Understanding Orthodoxy
Comparing the Churches
A word of welcome from Emmanuel Orthodox Church on how the Orthodox faith relates to the Roman Catholic Church and to Protestantism.
Offered in a spirit of honor and honesty — naming real differences without exaggerating them, and without pretending they are small.
Not a denomination, but the ancient faith
Orthodoxy is the ancient Christian faith that has been lived, prayed, and handed down without interruption since the time of the Apostles. It is not a denomination among others. It is pre-denominational — the living continuity of the Church established by Christ Himself.
“The truth will set us free.”
East & West
Orthodoxy and the Catholic Church
We hold the Catholic Church in deep respect. For a thousand years, East and West were one Church. There is no single, legally binding document that permanently divided us. What happened was gradual: we forgot how to live together, how to listen to one another, and how to love one another as one Body.
(This is an historical observation, not a theological statement.)
There are real theological differences that remain:
- The Filioque(the addition of “and the Son” to the Creed)
- The nature and authority of the papal office
- The doctrine of papal infallibility
- The teaching of purgatory as developed in the West
- The discipline regarding married clergy
These are serious matters, and we do not pretend they are small. Many Orthodox and Catholics exaggerate the differences between us — that is not healthy. Neither is minimizing them. The truth will set us free.
We continue to pray for the healing of the division between East and West. We believe the same Lord who founded one Church can, in His time and by His mercy, restore that visible unity. Until then, we speak of one another with honor and pray for the day when we may once again share the same Chalice.
Worship as One Body
Orthodoxy and Protestantism
If Orthodoxy is the deep end of the Christian pool, much of modern Protestantism can feel like remaining in the shallow end. The center of the gathering is often the sermon — the spoken word delivered by one person to many listeners. The individual experience becomes primary: “What did I get out of it? Did I feel close to God?”
In Orthodoxy the movement is different. We come together not first to receive something for ourselves, but to become one.
We sit together.
We stand together.
We pray the same ancient prayers.
We sing the same hymns.
There are no performances and no solos.
We make the Sign of the Cross together.
All of this prepares us to move, as one Body, toward the intimacy of the Eucharist — the Body and Blood of Christ.
We believe the human person is made of both body and soul. Therefore we worship with both body and soul. Incense, holy water, the sacramental life, the Sign of the Cross, standing and kneeling — these are not empty gestures. They are visible signs that carry internal grace.
We do not encourage people to close their eyes and have “their own moment with God.” We encourage them to become one with the Body of Christ in worship. The liturgy is not primarily about what you take away from it. It is about what you bring to it — your presence, your prayer, your willingness to be joined to the others.
It is not about you. It is about Christ.
We Invite You
Whatever your background — Catholic, Protestant, or simply seeking — you are welcome to worship with us and see the ancient faith for yourself.
“Come and see.” — John 1:46