What is Orthodox Christianity?

Orthodox Christianity is the living continuation of the faith founded by Jesus Christ and handed down through the Apostles, preserved in its fullness through Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, and the life of the Church. Rooted in over two thousand years of unbroken history, the Orthodox Church understands itself not as a denomination among many, but as the original Church, the Body of Christ, faithfully maintaining the teachings, worship, and spiritual life of Jesus Christ and His Apostles.

At the heart of Orthodox Christianity is the belief that salvation is not merely a legal declaration, but a transformative process of union with God, often described as theosis or participation in the divine life. Father Thomas Hopko writes, “Human nature, therefore, is created by God to grow and develop through participation in the nature of God for all eternity.” ^[1] This life is made possible through Christ, who, by His incarnation, death, and resurrection, restores humanity to communion with God.

The Church is central to this life. It is not simply an institution, but a living organism through which believers encounter God. The worship of the Church, especially in the Divine Liturgy, is understood as a participation in the heavenly reality. Father Alexander Schmemann explains, “The Church is the entrance into the risen life of Christ […] ‘joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.’” ^[2] Through the sacraments (or Holy Mysteries), particularly the Eucharist, the faithful are united to Christ and to one another.

Orthodox Christianity places great emphasis on continuity or, in other words, faithfulness to what has been received. This continuity is expressed in Holy Tradition, which includes the writings of the Church Fathers, the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, the liturgical life of the Church, and the witness of the saints. The saints are not distant figures of the past, but living members of the Church who have attained holiness through God’s grace. Their lives serve as examples of what it means to live in Christ.

The Orthodox spiritual life is deeply practical and ascetical, calling believers to repentance, prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. These are not ends in themselves, but means of healing and transformation—ways of reorienting the heart toward God. The goal is not moral perfection alone, but communion with God, who is love.

In all things, Orthodox Christianity seeks to preserve and proclaim the fullness of the Christian faith, inviting all people into the life of Christ and His Church.