Eastern Orthodox Church — a comparison of the doctrine of 17 current religions
Prepared by and presented by Rex Bennett
An overview of the beliefs of the Eastern Orthodox Church:
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- Atonement — For personal and original sin. All who believe correctly and do good works are benefited. The individual must have confession.
- Baptism — By immersion three times, once for the Father, once for the Son, and once for the Holy Ghost. Sprinkling is acceptable in an emergency. Baptisms of other churches are accepted if done as just explained. Is necessary for infants.
- Did Christ organize a church while on earth? — Christ established a church through the apostles. All are members of the Church of Christ who have a true conception of Christ in their hearts, and have been properly baptized.
- Ecclesiastical authority — Came from the apostles at the time of Christ, and their successors. Bishops are necessary to officiate in church matters. Other churches can have authority if derived in the same way, that is, canonically.
- God — Is a spiritual, personal substance, and as He is an infinite spirit, He is everywhere at the same time. He is the same unchangeable substance from the beginning.
- Heaven and Hell — These are two separate and distinct places for the good or the bad, respectively. God will be the judge of our assigned place.
- Holy Bible — The word of God to be interpreted literally. Contains all of the revelations to man given by the Holy Spirit. Only the church is to interpret the scripture.
- Holy Ghost — A distinct person of the God-Spirit substance. The third person of God which proceeds from God the Father.
- Holy Trinity — Three persons in one, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Of the same spirit substance. They are undivided, non-confused, and equal in all things.
- Is membership in a church needed for salvation? — You must join the true church and live in it. The true church is the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Life after death — There are three places – paradise, hell, and intermediate. After the Judgement, there will only be paradise and hell. Intermediate is for those who repent but don’t do good works. Praying benefits those in an intermediate state.
- Marriage — Is for life only. After death, there will be no marriage or family relationships.
- Miracles — They believe in miracles as recorded in the Bible anciently and also in present day miracles.
- Future status of non-believers in Christ — All non-believers in Christ will be condemned ultimately.
- Pre-existence of man — Only God, or the Trinity, had a preexistent state. All of us were created on this earth by God, the Spirit.
- Purpose of life — We are to perfect ourselves, and make ourselves worthy of the beatitude of eternal life.
- Resurrection — When resurrected, our bodies will be like that of the Lord’s after His resurrection, incorruptible and eternal. They believe that we will recognize each other when in that state.
- Revelation — Believe only in ancient revelations. There is no modern revelation as all truths necessary for salvation are in the scriptures and the Holy Traditions.
- Sacrament — Believe in the Transubstantiation of the elements of the Lord’s supper. All who are worthy can and should partake. It is given as the true body and blood of Christ, as sop.
- Satan — He is a relative spirit cast out for his rebellion against the Supreme Power. He is the angel of darkness.
- Second Coming of Christ — He will come again as He ascended, with His body. There will be no material place to which He comes, for at His coming the world will be changed instantaneously.
- Vicarious work for the dead — We cannot help those who did not repent in this life. All we can do is pray for the salvation of the dead.
- Virgin birth, immaculate conception — God’s spirit operating through Mary, with Mary remaining a virgin. She was freed from Original Sin with the annunciation by the angel. A true virgin birth.
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