“In the Church of Christ Truth is one, as indeed it should be. Historically it is one, common to all the Church’s faithful, and unchanging;”
Fr. Michael Pomazansky, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology
(Phil. 2:8)
Lesson 8: Preservation of Apostolic Doctrine
An introduction to the history of Orthodox Doctrine:
It is important to understand the important role of the Ecumenical Councils in the Church. The proclamations of the Ecumenical Councils are considered second in Authority to Scripture. Through them, the truth taught by the Apostles on the true nature of Christ has been preserved. They protect the clear doctrine about the nature of Christ, His being both fully God and fully man. This is a great and important mystery for our salvation. The Councils did not create new doctrine, but defended the original teachings of the Apostles. In the dialogues, they expanded the understanding of this mystery. The Orthodox Church is known as the Church of the Seven Councils and follows them without change. This differentiates the Orthodox Church from others who split from the Church. This is why we shamelessly claim it to be the original and true Church of Christ.
Assignment:
Read Chapter 7 in Orthodox Way: A Catechism for Seekers
Study Time line chart: https://www.stgeorgegreenville.org/assets/files/Classes/Catechism/TimeLine.pdf
View the Video below.
Optional: A new history written by a scholar who is also an Orthodox priest, Fr. John Strickland: Age of Paradise, Vol. 1. There are four other volumes in this excellent history from an Eastern perspective.
View these videos if you want:
Beginings of Church a three-part series on the history of the Orthodox Church, produced by the Archdiocese of North America
1. Beginings of Churchhttps://youtu.be/RkJ0n_dkx-8
2. Byzantine periodhttps://youtu.be/yg6cZ_UdOXE
3. A Hidden Treasurehttps://youtu.be/eJuc4i7wwYc
Excellent talk about the origin of the filoque clause: How it cannot be accepted, by Father Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph .D.
Why One Church by Fr. Spiridon https://youtu.be/8ky9eTKJnto?si=K0Ss3elUlypFVaJh
A new series on the History of the Orthodox Church, A Beacon of Truth, by Deacon Charles Joiner
After you have viewed the video, answer briefly these questions: