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How was the Greek Orthodox Church formed?
The Greek Orthodox Church had been formed in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in 33 AD. Approximately 200 million people follow the Orthodox tradition today. The Orthodox faith is heavily based on the original teachings of Jesus Christ. They have maintained Jesus’ original teachings. The first Bishops of the Church have maintained their Orthodox faith up to the modern day Church. The Orthodox Church is formed around two sources of authority: Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture. Holy Scripture is the Bible and its prophets as well as teachings. Holy tradition is the ‘apostolic teachings’ that are taught through the Bishops and apostles of the Church. These teachings and traditions were handed down, Bishop after Bishop, up until the modern day Church. Both Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition are considered equal in authority to the Church. The Roman Catholic Church was once a part of the Orthodox Church, believing and teaching the same doctrines and Sacred Tradition, until the year 1054. It was the Roman Catholic Church that broke away from the Orthodox Church. In that year the Pope of Rome had left the original Church. He did this by making unacceptable claims of authority over the entire Christian Church.
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What are the Key features of the Greek Orthodox Church?
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed- The Greek Orthodox Church is heavily based around the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. This Creed identifies all of their beliefs. In the Creed, it states that they believe in one God, they believe in Jesus, they believe in the Holy Spirit and in the Virgin Mary. God is the main source of faith in the Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy believes that God has appeared to them in the revelation of Jesus Christ, who they know as the Son of God. This revelation of God, his love and purpose is revealed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
How was the Greek Orthodox Church formed?
The Greek Orthodox Church had been formed in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in 33 AD. Approximately 200 million people follow the Orthodox tradition today. The Orthodox faith is heavily based on the original teachings of Jesus Christ. They have maintained Jesus’ original teachings. The first Bishops of the Church have maintained their Orthodox faith up to the modern day Church. The Orthodox Church is formed around two sources of authority: Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture. Holy Scripture is the Bible and its prophets as well as teachings. Holy tradition is the ‘apostolic teachings’ that are taught through the Bishops and apostles of the Church. These teachings and traditions were handed down, Bishop after Bishop, up until the modern day Church. Both Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition are considered equal in authority to the Church. The Roman Catholic Church was once a part of the Orthodox Church, believing and teaching the same doctrines and Sacred Tradition, until the year 1054. It was the Roman Catholic Church that broke away from the Orthodox Church. In that year the Pope of Rome had left the original Church. He did this by making unacceptable claims of authority over the entire Christian Church.
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What are the Key features of the Greek Orthodox Church?
Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed- The Greek Orthodox Church is heavily based around the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. This Creed identifies all of their beliefs. In the Creed, it states that they believe in one God, they believe in Jesus, they believe in the Holy Spirit and in the Virgin Mary. God is the main source of faith in the Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy believes that God has appeared to them in the revelation of Jesus Christ, who they know as the Son of God. This revelation of God, his love and purpose is revealed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed.
The Holy Trinity- The Orthodox Church also has a deep understanding of the ‘Holy Trinity’. The Holy Trinity is ‘The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’. These three features all form the Holy Trinity. This is also regarded as the ‘One God’. The Orthodox Church believes that the Holy Trinity can also relate to man and its three parts: Body, spirit and soul.
The Holy Trinity
The 12 Apostles- The Greek Orthodox Church can also relate back to the 12 apostles and how they helped form the Church. When Jesus formed the Churches, he passed on his authority to the 12 apostles in order to spread the Churches.
Both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church are very similar to each other as they both had a similar background and formation. They are also very similar in their beliefs and traditions.
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Bibliography
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~A brief history of the orthodox church 2014, Gotelecom, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://stgeorge.ia.goarch.org/orthhist.htm>
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~Christianity – Orthodox 2015, ABC, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s817554.htm>.
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~Eastern Orthodox Church 2008, BBC, accessed 3 September 2015, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox_1.shtml>
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~History of the Church in Australia 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/general/aboutus/history>
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~Holy Trinity 2013, Wikipedia, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Trinity>
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~Sacred Tradition 2015, Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, accessed 3 September 2015, <https://carm.org/dictionary-sacred-tradition>
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~Teachings of the Orthodox Church 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7062>
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~The Mystery of the Holy Trinity 2008, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/general/orthodoxchristianity/holytrinity>
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~The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed 2015, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://www.antiochian.org/674>
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~The Twelve Apostles 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 3 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7065>
~
~What Do Orthodox Christians Believe? 2013, Patheos, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2013/11/18/what-do-orthodox-christians-believe/>
~
~What Is The Greek Orthodox Church? 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8032>
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~When was the Orthodox Church founded 2003, Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/inceptionoforthodoxchurch.htm>
~
Harvard Referencing Used
The Holy Trinity
The 12 Apostles- The Greek Orthodox Church can also relate back to the 12 apostles and how they helped form the Church. When Jesus formed the Churches, he passed on his authority to the 12 apostles in order to spread the Churches.
Both the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church are very similar to each other as they both had a similar background and formation. They are also very similar in their beliefs and traditions.
_________________________________________________________
Bibliography
~
~A brief history of the orthodox church 2014, Gotelecom, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://stgeorge.ia.goarch.org/orthhist.htm>
~
~Christianity – Orthodox 2015, ABC, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.abc.net.au/religion/stories/s817554.htm>.
~
~Eastern Orthodox Church 2008, BBC, accessed 3 September 2015, <http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox_1.shtml>
~
~History of the Church in Australia 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/general/aboutus/history>
~
~Holy Trinity 2013, Wikipedia, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Trinity>
~
~Sacred Tradition 2015, Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, accessed 3 September 2015, <https://carm.org/dictionary-sacred-tradition>
~
~Teachings of the Orthodox Church 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7062>
~
~The Mystery of the Holy Trinity 2008, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://www.greekorthodox.org.au/general/orthodoxchristianity/holytrinity>
~
~The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed 2015, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://www.antiochian.org/674>
~
~The Twelve Apostles 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 3 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7065>
~
~What Do Orthodox Christians Believe? 2013, Patheos, accessed 4 September 2015, <http://www.patheos.com/blogs/christiancrier/2013/11/18/what-do-orthodox-christians-believe/>
~
~What Is The Greek Orthodox Church? 2015, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, accessed 1 September 2015, <http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8032>
~
~When was the Orthodox Church founded 2003, Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, accessed 2 September 2015, <http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/inceptionoforthodoxchurch.htm>
~
Harvard Referencing Used