Getting involved in the Greek Orthodox Church is a great way to learn about and experience the spiritual life. The Greek Orthodox Church is one of the largest Christian denominations and can be found in almost every country. It is also an important part of the world’s history.
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Communion bread is blessed by the priest
Getting your hands on a gizmo is not a prerequisite for joining the Greek Orthodox Church. But, the best way to receive the Eucharist is to be in the right place at the right time. It’s also helpful to know some of the pious traditions of the Church.
The twelfth century saint, Saint Gregory of Nyssa, wrote about the Eucharist as a means of immortality. In fact, the Eucharist is a way to proclaim God’s inaugurated Kingdom. The Holy Spirit changes bread of this world into food of God’s Kingdom.
The best time to consume the Eucharist is after the divine Liturgy has concluded. However, it’s also good to remember to consume it before the liturgy as well.
The most obvious rule of thumb is to follow the priest’s direction when preparing to receive Communion. If you don’t receive it, you might have been tempted to dunk the bread in wine or take it back to your seat.
Congregational singing is a part of the service
Approximately 75 percent of the service of the Greek Orthodox Church involves congregational singing. These songs are usually in a cappella harmony, and are sung by the congregation. The content of the song changes according to the circumstances, but the hymns have unchanging elements.
In the early centuries of Christianity, congregational singing was a part of mass, pilgrimages, and processions. It was used alongside liturgical chants and polyphonic music. The most common type of psalm singing took place during vigils. It was also part of Ascension celebrations.
Church melodies developed from the beginnings of Hebrew and Hellenic culture. They were probably simple at first, but later developed into Scriptural Odes, hymnody, and Troparia. The earliest chorales were characterized by varying lengths of notes, meter changes, and wasorhythmization.
Death and the separation of body and soul are unnatural
Despite the fact that the word “death” is often used in Christianity, the Bible makes it clear that the word “death” is a misnomer. The word “death” is actually the separation of the soul from the body.
A healthy life is a gift from God. However, it must be used to serve His Will. The human soul has a definite destiny after death. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are redeemed from original sin. God has a special love for man. He wants him to enjoy eternal bliss.
There are several different religions which believe that the soul and body are not separate. However, most mainline Protestant denominations are opposed to this type of teaching.
Similarly, there are also religions which believe that the soul lives on after death. This is often called psychopannychism.
Ecumenical councils
During the first seven Ecumenical Councils, the bishops of the Christian Churches in the eastern part of the Roman Empire gathered to discuss the central issues of salvation and the meaning of the union of Christ. These seven councils were held between the years 325 and 787.
The emperors of the Roman Empire, who had a political role in church affairs, convoked these ecumenical councils. The emperors hoped to use their power to enforce theological conclusions and to legalize the doctrines of the Church. This resulted in some of the councils being convened in a political setting, with the emperor dictating the content of the councils.
The emperors gave the ecumenical councils legal status in the Roman Empire, but their decisions were not ratified by the entire church. The Eastern and Western Churches were divided over the issues of Christology, leading to some branches of the Christian Churches not accepting the councils.
Schismatic churches not in communion
Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or not, it is likely you have heard the term’schism’. In fact, the word’schism’ is a term used in early church literature to describe groups that have created rival churches. It is a term that has a number of advantages, but it also has a number of disadvantages.
Historically, a schism was a break in the unity of the church, or a difference of opinion about doctrine. Although a schism did not necessarily lead to heresy, it did break the unity of the church.
This type of division in the church has been around for many centuries. The greatest schism in the history of Christendom was the Protestant Reformation, which split Christendom into Western and Eastern branches. There was also the Western Schism, which involved rival popes from Rome and Avignon.