Orthodoxy is the faith passed on to the apostles by Jesus Christ, the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). We believe God revealed Himself to us through Jesus Christ, the “Son of God who became the Son of Man.”
WHAT WE BELIEVE
The timeless faith of Orthodox Christianity leads to the fullest life.
What We Believe
We believe the Orthodox Church has preserved and taught the historic Christian faith from the time of the apostles.
We believe the timeless faith of Orthodox Christianity leads to the fullest life.
It is impossible to truly know Christ apart from the Church. When doubt threatens to submerge your faith, you can turn to the pillars on which your faith is founded. Orthodoxy can be so much more than attending church on Sunday. We’re surrounded by so many contradictory messages about what will make us happy, or what is “good” or “right”, but the only real constant is God.
We believe Jesus forgives our sins through the sacramental power given to the Church.
This power was first given to the Apostles, then to their successors, the bishops and priests – right down to the present day. Jesus told them: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20: 22-23). Forgiveness is reconciliation with Christ and all mankind.
We believe in the Scriptures which are based in the Holy Tradition of the Church.
Because we revere the Scriptures as the word of God, our prayers and services consist primarily of quotations from the Bible and readings from the Bible. We believe that the Orthodox Church is the guardian and interpreter of the Scriptures, which are “a valuable witness to God’s revelation.”
We believe God transcends the bounds of reason.
Orthodoxy recognizes the supreme majesty of God and the limitations of the human mind. Orthodoxy embraces the transcendent mystery of God and mystery of the Holy Trinity, which can never be fully comprehended.
The Creed
“I believe in One God, Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.
And in One Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages.
Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten, not created, of one essence with the Father, through whom all things were made.
For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became Man.
He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and He suffered and was buried.
On the third day He rose according to the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father, who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.
In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
I expect the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the age to come.
Amen.”
Orthodox Christian Network
OCN Donate
Help us share the beauty and richness of our timeless faith with the modern world.
