To comply with ethical and moral standards insociety, as well as for the settlement of relations between the individual and the state or the highest form of spirituality (Cosmic Mind, God) world religions were created. Over time, within each major religion, splits occurred. As a result of this split, Orthodoxy was formed.
Orthodoxy and Christianity
Many make the mistake of considering all Christians to be Orthodox. Christianity and Orthodoxy are not the same thing. How to distinguish these two concepts? What is their essence? Now let's try to figure it out.
Christianity is a world religion thatoriginated in the 1st c. BC e. waiting for the coming of the Savior. Its formation was influenced by the philosophies of the time, Judaism (replaced by polytheism came only God) and endless military-political skirmishes.
Orthodoxy is only one of the branches of Christianity, which originated in the 1st millennium AD. in the Eastern Roman Empire and received its official status after the split of the general Christian church in 1054.
History of Christianity and Orthodoxy
The history of Orthodoxy (orthodoxy) began in Icentury AD This was the so-called Apostolic Creed. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the loyal apostles began to preach the teachings to the masses, attracting new believers to their ranks.
In the II-III centuries, orthodoxy was engaged in activeconfrontation of Gnosticism and Arianism. The former rejected the Old Testament scriptures and interpreted the New Testament in their own way. The latter, under the leadership of Prester Arius, did not recognize the oneness of the Son of God (Jesus), regarding him as an intermediary between God and people.
Remove the contradictions between fast-pacedSeven Ecumenical Councils convened with the support of the Byzantine emperors from 325 to 879 helped with heretical teachings and Christianity. The axioms established by the Councils concerning the nature of Christ and the Virgin Mary, as well as the approval of the Symbol of the Faith, helped to shape the new trend into a powerful Christian religion.
Not only heretical concepts contributeddevelopment of orthodoxy. The split of the Roman Empire into Western and Eastern influenced the formation of new trends in Christianity. The different political and social views of the two empires gave a crack in the single general Christian church. Gradually, it began to break up into Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic (later Orthodox). The final split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism occurred in 1054, when the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Pope made a mutual excommunication (anathema). The division of the general Christian church ended in 1204, together with the fall of Constantinople.
Russian land adopted Christianity in 988.Officially, there was still no division into the Roman and Greek Orthodox churches, but due to the political and economic interests of Prince Vladimir, the Byzantine trend, Orthodoxy, was spread throughout Russia.
The essence and foundations of Orthodoxy
The basis of any religion is faith. Without it, the existence and development of divine teachings is impossible.
Суть православия заключена в Символе Веры, adopted at the second Ecumenical Council. At the Fourth Ecumenical Council, the Nicene Creed (12 dogmas) was approved as an axiom, not subject to any change.
Православные верят в Бога Отца, Сына и Святого Spirit (Holy Trinity). God the Father is the creator of all earthly and heavenly. The Son of God, incarnated from the Virgin Mary, is coessential and only begotten in relation to the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father through the Son and is revered no less than the Father and the Son. The Symbol of Faith talks about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, pointing to eternal life after death.
All Orthodox belong to a single church. Baptism is an obligatory ritual. When it is committed, liberation from original sin occurs.
Обязательным является соблюдение нравственных standards (commandments), which are transmitted by God through Moses and voiced by Jesus Christ. All “rules of conduct” are based on help, compassion, love and patience. Orthodoxy teaches to endure any life without complaint, to accept them as the love of God and trials for sins, in order to go to heaven.
Orthodoxy and Catholicism (main differences)
Catholicism and Orthodoxy have a number of differences.Catholicism is a branch of Christian doctrine, which arose, like Orthodoxy, in the 1st c. AD in the western roman empire. And Orthodoxy is a trend in Christianity, which originated in the Eastern Roman Empire. Your attention is a comparative table:
Orthodoxy | Catholicism | |
Relationship with authority | The Orthodox Church, for two millennia, was in cooperation with the secular authorities, now in its submission, now in exile. | Empowering the Pope of Rome both secular and religious. |
the Virgin Mary | Virgin Mary is considered the bearer of original sin, because its nature is human. | The dogma of the purity of the Virgin Mary (no original sin). |
Holy Spirit | The Holy Spirit comes from the Father through the Son | The Holy Spirit comes from both the Son and the Father |
Attitude towards a sinful soul after death | Soul commits "ordeals." Earthly life defines the eternal. | The existence of the Last Judgment and Purgatory, where the purification of the soul takes place. |
Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition | Sacred Scripture - Part of Sacred Tradition | Equivalent. |
Epiphany | Triple immersion (or dousing) in water with communion and anointing. | Sprinkling and pouring. All the sacraments after 7 years. |
Cross | 6-8 final cross with the image of the victorious God, feet nailed with two nails. | 4-final cross with a martyred God, his legs nailed with one nail. |
Co-religionists | All brothers. | Every person is unique. |
Attitudes toward rites and ordinances | The Lord accomplishes through the priests. | Committed clergyman endowed with divine power. |
Nowadays, there is often a question of reconciliation.between churches. But due to significant and minor differences (for example, Catholics and Orthodox cannot agree on the use of yeast or yeast-free bread in sacraments) reconciliation is constantly postponed. There can be no talk of reunification in the near future.
Attitude of Orthodoxy to other religions
Православие - это направление, которое, separated from general Christianity as an independent religion, does not recognize other teachings, considering them false (heretical). Truly faithful faith can be only one thing.
Православие - это направление в религии, которое does not lose popularity, and even on the contrary, gets. Nevertheless, in the modern world it quietly coexists in the neighborhood of other religions: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Shinto and others.
Orthodoxy and modernity
Наше время дало церкви свободу и оказывает ей support Over the past 20 years, the number of believers, as well as those who identify themselves as Orthodox, has increased. At the same time, the moral spirituality that this religion implies, on the contrary, has fallen. A huge number of people perform ceremonies and attend church mechanically, that is, without faith.
The number of churches and parish schools that believers attend has increased. An increase in external factors only partially affects the internal state of a person.
The metropolitan and other clergymen hope that, nevertheless, those who deliberately adopted Orthodox Christianity will be able to establish themselves spiritually.
