Orthodoxy, -isms & -ologies

Defining our Terms

Orthodoxy will be used in a broad sense: What are the parameters that define a Christian Church?

-isms—remember that it divides…think schisms

-ology—the word regarding or the study of e.g. biology, life word or the study of life

Related Questions

Why do we have so many different denominations among those who call themselfes “Christians?”

What is Heresy?

What defines a cult?

Orthodox Christianity The term used to define right belief as opposed to heresy

Generally debates concerning right doctrine took place at a series of councils. Those adhering to non-orthodox belief were likely to find themselves treated as sects and even excommunicated from the church. However, since the rise of denominations, orthodoxy is more likely to describe conformity to the creeds sanctioned by the ecumenical councils.

Some additional thoughts:

In the context of Christianity, orthodoxy refers to the core beliefs that define the Christian faith.

Or:

“right belief, as contrasted with heresy”

One helpful definitions:

Orthodox beliefs are established, biblical beliefs that all Christians should agree on. While there is a wide range of legitimate views on many topics, rejection of orthodox beliefs places someone outside the bounds of Christianity.

We are helped by the “creeds” the first of which is the Shema Deut 6 4

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

Paul gives warnings about holding to sound doctrine or good teaching

Titus 2 1 “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”

2 Tim 1 13 “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

2 Cor 11 3-4 “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.”

An early development was the “Old Roman Creed”

I believe in God the Father almighty;

and in Christ Jesus His only Son, our Lord,

Who was born from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

Who under Pontius Pilate was crucified and buried,

on the third day rose again from the dead,

ascended into heaven,

sits at the right hand of the Father,

whence he will come to judge the living and the dead;

and in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Church,

the remission of sins,

the resurrection of the flesh,

Pretty much, that was the basis for the “Apostle’s Creed;” NOT related at all to the apostles!

Many versions with slight variances, this from the Christian Reformed Church

I believe in God, the Father almighty,       creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,       who was conceived by the Holy Spirit       and born of the virgin Mary.       He suffered under Pontius Pilate,       was crucified, died, and was buried;       he descended to hell.       The third day he rose again from the dead.       He ascended to heaven       and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty.       From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,       the holy catholic* church,       the communion of saints,       the forgiveness of sins,       the resurrection of the body,       and the life everlasting. Amen.

*Catholic (small c) meaning general

With the development of the church and the spread of Christianity, heresies arose

The best known: Gnosticism, outgrowth of some long-held errors

For gnostics, the world was divided into the physical and spiritual realms. Gnostics held that the world was not created by the “Ultimate Ground of Being” (God), but by a lesser deity resulting from the fall of the divine personification of Wisdom (Perkins, Gnosticism, 15). This lesser deity or demiurge created the material world, which is entirely isolated from the divine realm in which the “Ultimate Ground of Being” exists

Though addressed by some of the epistles, (1 John) it hung on through the early church

Another was Sabellianism

The term Sabellianism comes from the name of Sabellius, who was a theologian and priest from the 3rd century. None of his writings have survived, so all that is known about him comes from his opponents. The majority believe that Sabellius held Jesus to be deity while denying the plurality of persons in God.

Most of what we know about it comes from those who wrote against it

Best understanding appears to be that it denied the different persons of the trinity

Yet another was Arianism

A movement in the early church that distinguished the divinity of God the Father from the divinity of Christ by arguing that Jesus was a created being. The movement derived from the teachings of Arius. In the early fourth century ad, the church was still debating the nature of Christ and his relationship to God the Father. Arius taught that Christ was a created being—the first one created by God the Father. This view made Christ subordinate to the Father and set off what is often called the “Arian controversy.” Church leaders opposed Arianism because they felt it denied full divinity to Jesus. The debate over Arianism raged throughout the fourth century, but the now-orthodox view that Christ was co-equal and co-eternal with the Father was strongly defended by the Cappadocian fathers: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianus, and Gregory of Nyssa. The orthodox view was ultimately accepted as the official position of the Church at the Council of Constantinople in 381. After this, Arianism gradually died out. For more information, see these articles: Church Fathers; Eusebius of Caesarea; Incarnation.

As the church developed “orthodoxy” developed with the ecumenical councils, the gathering of the major church leaders to hammer out what was correct, and what was not

Most noted was First Council of Nicaea

The council denounced Arianism—the teachings of Arius—and affirmed that the Son is of the same substance (homoousios) as the Father. Arius and his followers insisted that the Son was merely of similar substance (homoiousios), and was in fact created by the Father – the greatest of all creatures, but a creature nonetheless. The council produced the Nicene Creed. Over 300 bishops met, just a few years after the Edict of Milan legalized Christianity throughout the Roman Empire.

Out of this came the Nicene Creed--looking to exclude existing heresies--mostly Arianism

We believe in one God,       the Father almighty,       maker of heaven and earth,       of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,       the only Son of God,       begotten from the Father before all ages,            God from God,            Light from Light,            true God from true God,       begotten, not made;       of the same essence as the Father.       Through him all things were made.       For us and for our salvation            he came down from heaven;            he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,            and was made human.            He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate;            he suffered and was buried.            The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures.            He ascended to heaven            and is seated at the right hand of the Father.            He will come again with glory            to judge the living and the dead.            His kingdom will never end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit,       the Lord, the giver of life.       He proceeds from the Father and the Son,       and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified.       He spoke through the prophets.       We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.       We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.       We look forward to the resurrection of the dead,       and to life in the world to come. Amen.

An additional creed

Athanasian Creed

Named after Athanasius—though it did not appear until much later

Summarized his teaching, dominantly against Arianism

Much longer

The creeds set about to standardize what was orthodox

They seemed to get longer to combat heresy

One common thread of heresy: they diminished the person and work of Jesus Christ