The Only, One, True Church.

[RaylightI]

Hi.

I need to inform you firstly that I don't speak English perfectly, but I'm sure you will be able to understand me.

Does the Orthodox Church teache that it is the Only, One, True Church that established by Christ Himself ? And if yes, what about the other churches such as Catholic, Anglican, and Protestants. Are they considered to be true churches somehow ?

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hi.

I need to inform you firstly that I don't speak English perfectly, but I'm sure you will be able to understand me.

Does the Orthodox Church teache that it is the Only, One, True Church that established by Christ Himself ? And if yes, what about the other churches such as Catholic, Anglican, and Protestants. Are they considered to be true churches somehow ?

Hi Raylight,

Welcome to CF, and welcome to TAW!

I will let someone else answer your questions in more detail. What I can tell you is that the Orthodox Church considers herself to be the Church established by Christ/the Apostles.

The Creed we recite states the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

I suspect that you will find she does not judge churches outside herself. But the Orthodox Church does consider itself to posses the fullness of the faith.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yep that is what we teach. the Anglicans, Catholics, Protestants, etc are not members of the Church of Christ. we certainly do not say we know who will be saved in the end is, but we do know what Church they will be a part of.

and welcome to TAW! hope you stick around!

 

[buzuxi02]

Correct, there is only one true church. The others are just societies that spring up and die off over time.

 

[RaylightI]

Thank each one of you for answering


If you allow me to ask another question based on the replies above.

According to the Orthodox Church teachings, it is the only true Church, Church of Christ. and other churches are not, such as Anglicans, Catholic, Protestants...etc.

Does that mean these other churches are not Christians ? Non of their sacraments, practices, beliefs are valid ?

Please answer me based on the Orthodox Church teachings.

 

[Nik0s]

Thank each one of you for answering


If you allow me to ask another question based on the replies above.

According to the Orthodox Church teachings, it is the only true Church, Church of Christ. and other churches are not, such as Anglicans, Catholic, Protestants...etc.

Does that mean these other churches are not Christians ? Non of their sacraments, practices, beliefs are valid ?

Please answer me based on the Orthodox Church teachings.

As Orthodox Christians, we do not judge the Heterodox, or their state of salvation. We are but humans, and do not presume to know the spiritual fate of our brothers, nor do we know our own spiritual fate! As scripture tells us, we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. An oft repeated quote about the Orthodox position on the Heterodox is that " we know where the Church is, but we don't know where the Church isn't."

As for the sacraments of the heterodox, the Orthodox Church does indeed consider them invalid. Sometimes, through the discretion of the Bishop, Baptisms performed in the name of the trinity ( RCC, traditional Protestants etc.) are recognized through economy (on what economy is http://orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/non-orthodox_ch5.pdf )

 

[Lukaris]

Personally, I think it centers on the Eucharist. Since we are not in communion with the other churches, we cannot share in the sacrament. I think it is just as fearful to deny the Holy Spirit among other Christians as it is to commune with differences in faith.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I believe it was Fr. Thomas Hopko I was listening to several weeks ago (I have tried to find that podcast again!) who said that he did NOT deny that the Holy Spirit and the grace of God could be active in heterodox sacraments.

Orthodox of course do not share communion with heterodox, but according to Fr. Thomas (if I have the right name), to deny the grace of God in sacraments outside the Orthodox Church is to limit God.

He did also say that some other Orthodox might not agree with him. But to my ears, it sounds like a very Orthodox position.

I have heard some go so far as to deny that anyone outside of the Orthodox Church will be saved, but many of them when questioned believe that if God does save a person, He adds them to the Church, even if they are not part of a community of Orthodox believers on earth. So essentially they still agree that one who is not a member of the Orthodox Church (as we consider the usual meaning of church membership) can still be saved.

I've met a few individuals who believe that no one outside the physical Orthodox Church in life on earth will be saved, but I do not believe this is the Orthodox position.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Does that mean these other churches are not Christians ? Non of their sacraments, practices, beliefs are valid ?

I think we would call them Christians, but whether or not what they do is valid is not up to us to say. what we can say, is that we know where the fullness of God's grace and truth is. we do not say where it is not.

can God perform things outside of the Church? of course He can. does He? I dunno, I like to think so. we know, though, where He promised to be and where He does work.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I believe it was Fr. Thomas Hopko I was listening to several weeks ago (I have tried to find that podcast again!) who said that he did NOT deny that the Holy Spirit and the grace of God could be active in heterodox sacraments.

Orthodox of course do not share communion with heterodox, but according to Fr. Thomas (if I have the right name), to deny the grace of God in sacraments outside the Orthodox Church is to limit God.

He did also say that some other Orthodox might not agree with him. But to my ears, it sounds like a very Orthodox position.

I have heard some go so far as to deny that anyone outside of the Orthodox Church will be saved, but many of them when questioned believe that if God does save a person, He adds them to the Church, even if they are not part of a community of Orthodox believers on earth. So essentially they still agree that one who is not a member of the Orthodox Church (as we consider the usual meaning of church membership) can still be saved.

I've met a few individuals who believe that no one outside the physical Orthodox Church in life on earth will be saved, but I do not believe this is the Orthodox position.

when it comes to stuff like this, I think we gotta remember that the final Church roll call is on Judgment Day, and as Fr Hopko says, there will be a lot of surprises on that day.

 

[~Anastasia~]

when it comes to stuff like this, I think we gotta remember that the final Church roll call is on Judgment Day, and as Fr Hopko says, there will be a lot of surprises on that day.

Thanks Matt.

I think what you said is the point. I guess I just find myself in the position of go-between. When someone who is Orthodox says that salvation us only found in the Orthodox Church, a Protestant hears "s/he just said we're all going to hell!"

It's like speaking two languages. I try to be careful that what I say (and I also try to be careful to point out that I am in no position to speak for the Orthodox Church) - but I try to avoid misunderstandings at the same time.

Thank you for summarizing that. . I hope I didn't misrepresent anything.

 

[buzuxi02]

Those outside the Church can have an outward grace, but the fulness of the Holy Spirit is found within the bridal Chamber of Christ, that is the Church. This is seen in the book of ACTS chapters 18-19:1-5