000 Christian denominations

Fullness of Apostolic FaithFaithfully maintains the Tradition with worship directed toward Trinitarian God

Early Church adopted Jewish Liturgical Day with set times of prayer and a yearly calendar of fasts and feasts.

Worship is a sacrifice directed towards God.Not congregation centered where clergy minister to the people rather lead them to God.

Liturgical form can be traced back to 2nd century.

All Sacraments maintained

Fullness of Apostolic Faith

Maintained mystical nature of faith and worship.

Rejected scholasticism

Maintain understanding that man can know God directly through soul, the heart.

Accept a spiritual way of knowing that is greater than reason.

Fullness of Apostolic FaithChrist historical figure fulfilling OT prophecies.Orthodox Church has historical Apostolic continuity.Sound unchanging doctrine - Church of 7 Councils.Withstood Islamic occupation and Communist oppression - Cannot be suppressed. Church is Body of Christ & as members we become part of Him.Church and its Sacraments and ascetic teachings are for our healing.Church honored and trusted as a most precious gift.

Knowing God

Documents

Foundations of Orthodox Spirituality · Orthodox church es - tablished in New Orleans LutherÕs 95 Theses. Reforma - tion begins 1517 Church of England 1529 1854 Dogma of Immaculate