How Does Orthodoxy Differ?

[uberd00b]

Can anybody help explain to me the Orthodox beliefs?

I am an atheist and a friend of mine assures me that the Orthodox faith is much better thought out than the other main Christian denominations. My friend claims I will find far less problematic within this faith.

I must admit I'm not convinced! But I made an agreement to investigate it more.

Can anyone tell me how the Orthodox church's teachings differ from the more mainstream churches?

Perhaps I can be more specific in my questions as I learn a little more.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Matrona]

The Orthodox baptism service involves spitting and hair-cutting.

 

[EricTheRed]

Haha.

We have no problem saying "We don't know"

 

[Knowledge3]

Culture and Worship.

 

[-Kyriaki-]

God doesn't want to send us to hell.

It's a practical thing, not just an ideal, and people actually try (mostly) to live it out.

God doesn't want to send anyone to hell.

It's a lot more 'hands on' - as I said, it's not just an intellectual thing. We act things out, we participate in ways that aren't just singing the odd hymn and listening to a really long sermon on Sunday.

Did I mention that thing about hell?

We have a historical record of our practice and the heroes of our history that we can show, and we can prove that we haven't changed in any major way in the last few thousand years.

People tend to be very much a family, at least in my experience. It feels awkward to be the new one, but that changes quickly.

The faith gets LIVED. If you get sick and end up in hospital, if it gets mentioned in passing by someone twenty people will come visit you in hospital when they've only just met you (happened last year), if you need money/food/a house people will do what they can, everyone gives what they can to anyone that needs it. We get told off by our priests for not accepting generosity.

We don't have the mindset that 'we are definitely going to heaven, and you definitely aren't' - we don't know that we'll end up there, and we can't say who will!

What exactly do you want to know?

 

[buzuxi02]

Orthodoxy is eastern christianity and eastern christianity emphasis mystery more than legalistic explanation.

Orthodoxy tends to use different names for the same events which demonstrates this point.

In the west Christ's passover meal is called the Last Supper, for us its the Mystical Supper.

In the west its called Original Sin, we prefer Ancestral Sin.

Roman Catholicism attempts to explain the change of bread and wine into the body and blood as Transubstantiation, we dont even bother, we just say its a mystery.

The west has an importanmt doctrine known as Justification, i dont really know what that is since im born Orthodox, but whatever it is it doesnt play a major role in Orthodox theology.

 

[E.C.]

We have no fear with the words "I/We don't know".

Food fest! We go all out with food!

We remember that in the end, it is God who judges and not us. Not meaning to knock on the beliefs or practices of others; but many other faiths, denominations or Churches, as a whole, forget this.

History goes back about 2,000 years and is backed up with 2,000 years worth of Apostles.

People will feed you whether you are Orthodox or not. If you are not, than you will not only be given food in larger quantities than stores that sell in bulk (like Costco) but also the best of the food.

There is that hell thing that Kyriaki mentioned.

Two words: big beards.

 

[ma2000]

We have good food

 

[Asinner]

Can anybody help explain to me the Orthodox beliefs?

I am an atheist and a friend of mine assures me that the Orthodox faith is much better thought out than the other main Christian denominations. My friend claims I will find far less problematic within this faith.

I must admit I'm not convinced! But I made an agreement to investigate it more.

Can anyone tell me how the Orthodox church's teachings differ from the more mainstream churches?

Perhaps I can be more specific in my questions as I learn a little more.

Thanks in advance!

Blessings to you!

The biggest difference I noticed upon entering the Church (I was protestant for 13 years), was humility. In my former denomination, there was a lot of self-righteousness/hypocrisy and justification for not following the Scriptures. I have found the opposite true in Orthodoxy . . . there is Virtue and an apophatic approach to theology. When I speak of Virtue, I am not speaking of myself, but of others. They attest to Christ.

Love,
Christina

 

[gzt]

I rarely recommend this work, because it is fairly inaccurate in some respects, so take it with a grain of salt: "River of Fire" by Dr. Kalomiros. Read it, it's short, it's like 10 pages. I only recommend it because you are a western atheist. Pay no attention to what the other people say. I give trustworthy advice.

 

[Asinner]

I rarely recommend this work, because it is fairly inaccurate in some respects, so take it with a grain of salt: "River of Fire" by Dr. Kalomiros. Read it, it's short, it's like 10 pages. I only recommend it because you are a western atheist. Pay no attention to what the other people say. I give trustworthy advice.

I second this recommendation. You can read it here . . . http://www.orthodoxpress.org/parish/river_of_fire.htm

 

[icxn]

How Does Orthodoxy Differ?

If you really understand Taoism it really doesn't differ much (from Orthodoxy) - this is not what you asked or expected, I know . All that is said of the Tao we ascribe to Christ. What is missing in Taoism is that the Tao is personal. It is not some kind of force or ideal but a Person. So if you really profess to embrace the uncarved block - a mind simple and free from preconceived notions and ideas - give Orthodoxy a chance and I promise you that you will discover spiritual wealth that is beyond description.

Quote (contrast with Ch. 19 of Tao Te Ching):

The mind was thus created pure and simple without predetermined shapes so that its image may have similitude to its Creator Who is simple and invisible. 'So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him" (Gen. 1:27). This way the mind can be united with the divine Archetype. Thus the whole struggle of secular and worldly philosophers is to fashion their minds with different ideas and imaginary knowledge of natural and human things. This is after all the whole power of secular philosophy. On the contrary, the whole struggle and effort and goal of virtuous and spiritual persons is how to erase from their minds every shape and image and thought that has been impressed upon it and to make it (again) simple and pure and unimpressed by anything external, so that through such simplicity it may be united with God and restored to its original condition (uncarved block). - St. Nicodemos
​

Also a little teaser from St. Maximus:

In the multiplicity of beings there is diversity, dissimilarity and difference. But in God, who is in an absolute sense one and alone, there is only identity, simplicity and similarity. It is therefore not safe to devote oneself to the contemplation of God before one has advanced beyond the multiplicity of beings. Moses showed this when he pitched the tent of his mind outside the camp (cf. Exod. 33:7) and then conversed with God. For it is dangerous to attempt to utter the inexpressible by means of the spoken word, for the spoken word involves duality or more than duality. The surest way is to contemplate pure being silently in the soul alone, because pure being is established in undivided unity and not among the multiplicity of things. The high priest, who was commanded to go into the holy of holies within the veil only once every year (cf. Lev. 16; Heb. 9:7), shows us that only he who has passed through what is immaterial and holy and has entered the holy of holies - that is, who has transcended the whole natural world of sensible and intelligible realities, is free from all that is specific to creatures and whose mind is unclad and naked - is able to attain the vision of God.
​

 

[Julina]

I am an atheist and a friend of mine assures me that the Orthodox faith is much better thought out than the other main Christian denominations.

your friend has a point in saying that Orthodoxy is more thought out. their liturgy and beliefs have been around for centuries and are still in practice today.

Can anyone tell me how the Orthodox church's teachings differ from the more mainstream churches?

i'm assuming by mainstream churches you're thinking of the ones who condemn everyone to hell and then don't understand why people get offended by it? to me, they're the ones who give Christians a bad name.
for one thing, Orthodox Christians are not self-righteous (at least as far as i've seen). we leave the condemning up to God.
we also don't base our beliefs on the bible alone, because individual interpretation is not always accurate.
Orthodox worship is also more focused on God.

 

[Lukaris]

We also understand the grace of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) as an uncreated energy. As defned in our current English translation study Bible, "The gift of God's own presence in His creation. Through grace God forgives sins and transforms the believer into His image and likeness. Grace is not merely unmerited favor - an attitude of God toward the believer. Grace is God's uncreated energy bestowed in the sacraments and is truly experienced. A Chrstian is saved through grace, which is a gift of God and not a reward for good works. However, because grace changes a person, he or she will manifest the effects of grace through righteous living. (see John 1:17, Romans 5:21, Ephesians 1:7, 2:8, 2 Thessalonins 1:12, 1 Peter 5:5)"

 

[vanshan]

In regards to the human condition, you'll probably not see much of a difference if you visit an Orthodox church than any other Christian group. You'll observe people who seem arrogant, self-absorbed, unfriendly, vain, etc. Sadly, I demonstrate those characteristics on a regular basis, but the difference is in the heart of it's teachings.

The Church is not a place to make us feel good about ourselves for attending, it's a hospital for sinners to struggle within in cooperation with God for their recovery. There is comraderie built up by attending with others on a similar journey, so socially it can be rewarding too, but that's a side benefit. So, just like when you visit a real hospital (or hospice) you'll see many critically ill people, which can be disturbing, but you can also see people getting real treatment for their condition, not just platitudes, gimmicks, or sensational presentations complete with laser lights.

I recommend the River of Fire also. It does a good job of explaining how the distorted teachings of western Christianity has led to so much disbelief here.

Basil

 

[uberd00b]

The Orthodox baptism service involves spitting and hair-cutting.

Sounds very unusual! So different rituals then?

We have no fear with the words "I/We don't know".

We have no problem saying "We don't know"

Can't fault that. Honesty can go a long way!

Food fest! We go all out with food!

People will feed you whether you are Orthodox or not. If you are not, than you will not only be given food in larger quantities than stores that sell in bulk (like Costco) but also the best of the food.

We have good food

I definitely see a food theme going on here.

Two words: big beards.

I can respect a good beard.

i'm assuming by mainstream churches you're thinking of the ones who condemn everyone to hell and then don't understand why people get offended by it? to me, they're the ones who give Christians a bad name.

It's certainly a problem with a large portion of the faith. What is the Orthodox teaching on hell?

I recommend the River of Fire also. It does a good job of explaining how the distorted teachings of western Christianity has led to so much disbelief here.

I'm off to read that now!

Thanks everyone!

 

[Thekla]

too late, but I recommend River of Fire also

 

[Julina]

What is the Orthodox teaching on hell?[/quote ]i'll be honest; i'm just learning too so i'll explain what i know so far as best i can. and maybe someone else can correct me if i'm wrong?

i think someone else mentioned here that God does not want us to go to hell. that's where the devil resides. God would not have made us if he wanted us to live with the devil for the rest of eternity.

salvation comes through a lifetime process to become like God (not A god) so we can be with Him in heaven. hell is for those who have prepared themselves for the devil. in other words, heaven and hell are choices made while we're alive, but God has the final say after death. period.

 

[Chocolatesa]

Julina, have you read River of Fire?

 

[Julina]

no. why?