Orthodoxy is not a denomination; Orthodoxy is life. And with that began my search for the truth and the meaning of life. Big terms to use to try and understand a lot of things within the modern world however that will not be the case for this blog entry. My point being is that the truth of Orthodoxy if comprehended in the correct light leads to life. However, with the imperfection of our nature Orthodoxy is always looking to correct anything that might harm such a beautiful life and the faith for that matter. Orthodoxy then can be defined as being the correct faith, or the straight faith. This loose definition ties in with the acceptance of the church adhering to the beliefs of the Apostles and all the successors that came after the apostles. This explains the importance of the church fathers such Clement, Irenaeus, Athanasius and many more. This also would explain how Orthodoxy is life because this life is always constituted as a growing process to live out the image of Christ. Orthodoxy then as stated before is not a denomination but rather is life. Orthodoxy to become the truth of life must be lived out.
The sad phenomenon that has developed and has sprouted out of modern society is breaking up the body of Christ; breaking up Orthodoxy. As we all know Christ proclaims that his body can never be broken (divided) into two. Paul also preaches the same message saying we are all one in the body of Christ (cf. Rom 12.5). So as Orthodox Christians if we believe and truly live out Orthodoxy then why do we, representing the body of Christ, go around and preach about becoming members but as the same time throw labels out of our mouths about being "eastern" and "oriental" or for that matter "Chalcedonians" and "non-Chalcedonians"? Since when did the entire faith become based solely on a council? On a geographical location? On a silly term (monophysite is a derogatory term used to classify Orthodox Christians in Egypt, Syria and other locations in the world) that classifies a few churches within the Orthodox world? It is very unfortunate that we walk around today using such silly terms to group people. It's a sad reality, but a reality that needs clarification and love in order to respect each other because we are all one in the body of Christ. These terms need to be dropped from the English language in order to produce love held together by Christ and becoming an icon to the world. I urge people, no I plead with every Orthodox Christian to stop using such silly language when we refer to other churches. These post World War II terms were imposed on the Orthodox Christians by Western Theologians. Hence, why this development is modern in nature. Let us quickly just like the terms sprang up destroy them to the ground because it bears no fruit when you sum up "Orthodoxy being life" based on one council in time or a geographical location of a few churches.
At the conclusion of Byzantine Matins or Vespers the choir would recite "preserve [confirm] O God the holy Orthodox faith and Orthodox Christians unto ages of ages". It does not say "eastern" or "Chalcedonian" but it recites Orthodox! The prayer has two parts. It asks to preserve the integrity of the Orthodox faith. This is based on the salvation of the entire body which is united within the church to the body of Christ. This transitions into the second part of the prayer asking for the preservation of all Orthodox Christians. The main point of this is the prayer for the faith which preserves and saves the faithful by giving life. Orthodoxy then is constantly being lived out and the services of Matins and Vespers remind the faithful of this at the end of each service.
All the churches can learn from each other. I always advice my Coptic brothers to attend a Byzantine service whenever they can. Why you ask? Because beauty and life is not only held within the Coptic Church but rather all Orthodox Churches maintain the same beauty and life that Orthodoxy is fundamentally grounded in. People should have the opportunity to go to all Orthodox Churches to see the beauty and life held within each Church. Sadly, I hear people telling me that this should not be the case because "they are not Orthodox". I find this highly offensive and dare I say heretical because to say that any other Orthodox Church is not "Orthodox" by saying that one would be breaking the body of Christ and as stated previously the body of Christ is not broken. So then I would ask and challenge people who lay to such claims are you not breaking the body of Christ by telling others not to go to other Orthodox Churches? Those who speak in that nature tend to see Orthodoxy as a denomination and not life. To those I would say go, taste and see for the glory of God is not held to only your home parish or to the ethnic community you come from but the glory of God extends to those who do not break the body of Christ. As the picture at the beginning alludes to, Orthodoxy is not a name you call yourself, Orthodoxy is a life you are called to live.
The following is a nice article examining this issue:
Speaking truth love- Unity in Diversity
Beautiful post Bavly.
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