GALATIANS 1:

8: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"

GALATIANS 1:

8: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"

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GALATIANS 1:

8: "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!"

 

                                                                                            

áˆï¿½á‹•áˆ«á�� 1 [1:10-17] 

 

10 áŠï¿½áŒˆáˆ­ áŒï¿½áŠ•á�¥ ወንድáˆï¿½á‰½ ሆይá�¥ áˆï¿½áˆ‹á‰½áˆï¿½ አንድ ንáŒï¿½áŒï¿½áˆ­ እንድትናገሩ በአንድ áˆï¿½á‰¥áŠ“ በአንድ አሳብáˆï¿½ የተባበራችáˆï¿½ እንድትሆኑ እንጂ መለያየት በመካከላችáˆï¿½ እንዳይሆን በጌታችን በኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ ስáˆï¿½ እለáˆï¿½áŠ“ችኋለáˆï¿½á�¢

11 ወንድáˆï¿½á‰¼ ሆይá�¥ በመካከላችáˆï¿½ ክርክር እንዳለ ስለ እናንተ የቀáˆï¿½á‹” ቤተ ሰá‹ï¿½á‰½ አስታá‹ï¿½á‰€á‹ï¿½áŠ›áˆï¿½áŠ“á�¢

12 ይህንáˆï¿½ እላለáˆï¿½á�¢ እያንዳንዳችáˆï¿½á�¢ እኔ የጳá‹ï¿½áˆï¿½áˆµ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¥ እኔስ የአጵáˆï¿½áˆµ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¥ እኔ áŒï¿½áŠ• የኬá�‹ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¥ እኔስ የክርስቶስ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½ ትላላችáˆï¿½á�¢

13 ክርስቶስ ተከá��áˆï¿½áŠ áˆï¿½áŠ•? ጳá‹ï¿½áˆï¿½áˆµáˆµ ስለ እናንተ ተሰቀለን? ወይስ በጳá‹ï¿½áˆï¿½áˆµ ስáˆï¿½ ተጠመቃችáˆï¿½áŠ•?

14-15 በስሜ እንደ ተጠመቃችáˆï¿½ ማንáˆï¿½ እንዳይáˆï¿½ ከቀርስጶስና ከጋይዮስ በቀር ከእናንተ አንድን እንኳ ስላላጠመቅáˆï¿½ እáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ርን አመሰáŒï¿½áŠ“ለáˆï¿½á�¢

16 የእስጢá�‹áŠ–ስንáˆï¿½ ቤተ ሰá‹ï¿½á‰½ á‹°áŒï¿½áˆï¿½ አጥáˆï¿½á‰„አለáˆï¿½á�¤ ጨáˆï¿½áˆ¬ ሌላ አጥáˆï¿½á‰„ እንደ ሆáŠï¿½ አላá‹ï¿½á‰…áˆï¿½á�¢

17 ለማጥመቅ ክርስቶስ አáˆï¿½áˆ‹áŠ¨áŠï¿½áˆï¿½áŠ“á�¥ ወንጌáˆï¿½áŠ• áˆï¿½áˆ°á‰¥áŠ­ እንጂá�¤ የክርስቶስ መስቀáˆï¿½ ከንቱ እንዳይሆን በቃáˆï¿½ ጥበብ አይደለáˆï¿½á�¢

 

Divisions in the Church [1.Kor 1:10-17]

¹⁰I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹²What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas^[1] "; still another, "I follow Christ."
¹³Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into^[2] the name of Paul? ¹⁴I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. ¹⁶(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

 

 

 

Matthew 5 [17-20]

 

 

The Fulfillment of the Law

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven"

áˆï¿½á‹•áˆ«á�� 3á�¢ [3:10]

10á�¤ በቤቴ á‹ï¿½áˆµáŒ¥ መብáˆï¿½ እንዲሆን አሥራቱን áˆï¿½áˆ‰ ወደ áŒï¿½á‰°áˆ« አáŒï¿½á‰¡á�¤ የሰማይንáˆï¿½ መስኮት ባáˆï¿½áŠ¨á��ትላችáˆï¿½á�¥ በረከትንáˆï¿½ አትረá��ርá�Œ ባላá�ˆáˆµáˆµáˆ‹á‰½áˆï¿½ በዚህ á�ˆá‰µáŠ‘áŠï¿½á�¥ ይላáˆï¿½ የሠራዊት ጌታ እáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ርá�¢

Malachi 3 [3:10]

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

áˆï¿½á‹•áˆ«á�� 22

1 በአደባባይዋáˆï¿½ መካከáˆï¿½ ከእáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ርና ከበጉ á‹™á�‹áŠ• የሚወጣá‹ï¿½áŠ• እንደ ብርሌ የሚያንጸባርቀá‹ï¿½áŠ• የሕይወትን á‹ï¿½áŠƒ ወንá‹ï¿½ አሳየáŠï¿½á�¢

2 በወንዙáˆï¿½ ወዲያና ወዲህ በየወሩ እያá�ˆáˆ« አሥራ áˆï¿½áˆˆá‰µ á��ሬ የሚሰጥ የሕይወት á‹›á�� áŠï¿½á‰ áˆ¨á�¥ የዛá�‰áˆï¿½ ቅጠáˆï¿½á‰½ ለሕá‹ï¿½á‰¥ መá�ˆá‹ˆáˆ» áŠï¿½á‰ áˆ©á�¢

3 ከእንáŒï¿½á‹²áˆ…áˆï¿½ ወዲህ መርገáˆï¿½ ከቶ አይሆንáˆï¿½á�¢ የእáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ርና የበጉáˆï¿½ á‹™á�‹áŠ• በእርስዋ á‹ï¿½áˆµáŒ¥ ይሆናáˆï¿½á�¥ ባሪያá‹ï¿½á‰¹áˆï¿½ ያመáˆï¿½áŠ©á‰³áˆï¿½á�¥ á�Šá‰±áŠ•áˆï¿½ ያያሉá�¥

4 ስሙáˆï¿½ በáŒï¿½áˆï¿½á‰£áˆ®á‰»á‰¸á‹ï¿½ ይሆናáˆï¿½á�¢

5 ከእንáŒï¿½á‹²áˆ…áˆï¿½ ወዲህ ሌሊት አይሆንáˆï¿½á�¥ ጌታ አáˆï¿½áˆ‹áŠ­áˆï¿½ በእáŠï¿½áˆ­áˆ± ላይ ያበራላቸዋáˆï¿½áŠ“ የመብራት ብርሃንና የá�€áˆï¿½á‹­ ብርሃን አያስá�ˆáˆï¿½áŒ‹á‰¸á‹ï¿½áˆï¿½á�¤ ለዘላለáˆï¿½áˆï¿½ እስከ ዘላለáˆï¿½ á‹­áŠï¿½áŒï¿½áˆ£áˆ‰á�¢

6 እርሱáˆï¿½á�¢ እáŠï¿½á‹šáˆ… ቃáˆï¿½á‰½ የታመኑና እá‹ï¿½áŠï¿½á‰°áŠ›á‹ï¿½á‰½ ናቸá‹ï¿½á�¥ የáŠï¿½á‰¢á‹«á‰µáˆï¿½ መናá��ስት ጌታ አáˆï¿½áˆ‹áŠ­ በቶáˆï¿½ ሊሆን የሚገባá‹ï¿½áŠ• áŠï¿½áŒˆáˆ­ ለባሪያá‹ï¿½á‰¹ እንዲያሳይ መáˆï¿½áŠ áŠ©áŠ• ሰደደá�¢

7 እáŠï¿½áˆ†áˆï¿½á�¥ በቶáˆï¿½ እመጣለáˆï¿½á�¢ የዚህን መጽáˆï¿½á�� ትንቢት ቃáˆï¿½ የሚጠብቅ ብá��ዕ áŠï¿½á‹ï¿½ አለáŠï¿½á�¢

8 ይህንáˆï¿½ ያየáˆï¿½á‰µáŠ“ የሰማáˆï¿½á‰µ እኔ á‹®áˆï¿½áŠ•áˆµ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¢ በሰማáˆï¿½á‰µáŠ“ ባየáˆï¿½á‰µáˆï¿½ ጊዜ ይህን ባሳየáŠï¿½ በመáˆï¿½áŠ áŠ© እáŒï¿½áˆ­ á�Šá‰µ እሰáŒï¿½á‹µ ዘንድ ተደá�‹áˆï¿½á�¢

9 እርሱáˆï¿½á�¢ እንዳታደርገá‹ï¿½ ተጠንቀቅá�¤ ከአንተ ጋር ከወንድáˆï¿½á‰½áˆ…áˆï¿½ ከáŠï¿½á‰¢á‹«á‰µ ጋር የዚህንáˆï¿½ መጽáˆï¿½á�� ቃáˆï¿½ ከሚጠብá‰ï¿½ ጋር አብሬ ባሪያ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¤ ለእáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ር ስገድ አለáŠï¿½á�¢

10 ለእኔáˆï¿½á�¢ ዘመኑ ቀርቦአáˆï¿½áŠ“ የዚህን መጽáˆï¿½á�� ትንቢት ቃáˆï¿½ በማኅተáˆï¿½ አትá‹ï¿½áŒ‹á‹ï¿½á�¢

11 ዓመá�€áŠ›á‹ï¿½ ወደ á�Šá‰µ á‹«áˆï¿½á�…á�¥ ርኵሱáˆï¿½ ወደ á�Šá‰µ ይርከስá�¥ ጻድá‰ï¿½áˆï¿½ ወደ á�Šá‰µ ጽድቅ ያድርáŒï¿½á�¥ ቅዱሱáˆï¿½ ወደá�Šá‰µ ይቀደስ አለá�¢

12 እáŠï¿½áˆ†á�¥ በቶáˆï¿½ እመጣለáˆï¿½á�¥ ለእያንዳንዱáˆï¿½ እንደ ሥራá‹ï¿½ መጠን እከá��áˆï¿½ ዘንድ ዋጋዬ ከእኔ ጋር አለá�¢

13 አáˆï¿½á�‹áŠ“ ዖሜጋá�¥ á�Šá‰°áŠ›á‹ï¿½áŠ“ ኋለኛá‹ï¿½á�¥ መጀመሪያá‹ï¿½áŠ“ መጨረሻá‹ï¿½ እኔ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¢

14 ወደ ሕይወት á‹›á�� ለመድረስ ሥáˆï¿½áŒ£áŠ• እንዲኖራቸá‹ï¿½ በደጆችዋáˆï¿½ ወደ ከተማይቱáˆï¿½ እንዲገቡ áˆï¿½á‰¥áˆ³á‰¸á‹ï¿½áŠ• የሚያጥቡ ብá��ዓን ናቸá‹ï¿½á�¢

15 á‹ï¿½áˆ»á‹ï¿½á‰½áŠ“ አስማተáŠï¿½á‰½ ሴሰኛá‹ï¿½á‰½áˆï¿½ áŠï¿½á��ሰ ገዳዮችáˆï¿½ ጣዖትንáˆï¿½ የሚያመáˆï¿½áŠ©á‰µ á‹ï¿½áˆ¸á‰µáŠ•áˆï¿½ የሚወዱና የሚያደርጉ áˆï¿½áˆ‰ በá‹ï¿½áŒ­ አሉá�¢

16 እኔ ኢየሱስ በአብያተ ክርስቲያናት ዘንድ ይህን እንዲመሰክርላችáˆï¿½ መáˆï¿½áŠ áŠ¬áŠ• ላክáˆï¿½á�¢ እኔ የዳዊት ሥርና ዘር áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¥ የሚያበራáˆï¿½ የንጋት ኮከብ áŠï¿½áŠï¿½á�¢

17 መንá�ˆáˆ±áŠ“ ሙሽራይቱáˆï¿½á�¢ ና ይላሉá�¢ የሚሰማáˆï¿½á�¢ ና ይበáˆï¿½á�¢ የተጠማáˆï¿½ á‹­áˆï¿½áŒ£á�¥ የወደደáˆï¿½ የሕይወትን á‹ï¿½áŠƒ እንዲያá‹ï¿½ á‹­á‹ï¿½áˆ°á‹µá�¢

18 በዚህ መጽáˆï¿½á�� የተጻá�ˆá‹ï¿½áŠ• የትንቢት ቃáˆï¿½ ለሚሰማ áˆï¿½áˆ‰ እኔ እመሰክራለáˆï¿½á�¤ ማንáˆï¿½ በዚህ ላይ አንዳች ቢጨáˆï¿½áˆ­ እáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ር በዚህ መጽáˆï¿½á�� የተጻá�‰á‰µáŠ• መቅሠá��ቶች ይጨáˆï¿½áˆ­á‰ á‰³áˆï¿½á�¤

19 ማንáˆï¿½áˆï¿½ በዚህ በትንቢት መጽáˆï¿½á�� ከተጻá�‰á‰µ ቃáˆï¿½á‰½ አንዳች ቢያáŒï¿½á‹µáˆï¿½á�¥ በዚህ መጽáˆï¿½á�� ከተጻá�‰á‰µ ከሕይወት á‹›á��ና ከቅድስቲቱ ከተማ እáŒï¿½á‹šáŠ á‰¥áˆ”ር ዕድሉን á‹«áŒï¿½á‹µáˆï¿½á‰ á‰³áˆï¿½á�¢

20 ይህን የሚመሰክርá�¢ አá‹ï¿½áŠ•á�¥ በቶáˆï¿½ እመጣለáˆï¿½ ይላáˆï¿½á�¢ አሜንá�¥ ጌታ ኢየሱስ ሆይá�¥ ናá�¢

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1) Who started the Orthodox Church?

 

 

 

 

2) How old is the orthodox faith?

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517. If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534, because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry. If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560. If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582. If you are Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England, founded by Samuel Senbury in the American colonies in the 17th century. If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1606. If you are of the Dutch Reformed Church, you recognize Michelis Jones as founder because he originated your religion in New York in 1628. If you are a Methodist, your religion was founded by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1774. If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, New York, in 1829. If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865. If you are Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.
If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as "Church of the Nazarene, Pentecostal Gospel," "Holiness Church," or "Jehovah's Witnesses," your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past hundred years. (by )

If you declare your faith as a Roman Catholic, your church originally shared the apostolic heritage of episcopal succession and continuity of the Orthodox tradition. Lamentably in 451, Pope Leo I attempted to assert the authority of his office as the Bishop of Rome as a universal authority over the whole Church. That was a departure from the tradition of his predecessors. Some assert that he did this as a good faith effort to solve a contemporary dilemma about the mystery of Jesus Christ’s nature (see below). But at the same time others took offence at the new formula that he proposed to explain that mystery. Many bishops, representing their individual diocese accepted Leo’s formula. Thus their churches continued a tenuous coalition with his Latin church, but that coalition fell apart in 1054. Those who maintained communion with the Latin (Roman) church between 451 and 1054 distinguish themselves as "Byzantine Orthodox" (this includes a set of various ethnic traditions originating in Eastern Europe, parts of the Near East, and Asia. Until 1453, their lands comprised Byzantine Roman Empire, plus various Slavic countries and Russia that received their faith from it).

Those of the Oriental Orthodox Christian communion trace their continuous relationship, as the body of Christ, to its founder Jesus of Nazareth. He commissioned His Apostles to go forth to teach and baptize all nations. The formulas, which it accepts as normative, were sealed by 431 A. D. (The Council of Ephesus). They consider doctrinal statements made since then to be unnecessary innovations. On the basis of that principle they rejected Leo’s formula and the meeting called the "Council of Chalcedon." They recognize the same faith in each of their administratively independent national traditions. Their local cells are identified by the traditional ethnic designations Armenian, Coptic (Egyptian), Ethiopian, Malankara (Indian), and Syro Jacobite Christian Churches.
Orthodoxy is the Church of the Apostles and our Fathers (that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son,[Exodus 10 : 2]) who succeeded them. It is the true "one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church." This is our greatest legacy that we can pass on to the young people of the new millennium.

 

 

 

3) Origin of Orthodox Church:

 

The Orthodox Church in the First Centuries after Christ

In the early centuries of Christianity, there appeared many so-called Christian churches which espoused false teachings (contrary to the authentic tradition: "faith which was once delivered unto the saints" [Jude 1 : 3]). Thus the Christian Church had to address these heresies (false teachings) and to begin to systematically clarify the true teachings of Christ. The Church did this through councils. Just as the Apostles in the Book of Acts, Chapter 15 asked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in addressing issues regarding the teachings of Christ, their successors-the bishops-held councils in order to decide what is true and what is false. It was within these councils that the Orthodox Church began to articulate its doctrine; always guided by the Holy Spirit, Who inspired them to seek and witness to the truth.

It was in the early centuries of the Church's existence, (while fighting to safeguard the true doctrines of Christ), that the Christian Church officially took on the name "Orthodox." The word Orthodox literally means "straight teaching" or "straight worship," being derived from two Greek words: orthos, "straight," or "correct," and doxa, "teaching" or "worship." It serves to be distinguish what we share from the term that denotes the opposite position of "heterodox" indicating all other contrary, "sectarian or personal interpretations."

 

 

By the fourth century A.D., under the Emperor Constantine the Great, Christianity as a religion became tolerated and legal.Remember that since apostolic times the Church had been persecuted. By the fifth century, Orthodox Christianity became so widespread that it became the only religion recognized by the Roman government. The great centers of Orthodox Christianity were Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. The bishops of these great cities and their surrounding regions governed the entire Church for the most part. For this reason, they were given honorary titles such as: Pope, Patriarch, Archbishop or Metropolitan, depending on the size of their flock or importance of their geographic or historic domain. All bishops were/are equal whether they preside over a small region or great city. No bishop may interfere within the jurisdiction of another bishop unless it is proven by a council of bishops that he has fallen into heresy.

 

 

However, as early as the fourth century A.D., there were cultural, sociological, political and linguistic differences between the Christians which eventually led to separation in the Church. The Eastern Christians spoke Greek, whereas the Western Christians spoke Latin, Syriac, Geez/Amharic, Hebraic or Armenian in other regions!

In each of the Eastern churches (i.e., Constantinople, Alexandria, Ethiopia/Abyssinia, Antioch and Jerusalem) a group of bishops elected a first among equals to chair their administrative assemblies. Each shared a common language and cultural background, the Western Church's administration was governed by a single bishop: the bishop of Rome. All these factors led to some basic theological differences between the Orthodox Church of the East and West.

By the eleventh century A.D. the differences between East and West became great enough to cause a separation within that group which had previously excluded those who refused to accept their innovations. The Eastern (Byzantine)Church became known as the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western Church became know as the Roman Catholic Church, for it was governed and administered by the bishop or Pope of Rome. Again it must be emphasized that there were many factors besides theological ones which led to the schisms of local cells which had once constituted the one Christian Church. However, some theological issues which were promulgated by the Western Church were never and are not to this very day accepted by the Eastern (Byzantine) Church, nor the Oriental Orthodox Church such as: the infallibility of the Pope of Rome on matters of Church doctrine, the universal jurisdictional authority of the Pope of Rome, the doctrine of Purgatory, the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, the unauthorized addition of "and the Son" to the eighth article of the Nicene Creed, et. al.

 

 

Continuity vs Reformation

As schism which took place, surviving institutions co-existed as antagonists. Most of the players exhibited occasional episodes of cooperation, reunion, or proselytism. In the tenth century, the people of Russia and North Eastern Europe embraced the faith that they received from Constantinople (Byzantium). But by the Fifteenth century almost all Orthodox lands (Ethiopia was a conspicuous exception) fell to the Moslems (i.e., the Ottoman Turks). The Roman Catholic Church continued to grow and spread through its missionary efforts in North and South America. The Byzantine Church, due to its subjugation to the Moslem Turks, was unable to do this. This perhaps, from a theological standpoint, was a blessing in disguise; for the Orthodox Christians were quite adamant in retaining the faith, teachings and traditions of their ancestors.

This was not so in the West. The Roman Catholic Church had undergone certain theological changes due to Scholasticism, Speculation & Enlightenment, the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation which eventually led to separations within and from the Roman Catholic Church. These changes in the West, as late as the sixteenth century, gave birth to the: Lutheran, Methodist, Anglican and other Protestant churches. These "reformations" and thereby changes in church doctrine never affected the Orthodox Church; Orthodoxy maintained its unbroken historical and theological connection to the New Testament Church.

 

 

4) The Orthodox Faith :

 

God in the Orthodox Church

 

Orthodox belief about God is based upon how He has revealed Himself to His people. As God commanded our fathers, they told their children the wonders that God had worked among them. That is the basis for what we revere as Sacred Tradition. That portion of our Sacred Tradition that has been written and authorized to be read in the Church we distinguish as Sacred Scripture (Bible). Orthodox theology never speculates in its beliefs (e.g.., the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the person of Jesus Christ, the doctrine of the Virginal Conception of Jesus Christ, sacramental theology, etc.) Yet, when things are inexplicable or impossible for the human mind to comprehend, we are quite comfortable saying that it is a "mystery." What we do know of God-that is, what He has revealed to us-is that He is: eternal, holy, perfect, all-loving, present everywhere, the Creator, the Source and Giver of life, the Source of virtues, a Trinity, incomprehensible, uncontainable, immeasurable, condescending, granting grace where He wills, just and therefore Judge, etc.,

The Orthodox speak of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: three divine persons+ sharing the same essence and a perpetual movement of love which makes the Holy Trinity act harmoniously as one. The Orthodox have always maintained a theological balance between the oneness of God and the trinity (threeness) of God. For example, in the Old Testament we read "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4); and, in the New Testament we read "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19).

 

 

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He came into the world by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary; thus, the Church gave Him the title "Theanthropos" i.e., the God-man. The Orthodox Church clearly teaches that Jesus Christ was fully divine and fully human.

The purpose of Jesus Christ's coming to earth was to reconcile mankind to God. In order to do this, God, in the person of Jesus Christ, had to become fully human. He had to experience all the pain, temptations and sufferings that all human beings face. Finally, having preached, taught, healed and performed many miracles, He had to experience the last pain that all people must undergo: death. Thus, He allowed Himself to be crucified. As a human being, He died; but, being God, He rose from the dead, proving that all who believe and follow Him will do likewise. This is why Jesus Christ is called "Savior," for He saves us from death.

 

            

 

The Holy Spirit

 

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity who proceeds from the Father. Like the Son, there was not when the Holy Spirit did not exist. He was present at the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2). He was present, "in the form of a dove" at the baptism of Jesus; and, He is the person of the Trinity that Jesus promised He would send upon the Church as its Comforter and guide after His ascension (John 14 and John 15:26).

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the Church (Acts 2:1-4; the Orthodox Church celebrates this great event on Pentecost = parakletos = bal hamsa); and the Church in turn bestows the Holy Spirit on each of its members through the sacrament of Chrismation (confirmation by anointing). In fact, the Holy Spirit is present in all the sacraments (mysteries) of the Church. He brings the divine power (grace) that we require to continue to develop in the body of Christ (covenant).

 

The Virgin Mary

 

The Virgin Mary is the woman whom God chose to bear His Son in this world. The Orthodox believe in the ever-virginity of Mary. Since God chose her to manifest His presence among men, she is called, " All Holy" and the bridge between God and man. For this reason, she is highly praised and venerated in the Orthodox Church. By her selfless act of accepting God’s will, she was an integral part of the history of our salvation. The Orthodox always pray to the Virgin Mary, beseeching her to intercede for us to God. The Orthodox do not worship the Virgin Mary-worship is do to God alone. The Orthodox make a distinction between worship and intercessory prayer. Just as we ask other people to pray for us, we ask the Virgin Mary, for she has found favor in God's eyes and has a very unique relationship with God, to pray (intercede) for us. It should be noted that the Virgin Mary and all the saints are ceaselessly praying for all of us.

 

The holy Bible

 

            

The Orthodox believe that the Bible is the recorded history of God's intervention in human history, and man's response to God. The Orthodox also believe that the Bible was written by persons inspired by God and that it is a vehicle for the word of God.

The Orthodox recognize the Old Testament, New Testament and the Deuterocanonical books, as a source of her doctrine. The worship services and prayers are based on the Holy Scriptures. In fact, there is not a worship service in the Church that does not read an excerpt from the Bible. Readings from both/either the Old and New Testament are done in each service. Orthodox Christians are encouraged to read and study the Bible daily. However, interpreting the Bible is not left to the individual but to the Church. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."(2 Peter 1 : 19, 20)

 

Holy Tradition

 

 

 

                  

 

Another source of Orthodox doctrine is Holy Tradition. This includes the oral tradition, i.e., teachings that have been passed down from one Christian generation to the other since the time of Christ, which may or may not be included in the Bible. It is, if you will, the living consciousness of the Church. This is indicative of our conscious continuity with the Church of the Apostles. For example, the Orthodox practice and believe many things that may not be specifically written in the Bible but may have biblical meanings and/or symbolize Christians truths. For example, doing the sign of the cross, triple immersion in baptism, facing toward the east in prayer, the ever-virginity and all holiness of the Virgin Mary, the various rites, worship services and devotional practices of the Orthodox that have been passed down from one generation to another, etc. Thus, the Orthodox Church bases its doctrine on the Bible, Holy Tradition, writings of the Church Fathers (early successors of the Apostles and exegetes), and on the various ecclesiastical councils which were held throughout the history of the Church.

 

              

 

The Sacraments

The Church is that living institution which is eternally joined to Christ, whose task it is to guide and bring all its children to God in His eternal Kingdom. All Orthodox Christians are called upon to observe the commandments of God: to love God with all their being and their fellow man as themselves; but, they must also participate in the liturgical and sacramental life of His Church.

There are at least seven sacraments in the Orthodox Church. The first is baptism which is the Christian rite of initiation in the Church. Chrismation is the second sacrament which bestows upon us the Holy Spirit. Holy Communion is the sacrament of receiving the resurrected body and blood of Jesus Christ. Although all Orthodox Christians are to confess their sins daily to God privately, all are encouraged to participate in the sacrament of Confession with a priest. Marriage is a sacrament of the Church for it is Christ himself through the priest or bishop that joins the couple together. Ordination to the sacred priesthood is also a sacrament, as is Holy Oil (Unction) which the faithful are anointed with for the healing of soul and body and for the forgiveness of sins.

It is the sacraments of the Church that manifest God's saving energies (grace) in our lives. A life without the sacraments is like a life without God. One of the Church's important functions besides preaching, teaching and caring for her children, is to celebrate these mysteries to extend the all sufficient grace won by Christ’s sacrifice to her people, until He returns in glory.

 

 

One of the unique characteristics of the Orthodox Church is its use of icons (i.e., holy images). Some defenders of the practice stress that Icons have been in use since the earliest days of the Christian Church. Actually, this piety among God’s people goes back to God’s revelation to Moses in Exodus 25 : 18 "And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, . . ." Icons, in their simplest forms, were found in the catacombs, grave sites and other places of ancient Christian worship. They included: the cross, the fish, the lamb and other symbols that represented Jesus Christ. By the fifth century, iconography began to be widespread. Beautiful paintings, mosaics, frescoes and other media of art were used to depict angels, Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints. Aside from a series of reactionary episodes within the Byzantine-Roman Empire, between 726 and 843 A. D., there is ample evidence that early Christians felt quite comfortable in depicting our Lord and His saints, for they accepted graphic media (polychrome art) as just another way to praise and teach about God-just as the Church used music and poetry. Icons were depicted on churches, homes and public buildings.

Icons have served a manifold purpose in the Orthodoxy . They help teach the faithful about God. A person can walk into an Orthodox church and see the whole Bible story unfolded on its walls. Icons of Old and New Testament people and events teach the faithful-keeping in mind that many could not read- about the Christian Faith. Being careful not to admit it to those who have developed a dependence on their printed text translations, some of the United Bible Societies have, in recent decades, finally, realized that often a well done picture can be worth more than a thousand words. For limited distribution, they have funded a project to reinvent this venerable method of colorized pictorial Bibles, in books and charts rather than on the walls.

Icons aid the faithful in prayer and meditation on the person or events depicted. Icons can serve one’s mind to keep it from wandering and help focus one's attention on prayer. They also served as a reminder to all the Orthodox of God's omnipresence and immanence in the world.

There was a one hundred year controversy in the Byzantine – Roman churches’ history when civil and ecclesiastical leaders contended over issues related to the use of icons. As a result, many priceless icons were destroyed and people who were found possessing them were persecuted; yet, many people continued to use icons in secret. This prompted the Church to defend the use of icons for liturgical and didactic purposes.

Ultimately those so affected defended use of icons by stating that if God became man in the person of Jesus Christ, then He can be depicted. To say that He cannot be depicted is saying that Jesus was not fully human (the Church believes that Jesus Christ was fully human and fully divine; to say otherwise is heretical). And, if Jesus can be depicted, His holy Mother and saints can be depicted as well.

Against the charge of idolatry, defenders made it quite clear that the faithful do not worship the wood and paint, but show their respect for the person depicted. The made a clear distinction between adoration (i.e., worship, due to God alone) and veneration (i.e., deep respect). The pagans worshiped idols because they believed that the deity was present in the stone or wood. The Orthodox make no such claim concerning icons. Icons are only images of the person depicted; therefore, do not venerate the wood but the person whose image it bears. Thus, by the end of the eighth century, icons were restored in churches in the Byzantine Roman Empire and have served their proper purpose ever since.

The Clergy and the Laity

 

As God l ead his people out of Egypt, with some leaders chosen from among thousands of followers, the church as the worshipful assembly of those living according to God’s covenant still consists of both clergy and laity. The ranks of the clergy are: bishop, priest and deacon. The clergy may be married or celibate. According to a long standing practice, bishops have been celibate. The deacons and priests must be married before ordination, and, once married cannot remarry.

The bishop is the head of the local Church. He is elevated to the episcopacy from the ranks of the celibate (monastic) clergy. Each bishop can trace his ordination back to one of the original apostles! As head of the local Church he can perform all the sacraments of Church including the ordination of other bishops, priests and the consecration of churches. In the Orthodox Church, all bishops are equal. Special titles are given to bishops depending on the geographic size, population or historic prominence of their diocese. Thus we have titles such as: Metropolitan, Archbishop or Patriarch.

Candidates to the priesthood are ordained by at least one bishop. They are given the grace to perform all the sacraments except those performed by bishops alone. The priest represents the bishop at the parish level; and, through the bishop, can trace his ordination back to the Apostles.

Deacons cannot perform the sacraments, but can assist in the celebration of associated rites. For example, once the priest or bishop consecrates the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the deacon can administer the sacrament to the faithful.

The clergy are the sacred priesthood, where the laity are called the royal priesthood. One is not greater than the other but equal and distinct. Each play a essential roles in the liturgical and administrative life of the Church. The clergy cannot conduct formal worship services without the participation of the laity; nor can the laity perform the same services without the clergy to lead them in prayer. The laity are called upon to live by the same Christian moral standards as the clergy. Both are expected to participate in all the worship services and keep the various cycles of preparation and fulfillment: days and seasons of fasting and feasting.

 

Bismeab wewold, womenfeskidus ahadu amlak, amen!

May God bless you!

Ask your Guardian-Angel to help you in danger or whenever and to protect you!  Give it a try,ore more!! You'll see it works! But you have to know, that your Guardian-Angel will not help, if you don't ask for help!

NOTICE: AKSING NOT WORSHIPPING, WORSHIPPING ONLY FOR GOD!

PRAYER:

Dear guardian angel,  God has appointed you as my personal messenger and protector, against the wiles of the deceiver.  Teach me to follow your lead, every moment of my life, doing God's will on earth as it is in heaven.

Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the only God there is, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages, AMEN ! 

5) For more information, want to know more? :

 

 

Visit:

 

http://www.ethiopianorthodox.org

http://www.stathanasius.org/teachings/questions_intro.html

http://www.holyfire.org

http://www.ruhosuryoyo.org

http://www.ruhosuryoyo.org/dialogues.html

http://www.ethiopianorthodox.org/music/songs.htm

http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/others/byzantine.html

http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/heroes1.html

http://faith.davidschneider.us

http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/ethiopia.html

http://www.tewahedo.org

http://www.tewahedo.org/back.html

http://www.orthodoxphotos.com

http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/multimedia.shtml

http://saintjohnwonderworker.org

http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/index2.html

 

 

 

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