Christianity has many faces and is one of the three main religions of the world, along with Buddhism and Islam. Orthodox are all Christians, but not all Christians adhere to Orthodoxy. Christianity and Orthodoxy - what is the difference? I asked this question when a familiar Muslim woman asked about the difference between the Orthodox faith and the Baptist. I turned to my spiritual father, and he explained to me the difference in religion.
The Christian religion was formed over 2000 years ago in Palestine. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Judaic feast of tabernacles (Pentecost), the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in the form of tongues of flame. This day is considered the birthday of the church, as more than 3,000 people believed in Christ.
However, the church was not always the same and universal, since in 1054 there was a split into Orthodoxy and Catholicism. For long centuries, enmity reigned and mutual reproaches of hereticism, the heads of the two churches betrayed each other anathema.
Unity within Orthodoxy and Catholicism also could not be kept, since Protestants had broken away from the Catholic branch, and the Orthodox Church had its own schismatics, the Old Believers. These were tragic events in the history of the once unified Ecumenical Church, which did not hold together on the precepts of the Apostle Paul.
How is Christianity different from Orthodoxy? The Orthodox branch of Christianity officially formed in 1054, when the Patriarch of Constantinople demonstratively crushed unleavened bread for communion. The conflict had been brewing for a long time and concerned the ritual part of worship services, as well as the tenets of the church. The confrontation ended in a complete split of the united church into two parts - the Orthodox and the Catholic. And only in 1964, both churches reconciled and removed from each other mutual anathemas.
Nevertheless, the ritual part in Orthodoxy and Catholicism remained unchanged, and the tenets of faith, too. This concerns the fundamental issues of the creed and conduct of worship. Even at first glance, there are significant differences between Catholics and Orthodox in many things:
- clothes of priests;
- rite of worship;
- the decoration of the church;
- the method of imposing a cross;
- the sound of liturgies.
Orthodox priests do not shave their beards.
The difference of Orthodoxy from the Christianity of other confessions is the oriental style of worship. The Orthodox Church has preserved the traditions of oriental pomp, do not play musical instruments during services, it is customary to light candles and set off censer, and put the sign of the cross from right to left with a pinch of fingers and make a half-bow.
Orthodox Christians are confident that their church originates from the crucifixion and resurrection of the Savior. The baptism of Russia took place in 988, according to the Byzantine tradition, which still persists today.
The main provisions of Orthodoxy:
- God comes in the face of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit;
- The Holy Spirit is equal to God the Father;
- Jesus is the only begotten Son of God the Father;
- The Son of God became a man, took the form of a man;
- the resurrection is true, as is the second coming of Christ;
- the head of the church is Jesus Christ, not the Patriarch;
- baptism frees one from sins;
- the believer will be saved and will gain eternal life.
The Orthodox Christian believes that after death his soul will find eternal salvation. Believers devote their whole lives to serving God and keeping the commandments. Any tests are perceived without complaint and even with joy, because despondency and grumbling are honored for a mortal sin.
This branch of the Christian church is distinguished by its approach to dogma and worship. The head of the Roman Catholic Church is the Pope, in contrast to the Orthodox Patriarch.
Basics of the teachings of Catholics:
- The Holy Spirit descends not only from God the Father, but also from God the Son;
- after death, the soul of the believer enters the purgatory, where he is tested;
- Pope is revered by the direct receiver of the Apostle Peter, all his actions are considered infallible;
- Catholics believe that the Virgin Mary was ascended to heaven without seeing death;
- veneration of saints is widely developed;
- indulgence (atonement of sins) is a distinctive feature of the Catholic Church;
- Communion is served by unleavened bread.
Worship in Catholic churches is called Mass. An integral part of churches and churches is the organ on which they perform inspired music. If in Orthodox churches a mixed choir sings on the choir, in Catholic churches only men sing the chant (boys' choir).
But the main difference between Catholic dogma and Orthodox is the dogma of the purity of the Virgin Mary.
Catholics are convinced that she was conceived immaculately (did not have original sin). The Orthodox claim that the Mother of God was an ordinary mortal woman whom God chose for the birth of the God-man.
Also a feature of Catholic dogma are mystical meditations on the agony of Christ. This sometimes leads to the fact that believers on the body appear stigmata (wounds from nails and a crown of thorns).
The commemoration of the dead is held on the 3rd, 7th and 30th day. Confirmation is not held immediately after baptism, as in the Orthodox, but after reaching the age of majority. Communion of children begin after seven years, and in Orthodoxy - from infancy. Iconostasis in Catholic churches is missing. All priests take a vow of celibacy.
What is the difference between Christian Protestants and Orthodox? This current arose inside the Catholic Church as a protest against the authority of the Pope (he is considered the vicar of Jesus Christ on earth). Many people know the tragic Bartholomew night, when Catholics massively massacred Huguenots (local Protestants) in France. These terrible pages of history will forever remain in the memory of people as an example of inhumanity and madness.
Protests against the authority of the Pope swept across Europe and even poured into the revolution. The Hussite Wars in the Czech Republic, the Lutheran movement - this is just a small mention of the wide scope of protest against the tenets of the Catholic Church. The harsh persecution of the Protestants forced them to flee Europe and find refuge in America.
What is the difference between Protestants and Catholics and Orthodox? They recognize only two church sacraments - baptism and communion.. Baptism is necessary for a person to join the church, and the sacrament strengthens the faith. Protestant priests do not enjoy unquestioned authority, but are brothers in Christ. At the same time, Protestants recognize the apostolic succession, but relate it to spiritual action.
Protestants do not read the dead, do not worship saints, do not pray to icons, do not light candles, and do not burn with censer. They lack the sacrament of marriage, confession and the priesthood. The Protestant community lives as one family, helps those in need and actively preaches the gospel to people (missionary work).
Worship in the Protestant churches are held in a special way. At first, the community glorifies God with songs and (sometimes) dancing. Then the pastor reads a sermon based on biblical texts. Ending worship is also glorification. In recent decades, many modern evangelical churches have been formed, consisting of young people. Some of them are recognized as sects in Russia, but in Europe and America these movements are allowed by the official authorities.
In 1999, the historic reconciliation of the Catholic Church with the Lutheran movement took place. And in 1973, the Eucharistic unity of the reform churches with the Lutheran. The 20th and 11th centuries became a time of reconciliation between all Christian movements, which is good news. Enmity and anathemas are gone, the Christian world has found peace and rest.
A Christian is a person who recognizes the death and resurrection of the God-man Jesus Christ, believes in a postmortal existence and eternal life. However, Christianity is not homogeneous in its structure and is divided into many different denominations. Orthodoxy and Catholicism are the leading Christian doctrines, on the basis of which other denominations and currents were formed.
In Russia, the Old Believers broke away from the Orthodox branch; in Europe, much more different trends and configurations were formed under the common name of Protestants. The massacres of the heretics, horrified nations for many centuries, are gone. In the modern world, peace and harmony reign among all Christian denominations, however, differences in worship and dogma persisted.