The Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church is the first Christian Church. The Church was founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles.

For centuries, the Church has continued in unaltered faith and practice. Today, the apostolic doctrine, worship, and structure remain intact. The Orthodox Church maintains that the Church is the living Body of Jesus Christ.

For the first 1054 years of Christian history,there was just one Church. It was in the 11th century that a split occurred, resulting in the Western Church, under the pope, separating itself from the Orthodox Church. The papacy sought to establish itself over all of Christendom and finally succeeded in the West, but the rest of the Church rejected this innovation, knowing no so-called "universal head" apart from Jesus Christ himself.
 

The Orthodox Church Is...

  • The oldest Church in Christendom, although it is not familiar to many Americans.
  • The second largest body in Christendom, with over 225 million people worldwide, less than 2 million of which are in North America.
  • One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, having an unbroken tradition from Jesus Christ and the Apostles to today.
  • Often referred to as "the Church of the Martyrs". In the 20th century alone, more than 20 million Orthodox Christians gave their life for their faith, primarily under communism. 
  • The Church of some of history's greatest theologians, scholars, and writers, including John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, John of Damascus, Dostoyesvky, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
  • Often referred to by any of its "ethnic: titles such as Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Serbian, Syrian, Romanian, etc. Orthodox literally means "true worship" or "true belief".
  • We are Orthodox because we ascribe to the Orthodox teachings defined in the Bible, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, and the writings of the Church fathers. The Nicene Creed and the Bible play a prominent role in our worship, beliefs, and piety.

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