Group 2 Eastern Orthodox

[Audio] Hi everyone, we're Group 2 and today we'll be introducing the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition. Our presentation will cover major theological ideas, historical events like the Great Schism, and comparisons between branches such as the Greek, Russian, and Ukrainian churches. Each of us focused on a different aspect of this rich tradition..

[Audio] Hi everyone, I'll begin with the Schism of 1054, which marks the official split between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. While 1054 was the breaking point, this division was the result of centuries of growing political, cultural, and theological tensions between the Eastern Byzantine Church and the Western Roman Church. A key issue was authority, specifically, whether the Pope in Rome or the Patriarch in Constantinople held more power. Things escalated when both leaders excommunicated each other, which symbolized a permanent divide. This split not only changed the structure of Christianity but still influences how these two branches operate today..

[Audio] Now, one of the key theological disputes that contributed to this split was the Filioque controversy. The term Filioque means "and the Son" in Latin. Originally, the Nicene Creed said the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. But the Western Church added "and the Son" without the consent of the Eastern Church. Eastern leaders viewed this as both theologically incorrect and an overstep in authority. It raised bigger concerns about who has the right to define doctrine—Rome or the broader Church. This small phrase became a symbol of larger power struggles and deep theological differences..

[Audio] Lastly, I'll talk about how the split still shows up today in how each church practices Christianity. For example, the Roman Catholic Church uses the Gregorian calendar, while the Eastern Orthodox Church uses the older Julian calendar. That's why Easter and Christmas often fall on different days. There are also other differences, like Roman Catholic priests being required to be celibate, while Eastern Orthodox priests can marry. Even the kind of bread used in communion is different, leavened in the East, unleavened in the West. These distinctions reflect how the two churches evolved separately after the split..

[Audio] Slide 5: Theology of the Eastern Orthodox Church At the heart of Eastern Orthodox theology is the belief in the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as one in essence and undivided. Theology here isn't just about scripture, but also includes sacred tradition, spiritual practices, and the teachings of the early Church Fathers. They believe salvation is more about healing and becoming whole than just being saved from sin. Their theological foundation comes from church councils, ancient texts, and the continuous work of the Holy Spirit..

[Audio] Slide 6: Theosis (Deification) A key spiritual goal in Orthodoxy is Theosis, or becoming one with God. This doesn't mean becoming God Himself, but participating in His divine energies. It's seen as the fulfillment of human purpose, to become more Christ-like. Theosis is a gradual, lifelong process that requires spiritual discipline, prayer, and communion with God..

[Audio] Slide 7: Perichoresis and Creation Perichoresis is a word that describes the relationship between the three persons of the Trinity. It means mutual indwelling, a kind of perfect communion and love between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This idea has also been used in Orthodox ecological theology. It reminds us that all of creation is interconnected, like the Trinity itself. So how we treat the earth reflects how we understand our relationship with God and others..

[Audio] Slide 8: God's Essence vs. Energies Another key concept is the distinction between God's essence and His energies. In Orthodox belief, God's essence is completely unknowable, but His energies are how we experience and connect with Him. This helps explain how God can be both utterly beyond us and still very present in our lives..

[Audio] The Greek Orthodox Church is centered in Constantinople, now Istanbul, and is led by the Ecumenical Patriarch, who is considered the "first among equals" in the Orthodox Christian world. This church uses Greek in its liturgy and follows deeply rooted Byzantine traditions that date back centuries. Monastic life plays a vital role in its spiritual practice, especially at the famous Mount Athos monastery, which is a major center of Orthodox monasticism. Historically, the Greek Orthodox Church helped preserve Greek language and culture during the long period of Ottoman rule. It also played an important role in supporting Greece's struggle for independence in the 19th century. Today, the church remains influential not only in Greece but also in international Orthodox relations, helping to connect Orthodox Christians worldwide.

[Audio] The Russian Orthodox Church became independent from the authority of Constantinople in 1448, marking a key moment in its development. Today, it is the largest Orthodox Church in the world and conducts its worship using Church Slavonic, an ancient liturgical language. The church is closely linked to Russian national identity and politics, often seen as a guardian of traditional Russian values. During the Soviet era, the Russian Orthodox Church was heavily suppressed and persecuted, but since the 1990s, it has experienced a significant revival and regained much of its former influence. Its reach now extends globally, particularly throughout Eastern Europe and former Soviet republics, where it continues to be a powerful spiritual and cultural force..

[Audio] The Turkish Orthodox Church, on the other hand, is a much smaller and less well-known group that split from the Greek Orthodox Church in the early 20th century. Unlike other Orthodox churches, it uses the Turkish language in its services and strongly promotes Turkish national identity within its religious practice. Founded by Papa Eftim I, the Turkish Orthodox Church is not recognized by the broader Orthodox Christian community and remains controversial. Despite its official headquarters being located in Istanbul, the church has only a small number of followers and limited influence today, making it a unique but minor player in the Orthodox Christian world..

[Audio] The Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate was historically dominant in Ukraine. Even though it had some independence, it was still tied to the Russian Orthodox Church. After Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, and especially after the full invasion in 2022, many Ukrainians started distancing themselves from anything connected to Moscow, including this church..

[Audio] In 2018, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople granted independence to a new body, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. This was a big moment for Ukrainian religious and national identity. The OCU quickly gained support from the Ukrainian government and people, and many parishes began switching over from the Moscow-linked church..

[Audio] Since the invasion in 2022, the government has accused the UOC-MP of having ties to Russia and even supporting the war. Several regions have restricted or banned their activities. At the same time, the OCU continues to grow, gaining more trust from Ukrainian citizens as a truly national church..

[Audio] Religion in Ukraine is now deeply connected to national identity and independence. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine represents a move toward religious self-rule, separate from Russian influence. It's more than just a spiritual shift; it reflects the country's broader push for sovereignty and unity..

References. Constantine and Nicaea Council: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nicaea_icon.jpg Hospitality of Abraham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Andrej_Rubl%C3%ABv_001.jpg Eastern Orthodox theology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_theology Easter Ortodox Church eattleustudents-wa.vectorlmsedu.com/training/launch/course_work/9C628F22-57F1-11F0-9C1C-E796FADF79C8 Schism of 1054: https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism Filioque: https://fatherjohn.blogspot.com/2014/05/stump-priest-filioque.html.

Member 1-Samuel Tassew - Schism of 1054 and Filioque Member 2- Paolo saliba - Eastern Orthodox Theology Member 3 - Lucija Milkovic- Compare Greek and Russian Orthodox Church Dino Rutten - Compare Eastern Orthodox Church in Ukraine and the Russian Orthodox Church during the war..