Eastern Orthodox Beliefs
View Table of All Denominations' BeliefsHow does one get saved?
Repent of your sins, believe in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, and be baptized.
Who gets saved?
Anyone who chooses by his own free will to believe and accept God's gift of grace will be saved.
Can one lose his salvation?
Yes, a Christian can lose his salvation by apostasy.
Who gets baptized and why?
The unsaved, typically as infants, get baptized as the first sacrament of Christian initiation, cleansing them of all sins.
How should baptism be done?
Baptism should be by triple immersion.
When does one receive the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is received at chrismation, generally immediately after baptism.
What is the trinity?
The Trinity is God existing as one god in three equal, eternal, cosubstantial persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.
What is the human nature?
Human nature is intrinsically good but is wounded and incapable of choosing God in our fallen environment.
Are we guilty of Adam's original sin?
No, we are not guilty of Adam's sin, nor did we inherit a sinful nature from him, but we did inherit the consequences.
Are Christians required to keep the Old Testament ceremonial laws?
No, the ceremonial laws of Judaism were fulfilled and done away with by Jesus.
Can Christians become sinless in this earthly life?
Yes, Christian perfection is possible.
Do the elements of communion become the body and blood of Christ?
Metousiosis: Yes, the bread and the wine change in essence into the body and blood of Christ.
Can one be baptized of behalf of someone who has died?
No, the dead cannot be baptized.
What happens if a saved person dies without being perfect?
There is no purgatory, but Christians will continue in theosis after death.
Did Mary ever sin?
Mary was prone to sin like anyone else, but no, through her own free will she still never did.
What spiritual gifts are available today?
Continuationism: All spiritual gifts are still available to believers.
What is the gift of tongues?
Speaking in tongues is sometimes unintelligible and sometimes foreign human languages.
What are the requirements for clergy?
Priests must be men over 30 ordained by bishops.
How many church ordinances/sacraments are there?
The church has seven sacraments: Baptism, Chrism, Holy Eucharist, Confession, Ordination, Marriage, and Holy Unction.
Who can take communion?
Only members of the church can participate in Holy Communion.
Should communion bread be leavened?
Leavened bread should be used in Holy Communion.
To whom do Christians need to confess their sins?
Confession should be made to God before a priest.
How should a church be structured?
Episcopal: Churches should be governed by the bishop in that episcopacy, who in turn is governed by a patriarch of an autocephalous church. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is first among equals.
What day of the week should Christians worship?
Christians worship on Sunday.
How does God's revelation come to us today?
Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition have equal authority and comprise one finished deposit of faith.
How many books are in the Bible?
There are 76 canonical books of the Bible: 39 protocanonical books, 10 deuterocanonical books, and 27 New Testament books.
Was the Bible written inerrantly?
No, the Bible was written inerrantly on matters of salvation but may contain errors in other matters.
How was the Bible preserved?
Verbal plenary preservation: God has supernaturally preserved every word of the Bible.
How was the earth created?
No established doctrine
What is marriage?
Marriage is a covenant before God between one man and one woman.
Is sex permissible outside marriage?
No, sex outside of marriage is not permissible.
When is divorce permissible?
Divorce is permissible for adultery, abuse, or abandonment.
May a Christian remarry while his former spouse is still alive?
Yes, a Christian may remarry a second or third time for human weakness.
When does a fetus become human?
Humanity begins at conception.
Is contraception permissible?
Most believe that yes, contraceptives are permissible.
Are blood transfusions permissible?
Yes, blood transfusions are permissible.
Should women cover their heads?
Varies widely
Should Christians drink alcohol?
Yes, drinking alcohol is fine as long as one does not get drunk.
Should Christians fight in wars?
Yes, Christians can fight in just wars.
Whom does the Holy Spirit come from?
The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.
Do icons glorify God?
Yes, icons are holy and should be venerated.
Where does a Christian's soul go after death?
After death, souls sit conscious in an Intermediate State, with a foretaste of heaven for Christians.
When will the church be raptured?
The church will not be raptured at any point.
When is the millennial reign of Christ happen?
Amillennialism: The millennial reign of Christ is an indefinite period of time beginning on the day of Pentecost and ending at His Second Coming.