Figure 1.--The ceremony here is the Divine Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts. I'm not sure presisely what that means.

The Orthodox Church is one of the three principal componenbts of Christianity, along with Roman Catholic and Protestant). Eastern Orthodixy is the smallker of the three with some 200 million worsdhipers in Russia, Eastern Eurooe and the Levant. The Orthodox Church is not a largelky single body like Roman catlolocism, but instead composed of self-governing Churches which are 'autocephalous' (with their own head) or 'autonomous' (self-governing).Orthodox Christians as most Western Christins (Roman Catholics and Protestants) share fundamental beliefs. They both worship the trinity emerging from the New Testment. Orthodox prayers are offered to God the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. The Eastern and Western churches share the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ and a belief in the incarnation of Christ--his crucifixion and resurrection. The Westerm concept of 'Orthodoxy' does not fully encapsulte the fundamental differences between the Eastern nd Western Church. In the West, the term connotates primary correct doctrine. For the Eastern Church, the term not only refers to doctrine, but is fundamentally connected with proper ritual and worship as well. Orthodox servives are destinctive in that worshipers constntgly make the f the sign of the cross 'in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'to emphasize the Trinity. Eastern Orthodoxy Church differs substantially in both the way of life and worship ritual. The fundamental theological differences between Roman Catholocism and Orthodoxy was the use of the word Filoque in the creed meaning 'and from the son' which was part of the issue of supremecy of thec Father in the Holy Trinity. Other issues were pergutory, efficacy of prayers for the dead, and the authority of the pope. Orthodoc Churches also allow married priests, although bishops are chosen from celibate monks. The Byzantine Empire became the center of Orthodoxy. Backed by the power of the Empire, the Orthodox Church became dominant in the East. This meant Greece and the Balkans. This included the Middle East until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. The conversion of the Rus left the Orthodox Church dominnt in Russia as well. The fall of Constantinople (1458) meant that the Patriarch good no longer function as the head of the Orthodox Church. It was at this time that the Tsar in Russia proclaimed Moscow as the Third Rome. With the European emmigration in the 19th century, Orthodox communities were established in America and other countries like Australia.

Christian Division

The Orthodox Church is one of the three principal divisions of Christianity, along with Roman Catholic and Protestant). Eastern Orthodoxy is the smaller of the three duvisionss with some 200 million worshipers in Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Levant. Islam conquered the Levant just zt the time that the Eastern nd WSestern churches were behinning to vivide. With the European emmigration in the 19th century, Orthodox communities were established in America and other countries like Australia. Most Orthodox Christians, however are still found in the Balkans and Russia. The Soviet Communist atheism campaign largely de-Chritianized Russia and the Ukraine, but there has been somewhat of a recovery in Russia since the fall of Communismn (1992). Ukraine is a country split between the Roman West and the Orthodix East. After World War II, the Comminists gained control of most of the Balkans which included countries with majority Ortodox populations. They like the Soviets launched atheism campaigns and as in Russia, the Orthodox Church was the religion most affected. Most of the resistance to the Communists came from the Roman Catholic and not the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church remains important in Greece, but this is very small country. The Greek Orthodoxy has significant social and culturl unfluence in Greece. Some 98 percent of Greeks identifies with the Greek Orthodox faith. Of course that does not mean pratacing church goers. Orthodox Christians in Greece have not been as affected by the notable de-Chritinization observble in Western Europe. The Church continues to be strong cultural forcee. Important sacramental moments in the Orthodox tradition continue to be important points in the lives of most Greeks. This includes baptism, chrismation, confession and holy communion, and marriage. Some Orthodox Greeks may fast in the weeks before Easter, Christmas and the Assumption of Mary meaning both food and indulgent activities. The Communist Governmnt in Bulgarian restricterd Church activites, bu not as aggessivedly as the Sovits. Today most Bulgarions consider themselves Orthodox, something like 85 percent. The Serbian Church was also restricted by the Communist Government after the War. Tito was less influnced by the historic role of the Church than connctions with the royal Government. Since the fall of Communism there has been a religious revial in Serbia, perhaps a nationalist as much as a religious movement.

History

There was no early Christian Church, rather mant varied chruistaian beliefs fevelped amony the widely seoarated communities in the Roman Empire which attempted to supress the movement. Only after Constantine adopted Vrhistianity could a Church structure develop that could adopt an agreed theology. Christian theoology by a series of Councils in whivh the leaders of all the Christian communities of the Roman Empire met to discuss theroogyband adopt agreed principles. These included the Councils of Nicea 325, Constantinople I (381), Ephesus (431) ,Chalcedon (451), Constantinople II (553), Constantinople III (680), and Nicaea II (787). At the time there was no Easrtern Orthodix and Roman Catholic Church. With the fall of Rome and rize of he Byzanbtine Empire, differences began to develop. The Byzantine Empire was a mediuvzlk power. Western Rurope ws divided. The Byzantine had real power, helping the Orthodox Church to beome dominant in the East (at the time Greece, the Balkans, and the Middle East. Islam seuized control of the Middle East (7th cnbtury), but the conversion of the Rus left the Orthodox Church dominat in Eastern Europe (9th century). There was no deep division between the lthough initially the Eastern and Western Christians in the early Christian Church. The divisions between the Eastern and Western Churches happened gradually over time as the Roman Empire fragmented. We do see two traditions began to divide the Church, especially after the seventh Ecumenical Council (787). Inteestingly the Western Church began emerging as the dominant denomination, even though unlike the East, it did not have a powerful state to back it. YThe Byzaatines plated a key role in the Chritianization of the Rus (988). Strangely it was the Crusades that led to the break. You might think that resisting Islanmic attacks and reclainming the Holy Land would be a unifying factor. It was not. The Great Schism followed in the wake of Pope Urbanm linching the Crusades and was the final break (1054). The possibility of reunion ended with the sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade (1204). The major docrtinal issue was the papal claim to supreme authority and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. the Eastern Churches generally maintained the principle that the Church should keep to the language of the community, Latin became the language of the Western Church mening that few in the West could understand tyhe ritual. This would become a major issue of the Reformation. The break between East and West became permanent with the failure of the Council of Florence (1431-49). It was at this time that the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks (1458) meant that the Patriarch could no longer function as the head of the Orthodoc Church. The Tsar in Russia as a result proclaimed Moscow as the Third Rome. Until the Great Schism the five great patriarchal sees were Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. After the break with Rome, Orthodoxy became 'Eastern' because the the primary expression of Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean, much of Asia Minor, Russian and Balkans. At the time Christinity was founded, the Eastern Mediterraean was the richest part of the Empire, but grdually over time, the West emerged as the the dominant and most advabced area of Europe. This had profound consequences for Christendom.

Orthodox Components

The Orthodox Church is not a largely single body like Roman cCtlolocism, but more loosely organized. Instead it is composed of self-governing Churches which are 'autocephalous' (with their own head) or 'autonomous' (self-governing).

Ritual and Dogma

Orthodox Christians as most Western Christins (Roman Catholics and Protestants) share fundamental beliefs. They both worship the trinity emerging from the New Testment. Orthodox prayers are offered to God the Father, Jesus, God the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. The Eastern and Western churches share the belief that God revealed himself in Jesus Christ and a belief in the incarnation of Christ--his crucifixion and resurrection. The Westerm concept of 'Orthodoxy' does not fully encapsulte the fundamental differences between the Eastern nd Western Church. In the West, the term connotates primary correct doctrine. For the Eastern Church, the term not only refers to doctrine, but is fundamentally connected with proper ritual and worship as well. Orthodox servives are destinctive in that worshipers constantly make the the sign of the cross 'in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'to emphasize the Trinity. Eastern Orthodoxy Church differs substantially in both the way of life and worship ritual. The fundamental theological differences between Roman Catholocism and Orthodoxy was the use of the word Filoque in the creed meaning "and from the son" which was part of the issue of supremecy of thec Father in the Holy Trinity. Other issues were pergutory, efficacy of prayers for the dead, and the authority of the pope. Orthodoc Churches also allow married priests, although bishops are chosen from celibate monks.

Orthodox State Relationship

The Eastern Orthodox Church in its relatuonship with the Byzantine state has beem identified as a form form of caesaropapism. Constantine and Justunian were, for example, the head of the Church. The state controlled the Chutch and the hierarchy had to suppoort the state and emperor. The situatiin was more compolicated. Justinian dis not play arole in defining the digma of the Church. They wanted a unified dogma and church, but left it up to the church fasthers in various counculs to decude on dogmna. The Easter Church never contested with rulers the way that the papacy nd the Westetn Church did. Historins also poinbt to power of the church to influence populat thought and mores even without the power of the state and legal engorcement. The Byzantine state-church reltionship has been called a 'symphony' between the civil and the ecclesiastical functions of a Christian society. There were mzny abuses of imperial power which msy have been criticvised by the Roman Church. But ckearly from Byzabtine history there was popular resistance to imperial decrees that might be identified as detrimental to the Church. The strong emperors ewho tried to impose monophysitism (7th century) an the Palaeologans out of eeakness who attempting reunion with Rome,bith failed, largeky because of Orthodox opposition (13th–15th century). In modern times the Orthodox Church had to ioperate wuthin Tsarist Absoklutism and Soviet Totalitaraianism.

Iconoclasm

Byzantium after the break with Rome at the end of the 4th century begins to develop its own destinctive art styles and forms. Byzantine art has a significant influence on Greece, Eastern Europe, and Russia. Byzantine at is strongly influenced by the emperor as much is state supported. As Christianity was the state religion, the Church closely regulated art and much of the art focused on efforts to venerate Christ and the saints. There is much less of the personal art that was common in the Western Empire. The Christian influence is central in Byzantine art, but Greek rationalism and Islam are also important influences. The mot notable movement affecting Byzantine art was the debate over icons. Byzantine art produced beautiful religious icons and strongly influenced the Orthodox Churches of Greece, Russia, and elsewhere. An icon is normally a small work, normally oil on wood, but they were also mosaics, ivories, and other formats. They were primarily venerations of Christ and to a lesser extent saints. Icons in Byzantium, unlike Western devotional images, came to be seen as sacred in themselves. This differing view began to appear as early as the 4th centyury AD. Those opposed to icons as sacred objects or Iconoclasts came to see icons as iols and demnde that thy be destroyed or covered when destruction was impossible. The Iconoclastic controversy dominanted the Byzntine Church in the late 7th and 8th centuries. he Iconoclasts succeed in destroying vast quanties of iconic art. The issue was not resolved until 842. The formal break with the Roman Catholic Churchin the 11th century also affected Byzantine art. Some of the major types of Byzantine art are monumental achitecture, icons, mosaics, and sculptures. The fact that Byzantiine art was so focused on the emperor and religious veneration means that the kind of personal art depicting how people dressed and lived their lives is very limited. Byzantine art looks very static to us today because we are familar with the vibrant realistic art of the Italian Renaisance which began in the 14th century. This of course is an invalid comparison. What the art student should do is compare Byzantie art with that of Medueval Europe. Here we see advances in Byzantine art dealing with light, spatial awarness, human forms, and even emotion that go far beyond medieval Europe. The 13th century resulted in what might be called a Byzantine Renaissance and which made a major contribution to the Italian Renaisance of the following century.

Monasticism

Christian monasticism had its origin in the Egyptian deserts (3rd-4th centunty). This was before the separation of the Eastern and Western Churches. It was the anhorites who were the beginning of the movement. They sought perfection in the most extreme form of asceticism. The best known of these hermits was St. Anthony who as a result is known as the father of monasticism. The monk St. Pachomius helped organized a loose associations of these hermits (c320) creating the the first cenobitic community--the monastic tradition that stresses community life. Gradually Eastern monasticism developed a unifirm tradition based on the rules of St. Basil the Great. He promoted a cenobitic style and stressed the importance of manual labor and obedience in opposition. He worked to duscourage the extravagances of early monasticism, harking bck to tghe erly Egyptian asceticis. Eastern monasticism changed little Basil reforms (4th century). Eastern monks engage in lengthy liturgies and simple work. They do not usually become priests and do not value learning like the Western monastic movement. And Eastern monks hsve not founded different orders with specialized functions as in the West. Eastern monasteries called lauras are very similar in nature and largely autonomous. Mount Athos became the great center of Eastern monasticism.

Jews

Jews lived in most the eastern and wester areas of the Roman Empire. Attitudes toward Jews varied oiver time, but in general the Eastern Orthodox Church had more tolerat views on Jews than either Roman Catholics and Protestant churches. One siurce suggests that Orthodox Christianity has a long history of religious tolerance that evolved towards a degree of religious pluralism. An Orthodox Christian state on Jews is seen in an encyclical bybthe Ecumenical Patriarch Metrophanes III to the Greek Orthodox in Crete (1568). This followed reports that Jews there were were being mistreated. The Patriarch wrote, "Injustice ... regardless to whomever acted upon or performed against, is still injustice. The unjust person is never relieved of the responsibility of these acts under the pretext that the injustice is done against a heterodox and not to a believer. As our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels said do not oppress or accuse anyone falsely; do not make any distinction or give room to the believers to injure those of another belief." Even so, Jews were prohibited by Tsarist edict from living in Russia. We are not sure what the soiuce of this edict was if not the Orthodox Church. Large numbers of Russian Jews emmigrated to the United States (19th and early 20th century). This was a misnomer. They dud nit come from Russua, but from non-Russian areas of the Tsarist Empire--the Pale of Settlement.

Countries

Orthodox churches are primarily located in Eastern Europe. The most imortant country by far is Russia. After the conversioin of the Kievian Rus, Orthodoxy became the dominant religion if Eastern Europoe. And was promoted by thr Tsarist stte that came to dominate the East after the fall of the Byzabtine Empire to the Ottoman Turks. There are large Orthidox churches in many Easrern Euroopan countries, including Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and other countries. Roman Catholicuism prevailed in the areas of Eastern Europe controlled the Austrians. Smaller congregations exist in most Christains countries, but not commonly in heavily Catholic Latin America. We also see Orthosox churches in the Levant and even India.

Created: October 17, 2003
Last updated: 12:40 PM 11/10/2021