Close to two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and founded the Church through His Apostles and disciples for the salvation of men. The teachings of the Apostles and the Church spread far in the years which followed; many Churches were founded, but all were united in faith, worship and the partaking of the sacraments. To the group of Churches founded by the Apostles themselves belong the five Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Rome. The Church of Constantinople was founded by St. Andrew, the Church of Alexandria by St. Mark, the Church of Antioch by St. Paul, the Church of Jerusalem by St. Peter and St. James, and the Church of Rome by St. Peter and St. Paul. Those founded in later years through missionary activity of the first Churches were the Churches of Sinai, Russia, Greece, Yugoslavia, Roumania and many more.   more...

When we approach Orthodox Christian Doctrine we should be fully aware that we are speaking about the true Christian Doctrine before the tragic split in 1054 A. D. All later amendments, modifications or direct changes to original Christian Doctrine the Orthodox cannot accept as Doctrine for the full Church did not participate in its formulation. The word Doctrine is originally a Latin word and is to be understood as "teaching, mastering or convincing". In our case we understand it as Divine Teaching. Doctrine in itself is not a theological subject but a concentration of various Christian subjects including: Revelation, Tradition, the Bible, Liturgy, Ecumenical Councils, Holy Fathers, Saints, Canons and finally Church Art.   more...

by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky Every Christian mother considers it one of her primary obligations to teach her child prayer as soon as his consciousness begins to awaken-prayer that is simple and easy for him to understand. His soul must be accustomed to the warm and fervent experience of prayer at home, by his cradle, for his neighbors, his family. The child's evening prayer calms and softens his soul, he experiences the sweetness of prayer with his little heart and catches the first scent of sacred feelings.   more...

by Reader Daniel Olson First, we have to consider what a cycle is. There are lots of possible definitions. The one that I think is best says: "A cycle is a recurring period of time, especially one in which certain events or phenomena repeat themselves in the same order and at the same intervals." We see cycles in nature. There is the daily cycle of the earth rotating continually on its axis, with the constant succession of night and day. And then there is the yearly cycle of the earth revolving around the sun, with the lengthening and the shortening of daylight and the succession of the seasons. We use these natural cycles to delineate the passage of time, and we have devised clocks and calendars to help us do this.   more...

The assumption on the part of so many Orthodox that church services cannot be conducted without a priest is a misconception which has added greatly to our spiritual poverty. In fact, in some of the more remote villages of old Russia and Greece, and even in many of the smaller monasteries where there was no attendant hieromonk (a. monk ordained to the priesthood) or priest, it was not uncommon for the faithful themselves to conduct the services, all of which they could do with: the exception of the .Divine Liturgy which is in any case outside the daily cycle, as we have already explained.   more...

The Angelic Path - An Outline of Orthodox Monasticism If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hadst, and give to the poor, and come, follow Me (Matt. 19:21) From the beginning these words of Christ have been a clear call to all Christian monks that they have felt impelled to obey to the letter. Although Christ lived and worked among men, participated in the functions of His day, counted women among His friends, and although He instituted no monastic order, monasticism may well be considered the sum and substance of His teaching. Once He had entered upon His mission, He had no family life--in fact, He denied blood relationships (Matt. 12:48-50). He spent many hours in the wilderness in solitary communion with His Father. He said: If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26)   more...

Rev. Stanley Harakas, Th.D. THE FORMULATION OF THE CHURCH'S STAND Throughout its history, the Orthodox Church has dealt with controversial issues by a process which addresses the "mind of the Church." When an issue arises for which there is no clear-cut, widely and readily acknowledged tradition, and about which there is honest divergence of opinion as to what view genuinely expresses the teaching of the Church, a process begins which may eventually lead to the formulation of an official Church teaching. A classical example from the early period of the Church is the formulation of the Church doctrines about the person of Jesus Christ, which began with the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (325) and concluded with the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787).   more...

(Written in 1992 by Wayne Boosahda and Randy Sly for the "Therefore, every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old." - Mat. 13:52. This Scripture summarizes the insight and discovery which has led to a fresh stream of thought and renewal throughout the wider Body of Christ. Described as the Convergence Movement, or "Convergence of the Streams," this emerging movement appears to many, both observers and participants, to be another contemporary evidence of God's continuing activity in history to renew, replenish and unify His people in one heart and purpose in Christ. Arising out of a common desire and hunger to experience the fullness of Christian worship and spirituality, the Convergence Movement (also referred to in the remainder of this article as "CM") seeks to blend or merge the essential elements in the Christian faith represented historically in three major streams of thought and practice: the Charismatic, Evangelical/Reformed and Liturgical/Sacramental. An increasing number of local congregations and leaders from many backgrounds are finding "treasures old and new" in the spiritual heritage of the church universal.   more...

Fasting is a medicine; but a medicine, though it be never so profitable, becomes frequently useless owing to the unskillfulness of him who employs it. For it is necessary to know, moreover, the time when it should be applied, and the requisite quantity of it; and the temperament of body that admits it; and the nature of the country, and the season of the year; and the corresponding diet; as well as various other particulars; any of which, if one overlooks, he will mar all the rest that have been named.   more...

Let no one think, my brother Christians, that it is the duty only of priests and monks to pray without ceasing, and not of laymen. No, no; it is the duty of all of us Christians to remain always in prayer.   more...