Eastern Orthodox
-2nd largest Christian group in the world, with believers numbering about 225-300 million.
- Follow a style of Christianity based on the first seven ecumenical councils (meetings dating back to the first 10 centuries where the early churches met to try and establish a unified view of exactly what Christianity was and how it would be approached).
- Has it's roots in mystery, with parts of the service taking place out of view of the audience, behind what's called an iconostasis. When it's doors are opened, they symbolizes Christ being revealed to humanity.
- Split from the Roman Catholic church based on the belief that they had strayed from or added to some of the things established in these councils such as the universal supremacy of the Pope.
- The Roman Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit initiates from the Father and the Son, while Eastern Orthodox believers think it only initiates from the Father.
- Believe they have fully preserved, without any change the beliefs and customs of the early church established by the apostles and are the only "right believing" church.
- Whereas Roman Catholics concentrate more on the sinful nature of man, Orthodox churches concentrate more on man's inherent goodness.
- Roman Catholics concentrate on Dogma, Eastern Orthodox more on worship.
- Often very beautiful, rich in art, music, and history with an emphasis of mysticism.
- Believe that you can't be considered a Christian if you don't attend church.
- The goal is to become like God, to become "Little Christs" within Jesus. (this is also called theosis).
- Recognize 7 Sacraments but call them mysteries and they are worded a little differently than in Roman Catholicism: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Ordination, Marriage, and Holy Unction.
- Have 10 more books in their Old Testaments than Protestants usually recognize in theirs.
- Use icons to pay tribute to religious figures like Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Most of the time these are paintings which are often filled with symbols relating to the person pictured and their life. They are meant to be more informative than creative and are often copied from older models. 3-Dimensional statues are virtually non-existent.
- Believe that when you die your soul goes straight to God and is immediately judged in a process called "Particular Judgment". Your final reward or lack thereof however isn't given til a later time called "General Judgment". In the meantime called the Intermediate State, the soul gets a taste of the reward...or lack thereof to come.
- Composed of several self-governing bodies (which can encompass a region or nation), each distinct from one another but unified in terms of beliefs.
- Each body or region is shepherded by a "synod" of Bishops.
- Bishops are almost always chosen from monks and must remain unmarried. No Bishop has more power than another.
- Though the theology is universal within the church, differences in local traditions (called typica) are recognized and okay. Generally an Orthodox member could go to church anywhere in the world and understand what was going on, but there may be things slightly different than in his church as far as the order of the songs sung, ect.
- Members of the church elect candidates to the priesthood and share in the administration and tasks of the church. No one person is the leader, nor do all the members act seperately. They see themselves as "the mystical body of Christ."
- Worship is approached through philosophy and mysticism. They believe that the truth must be personally experienced and therefore will not always be subject to an exact definition.
- Follow a style of Christianity based on the first seven ecumenical councils (meetings dating back to the first 10 centuries where the early churches met to try and establish a unified view of exactly what Christianity was and how it would be approached).
- Has it's roots in mystery, with parts of the service taking place out of view of the audience, behind what's called an iconostasis. When it's doors are opened, they symbolizes Christ being revealed to humanity.
- Split from the Roman Catholic church based on the belief that they had strayed from or added to some of the things established in these councils such as the universal supremacy of the Pope.
- The Roman Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit initiates from the Father and the Son, while Eastern Orthodox believers think it only initiates from the Father.
- Believe they have fully preserved, without any change the beliefs and customs of the early church established by the apostles and are the only "right believing" church.
- Whereas Roman Catholics concentrate more on the sinful nature of man, Orthodox churches concentrate more on man's inherent goodness.
- Roman Catholics concentrate on Dogma, Eastern Orthodox more on worship.
- Often very beautiful, rich in art, music, and history with an emphasis of mysticism.
- Believe that you can't be considered a Christian if you don't attend church.
- The goal is to become like God, to become "Little Christs" within Jesus. (this is also called theosis).
- Recognize 7 Sacraments but call them mysteries and they are worded a little differently than in Roman Catholicism: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Ordination, Marriage, and Holy Unction.
- Have 10 more books in their Old Testaments than Protestants usually recognize in theirs.
- Use icons to pay tribute to religious figures like Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Most of the time these are paintings which are often filled with symbols relating to the person pictured and their life. They are meant to be more informative than creative and are often copied from older models. 3-Dimensional statues are virtually non-existent.
- Believe that when you die your soul goes straight to God and is immediately judged in a process called "Particular Judgment". Your final reward or lack thereof however isn't given til a later time called "General Judgment". In the meantime called the Intermediate State, the soul gets a taste of the reward...or lack thereof to come.
- Composed of several self-governing bodies (which can encompass a region or nation), each distinct from one another but unified in terms of beliefs.
- Each body or region is shepherded by a "synod" of Bishops.
- Bishops are almost always chosen from monks and must remain unmarried. No Bishop has more power than another.
- Though the theology is universal within the church, differences in local traditions (called typica) are recognized and okay. Generally an Orthodox member could go to church anywhere in the world and understand what was going on, but there may be things slightly different than in his church as far as the order of the songs sung, ect.
- Members of the church elect candidates to the priesthood and share in the administration and tasks of the church. No one person is the leader, nor do all the members act seperately. They see themselves as "the mystical body of Christ."
- Worship is approached through philosophy and mysticism. They believe that the truth must be personally experienced and therefore will not always be subject to an exact definition.