Salvation
What is the Orthodox understanding of salvation? The Orthodox understand that “salvation” is the term used to describe deliverance from sin and death, union with Christ, and abiding with God forever in eternity.
What is the Orthodox understanding of salvation? The Orthodox understand that “salvation” is the term used to describe deliverance from sin and death, union with Christ, and abiding with God forever in eternity.
The Mission of the Orthodox Church as a whole is very simple and straightforward, and the specific goal of the Orthodox Church in Australia aligns with this mission. Let’s learn what this mission is, and how it is specific to Australia. The Mission The Orthodox Mission has as its twin goals: the “incarnation of the Logos of God into the language and customs of a country,” and the “growth of an indigenous church which will sanctify and endorse the people’s personality.”(1)
The Orthodox faith teaches that as souls before God women and men stand equal. Women are not “second class citizens” in the Kingdom of God. They can and should take an active role in the life of the Church; indeed the Church’s life would be immeasurably impoverished without their contribution. We do not however, confuse equality before God with ‘equality’ or sameness of earthly roles. We believe in the headship of the male and accept the traditional teaching of the Church that reserves the Priesthood to men.
Over the years I’ve noticed that some visitors to Orthodox services feel uncomfortable and uncertain about kissing the cross at the end of the Liturgy Service. I’d like to try to explain why we do it. Kissing the Cross of Jesus We have to admit, that from a modern perspective, it is a really a strange thing to do. Kissing the depiction of a man being executed could, in fact, be seen as grotesque. The reason we do it, however, is because of what this particular person means to us.
There are two types of “word”—the Living Word and the written word. The passage in the first chapter of John's Gospel refers to the Living Word, but when we say in the Liturgy “This is the word of the Lord” following the Gospel reading, we are referring to the written word. Logos The Greek for “Word” in the passages in John 1 is “Logos.” This has an intricate meaning it would seem. It conveys “wisdom”, “reason” and “Creator.” The Greek for “Creation” is “Logikos.” “The Word” is synonymous with “The Son.”
Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev - The Need to Act Bishop Hilarion, who is Russian Orthodox, was born in Moscow, studied at Oxford, and is presently the Russian Orthodox Bishop for Central Europe based in Vienna, Austria Tuesday, May 09, 2006 by Dr. Robert Moynihan INSIDE THE VATICAN: A major conference involving Catholics and Orthodox is scheduled to take place in Vienna in early May. Can you tell us something about the background of this conference, and its chief purpose?
What is baptism? Baptism is a Christian mystery in which a catechumen (student) is united with Christ. In Orthodoxy, if someone asked what is going on in Baptism, the best answer would likely be, “Everything.” To get a sense of what this means, let’s look at what the priest says within the Baptism Liturgy:
The Letter to Diognetus was written by an unknown early Christian apologist during the time when the early Church was persecuted by the pagan Roman government. The author attacks pagan beliefs and practices as superstitious and immoral. He argues that biblical teaching is superior to pagan philosophy, because it is grounded in the divine revelation, not in human wisdom. Believers are good citizens because their moral values transcend the conventions of pagan society. Let's see what the writer of this letter believed made Chrisitans unique from the rest of society.
Spirituality by Frederica Mathewes-Green Life in Christ. I don't like the category "spirituality." It sounds so external. It sounds so *optional*. It isn't a concept I find in the first millennium, or anywhere in Eastern Christianity. As far as I can tell, what people today mean by "spirituality" is what St. Paul meant by "life in Christ."
In the last few years, there has been a resurgence in interest in Mary Magdalene fueled in part by the repopularisation of old myths and legends. Behind all the stories though, is a real woman who was a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. The Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches consider her a saint and celebrate her feast day on July 22nd. Who she was Mary’s name probably means “Mary of Magdala,” after a town located on the Western shore of the Lake of Tiberias. What follows is the Gospel account of Mary: