What is Orthodoxy and who are Orthodox? What is the difference between Christians and Orthodox
(from Greek - "orthodoxy") developed as the eastern branch of Christianity after the division of the Roman Empire and, taking shape after the division of churches in 1054, became widespread mainly in Eastern Europe and in the Middle East.
Features of Orthodoxy
The formation of religious organizations is closely connected with the social and political life society. Christianity will not be an exception, which was especially evident in the differences between its main directions - Catholicism and Orthodoxy. At the beginning of the 5th century The Roman Empire split into East and West. The eastern one was a single state, while the western one was a fragmented conglomerate of principalities. In the conditions of strong centralization of power in Byzantium, the church immediately turned out to be an appendage of the state, and the emperor actually became its head. stagnation social life Byzantium and the control of the church by a despotic state led to the conservatism of the Orthodox Church in dogma and ritualism, as well as tendencies towards mysticism and irrationalism in its ideology. In the West, the church gradually occupied central location in society and turned into an organization striving for dominance in all spheres of society, including politics.
Difference between Eastern and Western Christianity was due to the peculiarities of the development of spiritual culture. Greek Christianity concentrated its attention on ontological, philosophical problems, Western - on political and legal.
Since the Orthodox Church was under the auspices of the state, its history is connected not so much with external events as with the formation of dogma. The Orthodox doctrine is based on the Holy Scriptures (the Bible - the Old and New Testaments) and the Holy Tradition (the resolutions of the first seven Ecumenical and local councils, the works of the church fathers and canonical theologians). the so-called Symbol of faith, briefly outlining the essence of the Christian doctrine. It recognizes the trinity of God - the creator and ruler of the universe, the existence of the afterlife, the afterlife retribution, the redemptive mission of Jesus Christ, who opened the possibility for the salvation of mankind, on which lies the seal of original sin.
Fundamentals of the doctrine of Orthodoxy
The Orthodox Church declares the main provisions of the faith to be absolutely true, eternal and unchanging, communicated to man by God himself and incomprehensible to reason. Keeping them intact will be the first duty of the church. It is impossible to add anything or remove any provisions, therefore, later dogmas established by the Catholic Church - about the descent of the Holy Spirit not only from the Father, but also from the Son (filioque), about the immaculate conception not only of Christ, but also of the Virgin Mary , about the infallibility of the Roman pope, about purgatory - Orthodoxy considers it a heresy.
Personal salvation of believers is made dependent on the zealous fulfillment of the rites and prescriptions of the church, due to which there is communion with Divine grace, transmitted to a person through the sacraments: baptism in infancy, chrismation, communion, repentance (confession), marriage, priesthood, anointing (unction) The sacraments are accompanied by rites, kᴏᴛᴏᴩ together with divine services, prayers and religious holidays form the religious cult of Christianity. It's important to know that great importance in Orthodoxy is attached to holidays and fasts.
teaches observance of moral precepts given to man by God through the prophet Moses, as well as the fulfillment of the covenants and sermons of Jesus Christ set forth in the Gospels. Their main content will be observance of universal norms of life and love for one's neighbor, manifestations of mercy and compassion, as well as the rejection of resistance to evil by violence. Orthodoxy emphasizes the uncomplaining enduring of sufferings sent by God to test the strength of faith and cleansing from sin, on the special veneration of the sufferers - the blessed, the poor, the holy fools, hermits and hermits. In Orthodoxy, a vow of celibacy is given only by monks and higher ranks of clergy.Organization of the Orthodox Church
Unlike Catholicism, Orthodoxy does not have a single spiritual center, a single head of the church. In the process of development of Orthodoxy, 15 autocephalous(from Greek. auto- "myself", kephale- “head”) of independent churches, 9 of which are controlled by patriarchs, and the rest by metropolitans and archbishops. Except for the above, there are autonomous churches are relatively independent of autocephaly in matters of internal governance.
Autocephalous churches are divided into exarchates, vicariates, dioceses(districts and regions) headed by bishops and archbishops, deanery(merger of several parishes) and parishes created at each temple. Patriarchs and metropolitans are elected at local councils for life and lead the life of the church together with Synod(collegiate body under the patriarchy, which consists of the highest church officials included in it on a permanent and non-permanent basis)
Today there is three autonomous Orthodox churches: Sinai (jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate), Finnish (jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople), Japanese (jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate) The limits of independence of autonomous churches are determined by an agreement with the autocephalous church that granted it autonomy. The heads of autonomous churches are elected by local councils with their subsequent approval by the patriarch of the autocephalous church. A number of autocephalous churches have missions, deaneries, courtyards with other Orthodox churches.
The Orthodox Church is characterized hierarchical management principle, i.e. the appointment of all officials from above and the consistent subordination of the lower clergy to the higher. All the clergy are divided into higher, middle and lower, as well as black (monastic) and white (other)
The canonical dignity of Orthodox churches is reflected in official list — « diptych of honor. According to the ϶ᴛᴏ list, the churches are arranged in a certain order.
Orthodox Church of Constantinople. It has another name - the Ecumenical Church or the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Patriarch of Constantinople is considered universal, but he does not have the right to interfere in the activities of other churches. It arose after Emperor Constantine moved the capital from Rome to a small Greek city Byzantium, later renamed Constantinople. After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, the residence of the Orthodox Patriarch was moved to the city of Phanar, which became the Greek quarter of Istanbul. In 1924, the Church of Constantinople switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian. Under its jurisdiction is the monastery complex, which includes 20 monasteries. The head of the Church of Constantinople has the title of Archbishop of Constantinople - New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. Followers of the Church of Constantinople live in many countries of the world.
Alexandrian Orthodox Church. Another name is the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The apostle Mark is considered its founder. Originated in the 30s. 1st century AD In the 5th century a split occurred in the church, as a result of which a Coptic church. With 1928 Gregorian calendar adopted. The head of the Church of Alexandria has the title of Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, with residence in Alexandria. The church's jurisdiction extends to all of Africa.
Antioch Orthodox Church founded in the 30s of the 1st century. AD in Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire. The history of the ϶ᴛᴏth church is connected with the activities of the Apostle Paul, as well as with the fact that the disciples of Christ were called Christians for the first time on Syrian soil. John Chrysostom was born and educated here. In 550, the Antiochian church was divided into Orthodox and Jacobite. The current head of the Church of Antioch bears the title of Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, with residence in Damascus. There are 18 dioceses in the jurisdiction: in Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and other countries.
Jerusalem Orthodox Church, which also has a different name - the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. According to legend, the Jerusalem church in the first years of its existence was headed by relatives of the family of Jesus Christ. The head of the church bears the title of Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem with residence in Jerusalem. Divine services are celebrated in monasteries on Greek and in parishes in Arabic. In Nazareth, worship is performed in Church Slavonic. Julian calendar adopted.
It is important to note that one of the functions of the church is the preservation of holy places. Jurisdiction extends to Jordan and areas controlled by the Palestinian authorities.
Russian Orthodox Church
Georgian Orthodox Church. Christianity began to spread on the territory of Georgia in the first centuries AD. She received autocephaly in the 8th century. In 1811 Georgia became part of Russian Empire, and the church became part of the Russian Orthodox Church as an exarchate. In 1917, at the meeting of Georgian priests, a decision was made to restore autocephaly, which was preserved under Soviet rule. The Russian Orthodox Church recognized autocephaly only in 1943.
The head of the Georgian Church bears the title of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi with residence in Tbilisi.
Serbian Orthodox Church. Autocephaly was recognized in 1219. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovapia, Patriarch of Serbia with residence in Belgrade.
Romanian Orthodox Church. Christianity entered the territory of Romania in the II-III centuries. AD In 1865, the autocephaly of the Romanian Orthodox Church was proclaimed, but without the consent of the Church of Constantinople; in 1885 such consent was obtained. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Bucharest, Metropolitan of Ungro-Vlachia, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church with residence in Bucharest.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Christianity appeared on the territory of BULGARIA in the first centuries of our era. In 870 the Bulgarian Church received autonomy. The status of the church has changed over the centuries depending on the political situation. The autocephaly of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was recognized by Constantinople only in 1953, and the patriarchy only in 1961.
The head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan of Sofia, Patriarch of All BULGARIA with residence in Sofia.
Cypriot Orthodox Church. The first Christian communities on the island were founded at the beginning of our era by St. apostles Paul and Do not forget that Barnabas. Widespread Christianization of the population began in the 5th century. Autocephaly was recognized at the III Ecumenical Council in Ephesus.
The head of the Cypriot Church bears the title of Archbishop of New Justiniana and all of Cyprus, his residence is in Nicosia.
E.yadskaya (Greek) Orthodox Church. According to legend, Christian faith was brought by the Apostle Paul, who founded and established Christian communities in a number of cities, and St. John the Evangelist preached "Revelation" on the island of Patmos. The autocephaly of the Greek Church was recognized in 1850. In 1924, it switched to the Gregorian calendar, which caused a split. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Athens and all Hellas with residence in Athens.
Athens Orthodox Church. Autocephaly was recognized in 1937. At the same time, by virtue of political reasons contradictions arose, and the final position of the church was determined only in 1998. The head of the church bears the title of Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania with residence in Tirana. The peculiarities of the ϶ᴛᴏth church include the election of the clergy with the participation of the laity. Divine services are performed in Albanian and Greek.
It is worth saying - the Polish Orthodox Church. Orthodox dioceses exist on the territory It is worth saying - Poland since the 13th century .. however, for a long time they were under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. After gaining Polish independence, they left the subordination of the Russian Orthodox Church and formed the Polish Orthodox Church, which in 1925 was recognized as autocephalous. Russia accepted autocephaly It is worth saying that the Polish Church only in 1948
Divine services are conducted in Church Slavonic. At the same time, in recent times the Polish language is used more and more. The head Worth saying - the Polish Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan Do not forget that Warsaw and the whole Worth saying - Wormwood with a residence in Do not forget that Warsaw.
Czechoslovak Orthodox Church. The mass baptism of the people on the territory of modern Czech Republic and Slovakia began in the second half of the 9th century, when the Slavic enlighteners Cyril and Methodius arrived in Moravia. For a long time, these lands were under the jurisdiction of the Catholic Church. Orthodoxy was preserved only in Eastern Slovakia. After the formation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918, an Orthodox community was organized. Further development of events led to division within the Orthodoxy of the country. In 1951, the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church asked the Russian Orthodox Church to take it into its jurisdiction. In November 1951, the Russian Orthodox Church granted her autocephaly, which the Church of Constantinople approved only in 1998. After the division of Czechoslovakia into two independent states the church formed two metropolitan provinces. The head of the Czechoslovak Orthodox Church bears the title of Metropolitan of Prague and Archbishop of the Czech and Slovak Republics with residence in Prague.
American Orthodox Church. Orthodoxy came to America from Alaska, where from the end of the 18th century. the Orthodox community began to operate. In 1924 a diocese was formed. After the sale of Alaska to the United States, Orthodox churches and land remains in the ownership of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1905, the center of the diocese was transferred to New York, and its head Tikhon Belavin elevated to the rank of archbishop. In 1906, he raised the question of the possibility of autocephaly for the American Church, but in 1907 Tikhon was withdrawn, and the issue remained unresolved.
In 1970, the Moscow Patriarchate gave autocephalous status to the metropolis, which received the name of the Orthodox Church in America. The head of the church has the title of Archbishop. Do not forget that the Metropolitan of Washington, the Metropolitan of all America and Canada, with a residence in Syosset, near New York.
To comply with ethical and moral standards in society, as well as to regulate relations between an individual and the state or the highest form of spirituality (Cosmic mind, God), world religions were created. With the passage of time, schisms occurred within every major religion. As a result of this split, Orthodoxy was formed.
Orthodoxy and Christianity
Many people make the mistake of considering all Christians to be Orthodox. Christianity and Orthodoxy are not the same thing. How to distinguish between these two concepts? What is their essence? Now let's try to figure it out.
Christianity is which originated in the 1st century. BC e. waiting for the coming of the Savior. Its formation was influenced by the philosophical teachings of that time, Judaism (polytheism was replaced by one God) and endless military-political skirmishes.
Orthodoxy is just one of the branches of Christianity that originated in the 1st millennium AD. in the Eastern Roman Empire and received its official status after the split of the common Christian church in 1054.
History of Christianity and Orthodoxy
The history of Orthodoxy (orthodoxy) began already in the 1st century AD. This was the so-called apostolic creed. After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the apostles faithful to him began to preach the teachings to the masses, attracting new believers into their ranks.
In the II-III centuries, orthodoxy was engaged in active opposition to Gnosticism and Arianism. The first rejected the writings of the Old Testament and interpreted in their own way New Testament. The second, led by presbyter Arius, did not recognize the consubstantiality of the Son of God (Jesus), considering him to be a mediator between God and people.
Seven Ecumenical Councils, convened with the support of the Byzantine emperors from 325 to 879, helped to remove the contradictions between the rapidly developing heretical teachings and Christianity. The axioms established by the Councils regarding the nature of Christ and the Mother of God, as well as the approval of the Creed, helped to form a new trend into a powerful Christian religion.
Not only heretical concepts contributed to the development of Orthodoxy. on the Western and Eastern influenced the formation of new trends in Christianity. The different political and social views of the two empires gave rise to a crack in the unified common Christian church. Gradually, it began to break up into Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic (later Orthodox). The final split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism occurred in 1054, when the Pope of Rome also excommunicated each other from the church (anathema). The division of the common Christian church was completed in 1204, together with the fall of Constantinople.
The Russian land adopted Christianity in 988. Officially, there was no division into Roman yet, but due to the political and economic interests of Prince Vladimir, the Byzantine direction - Orthodoxy - was spread on the territory of Russia.
The essence and foundations of Orthodoxy
The basis of any religion is faith. Without it, the existence and development of divine teachings is impossible.
The essence of Orthodoxy lies in the Creed adopted at the Second Ecumenical Council. At the fourth, the Nicene Creed (12 dogmas) was affirmed as an axiom, not subject to any change.
Orthodox believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Holy Trinity). is the creator of everything earthly and heavenly. The Son of God, incarnated from the Virgin Mary, is consubstantial and only begotten in relation to the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father through the Son and is revered no less than the Father and the Son. The Creed tells about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, pointing to eternal life after death.
All Orthodox belong to one church. Baptism is an obligatory ritual. When it is done, there is liberation from original sin.
Obligatory is the observance of moral standards (commandments), which are transmitted by God through Moses and voiced by Jesus Christ. All "rules of conduct" are based on help, compassion, love and patience. Orthodoxy teaches to endure any hardships of life meekly, to accept them as the love of God and trials for sins, in order to then go to heaven.
Orthodoxy and Catholicism (main differences)
Catholicism and Orthodoxy have a number of differences. Catholicism is a branch of Christian doctrine that arose, like Orthodoxy, in the 1st century. AD in the Western Roman Empire. And Orthodoxy - in Christianity, which originated in the Eastern Roman Empire. Here is a comparison table for you:
Orthodoxy | Catholicism |
|
Relations with authorities | For two millennia, it was in cooperation with the secular authorities, then in its subordination, then in exile. | The empowerment of the Pope with power, both secular and religious. |
the Virgin Mary | The Mother of God is considered the bearer of original sin, because her nature is human. | The dogma of the purity of the Virgin Mary (there is no original sin). |
Holy Spirit | The Holy Spirit comes from the Father through the Son | The Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Son and the Father |
Attitude towards the sinful soul after death | The soul makes "ordeals". Earthly life determines eternal life. | The existence of the Last Judgment and purgatory, where the purification of the soul takes place. |
Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition | Sacred Scripture is part of Sacred Tradition | Equal. |
Baptism | Triple immersion (or dousing) in water with communion and chrismation. | Sprinkling and pouring. All ordinances after 7 years. |
6-8-terminal cross with the image of God the conqueror, legs nailed with two nails. | 4-pointed cross with God-martyr, legs nailed with one nail. |
|
co-religionists | All brothers. | Each person is unique. |
Attitude to rituals and sacraments | The Lord does it through the clergy. | Performed by a clergyman endowed with divine power. |
Nowadays, the question of reconciliation between churches is very often raised. But due to significant and minor differences (for example, Catholics and Orthodox cannot agree on the use of yeast or unleavened bread in the sacraments), reconciliation is continually delayed. A reunion is out of the question in the near future.
The attitude of Orthodoxy to other religions
Orthodoxy is a trend that, having separated from general Christianity as an independent religion, does not recognize other teachings, considering them false (heretical). There can be only one true religion.
Orthodoxy is a trend in religion that is not losing popularity, but on the contrary, is gaining. And yet in modern world quietly coexists in the neighborhood with other religions: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Shinto and others.
Orthodoxy and Modernity
Our time has given freedom to the church and gives it support. Over the past 20 years, the number of believers, as well as those who identify themselves as Orthodox, has increased. At the same time, the moral spirituality that this religion implies, on the contrary, has fallen. A huge number of people perform rituals and attend church mechanically, that is, without faith.
The number of churches and parochial schools visited by believers has increased. Increase external factors only partially affects internal state person.
The Metropolitan and other clergymen hope that after all those who consciously accepted Orthodox Christianity, will be able to take place spiritually.
Vasil_s-pad_Wilni
On the etymology of the terms "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy"
Kolosov V., Pavlova T.
An entertaining article that tells how a church that calls itself "Orthodox" became "original" in Belarus only in the 19th century. Breakdown into paragraphs and headings are ours- ed.
To the question of terms
Today, many will agree that in the process of its development, humanity goes through various stages and stages, which differ significantly in many parameters and indicators. This equally applies to ethnic formations, interest in the development of which in modern Russia high enough. It is possible to trace qualitative changes in the life of an ethnic group, among other things, on the basis of a change in language, which is one of the fundamental signs of identification of any ethnic entity.
Naturally, of particular interest in this sense are the words and expressions used to denote significant concepts, which, for example, are associated with the spirituality of the people.
Byzantine Christianity
For the Russian people to such meaningful words can rightfully include the terms "Orthodoxy" and "Orthodox". Today they are habitually associated with that branch of Eastern Christianity, which is professed by the vast majority of the population of Russia. At the same time, in the 10th century, Russia adopted Eastern (Byzantine) Christianity, the confession and rites of which, at the time of its adoption, corresponded to the definitions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils. This direction of Christianity in the Greek-speaking Christian world was called "orthodoxy", which in translation into Russian means "true faith".
A question
Naturally, the question arises: how did the "true faith" transform into "Orthodoxy"?
Very often this question causes bewilderment among theologians rather than a desire to find an answer to it. Nevertheless, the truth, as well as the process of its search, should not divide, but, on the contrary, unite people. Based on this, we propose to approach the issue of the etymology of the term "Orthodoxy", if possible, not biased, based on factual material.
historical documents
Such material is various historical documents, in particular chronicles. Old Russian chronicles not only describe and interpret historical events, but also reflect the level of development of their contemporary language, in any case, that part of it that was used in official government and church documents, since the centers of chronicle writing were originally monasteries. The presence of a significant number of contradictions in chronicle sources led researchers, in particular, A.A. Shakhmatov to the idea that the hand of the chronicler "was ruled by political passions and worldly interests" (1).
This, in turn, allowed some historians to describe many historical processes and events in complete contradiction with the facts (or their interpretations) set forth in the well-known annalistic sources of Russian and Slavic origin. I'M WITH. Lurie wrote: "Chronicles of the XV-XVI centuries cannot be considered reliable sources on the history ancient Russia. But chronicles are valuable not only because of the reliability of the facts they tell about. Chronicles were still monuments of their time. It is interesting for us to know not only "where did the Russian land come from," but how people of subsequent centuries perceived its history. In this regard, all sources ... are of great interest" (2).
Therefore, despite the obvious tendentiousness of some chronicle sources, in particular the end of the 15th and 16th centuries, the language used in their writing can be considered as factual evidence of the processes that took place in the spiritual, state and public life Russia of that time. This conclusion led to an examination of most of the published Russian and Russian annalistic documents for the use of the terms "Orthodoxy" and "Orthodox", as well as epithets applied to such concepts as "faith", "church" and "Christianity".
In the course of the study, 79 annalistic documents were analyzed, dating from the following: XIV century - 3 documents; XV century - 9 documents; late XV - early XVI century - 6 documents; XVI century - 25 documents; late 16th - early 17th centuries - 2 documents; XVII century - 28 documents; late 17th - early 18th centuries - 2 documents; XVIII century - 3 documents; XIX century - 1 document.
XIV century. "Orthodoxy" is not yet
The most interesting results are obtained from the analysis of the Novgorod I Chronicle of the senior edition according to the Synodal list dating from the second half of the 14th century. At the moment, this chronicle source is the oldest of the monuments of the annals of Northern Russia that have come down to us. In this chronicle, the terms "Orthodoxy" and "Orthodox" do not occur.
Faith is true, Christian and right
In relation to the concept of "faith" such epithets as true, Christian and right are used.
The concept of "church" is used exclusively in relation to a religious building, and not a social institution, the concept of "Christianity" is not used.
This chronicle is a protograph for the Novgorod I chronicle of the junior edition, the Commission list of which dates back to the first half of the 15th century. In this chronicle document, in relation to the concept of "faith", such epithets as immaculate, Christian, right and orthodox are used, and the epithet "orthodox" is also used in relation to the concepts of "archbishops" and "peasants (Christians)".
Also, in the Commission list of the Novgorod I chronicle of the younger edition, the term "Orthodox" is used when describing the life of Prince Alexander Nevsky: "... and a champion of the true Orthodox Christian faith, dear Alexander ...". The historical events of 1240, at the same time, are clearly rewritten from the Novgorod I chronicle of the older version, but their description is already preceded by a description of the life of the prince, in which the desired term is used.
As for "Orthodoxy", this term is not found in the indicated chronicle documents.
If we turn to the most ancient monuments of the annals of Central Russia: the Tale of Bygone Years according to the Laurentian list and the Suzdal Chronicle according to the Laurentian list, dating back to 1377, then we will see, in general, a similar picture.
In the Tale of Bygone Years according to the Laurentian List, in relation to the concept of "faith", such epithets as God's, true, Christian, immaculate and right are used, once the Orthodox epithet is also used: "... such things are tempted by our Orthodox faith ...". Interestingly, this term is used to describe the dangers of sorcery, which the chronicler places after describing the death of Prince Oleg (912), which happened several decades before the baptism of Russia.
In the Suzdal Chronicle according to the Laurentian list, in relation to the concept of "faith", the epithets Christian and orthodox are used, while the epithet "orthodox" is also used in combination with the concepts of "people", "many people" and "grand prince". There is also the term "apostolic orthodoxy" when describing the virtues of Vladimir Prince Konstantin in connection with his death in 1218: "... this God rightfully bestowed upon meekness of Davyd's wisdom Solomon, full of apostolic orthodoxy ...". In these annalistic documents, the concept of "church" is already beginning to be used as a symbol of faith and social institution(“Let him be excommunicated about the church…”, “…cathedral and apostolic churches…”), the terms “Christianity” and “Orthodoxy” are not used.
XV century. "Orthodoxy" appears
In the Chronicle according to the Ipatiev list (dated 1425, written in Northern Russia), which, according to Ya.S. Lurie, a common protographer with the Tale of Bygone Years according to the Laurentian List, the terms "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy" do not occur, and in the comments given by the chronicler to the death of Prince Oleg, it is written: "... our glorious faith will be tempted by such things ...".
It is interesting that in the Sophia I chronicle according to Obolensky's list (dated to the 70-80s of the 15th century, written in Northern Russia), "... proto-Orthodox faith ..." is used in this context. In other lists of the 15th century from the Tale of Bygone Years, namely, in the Radzivilov list dating from 1486 - 1490, and the Moscow Academic Chronicle, which researchers attribute to the second half of the 15th century, "Orthodox faith" is used in this context.
In chronicle sources of a later date (Typographical chronicle according to the synodal list of the 16th century, etc.), only the term "Orthodox" is used in this context. In the Chronicle, according to the Ipatiev list, the concept of "Christianity" is already used, and twice - "orthodoxy".
If we consider the analyzed chronicle sources of the 15th century, then the terms "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy" are not used only in the Chronicle according to the Ipatiev list and in the Pskov II Chronicle according to the Synodal list, also written in Northern Russia. In the Novgorod I chronicle of the junior edition according to the Commission list, the Moscow Academic Chronicle, the Sofia I chronicle according to the Obolensky list, the Chronicle of Avraamka (Smolensk), the Rogozhsky Chronicle (Tver), the Radzivilov Chronicle and the Nikiforov Chronicle (Belarus), the term "Orthodox" is used.
At the same time, in the Novgorod Chronicle I of the junior version according to the Commission List, the Radzivilov Chronicle and the Nikiforov Chronicle, it is used once and only in relation to the concept of "faith".
In general, in the annals of this period, the term "Orthodox" was used in combination with such concepts as "faith", "people", "church", "prince", "Christians", "bishops".
The number of uses of the term "orthodox" in chronicle documents of the 15th century, as a rule, significantly exceeds the number of uses of the term "Orthodox", with the exception of the Rogozhsky Chronicler and the Chronicle of Abraham, in which these meanings are practically equal. As for the term "Orthodoxy", it is used only in the Sophia I Chronicle according to the list of Obolensky and the Annals of Abraham.
An analysis of the chronicles of the late 15th - early 16th century shows that in the language of chronicle writing the term "orthodox" is gradually being replaced by "orthodox".
Of the six analyzed chronicle sources of this period, the term "orthodox" is found only in two chronicles written in Northern Russia: the Novgorod IV Chronicle and the Novgorod Karamzin Chronicle, but in these sources the term "Orthodox" is more common, and the range of concepts is significantly expanded, in combination with which it is applied. Of particular interest is the following phrase in the Novgorod IV chronicle when describing the events of 1402: "... but we ourselves, recommended peasants, true believers and co-Orthodox, create between ourselves rati and battles ...".
The term "Orthodoxy" is not used in the Novgorod chronicles of this period.
Interestingly, in the Slutsk (Uvarov) chronicle (Belarus) and the Vilna chronicle (Lithuania), the analyzed terms do not occur at all.
From the editor. XIV-XV centuries:
- 1300 In the reign of c. Prince Viten, the Lithuanian Metropolis was established with the capital in Novogrudok, later transferred to Vilna.
- 1415 at c. book. Vitovte in Novogrudok Grigory Tsambalak was elected Metropolitan of Kyiv and Lithuania
- 1439 signed the Union of Florence - an agreement to unite the Catholic and Orthodox churches
- 1453 capture of Constantinople by the Turks,
- 1461 separation of the Moscow and Kyiv metropolises. The title Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia appears.
XVI century. "Orthodoxy" is getting stronger
In chronicle documents of the 16th century, the tendency to replace the terms "orthodox" and "orthodox" with "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy", respectively, only intensifies.
The term "orthodoxy" is found only in two chronicles: Simeonovskaya (Moscow region) when describing the events of 1219 and the Chronograph of the Western Russian edition when describing Byzantine history.
The term "orthodox" is not used when describing the events of the 16th century; its latest mention is found in the Volyn Brief Chronicle (Western Russia) when describing the events of 1497. As for the term "Orthodox", the "geography" of its application already includes 29 concepts, including the concept of "land" in the Simeon Chronicle, and it also begins to be used as a noun.
Now not only Byzantine rulers are considered Orthodox, but also all those who profess Christianity and before its division into eastern and western, and even Moses in the Vologda-Perm Chronicle according to the Kirilo-Belozersky list: "... like sometimes Gideon on Modiamy and Orthodox Moses on the pharaoh ... ".
"Russian faith"
The list of epithets used in relation to the concept of "faith" is also expanding, they become more pretentious and solemn: devoted to God, pious, "pure", etc., and in the Annals of Rachinsky (Western Russia) such a concept appears as "Russian faith". In the future, this concept is found in the Western Russian annals of the 17th century, Rumyantsevskaya and Evreinovskaya, as well as in the Tver annals according to the list of Stroev (Kyiv) of the same period.
XVII century. "Orthodoxy" supplants "orthodoxy"
Beginning with chronicle documents of the late 16th - early 17th centuries, the use of the term "orthodox" practically ceases.
The exceptions are the Novgorod Chronicle according to the Dubrovsky list (XVII century Northern Russia), the Piskarevsky chronicler (XVII century Central Russia) and the Chronicle of Lithuania and Zhmoitskaya according to the Tobolsk list.
In general, the language of the annalistic presentation becomes less pompous. The term "Orthodox" is also undergoing changes: in the Esipov Chronicle of the main edition according to the Sychevsky list (XVII century Tobolsk) and the Siberian Chronicle in the Golovinsky edition (XVII century Tobolsk) the expression "Orthodox Russian Christians" is used, and in the Mazurin Chronicle (XVII century, place of writing not established) - "Princes of Orthodoxy".
"Orthodox Moses"
The above facts can be considered as evidence that the term "Orthodox", in relation to Eastern Christianity, its carriers and symbols, has begun to be used in official language churches and states at the end of the XIV - beginning of the XV century, and in Central Russia this process proceeded more intensively than in Northern Russia.
It is a pity that the chronicle documents or their lists made in Kievan (Southern) Rus have not survived. Among the chronicle documents published since 1846, researchers attribute South Russian origin only to the Gustynsky Chronicle (second half of the 17th century, Gustynsky Trinity Monastery in the Poltava province) and the Tver Chronicle according to the Stroev list (second quarter of the 17th century Kyiv).
This does not allow, at this stage of the study, to talk about the use of the analyzed terms in Kievan Rus. The terms "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy" came into use most actively in the 16th century, and in the Novgorod Chronicle the term "Orthodoxy" is used only in the Novgorod Chronicle according to Dubrovsky's list (XVII century) when describing the events of 1471-1491.
The sometimes inappropriate use of these terms is noteworthy, for example, in relation to Moses (in the Vologda-Perm Chronicle according to the Kirilo-Belozersky list: "... as sometimes Gideon on Modiam and Orthodox Moses on Pharaoh ..."), which can be considered as a consequence of their purposeful introduction "from above", without a full understanding of the meaning.
"Moscow - the third Rome"
If we consider the historical events of that time that could be associated with the spread of the terms "orthodox" and "orthodoxy" in the official language of power and the church, we will see that this process took place during the formation of the Russian centralized state and the struggle for liberation from Mongol-Tatar yoke.
Quite significant events took place in the development of Eastern Christianity: 1439 - the Union of Florence, 1448 - the Russian Church becomes autocephalous, 1453 - the capture of Constantinople by the Turks, 1461 - the separation of the Moscow and Kyiv metropolises. It is impossible not to mention the famous formula "Moscow is the third Rome", formulated in the message of the elder of the Pskov Eleazarov Monastery Philotheus to the Grand Duke Vasily III, written in 1514-1521.
The analysis carried out suggests that the terms "Orthodox" and "Orthodoxy" enter official circulation in the wake of the creation of the Moscow centralized state and its struggle for independence, which coincides with the formation of the Russian Christian autocephaly.
This is, naturally, leads to the question of the origin of the roots "rights" and "glories", about their presence in the Old Russian (Old Slavic) language, in particular in the Glagolitic. We believe that further research in this area can shed light on very significant processes in the development of the Russian people, other Slavic peoples and ethnic groups, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian state.
1. Shakhmatov A.A. The Tale of Bygone Years. Pg., 1916. v. 1.
2. Ya.S. Lurie. The history of Russia in the annals and perception of modern times. // Ancient Russia and New Russia, St. Petersburg: D. Bulanin, 1977.
Kolosov V.A., candidate of historical sciences
Pavlova T.I. (Club of Practical Philosophy "Honor and Light")
Taken here
Gumer Library - Linguistics
http://pravoslavie.chestisvet.ru/ - site is dead
Orthodoxy(Greek ὀρθοδοξία (orthodoxia) - correct judgment, correct teaching, correct glorification (from Greek ὀρθός - straight, standing straight, correct, + δοκέω - I think) - 1) true religious doctrine oh, about His creation and His attitude to this creation, about vocation and destiny, about the ways of reaching a person, granted through the Lord, revealed to a person through, constantly abiding in the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Christ; 2) the only true direction.
“Orthodoxy is true and worship of God; Orthodoxy is the worship of God in Spirit and Truth; Orthodoxy is the glorification of God by true knowledge of Him and worship of Him; Orthodoxy is God's glorification of man, the true servant of God, by giving him grace. The Spirit is the glory of Christians (). Where there is no Spirit, there is no Orthodoxy” (St.
The concept of Orthodoxy includes three interrelated parts.
First of all, the word Orthodoxy has a doctrinal meaning. By Orthodoxy one must understand the pure, integral and undistorted Christian teaching, revealed in the Church. In a dogmatic sense, Orthodox teaching opposes all heresies as distortions of Christianity and reflects the fullness of the knowledge of God available to the human race. In this sense, the term Orthodoxy is already found in the writings of apologists of the 2nd century (in particular,).
Secondly, the word Orthodoxy has an ecclesiastical or ecclesiological meaning. Orthodoxy should be understood as a community of Christian local Churches having communion with each other.
Thirdly, the word Orthodoxy has a mystical meaning. Orthodoxy should be understood as the Christian spiritual practice (experience) of knowing God through the acquisition of the Divine Holy Spirit, which saves and transforms (deifies) a person.
All three meanings of Orthodoxy are interconnected and one cannot be conceived without the other. Orthodox dogma has its source and is taught in the Church of Christ. Orthodox is one dogmatic dogma, based on one mystical experience. Orthodox mystical experience is expressed in the dogma preserved by the Church.
The word Orthodoxy is a translation Greek word Orthodoxy (Orthodoxia). This word has two parts. The first part of Ortho (Ortho) in Greek means "straight", "correct". The second part of doxa (doxa) in Greek means “knowledge”, “judgment”, “opinion”, as well as “radiance”, “glory”, “honor”. These meanings complement each other, for the correct opinion in religion presupposes the correct glorification of God, and, as a result, participation in His glory. In the latter meaning ("glory"), the word doxa occurs most often in the New Testament. For example, the Savior “received glory from God the Father (Gr. d oxa) and honor "(), was" crowned with glory (Greek. d oxa) and honor through the suffering of death "(), is coming "on the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Greek doxa) great" (), a Christian must be transformed "into the same image from glory (Greek doxa) to glory" () , “for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory (Greek doxa) forever” (). Therefore the word orthodoxy translated as Orthodoxy.
In 395, the Roman Empire fell under the onslaught of the barbarians. As a result, the once powerful state broke up into several independent entities, one of which was Byzantium. Despite the fact that the Christian Church continued to remain united for more than six centuries, the development of its eastern and western parts followed different paths, which predetermined their further break.
Separation of two related churches
In 1054, the Christian Church, which had already existed for a thousand years by that time, split into two branches, one of which was the Western Roman Catholic Church, and the other, the Eastern Orthodox, with its center in Constantinople. Accordingly, the doctrine itself, based on Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, received two independent directions - Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
The formal schism was the result of a long process that included both theological disputes and attempts by the popes of Rome to subjugate the Eastern churches. Nevertheless, Orthodoxy is in full measure the result of the development of the general Christian doctrine, which began in apostolic times. She considers the entire sacred history from the giving of the New Testament by Jesus Christ to the moment of the Great Schism as her own.
Literary sources that carry the foundations of the dogma
The essence of Orthodoxy comes down to the confession of the apostolic faith, the foundations of which are set forth in the Holy Scriptures - the books of the Old and New Testaments, as well as in the Holy Tradition, which includes the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, the works of the Church Fathers and the Lives of the Saints. This should also include liturgical traditions that determine the procedure for performing church services, the performance of all kinds of rites and sacraments, which includes Orthodoxy.
Prayers and hymns for the most part are texts taken from the patristic heritage. These include those that are included in church services, and those that are intended for private (home) reading.
The Truth of Orthodox Teaching
According to the apologists (followers and preachers) of this doctrine, Orthodoxy is the only true form of confession of the Divine teaching, given to people by Jesus Christ and received further development thanks to his closest disciples - the holy apostles.
In contrast to it, according to Orthodox theologians, the rest of the Christian denominations - Catholicism and Protestantism with all their offshoots - are nothing but heresies. It is appropriate to note that the very word "Orthodoxy" is a tracing paper from Greek, where it literally sounds like "correct glorification." It is, of course, about the glorification of the Lord God.
Like all Christianity, Orthodoxy formulates its teaching in accordance with the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils, of which there have been seven throughout the history of the Church. The only problem is that some of them are recognized by all confessions (varieties Christian churches), and others only some one or two. For this reason, the Symbols of Faith - the presentation of the main provisions of the dogma - sound differently for everyone. This, in particular, was one of the reasons why Orthodoxy and Catholicism took different historical paths.
A document expressing the foundations of the faith
Orthodoxy is a creed, the main provisions of which were formulated by two Ecumenical Councils - Nicaea, held in 325, and Constantinople, in 381. The document adopted by them was called the Nicene-Tsaregrad Creed and contains a formula that has survived in its original form to this day. It should be noted that it is she who mainly divides Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since the followers of the Western Church adopted this formula in a slightly modified form.
The Orthodox Creed consists of twelve members - sections, each of which concisely, but at the same time succinctly and exhaustively sets out the dogma adopted by the church on a particular issue of dogma.
The Essence of the Doctrine of God and the Holy Trinity
The first member of the Creed is dedicated to salvation through faith in the One God the Father, who created heaven and earth, as well as the entire visible and invisible world. The second and together with him the eighth profess the equality of all members of the Most Holy Trinity - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, point to their consubstantiality and, as a result, to the same worship of Each of Them. The equality of all three hypostases is one of the main dogmas that Orthodoxy professes. Prayers to Holy Trinity are always addressed equally to all Her hypostases.
Doctrine of the Son of God
The subsequent members of the Creed, from the second to the seventh, are dedicated to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In accordance with Orthodox dogma, He has a dual nature - Divine and human, and both parts of it are combined in Him not together, but at the same time not separately.
According to Orthodox teaching, Jesus Christ was not created, but was born of God the Father even before the beginning of time. It should be noted that in this statement, Orthodoxy and Catholicism disagree and take irreconcilable positions. He acquired his earthly essence, incarnated as a result of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary through the mediation of the Holy Spirit.
Orthodox understanding of Christ's sacrifice
The fundamental element of Orthodox teaching is faith in the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ, brought by him on the cross in the name of the salvation of all people. Despite the fact that all of Christianity speaks of it, Orthodoxy understands this act in a slightly different way.
As the recognized fathers of the Eastern Church teach, Jesus Christ, having assumed human nature, damaged original sin Adam and Eve, and having embodied in her everything inherent in people, except for their sinfulness, cleansed her with his torment and delivered her from the curse. By the subsequent resurrection from the dead, He set an example of how human nature, cleansed from sin and reborn, is able to withstand death.
Having thus become the first person to gain immortality, Jesus Christ opened the way for people, following which they can avoid eternal death. Its stages are faith, repentance and participation in the celebration of the Divine sacraments, the main of which is the communion of the flesh and blood of the Lord, which has been taking place since then during the liturgy. Having tasted the bread and wine, converted into the body and blood of the Lord, a believing person perceives a part of His nature (hence the name of the rite - communion), and inherits eternal life in Heaven after his earthly death.
Also in this part, the ascension of Jesus Christ and His second coming are declared, after which the Kingdom of God will triumph on earth, prepared for all professing Orthodoxy. This should happen unexpectedly, since only the One God knows about the specific dates.
One of the contradictions between the Eastern and Western churches
The eighth article of the Creed is entirely dedicated to the life-giving Holy Spirit, who proceeds only from God the Father. This dogma also became the cause of theological disputes with representatives of Catholicism. According to them, God the Father and God the Son equally exude the Holy Spirit.
Discussions have been going on for many centuries, but the Eastern Church and Russian Orthodoxy in particular take an unchanging position on this issue, dictated by the dogma adopted at the two Ecumenical Councils discussed above.
About Heavenly Church
In the ninth member, we are talking about the fact that the Church, established by God, is essentially one, holy, catholic and apostolic. Some explanation is required here. In this case, we are talking not about an earthly administrative-religious organization created by people and in charge of conducting divine services and performing the sacraments, but about a heavenly organization, expressed in the spiritual unity of all true followers of Christ's teachings. It was created by God, and since for Him the world is not divided into the living and the dead, its members are equally those who are healthy today and those who have long completed their earthly journey.
The heavenly Church is one, because God Himself is one. She is holy, as she was sanctified by her Creator, and is called apostolic, since her first ministers were the disciples of Jesus Christ - the holy apostles, whose succession is passed down in the priesthood from generation to generation up to our days.
Baptism - the way to the Church of Christ
According to the eighth member, one can join the Church of Christ, and therefore inherit eternal life, only by going through the rite of Holy Baptism, the prototype of which was revealed by Jesus Christ himself, once plunging into the waters of the Jordan. It is generally accepted that the grace of the other five established sacraments is also implied here. The eleventh and twelfth members, which complete the Creed, declare the resurrection of all dead Orthodox Christians, and their eternal life in the Kingdom of God.
All of the above commandments of Orthodoxy, accepted as religious dogmas, were finally approved at the Second Ecumenical Council of 381 and, in order to avoid distortion of the dogma, remain unchanged until our days.
Today, more than 226 million people profess Orthodoxy on the globe. With such a wide coverage of believers, the teaching of the Eastern Church is inferior to Catholicism in the number of its followers, but surpasses Protestantism.
The ecumenical (universal, embracing the whole world) Orthodox Church, traditionally headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, is divided into local, or, as they are otherwise called, autocephalous churches. Their influence is limited to the boundaries of any one state or province.
Orthodoxy came to Russia in 988 thanks to the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, who drove out the darkness of paganism with his rays. Today, despite the formal separation of religion from the state, proclaimed almost a century ago, his followers are the overwhelming number of believers in our country, and it is on this basis that the basis of the spiritual life of the people is built.
The day of Orthodoxy, replacing the night of unbelief
The religious life of the country, revived after decades of nationwide atheism, is gaining strength every year. Today, the church has all the achievements of modern technological progress at its disposal. For the promotion of Orthodoxy, not only printed publications are used, but also various media resources, among which the Internet occupies an important place. One example of its use in order to improve the religious education of citizens is the creation of such portals as "Orthodoxy and the World", "Tradition.ru", etc.
Nowadays, work with children is also taking on a wide scale, especially relevant in view of the fact that few of them have the opportunity to join the basics of faith in the family. This situation is explained by the fact that parents who grew up in the Soviet and post-Soviet period were themselves brought up, as a rule, atheists, and do not even have the basic concepts of faith.
In order to educate the younger generation in the spirit of Orthodoxy, in addition to the traditional Sunday school classes, the organization of various events is also used. These include children's holidays that are gaining popularity, such as "Orthodoxy Day", "Light of the Christmas Star", etc. All this allows us to hope that soon the faith of our fathers will gain its former power in Russia and become the basis of the spiritual the unity of its people.