Many non-Orthodox Christians sometimes perceive the Orthodox as divisive. Why? Because we sternly maintain certain teachings that the world (and much of Western Christendom) appears to have tossed aside. We insist on teaching these truths and not compromising on them. And most of the time, that means we make some enemies, even of our fellow Christians. We call these teachings dogma. In this post, we explain why dogma is so important to the Orthodox Church, and why it should also be important for every Orthodox Christian.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Dogmas are not opinions
Firstly, the Eastern Orthodox Church understands that dogmas are not opinions or ideas that change according to society and culture. Rather, dogmas are the formulation of divinely revealed truths. They concern the divine mysteries of God, which God reveals to those who live the divine life (Saints), and only those blessed individuals can express or articulate them. We do not have the authority to change, dispute, doubt, or ignore them. Instead, we simply follow them faithfully, without turning aside from them, neither to the right nor to the left (cf. Deut. 5:32).
Dogma changes the way we live
Secondly, the Orthodox acknowledge that dogma changes the way in which we live our lives. To put it simply, without correct faith and correct dogma (truth), you cannot have correct ethos (how you live the truth). Because these two are interconnected, dogma helps us to live the Christian life and thus attain salvation.
For example, the Church teaches that we are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 6:16) and images of God (cf. Gen. 1:27). This reflects upon how we view not only ourselves, but also others around us. Thus, as practicing Christians, we take the same care with our bodies as we would with the Church. We honor our bodies and purify them through prayer and fasting and guarding our senses, so the Holy Spirit may come and dwell in us. In contrast, if we believed humans were animals with a meaningless existence, without soul or spirit, then we would treat ourselves and others accordingly, and behave as animals.
We do not compromise. Ever.
In matters of faith, there are no compromises. Once we profess to follow Christ, refusing to then follow His teachings is not acceptable:
Anyone who goes ahead and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into the house or give him any greeting; for he who greets him shares his wicked work.
2 John 1:9-11
Following all of Christ’s teachings and truths is the rule for all Christians. In a time when so many believe in synchretism and ecumenism, we must remember that abiding by any teaching not from Christ and His Church is equivalent to follow the teachings of demons (1 Tim. 4:1). This is difficult for many Christians to accept (even Orthodox), but it is one we must accept nonetheless. We should have nothing to do with these false teachings, for “whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, he is conceited, understanding nothing” (1 Tim. 6:3-4).
Where are these dogmas?
We recite the dogmas of the Orthodox Faith every Sunday during Divine Liturgy in the Nicene Creed. You can also find them in the canons of the seven ecumenical councils and in St. John of Damascus’ Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith.
Abide by the Lord’s teachings
Dogmas are more than just important in our lives: they are our life! As such, they are not optional; rather, they are necessary for salvation, because they express Christ in His saving work. Truth is not expressed in abstract statements, cut off from the life of the Lord and His Church. Truth is not relative. It is absolute; it is Christ. Let us then humbly abide by the teachings of the Lord, which are safeguarded by the Church, the pillar and the foundation of the truth.
2 Responses
What would consider the difference between dogma and doctrine in the Orthodox Church? Or is there one?
Anna,
Christ is in our midst! There is a distinction between dogma and doctrine in Orthodox usage, although the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The word doctrine simply means teaching or instruction. In the Orthodox Church, it can refer broadly to what the Church teaches about the Christian faith and life. The OCA, for example, uses “doctrine” for the Church’s teachings concerning Scripture, the Trinity, Christ, salvation, and many other aspects of the Faith. Dogma usually refers more specifically to the authoritative truths of the Christian faith that the Church has formally defined and confessed, particularly through the Ecumenical Councils. The OCA describes the dogmatic definitions of the Ecumenical Councils as official teachings that express the Church’s faith.
So, we could think of dogma as a particular kind of doctrine, rather than two completely separate categories. The Church’s dogmas establish and protect essential truths of the Faith, while the broader term doctrine encompasses the Church’s teaching more generally. For example, the teaching that Christ is fully God and fully man, confessed by the Ecumenical Councils, is dogma. Other teachings may properly be called doctrine without having received the same kind of formal conciliar definition.
It is also important to remember that Orthodox dogma is not simply a collection of propositions that Christians are expected to memorize. Dogma expresses what the Church has received and experienced in the life of Christ. The doctrine of the Holy Trinity, for example, gives precise words to the Church’s knowledge of the living God revealed in Christ and the Holy Spirit. So there is a distinction, but it is best understood as dogma being the Church’s definitive confession of essential truths within the broader body of Orthodox doctrine.
We hope this helps – God bless!