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by mysticdeliria on April 8th, 2007

mysticdeliria

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What makes the Eastern Orthodox churches (particularly the national ones ie Greek, Russian, Serbian, Bulgarian etc.) different from each other? Is it just a language thing or are there different doctrines between them?

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  • by Anonymous on April 12th, 2007

    Anonymous

    Mostly language. Most are united in doctrine with varying degrees of emphasis only. I have also witnessed services with Syrian, Indian & Russian prelates worshipping together in Orthodox churches with no difficulty except language in South East Asia.

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  • by iwnit on June 11th, 2008

    iwnit

    "The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world. It is considered by its adherents to be the very same Church established by Christ and his Apostles. It is composed of numerous theologically unified autocephalous ecclesial bodies each shepherded by a synod of independent bishops whose duty is to preserve the inner beliefs and practices (Traditions) of the Church. All Orthodox bishops can trace their lineage back to one of the twelve Apostles through the process of apostolic succession."

    "Members of the Eastern Orthodox Church do not usually refer to themselves as "Eastern" Orthodox but rather with a prefix denoting their nation of origin. Thus, within this article, the terms "Greek", "Russian", or any other "National" Orthodox; as well as The Church, The Orthodox Church, The Byzantine Church, etc., all refer to a single unified entity, what is today commonly called the Eastern Orthodox Church."

    "The various autocephalous and autonomous synods of the Orthodox Church are distinct in terms of administration and local culture, but for the most part exist in full communion with one another. Relations have recently been restored between the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and the Moscow Patriarchate (MP), two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church which separated from each other in the 1920s, due to the subjection of the latter to the hostile Soviet regime."

    "Tensions exist in the philosophical differences between those who use the Revised Julian Calendar ("New Calendarists") for calculating the feasts of the ecclesiastical year and those who continue to use the traditional Julian Calendar ("Old Calendarists"). "

    "Some latent discontent between different national churches exists also in part due to different approach towards ecumenism."

    "Nowadays, there are 14 (15 by some) autocephalous Orthodox churches, in full communion with each other, with the precise order of seniority of their heads as listed below. Some of them contain autonomous (marked below) and/or semi-autonomous dioceses (listed within the mother churches). The first nine of the autocephalous churches are led by patriarchs."
    [please read the list in the article]
    Source and further information:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on June 11th, 2008

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    Basically, it is just language. The Greek services are run in Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, whereas most of the Eastern Orthodox services are run in Old Slavonic or one of the other Slavic languages. Otherwise, with the exception of some break- off churches, they are all the same denomination.

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  • by sopapilla on June 11th, 2008

    sopapilla

    There is not one. It's just language and what country it, or it's members, is in.
    I go to a Russian Orthodox church, but it's the exact same as a Greek I used to go to.

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  • by hope and peace on November 21st, 2007

    hope and peace

    It also depends on which type of Orthodox. There are two factions within Russian Orthodox...New Believers and Old Believers. The New Believers run their services with modern doctrines. The Old Believers are very ritualistic and base their services on tradition and not doctrine. There is no electricity in the church--only beeswax candles. The men and women stand on opposite sides of the church. The women wear all black very long dresses with long sleeve shirts and scarves around their hair, etc. This was done out of fear of persecution when it was illegal to worship. The dark clothing wouldn't be spotted while going to services and the candles could be extinguished if anyone neared. When they left Russia they took those customs with them and didn't addapt. There is alot of bowing and kneeling and a murmur of chanting which has nothing to do with spirituality. It was the only way they could worship without alerting others to their presence. Hope that info helped!

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