During the early years of the Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church was not very well established. There was a schism between the East and the West and there were different religious views on what the Church was and should be. As a result, many people did not join the Greek Orthodox Church. Then, the Ecumenical Movement began. This movement was aimed at uniting the various Christian faiths and embracing the spiritual treasures of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Greek Orthodox Church is now a major Christian denomination and is one of the fastest growing denominations in the world.
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Early Christianity
Among the earliest developments of Christianity was the Greek Orthodox Church. It was an offshoot of the Roman Church, but it had a distinct flavor. A Greek Orthodox Church is a religion that teaches that salvation is by faith in Christ.
The earliest Christians lived in countries around the Mediterranean Sea. They converted from pagan religions. Their teachings became widespread. The Church’s earliest era spanned nearly three hundred years. Their influence was felt throughout the Roman Empire. Thousands were martyred. The earliest Church took seriously its mission to evangelize the world.
The First Council of Nicaea, convoked by Roman Emperor Constantine, defined the Holy Spirit’s role in the Church. It also affirmed that Mary was the Mother of God. It also ended the Arian conflict in the Eastern Roman Empire.
The earliest Church also had a lot of fun with its liturgical services. They were an educational tool, and a means to get people to listen to the Gospel. They were also a means to teach the Christian doctrine. They included such things as reading the Old and New Testament, and saying the words of Jesus.
Ecumenical movement
Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Christians from various parts of the world began meeting as ecumenical councils to discuss various aspects of their beliefs. Ultimately, the aim of this process was to recover the apostolic sense of the early church.
The ecumenical movement originated in the Greek Orthodox Church in the twentieth century. The Greek Orthodox Church was active in establishing the World Council in Amsterdam in 1948. It is one of the most active centers of the modern ecumenical movement. The Orthodox Church has been critical of some aspects of the World Council in recent years.
The ecumenical movement is rooted in the Greek word oikoumene, which means “the whole inhabited world”. Greeks used this word to describe the world that they lived in. Later, the Romans used it to describe the Roman Empire.
The ecumenical movement promotes cooperation and unity among Christians. It promotes mutual respect and care for the needy. It is aimed at helping one church to be a missionary church that witnesses faithfully among all peoples.
Schism between East and West
Throughout history, there have been many disputes between Eastern and Western Christians. The East-West Schism was one such incident. Often referred to as the Great Schism, it caused a permanent separation between the Eastern and Western Christian churches.
Although there are no clear cut dates, the schism was thought to have started in 1054. The schism has caused millions of Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians to be separated.
The Great Schism originated from theological and cultural differences between the Eastern and Western Christian churches. Although these differences were not the primary reason for the schism, they contributed to the formation of a schism. Various ecumenical councils were held during the Middle Ages to address issues related to the schism. However, these ecumenical councils were not ecumenical. The East and West had their own ecumenical councils. The First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325, the Second Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 381 and the Third Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451 are some of the ecumenical councils that have been acknowledged by both the Eastern and Western Churches.
Embraces rich spiritual treasures of Eastern Christianity
Thousands of years after the death of St Peter, the Orthodox Church was formed. This church traces its ancestry to Asia and Europe. Its members are from a variety of ethnic groups. Its ties to the Church of Rome are limited by the differences in theology.
The Orthodox Church is divided into several autocephalous churches, headed by patriarchs. The patriarchate of Rome is noted for being founded by St Peter. There are four other patriarchal centers that remain in full communion with the Apostolic Church. These include Antioch and Jerusalem.
The Orthodox Church holds the Bible in highest esteem and regards it as the book of Christendom. It also believes that the Bible can be interpreted and used as a source for teaching. Orthodox Christians believe that Christian faith is free from distortion and error. They also encourage the desire to be cleansed and more pleasing to God.
