Statement of Faith and Discpline

The Roman Orthodox Church

 STATEMENT OF FAITH & DISCIPLINE 

  Purposes, Goals and Objectives:

      It is the purpose of the Church to proclaim the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with His command: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." [Matthew 28:19-20]; and to conduct a Church for the purposes and promotion of the Orthodox Catholic Faith; to unite believers on the basis of Orthodox Catholic teachings and traditions, in accordance with the genuine Apostolic tradition, for their moral benefit and the satisfaction of their religious needs; to mutually assist believers united in the Orthodox Catholic Faith, by means of prayers and worship, Orthodox Catholic teaching and religious discipline, in attaining salvation through participation in the Holy Sacraments and Orthodox Catholic enlightenment, worthy life and Christian charity; and to undertake charitable works for the good and welfare of the community.
       Furthermore, it is the purpose of the Church to provide sacraments and spiritual ministrations for all persons of the Orthodox Catholic Faith, residing or visiting in the Americas; to establish for this purpose, an autocephalous, independent, self-governing, ecclesiastical body in the Americas; to provide for the extension and missionary activity of the Orthodox Catholic Faith in the Americas or elsewhere; to provide for the instruction and training of the spiritual children and adherents of the Orthodox Catholic Faith in the Americas; and to purchase, sell, hold, administer and dispose of real and personal property, for the benefit of the Church or of any diocese, parish, congregation, church, mission, religious, benevolent, charitable or other institution which may hereafter become a part of, or affiliated with the Church, and to do and perform any religious work or activity, and to do and perform any and all acts necessary and proper to further the purposes and objects hereinbefore contained. The goals and objectives of the Church are to present the Orthodox Catholic Faith to the people in all its purity and catholic fullness, in all the power of the Holy Spirit; and to provide the people with the Holy Sacraments and divine services, with pastoral care and spiritual guidance, and with Orthodox Catholic preaching and teaching of the Holy Gospel. It is our faith, belief, and teaching that:

  1. Concerning the Church: 

 That the Church of Christ is One Holy Catholic and Apostolic institution; a divinely created and governed living Organism existing visibly and invisibly in this world and through all ages. Of which the Head is Our Lord Christ Himself and the Guide is the Holy Spirit infallibly directing into all truth and preserving from all error; in sacramental union with which alone is there assurance of salvation and life, and separation from which is separation from the Visible Body of Christ.

  2. Concerning Faith and Doctrine: 

That the Faith and Doctrine of the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church are infallibly true, and are derived from or witnessed by the Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition as sources and witnesses of equal authority and weight, and are formulated, accepted, and determined by the infallibly inspired, directed, and governed life and consciousness of the Church.

  3. Concerning Ecumenical Councils: 

That General Church Councils, properly and lawfully called and convened, representing the whole Church, are canonical and rightful organs of the mind and voice of the Church; that the dogmatic decisions and definitions of such councils, when found by experience in the life and consciousness of the Church, to be conformable to and consonant with Her Spirit, and partake of Her truth in the Holy Spirit, become, by virtue of their acceptance and subsequent ratification, binding and obligatory on every member of the Church and truly Ecumenical in their character, force and authority; that the generally accepted decisions and definitions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, recognized as such by the Orthodox Catholic Church, are of this binding and obligatory, infallible, and Ecumenical nature, truth, and authority.

  4. Concerning the Creeds: 

 That the Symbol of the Apostles and the Symbol of the Faith of the Three Hundred Eighteen Holy Fathers of Nicaea as ratified by the Council of Constantinople both must be accepted without any ambiguity, evasions, or evasive interpretation, by every member of the Christian Church.

  5. Concerning Spiritual Authority and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction: 

 That in no manner or sense is it possible to derive, directly or indirectly, spiritual authority or jurisdiction from civil governors or Royal Sovereigns, nor is it possible that the spiritual Headship of the Visible Church, or any part of it, should reside in, or be exercised, directly or indirectly, by any royal prince or sovereign, as such, but must inhere solely in, and be exercised only by, the ecclesiastically lawful and canonical Patriarch, Bishop, or other proper spiritual authority; that to admit or submit to any such lay, civil, or Royal usurpation of authority, in ecclesiastical or dogmatic matters, is to fall away from the unity and authority of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; and that no civil assembly or parliament is able to define or establish formularies or standards of doctrine without the free action of the ecclesiastical assemblies of Bishops and clergy; and that to submit in matters of faith or doctrine to such lay civil coercion, direct or indirect, is to be separated from the faith and unity of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

  6. Concerning Sacraments in general: 

That regular, canonical and valid Sacraments of the Church, as means of Grace, are necessary, and are divinely instituted for the salvation of Christians; that such Sacraments are only certain within the Authority of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church; that these consist in the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit, through the ministration of a validly and canonically ordained Priest or Bishop in and with the divinely instituted form, matter and ritual of the Church.

  7. Concerning the Number of Sacraments: 

That the number of Sacraments is seven. These are: (1) Baptism; (2) Chrismation, i.e., Confirmation or sealing of Baptismal Vows by signing with Holy Chrism; (3) Eucharist; (4) Penance; (5) Holy Orders, i.e., Priesthood; (6) Marriage; and (7) Unction.

  8. Concerning Baptism and Chrismation:

That in Baptism in the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, there is forgiveness of all sin, both original and personal, and also an infusion of renewing and revivifying divine Grace and Energy, moving the recipient to faith and all good works; that the indispensable and necessary compliment of Baptism is its confirming and sealing, by anointing with Holy Chrism for the reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

  9. Concerning Eucharist: 

 That in the Eucharist the Bread and Wine, when consecrated by the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the Priest, are changed, transmuted, or transubstantiated into the true and real Body and Blood of Christ, Crucified and sacrificed, and are effectual for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, of both the living and the dead. That the terms Body and Blood of Christ are not taken or used in any metaphorical or figurative or typical sense, but actually and literally; that the sacrifice in the Eucharist is truly and really a sacramental sacrifice of Christ Himself on behalf of all men, and not a mere service of "memorial," or of "praise and thanksgiving" only; that the Body and Blood of Christ is really and actually present after the Bread and Wine have been changed by the Holy Spirit in consecration and is not dependent on reception by communicants either in manner of reception or in character or nature of communicant; that the communicant receives the Body and Blood of Christ really, actually, and truly, and not merely spiritually, and is thereby united anew to Christ unto sanctification and eternal life; that the true sacrifice of Christ in the Eucharist is effectual for the souls of the departed as well as for those present.

  10. Concerning Penance: 

That Penance is necessary to the spiritual strength and life of a Christian, and to the proper reception of the Holy Eucharist. That the Sacrament of Penance must consist of three parts, none of which may be omitted: i.e., first, the personal, oral confession of the individual penitent to the Priest; second, the laying on of hands with Priestly counsel; and third, the prayer and absolution of sins.

  11. Concerning Holy Orders: 

 That in the Sacrament of Priesthood alone lies the authority for ministering all other sacraments. Hence, that the office of Priest is primarily mediatory and sacrificial in character, and not merely one of teaching or preaching the Word.

  12. Concerning Marriage: 

The Sacrament of Marriage, Holy Matrimony, is the Sacrament through which a Christian man and woman are united in lawful marriage; through which a man and woman are united by love with the express purpose of the formation of a family of two or more members, for mutual love and support. 13. Concerning Unction: Anointing the Sick for Healing, that is, Holy Unction, is the Sacrament through which we obtain the grace of spiritual and physical healing, the Sacrament to heal the infirmities of humanity.

  With respect to discipline and to relations with other religious bodies:

1. Concerning discipline: 

 That teaching and holding of the faith according to the dogmatic definitions detailed above, is absolutely obligatory upon all clergy and faithful; and, that the teaching or holding of anything contrary thereto or inconsistent therewith, or the failure to teach or hold faithfully and literally without evasion or evasive interpretations, is a grave offense.

  2. Concerning Morality: 

 The morality which has, from the time of Christ our Lord, been taught within the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is a true manifestation of the Life in Christ according to the Law of God, and is derived from and required by the Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition, and is necessary for the holiness of the Church of Christ. Christian morality can not and must not be modified or diluted, from time to time, to appease or accommodate the ephemeral and often barbaric or decadent social values and customs of various societies, lands, and peoples. Christian morality, not science, defines which behaviours are natural and which are unnatural.

  3. Concerning relations with other Religious Bodies: 

 That in efforts toward Christian Unity, the ROC will require, as a basis for consideration of union or intercommunion, agreement to and adherence to the same statements which are given above as to the holding and teaching of the faith, and as to discipline.

  4. Rites and Controversies: 

 We agree with the words of Patriarch Photius of Constantinople (Epist. iii, sec. 6, circa 800 A.D.), "In cases where the thing disregarded is not the faith, and is no falling away from any general and catholic decree, different rites and customs being observed among different people, a man who knows how to judge rightly would decide that neither do those who observe them act wrongly, nor do those who have not received them break the law." We agree with the words of Patriarch Anthimus of Constantinople (Reply of the Orthodox Church to Roman Catholic Overtures on Reunion, sec. 5, circa 1895 A.D.), "... we do not at all refer to the differences regarding the ritual of the sacred services and the hymns, or the sacred vestments, and the like, which matters, even though they still vary, as they did of old, do not in the least injure the substance and unity of the faith...".

  Professions of the Orthodox Faith 

  The Apostles' Creed [the Symbol of the Apostles] 

 I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall 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 life everlasting. Amen.

  The Nicene Creed [the Nicaean-Constantinopolitan Symbol]

I believe in one God, Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all worlds, Light of Light, very God, of very God begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, and through Whom all things are made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became a man. And was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. And shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, and Whose Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, and together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, and Who spoke through the prophets. In one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism, for the remission of sins. I look for the Resurrection of the dead. And life in the world to come. Amen.