Ancient Christian Witness

A few months ago I dealt with the term "Catholic" and what it meant in the Orthodox Church compared to how the western churches understand that word.

This time I'm going to define:


Orthodoxy = Right belief


Orthopraxy = right practice

and

Orthopathy = right feeling/emotion/love



In dealing with right belief:

When Rome split with the East in 1054(not the exact date) the East took on the name Orthodox which stands for "right belief". Orthodoxy never embraced some of the speculations made by Augustine. And because of this our Theology is different from the Western churches.

1.) We don't have a just war doctrine.

2.)We don't believe that Adam's and Eve's guilt is passed on to us after the fall.

3.) We don't believe that we will be judged for the sins of Adam and Eve.

4.) We don't believe in the immaculate conception of Mary.

5.) We don't believe Water Baptism wipes away Original guilt.

6.) We don't believe the Pope to be the universal Bishop.




In regards to right practice:

Right practice is partly about the customs that were passed on from the Apostles. And the ammendments made at the ecumenical councils. The Orthodox care alot about right practice because "right belief" is linked to right practice.

But in general right practice is about believing, trusting, repenting, and obeying God.





In regards to right emotion/feeling/intuition:

In worship there is a great stress on being soberly minded. And since the monastic life has a huge influence on Orthodox culture there is a love of creation, solitude, silence, and beauty in the arts.

It also deals with having a passion/desire and determination to know and love God, and nieghbor.

Another side of Orthopathy deals with right suffering. Not only were we granted to believe in Christ but we were also granted to suffer for His name sake as well.

This is what makes the Orthodox path of Theosis therapeutic.








JNORM888