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ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITHWhat do Orthodox Christians Believe? (Key Stage 4 version) We believe that God is Trinity, One God in Three Persons; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and True Man. We believe that the Father sent the Son to earth to destroy death by the resurrection and thereby rescue humanity from slavery to sin and corruption. We believe that the Father sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church to continue Christ's work in restoring the likeness of God to humans made in His image. This restoration is an attainment to full personhood as "God-bearers" within the community of the Church. As humanity is thereby transformed from one degree of glory to the next so the whole of the created order also begins to be transformed, for humans were created to be priests of creation for God. The transformation of humanity and creation into the new life of the Kingdom of God has begun now in the Church but will only find its fulfilment from the time of Christ's second coming. We believe that Christians are always living in the "end-times" until Christ comes again. We believe that Christ's Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary is both Ever-Virgin and Birth-Giver of God, (Theotokos, Mother of God). We believe that of all creatures she was the first to enter into the glory of her Son at her falling asleep, (Dormition), by virtue of her purity and total obedience to God. We believe that the Church is One in the Holy Spirit and as Christ's Body, well-beloved of the Father. We therefore deem it proper to honour the saints both living and reposed who are especially close to God in holiness. We venerate their memory, the example of their godly lives, their images, (icons), and their relics as indications both of God's power and the potential of our redeemed humanity. The prayers and fellowship of the saints are especially dear to us. We acknowledge only one Head of the Church and that is Christ her Saviour and Bridegroom. There is but one Teacher and Guide for the Church and that is the Holy Spirit speaking through Tradition to the whole Church. There is only one Source of Divinity outside of time in the Godhead and within time in creation and that is the Father. We believe that God in His essence is unknowable and we must respect, therefore, the Mystery which is God. On the other hand God made Himself known in the Law and the Prophets and then perfectly and uniquely in the Incarnation, Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ. He continues to reveal Himself consistently by the Holy Spirit. God may, therefore, be known realistically and personally by His communicated energies which are uncreated and from Himself. We believe that God has provided the Church with everything necessary for salvation:- the pre-eminent Holy Scriptures, the Word of God; the indispensible Tradition of the Church, Spirit-breathed origin and interpreter of the Scriptures through godly persons and Councils, (7 and Ecumenical); the Mysteries of the Church, (sacraments), foremost being the paschal (Easter) Mysteries of Baptism and the Eucharist; the "culture" of the Church; that is her art, her architecture and her life; the redeemed of the Church, that is her Saints and their Lives. We believe that humanity cannot attain to salvation from God unless it actively works with God to that end. This is the work of Love, (God is Love), and Christians prove their name and their baptism by being priests of the Divine Love in their service to humanity and creation. This service is not possible without true repentance and continuous conversion. To this end we believe in spiritual fatherhood and motherhood whereby we are guided to God by those who know the Way themselves. Confession to God and a readiness to lay down one's life for the Gospel are indispensible means of making such progress. Finally, we believe that the "end" of humanity is God and that only in the Blessed Trinity shall we rediscover all that God meant us to be when He created us, and, through humanity, the whole of Creation renewed by Him. Fr. Gregory Hallam Further Information Pages ... activities for Key Stage 4 included:-INCARNATION It should be born in mind that all these fact sheets ("gif" images in A4 format for printing) have been written for those preparing to become Orthodox. This is far more interesting for students to study than a mere objective presentation of information. What do Orthodox Christians Believe? (Key Stage 3 version) We believe that God is Trinity:- God the Father, (the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father.."), God the Son, (Jesus before and after He was born) and God the Holy Spirit, (the powerful Presence of God in human life and creation). We believe that Jesus Christ is God in human form, fully God and fully Man. We believe that the Father sent the Son to earth to destroy death by the resurrection and rescue humanity from slavery to sin and evil. Sin is rejecting God and falling short of his loving purpose for us. We believe that the Father sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church to continue Christ's work in making us more like God in His whose image we are made. As we recover our likeness to God we can offer creation (for which we are all responsible as special priests) back to Him for him to bless and make new. At the end of time, Jesus will come again and then there will be a new Creation. In the Church, Orthodox Christians believe that they can experience now what will only be fully true later on. We believe that Christ's Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary has always been a Virgin in her dedication to God. She is called the Birth-Giver of God or Theotokos, (Mother of God). We believe that she was the first to be glorified in heaven at her falling asleep, (death, repose, Dormition), because she was so her pure and obedient to God. We believe that the Church is One in the Holy Spirit and as Christ's Body, loved by the Father. We therefore honour the saints both living and reposed who are especially close to God in holiness. We cherish their memory, the example of their godly lives, their images, (icons), and their relics, (remains), as proof both of God's power and what our humanity can achieve. The prayers and fellowship of the saints are especially dear to us. We believe that there is only one Head of the Church and that He is Jesus Christ her Saviour and Bridegroom. There is pnly one Teacher and Guide for the Church and that is the Holy Spirit speaking through Tradition, (the Living Voice of God) to the whole Church. There is only one Source in God of all things and that is the Father. We believe that God in Himself is unknowable and we must respect, therefore, the Mystery which is God. On the other hand God made Himself known to us in the Law and the Prophets, (the Old Testament), and then perfectly and uniquely in the Incarnation, (the taking of our humanity in Christ's birth), the Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ. God continues to reveal Himself by the Holy Spirit and may, therefore, be known personally by His powerful presence amongst us, (His energies). We believe that God has provided the Church with everything necessary for salvation:- the Holy Scriptures (Bible), the Word of God; the Tradition of the Church as that which explains Scriptures through godly persons and Councils, (7 and Ecumenical); the Mysteries of the Church, (sacraments), the most important being the paschal (Easter) Mysteries of Baptism and the Eucharist; the "culture" of the Church; that is her art, her architecture and her life; the redeemed of the Church, that is her Saints and their Lives. We believe that humanity cannot receive salvation from God unless it actively cooperates with God. This is the work of Love, (God is Love), and Christians must show that they are being priests of the God's Love in their service to humanity and creation. This service is not possible without true repentance, (turning to God and away from sin). This must be done throughout life. Holy people, (spiritual fathers and mothers), may help us in this by guiding us to God along a Way they know themselves to be true. Confession to God and a readiness to lay down one's life for the Gospel are necessary for all Christians. Finally, we believe that the "end" of humanity is God and that only in the Blessed Trinity shall we rediscover all that God meant us to be when He created us, and, through humanity, the whole of Creation renewed by Him. Fr. Gregory Hallam Lesson IdeasTry this INTERACTIVE CROSSWORD! Invite a local Orthodox priest or Christian to come into School to talk about their faith. Email me for contacts ... orthodox@clara.net GCSE Students: Research Project "In what way is Orthodox Christianity similar to other forms and in what way is it different? Choose one other main church for comparison." Further InformationOrthodox Church and Bible Study Links "Other Links" section of this site |
