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BEGIN BY PRAYER1

Orthodox Church HistoryOrthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church BeginsJesus Christ lived on earth for 33 years. On the third day of his death he arose from his tomb and met with his disciples for forty days straight.

Hepresented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)

3Orthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church Beginsspeaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. - SALVATION

This is most likely the time during which the Apostles were taught about the CHURCH, without which there is no salvation.

4Orthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church Begins. . .All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them . . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you . . . (Matthew 28:18-20)Christ gave the disciples the following powers:Teach the truths of the Faith to all the Nations of the EarthTo perform the SacramentsTo govern the faithful

5Orthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church BeginsLet a man so account of us, as the ministers of Christ, stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Cor. 4:1)

Christ gave the disciples the following powers:Teach the truths of the Faith to all the Nations of the EarthTo perform the SacramentsTo govern the faithful

6Orthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church Begins whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 18:18)

Christ gave the disciples the following powers:Teach the truths of the Faith to all the Nations of the EarthTo perform the SacramentsTo govern the faithful

7Orthodox Church HistoryThe Orthodox Church Begins

For forty days he met with his disciples, and practically none of what He spoke to them is explicitly present in the Bible. At the end of those forty days He told them:

You shall receive powerand you shall be witnesses to Me...to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8,9)

The Holy Spirit & The Great Commission

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Orthodox Church HistoryFive Original Church CommunitiesAs time progressed,

Five communities

Each overseen by a Patriarch (bishop who had administrative authority over other bishops) 9

Orthodox Church HistoryFive Original Church CommunitiesIt was ONE CHURCH. No single person spoke for all of Christianity.If there was a dispute, Bishops from around the Christian world would gather together at an Ecumenical Council to debate and vote.

Ecumenical = governing the whole body of Churches10Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-ChalcedonionUnified Church until 451 A.D.325 Nicea Arian Heresy (Christ was created and not eternal)

381 Constantinople Established the Holy Spirit is God Trinity

431 Ephesus - (Christ the human and the Divine essence dwelt in him, so that St. Mary gave birth to a man, and God never suffered, just the human Christ; the word Theotokos was given instead of Christokos (Christ-Bearer)

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Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-ChalcedonionUnified Church until 451 A.D.451 Council of Chalcedon - Miaphysite vs. MonophysiteEutyches, abbot of a large monastery in Constantinople Over-reaction to Nestorianism, saying that Christs divinity consumed his humanity:

human nature of Christ was essentially obliterated by the Divine, "dissolved like a drop of honey in the sea", and therefore Christ only had the one (mono) nature, that of divinity.

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Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-ChalcedonionFurthermore, it was Pope Dioscorus who, in defending his Orthodox Faith, gave his famous analogy: If a piece of iron, heated to white heat, be struck on an anvil, and although the iron and the heat form an indivisible whole, it is the iron which receives the blows and not the white heat. This unity of the iron and the white heat is symbolic of our Savior's Incarnation, whose Divinity never parted from His Humanity, not even for a moment, nor the twinkling of an eye. 13

Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-Chalcedonion Yet though His Divinity parted not from His Humanity, their union was without mixing or fusion, or change, like unto the union of the iron and white heat. This unity is defined a s the One Nature of God the Logos Incarnate" and is synonymous with Saint John's saying, "The Word became flesh. " As for me, I steadfastly uphold the Faith of the Orthodox Church, the one, holy, Universal and Apostolic Church. Neither Eutyches, nor any other person, can make me swerve from this holy Faith.

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Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-ChalcedonionUnified Church until 451 A.D.451 Council of Chalcedon - Miaphysite vs. Monophysite

The Council of Chalcedon determined that Miaphysism one nature out of two was the right belief.

The Coptic Church believes the same thing.

So why did we split?15

Orthodox Church HistoryChalcedonian vs. Non-ChalcedonionUnified Church until 451 A.D.451 Council of Chalcedon -

Why did we split?Largely Political (Pope of Rome head of all Churches)

Once the members assembled, the people from Rome demanded Pope Dioscorus of Alexandria to be banished (maintained separation between Church and State).

The Coptic Church was misunderstood either unintentionally or just conspiracy.

16Orthodox Church HistoryGreat SchismFor about 1000 years no major schism

Until Great Schism 1054 A.D. - Papal Infallibility - Filioque(and [from] the Son)

17Following John 15:26b, the First Council of Constantinople in 381 modified the statement of the First Council of Nicea in 325 by stating that the Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father". The Council had not elaborated on the origin of the Holy Spirit. Hence, the Nicene creed is often called "Nicene-Constantinopolitan" or "Niceno-Constantinopolitan." This creed was not officially received until the Council of Ephesus in 431.

In thinking about God as Father, Son and Spirit: the Trinity, Christians following Jesus (Matt 28:19), from early times have made some important distinctions. The Son and the Spirit are said to have their eternal origin from the Father; the Son, the eternal Divine Logos (John 1:1) is "generated" ("born" or "begotten") of the Father, while the Spirit "proceeds" from the Father. These statements are made in reference to the being of God, from all eternity, "before all ages" in the words of the Nicene Creed.

On the one hand, the Nicene Creed and the Bible do not explicitly say that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son as well as the Father; that is, there is no statement that the Spirit's eternal origin is found anywhere but in the Father. However, various Christan groups including Roman Catholics and most Protestants find implicit evidence for this in other statements about the connection between the Son and the Spirit. For example, the New Testament teaches that the Spirit testifies to the Son (1Jn 5:6) and is called the "Spirit of Christ" (Rom 8:9; Rom 15:5; Phil 1:19; 1Pet 1:11) and "Spirit of [the] Son" (Gal 4:6). The Son, Jesus, also says he will "pray to the Father, and he will give you another comforter to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16), and that He Himself will send the Spirit (John 16:7). The Church Fathers further explained that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are of one "being" ("substantia"/"ousia") and have one common will and activity, with regard to their external actions (actiones ad extra). This tradition continued to be reaffirmed in both East and West, unanimously in medieval times by the Scholastic theologians. (See Scholastic Philosophy). In this second, "economic" sense, the Father is said to send us the Spirit through the Son (Acts 2:33; Titus 3:6). Scholasticism is explicitly rejected in the East as a form of any validation of theological doctrine.[1]

On the other hand, while the New Testament teaches that there is a connection between the Son and the Spirit, the divinity of the Son and the Spirit may not be entirely clear from Scripture alone. Many theologians historically have been unconvinced by the texts, and readily quote Scripture in defense of their denials of the Trinity.

The Eastern Orthodox position is that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and is sent (on Pentecost day) from the Father through the Son. The Latin West states that the Holy Spirit proceeds equally from the Father and the Son (filioque). Rome used the more ancient formula of the Orthodox Church until early in the 11th century.[2]

It is the issue of the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father only or the Father and the Son that is controversial and is the cause of disagreement between all the Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church. In 589 A.D., in the synod of Toledo, Spain, the filioque, the doctrine that claims that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, was added to the Nicaeo-Constantinopolitan Creed.Unfortunately, Rome adopted this error. The Orthodox Churches (non-Chalcedonian and Chalcedonians) believe in the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father alone. The Bible is clear on this topic "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me" (John 15:26).

We need to note here that the Spirit proceeds from the Father only, but is sent by the Son. "But if I depart, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7). Note: The Son will send the Spirit.

It was not out of humility that Christ did not say that the Holy Spirit was proceeding from Him. He did not because it is not the case. Why does He not refer to the Holy Spirit as processing from Him but from the Father? H. H. Pope Shenouda III says that this dogma makes two Fathers in the Holy Trinity, for there would be two origins.

Apart from the similarities, what are the major differences that exist between the Catholic Church and the Coptic Orthodox church?

Although there are many similarities between the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, there are also major differences. To list a few:The filioque: In the Creed we recite "We believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father" The Roman Catholic Church adds "and the Son" making the Holy Spirit a lesser degree than the two Hypostases.

The Immaculate Conception: Roman Catholics believe that St. Mary was born without the original sin. This is not acceptable at all for St. Mary herself said "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:46-47). If she has been born without sin why does she need salvation!There are other differences like the infallibility of the Pope, the purgatory and many others. You can read about them in details at this website: www.geocities.com/mgocsmbvli/orth_cath.htm.

Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTFor about 1500 years, all Orthodox Churches virtually identical theologically

However, the Catholic Church began to become internally corrupt.

The clergy abused the church and their position.

In 1517, a major PROTEST occurred, aimed at REFORMING the Catholic Church.

This event is referred to as the PROTESTANT MOVEMENT or REFORMATION

18Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

19Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

2 TIMOTHY 4:1-5:I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

20Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

If you are Lutheran,

Church began in 1517

By an ex-monk of the Catholic Church named Martin Luther

21Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

If you belong to the Church of England,

Church began 1534

Founded by King Henry VIII because the Pope of Rome would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry.

22Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

If you are Presbyterian,

Church began 1560

Founded by John Knox in Scotland.

23Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

If you are Baptist,

launched in Amsterdam 1606

you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth Church of England nonconformist clergyman and early believer in adult baptism (and for that beliefHe separated from the Church of England and became minister of an independent congregation)

Couldn't even find a picture of this guy24Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

If you are Methodist,

1774 in England

founded by John and Charles Wesley in England

John Wesley secretly ordained the first ministers. (can you imagine Abouna Eleia or Anba Youssefsecretly ordaining priests behind Pope Shenoudas back?)

Used to be a minister in Savannah Georgia before returning to England

John WesleyCharles Wesley25Orthodox Church HistoryPROTESTANT MOVEMENTThe PROTESTANT MOVEMENT has led to over 2400 different Protestant Churches

Mormon (Latter Day Saints) Joseph Smith 1829 NY

Salvation Army William Booth 1865 London

Christian Scientist Mary Baker Eddy 1879

Church of the Nazarene Pentecostal Gospel Holiness Church Jehovas Witnesses founded by men within past 100 years

26Orthodox Church HistoryOne Holy Universal Orthodox Church If you are Orthodox Christian,

Founded in the year 33 A.D.

by Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It has not changed illegitimatey since that time.

Our church is now almost 2,000 years old - Church of the Apostles is considered the true "one Holy Catholic [Universal] and Apostolic Church."

27Orthodox Church HistoryApostolic Succession

There is no salvation outside of The Church

These Apostles ordained bishops, who ordained others, and that kept happening until the bishops we have today.

Only those bishops that can trace their ordination to an Apostle have authority to administer the Church Sacraments from God to the People.

28Orthodox Church HistoryApostolic Succession

61 A.D.1. St. Mark68 A.D.2. Anianus338A.D.20. Athanasius

1959116. Kyrollos VI

1971117. Shenouda III1992Bishop Youssef29Orthodox Church HistoryApostolic Succession

61 A.D.1. St. Mark

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Although the Orthodox Churches are separated into two groups, for over 1600 years their beliefs and practices have been practically identical. The Oriental (including Coptic) and Eastern Orthodox Churches are currently in the process of reconciliation and reuniting, thereby officially reestablishing the one, ancient Great Church as was originally intended by Jesus Christ.

ONE ORTHODOX CHURCH FINALLY WE ARE DONE! YAY! WOOHOO! ANY QUESTIONS?Comments?

GLORY BE TO GOD FOREVER.Amen.33