Economy of the Liturgical Praxis in the Orthodox Christian Perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 221-235
Author(s):  
Arkadiusz Mironko
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Central Importance ◽  
Strict Adherence ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
Careful Preparation ◽  
Christian Perspective ◽  
The Church ◽  
Changing World

The Orthodox Church, although less known in the western Christian traditions, is a part of the changing world. The Church's liturgical tradition, however, remains largely unchanged. This article provides a detailed look at the Orthodox liturgical tradition practiced today in the Orthodox Church that may be unknown to Western Christians. The rite of the Holy Mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ has central importance and place in the life of the Church. According to St. John of Kronstadt, “the Divine Liturgy is true heaven on earth.” This is why the celebrant preparing to serve the Liturgy is required to exercise particular care and strict adherence to tradition. Yet, even the most careful preparation and observance does not guarantee the prevention of unforeseen circumstances and omissions. This work presents some norms, solutions, and rules which guide the actions that follow such cases. Note that the material presented here reflects the Orthodox Slavic, and in some cases Byzantine, tradition, and will help non-Orthodox Christians deepen their familiarity and appreciation of the Orthodox liturgical theoglogy and praxis.

A View from the Pew: Lay Orthodox Christian Perspectives on American Religious Diversity*

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-219
Author(s):  
Amy A. Slagle
Keyword(s):  
Religious Diversity ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
The Us ◽  
Southwest Pennsylvania ◽  
Religious Landscape ◽  
The Church ◽  
Northern Ohio

This study offers an analysis of how Orthodox Christians in America today grapple on a daily basis with the pluralism of the American religious landscape. Based on interviews conducted with converts and “cradle Orthodox” in the Greek, Ukrainian, Carpatho-Russian, and American (Orthodox Church in America) Churches, Slagle constructs an image of the imagined and actual worldviews of Orthodox practitioners in Southwest Pennsylvania and Northern Ohio—a region of the US with dense and well-establish Orthodox communities. Slagle finds a range of exclusivist and inclusivist attitudes among the Orthodox she interviewed—some practitioners seeing in Orthodoxy the lone true faith, while others situating the church in a larger, pluralistic environment. This study offers a close-up view of how Orthodox Americans view themselves and their larger religious contexts, and how the Church’s teachings, culture, liturgical life, and history inform and shape these widely varying views.

August 9 — the day of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, the holy healer

2021 ◽  
pp. 78-80
Author(s):  
Oksana Aleksandrovna Rybachok
Keyword(s):  
Twelfth Century ◽  
The Body ◽  
Russian Orthodox ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Young Doctor ◽  
Russian Orthodox Church ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
Christian Churches ◽  
The Family ◽  
The City

On August 9, Orthodox Christian churches celebrate the day of remembrance of one of the most revered saints - the Great Martyr Panteleimon. Panteleimon the healer - under this name we know the saint who provides all kinds of support to doctors and contributes to the recovery of the sick. His veneration in the Russian Orthodox Church dates back to the twelfth century, when Prince Izyaslav placed the image of Panteleimon on his battle helmet. Born into the family of a noble pagan, the young man lost his mother early and was raised by his father, who decided to teach his son the art of healing. Having met the Christian Ermolai, who was in exile and guarded the secret of his religion, the young doctor was baptized. This happened after seeing the body of a dead boy bitten by a snake on the street of the city, whom Panteleimon was able to bring back to life by the power of prayer.

Secularization of Family Law in Greece

1988 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-376
Author(s):  
Michael P. Stathopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Family Law ◽  
Church And State ◽  
Jewish People ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Greek Orthodox ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
Byzantine Era ◽  
Historical Tradition ◽  
The Church

As our subject is the secularization of Greek Family Law, we may presume that this part of our legal system is not as yet secular or at least not exclusively so. Indeed, the strong influence of religious conceptions, particularly those of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church is an historical feature of Greek Family Law. This tradition is explained by the close relations in general between Church and State in Greece, relations which are rooted in the Byzantine era. The determinant importance of the Church in Greek society reached its peak during the period of the Ottoman occupation (1453-1821), when there was no Greek State and the Orthodox Church was its substitute. I think that we may find a parallel here between the Greek people and their religion and the Jewish people and their religion. After the national revolution of 1821, and with the regaining of their independence, the Greek people were organized in a secular state, retaining, however, important features of a religious character, in accordance with the nation's historical tradition.

scholarly journals The adoption of the first Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1931

2014 ◽  
pp. 41-54
Author(s):  
Dragan Novakovic
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
State Control ◽  
The People ◽  
Political Events ◽  
Church Unity ◽  
Church Life ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
The Church

The process of adoption of the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after its unification and elevation to the rank of Patriarchate, has been analyzed. During ten years of work it was necessary to overcome and solve numerous and complex problems that had the internal church character or came from the political sphere. Among the first to dominate were different theoretical and canonical standpoints about the body with power to prepare the text of the Constitution and the institution with the full legitimate authority for its adoption. There was also a dissatisfaction of the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina unwilling to relinquish historically acquired rights to directly elect representatives of the ecclesiastical self-governing bodies and accept increasingly emphasized efforts to transfer all church affairs to the Episcopate. Other issue was directly related to the current political events and its main driver was the unwillingness of the ruling Serbian elite to accept the Constitution which would result in a greater autonomy of the Church and elimination of state control mechanisms. After a lengthy discussion a text was adopted as a compromise, which enabled the consolidation of church unity, the establishment of the planned organization and the assumption of jurisdiction from all the bodies and institutions envisaged in the Constitution, but also gave the state a significant influence on some important areas of church life.

scholarly journals Whose Heritage Counts? Narratives of Coptic People’s Heritage

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Monier
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Church Leadership ◽  
The Body ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Middle Ground ◽  
Coptic Orthodox Church ◽  
Coptic Orthodox ◽  
The Church ◽  
Church Buildings

This paper examines whose voices narrate official Coptic heritage, what the in-built biases in representations of Coptic heritage are and why, and some of the implications of omissions in narratives of Coptic heritage. It argues that the primary narrator of official Coptic heritage during the twentieth century was the leadership of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The Coptic Orthodox Church is the body that holds authority over the sources of heritage, such as church buildings and manuscripts, and also has the resources with which to preserve and disseminate heritage. The Church hierarchy’s leadership was not entirely uncontested, however, a middle ground was continually negotiated to enable lay Copts to play various roles and contribute to the articulation of Coptic heritage. Ultimately, though, alternative voices must operate within the limits set by the Church leadership and also negotiate the layers of exclusion set by society and state.

scholarly journals Bakhtin and the Orthodox Christian tradition

2017 ◽  
pp. 285-302
Author(s):  
Svetozar Postic
Keyword(s):  
Basic Characteristic ◽  
Ethnic Origin ◽  
The Body ◽  
Christian Tradition ◽  
Central Idea ◽  
Russian Orthodoxy ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Philosophic Tradition ◽  
The Church

This paper explores motifs from the Orthodox Christian tradition in the works of the famous Russian philosopher Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin. The introduction offers a series of testimonies from the thinker?s personal life that confirm his affinity toward Christianity and Russian Orthodoxy, and the source of this affinity is linked to his ethnic origin, spiritual environment and the literary-philosophic tradition in which he was intellectually shaped. After presenting a few universal Christian ideas in his works - the comparison of the relationship between the author and the hero with the relationship between the Creator and His human creation, incarnation and the word (logos) - this paper points to the specifically Orthodox ideas in his writings. Those are: perichoresis or the mutual permeation of the two natures of Christ, the holiness of the body and the apophatic approach in theology, the buffoon as a fool for Christ?s sake, and communality as the essence of the existence of the Church. Finally, Bakhtin?s central idea, dialogism, is presented as a means used on the path toward divinization, or theosis, the basic characteristic of Christian spiritual life in the Orthodox East.

scholarly journals THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY’S VIEW OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-80
Author(s):  
Dragan Novaković
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
The Body ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
The Public ◽  
Daunting Task ◽  
Canonical Order ◽  
The Government ◽  
Russian Politics ◽  
Xix Century ◽  
The Church

After obtaining autonomy from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1831, the Serbian Orthodox Church gradually established and strenghtened its position by means of constitutions and laws of the Principality of Serbia which were passed in the course of the XIX century. The established status of an official state church implied considerable priviledges but also the readiness to accept potential candidates designated by the Prince or the Government for the highest hierarch positions as well as the state’s control over practically all segments of religious life. This relationship in which provisions of the Canon Law were frequently ignored, forged a kind of partnership enabling the state to strenghten its economy and democratic institutions while at the same time providing the church with an opportunity to improve its internal organization, the quality of candidates entering priesthood and to create favourable conditions for its spiritual mission. The dissatisfaction with the Russian politics after the Congress of Berlin and the shift towards a new foreign policy relying heavily on the support of Austria-Hungary, soon took toll on the relations between Prince Milan and Metropolitan Mihailo who was a notorious Russophile and a fervent advocate of the Pan-Slavic solidarity. Dissatisfied with the Metropolitan’s activities in Bosnia, the new ally demanded that the Prince remove the dangerous opponent which proved to be a daunting task, due to the Metropolitan’s popularity and his demonstrated leadership skills. In 1881, under the pretext that the Church opposed the Tax law, the Prince’s Government, led by the Progressive Political Party first removed Metropolitan Mihailo which was followed by the removal of all other remaining disobedient Episcopes in 1883. The 1882 amendments to the Law on Church Authorities of the Eastern Orthodox Religion which resulted in changes of the composition of the Assembly of Bishops and included more lay people in the body tasked with the election of the Metropolitan, represented a genuine coup against the Church unprecedented in its centuries long history and practically annulled the canonical order governing the life and functioning of the Orthodox Churches. Having elected the new Metropolitan and Episcopes, the Government led by the Progressive Party established such an organization of the Church which was utterly dependent on the will of the state and the balance of powers on the Serbia’s political scene. The altered political circumstances brought about by King Milan’s abdication and normalization of relations with the Radical Party, enabled Metropolitan Mihailo’s return and reestablishment of previous order in the Church. The ancient Canons, which were ignored at one point in history, proved their vitality, but these events were also convenient for the growing middle class to send a clear message to the Church that the old times of harmonized activity were gone and that the new forces were taking over the public and state affairs.

scholarly journals Sinergi Pelayan dan Jemaat Tuhan Menurut 1 Korintus 3:4-9

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-60
Author(s):  
Desti Ratna Sari Halawa
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Early Church ◽  
Body Of Christ ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
1 Corinthians ◽  
God's Will ◽  
The World ◽  
Corinthians 3 ◽  
Service To Others ◽  
The Church

AbstractThis paper examines the meaning of synergy in the ministry and life of believers according to 1 Corinthians 3: 4-9. Servants of God tend to leave the place of service because they are at odds with God or others. Among the Corinthians in the early church, there was strife among the members of the body of Christ. To deal with divisions, Paul talks about becoming partners with God (synergy). In the Orthodox  church this concept emphasizes how to achieve salvation but this concept is not emphasized in the world of ministry. Whereas in Protestant literature this concept is rarely even perhaps foreign to be discussed as something important, so that it is reflected in ministries within the church and outside the church which often cause divisions. The results show that only through synergy with God can humans synergize with one another (one with God and one with others remains strong). Synergize is to be partners with Allah who continue to exercise their free will according to God's will so that they are not easily tempted by the evil of sin. Remembering God dynamically produces union with God and gives the best service to others as Christ served. Of course, only synergy makes humans avoid fellowship and enmity between others. AbstrakTulisan ini meneliti makna sinergi dalam pelayanan dan kehidupan orang percaya menurut 1 Korintus 3:4-9. Pelayan Tuhan cenderung meninggalkan tempat pelayanan karena berselisih dengan Allah atau sesama. Di antara jemaat Korintus di masa gereja mula-mula perselisihan di antara anggota tubuh Kristus sudah terjadi. Untuk menghadapi perpecahan, Paulus berbicara bagaimana menjadi kawan sekerja Allah (sinergi). Dalam gereja Ortodoks konsep ini menekankan bagaimana mencapai keselamatan akan tetapi konsep ini tidak ditekankan dalam dunia pelayanan. Sedangkan dalam literatur Protestan konsep ini jarang bahkan mungkin asing dibahas sebagai sesuatu yang penting, sehingga tercermin dalam pelayanan-pelayanan dalam gereja maupun di luar gereja yang sering menimbulkan perpecahan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa hanya melalui sinergi dengan Allah manusia bisa bersinergi dengan sesamanya (menyatu dengan Allah dan persatuan dengan sesama tetap kokoh). Bersinergi adalah menjadi kawan sekerja Allah yang terus melatih kehendak bebasnya sesuai dengan kehendak Allah sehingga tidak mudah tergoda oleh kejahatan dosa. Mengingat Allah secara dinamis menghasilkan persatuan dengan Allah dan memberi pelayanan terbaik kepada sesama seperti Kristus melayani. Tentunya, hanya sinergilah yang membuat manusia terhindar dari persekutuan serta permusuhan di antara sesama.

scholarly journals The Ethiopian Orthodox Church and its role in the State before 1974

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-22
Author(s):  
Nigusie Wolde Michae Kassaye ◽  
Yu. N. Buzykina
Keyword(s):  
Public Administration ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
Christian Church ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
Ethiopian Orthodox ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
The Church

The aim of the study is to consider the role and place of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church in preserving the ancient traditions and culture of the peoples of Ethiopia. The history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is closely related to that of the Alexandrian Orthodox Church, but for a significant part of its history it fought for autocephaly, which was achieved only under Emperor Haile Selassie I. The most important function of the Church in Ethiopia was education and spread of literacy, the preservation and transfer of knowledge in the field of religion and public administration. The objective of the study is to analyze how this function was implemented during the first half of the XX century. The research is based on the documents of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation and of the Ethiopian Microfilm Laboratory EMML.

scholarly journals Historical Memory and Orthodox Faith: Byzance Aprиs Byzance in Sofia Under Ottoman Rule

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 339-351
Author(s):  
Ivan Biliarsky ◽  
◽  
Mariyana Tsibranska-Kostova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Historical Memory ◽  
The Body ◽  
Bearing Witness ◽  
Orthodox Christian ◽  
The Past ◽  
The People ◽  
Political Milieu ◽  
The City ◽  
The Church

In our article we propose a case study on the character of the veneration of neomartyrs of Sofia in the 16th century and a review of the related literature. We try to argue that the aims of their veneration were religious and political, and that these aims were attained through the exaltation of the Christian faith and the creation and maintaining of a historical memory. The direction of the intended results, however, is not anti-Ottoman, but anti-Islamic; the veneration urged to consolidate the Orthodox Christian congregation. It is to the people of the Orthodox confession, not to the national (in this period mostly “ethnical”) community, that the veneration of the neomartyrs was addressed. The strengthening of the congregation could be achieved excellently through the martyr’s bearing witness (having in mind that “martyros” means “witness” in Greek); the martyr adds holiness to the place and sacralizes the space of the city, and finally of the whole political milieu. The witness is not only the creator of sacredness, he is also a keeper of the memory of the past. The martyr is a champion because he / she vanquishes the foes of God through his / her martyrdom. As a champion, he is a reminder of the glorious past; as a victor, he is a Defensor fidei in the present. This is a clear confirmation of God’s power under different historical circumstances. These ideas directed at the restoration, but only spiritual, of the Christian Empire through the Body of the Church. This explains the absence of any overt opposition against Ottoman power. Therefore, we find here, in Sofia, a conception of Byzance après Byzance of the same type as we find in Constantinople after the fall of the Empire, when the Ecumenical Church adopted part of the Empire’s heritage.

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