Orthodoxy: Difference between revisions
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'''Orthodoxy''' is ''correct worship''. |
'''Orthodoxy''' is ''correct [[worship]]''. Orthodoxy is opposed to ''[[heresy]]'' and ''[[schism]]''. People who deviate from orthodoxy in the sense of professing a doctrine considered to be false are called heretics; while those deviating from orthodoxy in the sense of removing themselves from the perceived body of believers, i.e. from [[full communion]], are called schismatics. Not infrequently these occur together. The distinction in terminology pertains to the subject matter. If one is addressing corporate unity, the emphasis may be on schism; if one is addressing doctrinal coherence, the emphasis may be on heresy. |
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''[[Apostasy]]'' is a violation of orthodoxy that takes the form of abandonment of the [[faith]], be it for some form of [[atheism]] or for some other faith. |
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abandonment of the faith, be it for some form of [[atheism]] or for some |
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other faith. |
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Within [[Christianity:_Denominations|Christianity]] there are several groups that consider themselves orthodox while considering others to be heretical or schismatic, even if non-Christians call all of them generically Christians. Particular examples: The Catholic Church considers the Eastern Orthodox to be in schism, and considers Protestants to be heretics. This is because the Protestants have different beliefs, while the Eastern Orthodox have very similar apostolic beliefs without [[full communion]] with the [[Holy See]]. Some Eastern Orthodox churches consider the Catholics to be heretics for perceived novel inventions. Some Protestants have mutually hostile regard in the same vein, and consider also the Catholics and/or the Eastern Orthodox to be heretics. In some cases the term ''apostasy'' is applied within mutual invectives. The Catholic Church, since the [[Second Vatican Council]], has been working harder to effect rapprochement among diverse forms of Christianity, efforts which have been met with wide-ranging responses. Some religious groups are considered by all of the aforementioned to be unorthodox, including [[Mormons]], [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], [[Adventists]], [[Nestorianism|Nestorians]] and [[Copts]], and [[Liberal theology]] in general. <!-- removed section about practicants, as the connection with orthodoxy was not well-established and resembled editorial musing rather than encyclopedic fact --> |
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In Christianity, there are several groups that consider themselves |
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orthodox while considering other people heretics, even if |
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non-Christians call all of them generically Christians: roughly these |
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would be [[Evangelicals]] and orthodox [[Protestants]], [[Roman Catholics]] |
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and the other smaller bodies of the same communion, and Eastern |
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Orthodox Catholics. There are several other groups that are |
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considered by all of these to be outside orthodoxy, for example |
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[[Mormons]], [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], [[Adventists]], [[Nestorianism|Nestorians]] and [[Copts]], and [[Liberal theology]] in general. |
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Inside each of these ecclesial communities there are issues that correspond to estrangement or refinements of perceived orthodoxy. For example, the [[Holy See|Roman See]] often issues recommendations as to what practices it considers orthodox so as to curb excesses or deficiencies by its [[prelates]]. Some Evangelicals are pursuing innovations that conservative Evangelicals consider unorthodox and call Neopentecostal, neo-Evangelical or even fringe Charismatics. |
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It should be noted that only a small portion of [[nominal Christians]] |
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are [[praticants]], and specifically Evangelicals don't consider |
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non-praticants orthodox at all; thus it is technically possible for |
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one to be doctrinally orthodox but not in communion, as is the case |
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with most of the population in Europe and the Anglo-Saxon countries; |
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also, most of the churches in these same countries are liberal, |
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therefore not being counted by Evangelicals as orthodox themselves. |
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Furthermore, inside each of these broad groups there are nuances that |
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leads to estrangement and further refinements of what's considered |
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orthodoxy. Thus, the [[Holy See|Roman See]] often needs to issue |
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recommendations as to what practices it considers orthodox so as to |
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curb excesses or deficiencies by its [[prelates]]; while large tracts of |
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churches and people considered by external observers as Evangelicals |
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are engaged on innovations that fall outside of orthodoxy, thus being |
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called by conservative Evangelicals as [[Neopentecostals]], |
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[[neo-Evangelicals]] or even [[fringe Charismatics]]. |
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A lighter deviation from orthodoxy than heresy is commonly called |
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simply ''error'', as in not being grave enough to cause total |
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estrangement while seriously affecting [[full communion|communion]]. Sometimes ''error'' |
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is also used to cover both full heresies and minor errors. |
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Orthodoxy is also described to describe the Eastern denominational |
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bodies which have stuck to more conservative doctrines and practices |
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than the [[Roman Church]]. Due to being more conservative than |
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Romanists -- for example they have never forbidden the marriage of |
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priests, have never refrained the cup from the lay people in the |
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celebration of [[Mass]], and have never considered any bishop as final |
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authority on the rest of the churches -- they felt entitled to be |
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called the Orthodox Catholic Church, as opposed to the Roman Catholic |
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one. While other Christians disagree with this opinion, Protestants |
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have called Easterns as Orthodox in order to differentiate degrees of |
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error, and Romanists have finished by conforming to custom while |
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claiming only themselves are truly orthodox. |
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A lighter deviation from orthodoxy than heresy is commonly called ''error'', in the sense of not being grave enough to cause total estrangement while yet seriously affecting communion. Sometimes ''error'' is also used to cover both full heresies and minor errors.<!-- removed comparison of Catholic and Orthodox churches as this entry is for the term and for uses of same, not for ecclesial comparisons --> |
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For the churches commonly called Orthodox, see: |
For the churches commonly called Orthodox, see: |
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Revision as of 08:31, 28 May 2004
A separate article treats Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Yet another page is titled orthodox. I propose merging that with this, and making that into a redirect page pointing here.
Orthodoxy is correct worship. Orthodoxy is opposed to heresy and schism. People who deviate from orthodoxy in the sense of professing a doctrine considered to be false are called heretics; while those deviating from orthodoxy in the sense of removing themselves from the perceived body of believers, i.e. from full communion, are called schismatics. Not infrequently these occur together. The distinction in terminology pertains to the subject matter. If one is addressing corporate unity, the emphasis may be on schism; if one is addressing doctrinal coherence, the emphasis may be on heresy.
Apostasy is a violation of orthodoxy that takes the form of abandonment of the faith, be it for some form of atheism or for some other faith.
Within Christianity there are several groups that consider themselves orthodox while considering others to be heretical or schismatic, even if non-Christians call all of them generically Christians. Particular examples: The Catholic Church considers the Eastern Orthodox to be in schism, and considers Protestants to be heretics. This is because the Protestants have different beliefs, while the Eastern Orthodox have very similar apostolic beliefs without full communion with the Holy See. Some Eastern Orthodox churches consider the Catholics to be heretics for perceived novel inventions. Some Protestants have mutually hostile regard in the same vein, and consider also the Catholics and/or the Eastern Orthodox to be heretics. In some cases the term apostasy is applied within mutual invectives. The Catholic Church, since the Second Vatican Council, has been working harder to effect rapprochement among diverse forms of Christianity, efforts which have been met with wide-ranging responses. Some religious groups are considered by all of the aforementioned to be unorthodox, including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists, Nestorians and Copts, and Liberal theology in general.
Inside each of these ecclesial communities there are issues that correspond to estrangement or refinements of perceived orthodoxy. For example, the Roman See often issues recommendations as to what practices it considers orthodox so as to curb excesses or deficiencies by its prelates. Some Evangelicals are pursuing innovations that conservative Evangelicals consider unorthodox and call Neopentecostal, neo-Evangelical or even fringe Charismatics.
A lighter deviation from orthodoxy than heresy is commonly called error, in the sense of not being grave enough to cause total estrangement while yet seriously affecting communion. Sometimes error is also used to cover both full heresies and minor errors.
For the churches commonly called Orthodox, see: