Eastern Orthodox Church - Revision history

Irlandos: /* Organizations */

2012-03-19T14:16:51Z

Organizations

Irlandos: /* Fasting */

2011-11-02T10:38:19Z

Fasting

Angellight 888: see also

2009-03-27T23:49:53Z

Irlandos: /* Holy Orders */

2009-01-09T13:29:00Z

Holy Orders

Irlandos: /* The Incarnation */

2008-01-16T13:53:26Z

The Incarnation

Irlandos: /* Salvation */

2008-01-16T11:36:46Z

Salvation

Irlandos at 13:27, September 27, 2007

2007-09-27T13:27:20Z

Show changes

Irlandos: /* The Roman/Byzantine Empire */

2006-02-09T09:51:08Z

The Roman/Byzantine Empire

Irlandos: /* The Great Schism */

2006-02-09T09:48:26Z

The Great Schism

Irlandos: /* Conversion of the Slavs */

2006-01-05T08:11:30Z

Conversion of the Slavs

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:16, March 19, 2012
Line 330:		Line 330:
	[[Category:Eastern Orthodoxy]]		[[Category:Eastern Orthodoxy]]
	[[Category:Byzantine Empire]]		[[Category:Byzantine Empire]]
		+	[[Category:Religion in Greece]]

@@ Line 123: / Line 123: @@
 The Orthodox seek to recapture paradise through fasting, to regain a measure of purity. Fasting is never seen as earning the believer "points" or the right to salvation; it is merely an exercise in self-denial that serves to rid the believer of his or her ''passions'' (what most modern people would call "addictions"). These often low-intensity and hard-to-detect addictions to food, television or other entertainments, sex, or any kind of self-absorbed pleasure-seeking is seen as one of the most significant obstacles for man seeking closeness to God. Through struggling with fasting the believer comes face to face with the reality of his condition &mdash; the starting point for genuine repentance according to the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
-Fasting is also never looked on as a hardship or punishment but rather a great privilege and joy, although it can be very difficult. Those who for medical reasons (diabetes, for example) cannot fast, often see themselves as missing a great spiritual opportunity. Fasting typically involves differing levels of abstinence depending on the day or season and ranges from a complete fast from all food and drink to abstinence from all animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.), olive oil, and wine. Shellfish and vegetable oils are permitted on certain days and weeks of the fast as is wine. Thus, most fasting guidelines resemble a [[vegan]] diet with all cooking done simply with water but no oil. In addition to restrictions on food, it is generally understood that married couples abstain from sexual relations during a fast (see [[First Epistle to the Corinthians|1 Corinthians]] 7:5) and it is often recommended that entertainments or amusements be eliminated altogether during the stricter periods of fasting.
+Fasting is also never looked on as a hardship or punishment but rather a great privilege and joy, although it can be very difficult. Those who for medical reasons (diabetes, for example) cannot fast, often see themselves as missing a great spiritual opportunity. Fasting typically involves differing levels of abstinence depending on the day or season and ranges from a complete fast from all food and drink to abstinence from all animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.), olive oil, and wine. Shellfish and vegetable oils are permitted on certain days and weeks of the fast as is wine. Thus, most fasting guidelines resemble a vegan diet with all cooking done simply with water but no oil. In addition to restrictions on food, it is generally understood that married couples abstain from sexual relations during a fast (see [[First Epistle to the Corinthians|1 Corinthians]] 7:5) and it is often recommended that entertainments or amusements be eliminated altogether during the stricter periods of fasting.
 The time and type of fast is generally uniform for all Orthodox Christians; the times of fasting are part of the ecclesial calendar. There are four major fasting periods during the year. They are:

@@ Line 280: / Line 280: @@
 ===The Church today===
 The various local churches within the Orthodox Church are distinct in terms of administration and local culture, but for the most part exist in full communion with one another, with exceptions such as lack of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and the Moscow Patriarchate (the Orthodox Church of Russia) dating from the 1920s and due to the subjection of the latter to the hostile soviet regime. However, attempts at reconciliation are being made between the ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate with the ultimate purpose of reunification. Further tensions exist in the philosophical differences between the New Calendarists and the Moderate Old Calendarists.
 == External links ==

@@ Line 216: / Line 216: @@
 ===Holy Orders===
-Since its founding, the Church spread to different places, and the leaders of the Church in each place came to be known as ''episkopoi'' (overseers, plural of ''episkopos'', overseer &mdash; Gr. Επίσκοπος), which became "bishop" in English. The other ordained roles are ''presbyter'' (Gr. πρεσβύτερος, elder), which became "prester" and then "priest" in English, and ''diakonos'' (Gr. διάκονος, servant), which became "deacon" in English (see also subdeacon). There are numerous administrative positions in the clergy that carry additional titles. In the Greek tradition, bishops who occupy an ancient See are called Metropolitan, while the lead bishop in Greece is the Archbishop. Priests can be archpriests, archimandrites, or protopresbyters. Deacons can be archdeacons or protodeacons as well. The position of deacon is often occupied for life.  The deacon also acts as an assistant to a bishop.
+Since its founding, the Church spread to different places, and the leaders of the Church in each place came to be known as ''episkopoi'' (overseers, plural of ''episkopos'', overseer &mdash; Gr. Επίσκοπος), which became "[[bishop]]" in English. The other ordained roles are ''presbyter'' (Gr. πρεσβύτερος, elder), which became "prester" and then "[[priest]]" in English, and ''diakonos'' (Gr. διάκονος, servant), which became "[[deacon]]" in English (see also subdeacon). There are numerous administrative positions in the clergy that carry additional titles. In the Greek tradition, bishops who occupy an ancient See are called [[Metropolitan]], while the lead bishop in Greece is the [[Archbishop]]. Priests can be [[archpriest]]s, [[archimandrite]]s, or [[protopresbyter]]s. Deacons can be [[archdeacon]]s or [[protodeacon]]s as well. The position of deacon is often occupied for life.  The deacon also acts as an assistant to a bishop.
-The Orthodox Church has always allowed married priests and deacons, provided the marriage takes place before ordination. In general, parish priests are be married as they live in normal society (that is, "in the world" and not a monastery) where Orthodoxy sees marriage as the normative state.  Unmarried priests usually live in monasteries since it is there that the unmarried state is the norm, although it sometimes happens that an unmarried priest is assigned to a parish. Widowed priests and deacons may not remarry, and it is common for such a member of the clergy to retire to a monastery. This is also true of widowed wives of clergy, who often do not remarry and may become nuns if their children are grown. Bishops are always celibate. Although Orthodox consider men and women equal before God (Gal. 3:28), only men who are qualified and have no canonical impediments may be ordained bishops, priests, or deacons.
+The Orthodox Church has always allowed married priests and deacons, provided the marriage takes place before ordination. In general, parish priests are married as they live in normal society (that is, "in the world" and not a monastery) where Orthodoxy sees marriage as the normative state.  Unmarried priests usually live in monasteries since it is there that the unmarried state is the norm, although it sometimes happens that an unmarried priest is assigned to a parish. Widowed priests and deacons may not remarry, and it is common for such a member of the clergy to retire to a monastery. This is also true of widowed wives of clergy, who often do not remarry and may become nuns if their children are grown. Bishops are always celibate. Although Orthodox consider men and women equal before God (Gal. 3:28), only men who are qualified and have no canonical impediments may be ordained bishops, priests, or deacons.
 ===Anointing with Holy Oil===

@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 ===The Incarnation===
-Prior to Christ's incarnation on Earth it was man's "fate", when he died, because of the fall of Adam, to be separated from God. Because man introduced something alien to his nature by participation in evil through disobedience to God, mankind placed itself in a terrible and inescapable position. The answer to this problem was for God to raise man's fallen nature, to unite his divine nature with our human nature. This he accomplished through the incarnation, becoming man and yet remaining God. This is why Christ Jesus is referred to as the ''Logos'', the solution to man's problem (one of the several meanings of ''Logos''). It is absolutely fundamental that we accept Christ as both God and Man, both natures complete. This is the only means whereby we could escape the fate of hell. The incarnation changes mankind itself, uniting it to the divine. And now, because of that Incarnation, everything is different: St Basil states: "We are to strive to become little gods, within God, little jesus christs within Jesus Christ". In other words, we must seek perfection in all things in our lives; we must strive to acquire Godly virtue. God through participation in mankind makes it possible for man to participate in divinity. While it is true that we will not become "separate" gods in the pagan sense we will participate in the divine energies of God (which are not separate from God) and still retain our individuality.
+Prior to Christ's incarnation on Earth it was man's "fate", when he died, because of the fall of Adam, to be separated from God. Because man introduced something alien to his nature by participation in evil through disobedience to God, mankind placed itself in a terrible and inescapable position. The answer to this problem was for God to raise man's fallen nature, to unite his divine nature with our human nature. This he accomplished through the incarnation, becoming man and yet remaining God. This is why Christ Jesus is referred to as the ''Logos'', the solution to man's problem (one of the several meanings of ''Logos''). It is absolutely fundamental that we accept Christ as both God and Man, both natures complete. This is the only means whereby we could escape the fate of hell. The incarnation changes mankind itself, uniting it to the divine. And now, because of that Incarnation, everything is different: [[St Basil]] states: "We are to strive to become little gods, within God, little jesus christs within Jesus Christ". In other words, we must seek perfection in all things in our lives; we must strive to acquire Godly virtue. God through participation in mankind makes it possible for man to participate in divinity. While it is true that we will not become "separate" gods in the pagan sense we will participate in the divine energies of God (which are not separate from God) and still retain our individuality.
 ===The Theotokos===

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ===Salvation===
-Man, in Orthodox belief, was originally created perfect, but through his own actions he embraced evil through disobedience to God. Because of Man's fall he was condemned, when he died, to go to Hell (Hades); it is believed that from Adam to St. John the Baptist, all men went to a place of separation from God. But when Jesus came into the world he himself was Perfect Man and Perfect God united. Through his participation in humanity, human nature was changed allowing human beings to participate in the divine nature. This process of changing human nature worked retroactive back to the beginning of time, saving all of those who came before, back to Adam. Salvation, or "being saved," therefore, refers to this process of being saved from the fate of separation from God. It is a distinct concept separate from the concept of "going to heaven." The Orthodox have always maintained that salvation belongs to all mankind and membership in the Orthodox Church is not required, however, it also maintains that the best and most complete path to participation in the gifts of God are spelled out by the Orthodox Church alone.
+Man, in Orthodox belief, was originally created perfect, but through his own actions he embraced evil through disobedience to God. Because of Man's fall he was condemned, when he died, to go to Hell (Hades); it is believed that from Adam to St. [[John the Baptist]], all men went to a place of separation from God. But when Jesus came into the world he himself was Perfect Man and Perfect God united. Through his participation in humanity, human nature was changed allowing human beings to participate in the divine nature. This process of changing human nature worked retroactive back to the beginning of time, saving all of those who came before, back to Adam. Salvation, or "being saved," therefore, refers to this process of being saved from the fate of separation from God. It is a distinct concept separate from the concept of "going to heaven." The Orthodox have always maintained that salvation belongs to all mankind and membership in the Orthodox Church is not required, however, it also maintains that the best and most complete path to participation in the gifts of God are spelled out by the Orthodox Church alone.
 The Orthodox believe that there is nothing that a person can do to earn entrance into Heaven. It is rather a gift from God, who wants nothing more than to restore the original relationship with mankind. However, such a gift has to be desired by the believer, God does not force Heaven on humanity. Man is free to reject it when offered by God.

@@ Line 238: / Line 238: @@
 ===The Roman/Byzantine Empire===
-Several doctrinal disputes from the 4th century onwards led to the calling of [[Ecumenical council]]s. The Church in Egypt (Patriarchate of Alexandria) split into two groups following the [[Council of Chalcedon]] ([[451]]), over a dispute about the relation between the divine and human natures of [[Jesus]]. Eventually this led to each group having its own Patriarch (Pope). Those that remained in communion with the other patriarchs were called "Melkites" (the king's men, because Constantinople was the city of the emperors) [not to be confused with the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church|Melkite Catholics]] of Antioch], and are today known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, until recently led by [[Pope Petros VII]]. Those who disagreed with the findings of the Council of Chalcedon are today known as the [[Coptic Christianity|Coptic]] Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, led by [[Pope Shenouda III]]. There was a similar split in [[Syria]]. Those who disagreed with the Council of Chalcedon are sometimes called "[[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]]" to distinguish them from the Eastern Orthodox, who accepted the Council of Chalcedon. Oriental Orthodox are also sometimes referred to as "[[monophysite]]s", "non-Chalcedonians", or "anti-Chalcedonians", although today the Oriental Orthodox Church denies that it is monophysite and prefers the term "[[miaphysite]]", to denote the "joined" nature of Jesus. Both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches formally believe themselves to be the continuation of the true church and the other fallen into heresy, although over the last several decades there has been some reconciliation.
+Several doctrinal disputes from the 4th century onwards led to the calling of [[Ecumenical council]]s. The Church in Egypt (Patriarchate of Alexandria) split into two groups following the [[Council of Chalcedon]] ([[451]]), over a dispute about the relation between the divine and human natures of [[Jesus]]. Eventually this led to each group having its own Patriarch (Pope). Those that remained in communion with the other patriarchs were called "Melkites" (the king's men, because Constantinople was the city of the emperors) [not to be confused with the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church|Melkite Catholics]] of Antioch], and are today known as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, until recently led by Pope Petros VII. Those who disagreed with the findings of the Council of Chalcedon are today known as the [[Coptic Christianity|Coptic]] Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, led by Pope Shenouda III. There was a similar split in Syria. Those who disagreed with the Council of Chalcedon are sometimes called "[[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]]" to distinguish them from the Eastern Orthodox, who accepted the Council of Chalcedon. Oriental Orthodox are also sometimes referred to as "[[monophysite]]s", "non-Chalcedonians", or "anti-Chalcedonians", although today the Oriental Orthodox Church denies that it is monophysite and prefers the term "miaphysite", to denote the "joined" nature of Jesus. Both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches formally believe themselves to be the continuation of the true church and the other fallen into heresy, although over the last several decades there has been some reconciliation.
 In the 530s the [[Hagia Sophia|Church of the Holy Wisdom]] was built in [[Constantinople]] under emperor [[Justinian I]].

@@ Line 253: / Line 253: @@
 ===The Great Schism===
-In the 11th century the [[East-West Schism|Great Schism]] took place between [[Rome]] and [[Constantinople]], which led to separation of the Church of the West, the Roman Catholic Church, and the [[Eastern Christianity|Churches of the East]]. There were doctrinal issues like the [[filioque clause]] and the authority of the [[Pope]] involved in the split, but these were exacerbated by cultural and linguistic differences.
+In the 11th century the [[East-West Schism|Great Schism]] took place between Rome and [[Constantinople]], which led to separation of the Church of the West, the Roman Catholic Church, and the [[Eastern Christianity|Churches of the East]]. There were doctrinal issues like the [[filioque clause]] and the authority of the Pope involved in the split, but these were exacerbated by cultural and linguistic differences.
-The final breach is often considered to have arisen after the sacking of Constantinople by the [[Fourth Crusade]] in [[1204]]. This Fourth Crusade had the Latin Church directly involved in a military assault against the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, and the Orthodox Patriarchate.  The sacking of the [[Hagia Sophia|Church of Holy Wisdom]] and establishment of the [[Latin Empire]] in [[1204]] is viewed with some rancor to the present day. In [[2004]], [[Pope John Paul II]] extended a formal apology for the sacking of Constantinople in 1204; the apology was formally accepted by [[Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople]].  (Many things that were stolen during this time:  relics, riches, and many other items, are still held in various Catholic churches in Western Europe.
+The final breach is often considered to have arisen after the sacking of Constantinople by the [[Fourth Crusade]] in [[1204]]. This Fourth Crusade had the Latin Church directly involved in a military assault against the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, and the Orthodox Patriarchate.  The sacking of the [[Hagia Sophia|Church of Holy Wisdom]] and establishment of the [[Latin Empire]] in [[1204]] is viewed with some rancor to the present day. In [[2004]], Pope John Paul II extended a formal apology for the sacking of Constantinople in 1204; the apology was formally accepted by [[Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople]].  (Many things that were stolen during this time:  relics, riches, and many other items, are still held in various Catholic churches in Western Europe.
 In [[1453]], the last of the Roman Empire (with its capital at Constantinople) fell to the [[Ottoman Turk]]s. By this time Egypt had been under Muslim control for some seven centuries, but Orthodoxy was very strong in Russia; and so Moscow, called the Third Rome, became a major new center of the Church at that time.

@@ Line 260: / Line 260: @@
 ===Conversion of the Slavs===
-In the ninth and tenth centuries, Orthodoxy made great inroads into Eastern Europe, including Kievan Rus'. This work was made possible by the work of Saints [[Saint Cyril|Cyril]] and [[Methodius|Methodius]], who translated the [[Bible]] and many of the prayer books into the Slavonic vernacular of the Slavs of the region of [[Thessaloniki]], which became the literary language Old Church Slavonic. Originally sent to convert the Slavs of [[Great Moravia]], they were forced to compete with Frankish missionaries from the Roman diocese. Their disciples were driven out of Great Moravia in AD [[886]].
+In the ninth and tenth centuries, Orthodoxy made great inroads into Eastern Europe, including Kievan Rus'. This work was made possible by the work of Saints [[Saint Cyril|Cyril]] and [[Saint Methodius|Methodius]], who translated the [[Bible]] and many of the prayer books into the Slavonic vernacular of the Slavs of the region of [[Thessaloniki]], which became the literary language Old Church Slavonic. Originally sent to convert the Slavs of Great Moravia, they were forced to compete with Frankish missionaries from the Roman diocese. Their disciples were driven out of Great Moravia in AD [[886]].
 Some of the disciples, however, reached Bulgaria where they were welcomed by the Bulgarian Tsar Boris I who viewed the Slavonic liturgy as a way to counteract Greek influence in the country. In a short time the disciples of Cyril and Methoduis managed to prepare and instruct the future Slav Bulgarian clergy into the [[Glagolitic alphabet]] and the biblical texts and in AD [[893]], Bulgaria expelled its Greek clergy and proclaimed the Slavonic language as the official language of the church and the state. The success of the conversion of the Bulgarians facilitated the conversion of other Slavic peoples, most notably the Rus', predecessors of Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians.