IntroductionIntroduction toto OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianityChristianity AA ThreeThree SessionSession ClassClass forfor InquirersInquirers ClassClass PurposePurpose ProvideProvide aa basicbasic introductionintroduction toto OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianityChristianity Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 2 QuestionsQuestions WeWe WillWill AnswerAnswer WhatWhat isis thethe OrthodoxOrthodox Church?Church? WhereWhere doesdoes itit comecome fromfrom –– andand whywhy havehave soso manymany nevernever heardheard ofof it?it? HowHow isis itit similarsimilar toto andand differentdifferent fromfrom ChristianChristian ChurchesChurches withwith whichwhich youyou maymay bebe moremore familiar?familiar? WhatWhat dodo peoplepeople findfind here?here? YourYour specificspecific questions.questions. OverviewOverview Welcome!Welcome! Coffee and soft drinks afterwards We love questions…ask them anytime The restrooms are located… SessionSession OutlineOutline Introduction to Orthodox Christianity Session 1 - Who We Are Session 2 - What We Believe Session 3 - How We Live OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianityChristianity WhoWho WeWe AreAre SessionSession 11 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianChristian ChurchChurch ISIS NOTNOT anan institutioninstitution oror organizationorganization ISIS aa LivingLiving OrganismOrganism ––thethe peoplepeople ofof GodGod AsAs thethe peoplepeople ofof GodGod we:we: Gather together in his name Share a common faith in love of God Affirm truth & fullness of their faith belief & experience Proclaim the Good News of Christ in word and deed AnAn OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianChristian…… AA personperson whowho liveslives accordingaccording toto thethe imageimage ofof JesusJesus ChristChrist andand affirmsaffirms thethe fullnessfullness ofof truthtruth hehe revealsreveals OrthoOrtho doxdox ChristChrist ianian True or correct Belief Jesus Christ One who complete teaching in whom our strives to live doctrine doctrine faith is as Christ did rooted JesusJesus ChristChrist DIDDID NOTNOT …… ComeCome toto establishestablish aa religion,religion, beliefbelief systemsystem oror codecode ofof ethics.ethics. DIDDID GiveGive usus aa modelmodel forfor livingliving basedbased onon lovingloving…… God with our very being Others as we love ourselves OnOn this,this, JesusJesus ChristChrist says,says, everythingeverything elseelse hingeshinges OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianChristian ChurchChurch OriginsOrigins TracesTraces itsits originsorigins toto JesusJesus ChristChrist andand thethe apostlesapostles BornBorn onon dayday ofof PentecostPentecost 50 days after Christ’’s resurrection when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles Apostles went throughout the world proclaiming the Good News of the Risen Christ to all who would listen SubsequentlySubsequently spreadspread toto everyevery cornercorner ofof thethe worldworld PlantedPlanted inin NorthNorth AmericaAmerica byby OrthodoxOrthodox missionariesmissionaries Alaska, 1794 OrthodoxOrthodox ChurchChurch TodayToday ThroughoutThroughout thethe worldworld 300,000,000300,000,000 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians InIn NorthNorth AmericaAmerica 2,000,0002,000,000 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians 28002800 parishes,parishes, missionsmissions institutionsinstitutions andand monasteriesmonasteries TheThe ChurchChurch continuescontinues toto inviteinvite peoplepeople toto ComeCome andand seesee thethe fullnessfullness ofof thethe faithfaith EmbraceEmbrace itit asas theirtheir ownown OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians AttemptAttempt toto serveserve GodGod by:by: WorshipWorship Public “liturgy” & private prayer Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 11 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians AttemptAttempt toto serveserve GodGod by:by: FellowshipFellowship By interacting with others in the faith community and beyond Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 12 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians AttemptAttempt toto serveserve GodGod by:by: DiscipleshipDiscipleship Fasting, almsgiving and reaching out to others, especially those in spiritual and material need Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 13 OrthodoxOrthodox ChristiansChristians AttemptAttempt toto serveserve GodGod by:by: StewardshipStewardship Wisely managing the gifts of time, talent and treasure with which God has blessed us. NextNext WeekWeek SessionSession 22 –– WhatWhat WeWe BelieveBelieve Questions?Questions? OrthodoxOrthodox ChristianityChristianity WhatWhat WeWe BelieveBelieve SessionSession 22 TopicsTopics ScriptureScripture TraditionTradition TrinityTrinity TheThe ChurchChurch SalvationSalvation Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 18 HolyHoly ScriptureScripture TheThe inspiredinspired wordword ofof GodGod andand thethe writtenwritten recordrecord ofof HisHis revelationrevelation toto humanityhumanity Diocese of the Midwest - Orthodox Church in America 19 HolyHoly ScriptureScripture Old Testament Records the manner in which God prepared the world for the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. New Testament Completes and fulfills God’’s revelation… by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord, God and Savior; as the very Word of God Who came to live in the midst of His people; and as the perfect, final and complete revelation of God to the world HolyHoly TraditionTradition That which is passed on or given over within the Church, from the time of Jesus Christ and the apostles until the present day IsIs…… the ongoing life of God’’s People that which God’’s People have believed, lived, experienced, celebrated and shared at all times and in all places. the living link that unites God’’s people in a common faith, life & experience. IncludesIncludes…… all that is essential to God’’s revelation and necessary for our salvation HolyHoly TraditionTradition ConsistsConsists ofof…… HolyHoly ScriptureScripture PrayerPrayer && liturgicalliturgical worshipworship AcceptedAccepted creedscreeds && actsacts ofof thethe earlyearly ChurchChurch’’ss councilscouncils WritingsWritings ofof thethe HolyHoly FathersFathers LivesLives ofof thethe saintssaints ArtisticArtistic andand musicalmusical expressionexpression ofof thethe ChurchChurch HolyHoly TrinityTrinity TheThe oneone GodGod isis threethree separateseparate andand distinctdistinct PersonsPersons Father, Son and Holy Spirit EachEach PersonPerson ofof thethe TrinityTrinity…… Shares fully and equally in the divine nature and will AND Is infinite, perfect, all knowing, ever existing and eternally the same AND Is perfectly united to the other Persons of the Trinity in love. HolyHoly TrinityTrinity (cont(cont’’d)d) GodGod thethe FatherFather TheThe sourcesource ofof allall thingsthings MakerMaker ofof HeavenHeaven andand EarthEarth AndAnd ofof allall thingsthings visiblevisible andand invisibleinvisible SummarizedSummarized inin NiceneNicene Creed,Creed, professedprofessed unchangedunchanged sincesince 4th4th centurycentury HolyHoly TrinityTrinity (cont(cont’’d)d) GodGod thethe Son,Son, JesusJesus ChristChrist Sent by the Father into the world for our salvation Begotten of the Father before all ages Took on human nature & became man while not forsaking divine nature Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and on the third day He arose again He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead JesusJesus ChristChrist isis ourour Savior,Savior, whowho leadsleads humanityhumanity intointo GodGod’’ss kingdomkingdom HolyHoly TrinityTrinity (cont(cont’’d)d) GodGod thethe HolyHoly SpiritSpirit TheThe Lord,Lord, thethe GiverGiver ofof LifeLife ProceedsProceeds fromfrom thethe FatherFather IsIs worshippedworshipped andand glorifiedglorified withwith thethe FatherFather andand thethe SonSon TheThe HolyHoly SpiritSpirit fillsfills us,us, sustainssustains usus andand strengthensstrengthens usus inin livingliving aa ChristChrist--likelike lifelife TheThe ChurchChurch TheThe ChurchChurch isis…… BecauseBecause…… ONEONE It is one body with one Head, Jesus Christ It cannot be divided or separated because Christ cannot be divided or separated It does not posses numerous branches that, while similar, are not the same HOLYHOLY the Holy Spirit dwells in God’s people as they respond to His call to salvation and eternal life CATHOLICCATHOLIC the Church is whole, complete, lacking in nothing & universal APOSTOLICAPOSTOLIC It maintains and continues in the apostles’ teaching, mission, ministry and experience SalvationSalvation TheThe processprocess byby whichwhich wewe prepareprepare toto enjoyenjoy eternaleternal lifelife withwith God.God. EndsEnds ourour separationseparation fromfrom God,God, enablingenabling usus toto beginbegin aa newnew lifelife inin accordanceaccordance withwith HisHis will.will. SalvationSalvation ForFor thosethose whowho…… SpendingSpending eternityeternity inin HisHis presencepresence isis…… Love God Paradise Heaven A “fire that purifies” Hate God or, Torment Are indifferent to Him or, A “fire that burns” Refuse to place their faith in Him SalvationSalvation IsIs ultimatelyultimately attainedattained throughthrough anan activeactive faithfaith FreeFree toto acceptaccept oror rejectreject ByBy acceptingaccepting faithfaith wewe commitcommit ourselvesourselves to:to: LivingLiving ourour faithfaith PuttingPutting itit intointo actionaction RecognizingRecognizing GodGod’’ss presencepresence inin othersothers –– eveneven thethe leastleast ofof thethe brothersbrothers NextNext WeekWeek SessionSession 33 –– HowHow WeWe LiveLive Questions?Questions? OrthodoxOrthodox