Church Structure & Jurisdictions
16 topics
ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsApostolic SuccessionThe unbroken handing on of the apostolic ministry by the laying on of hands, bishop from bishop, from the Apostles to the present. Orthodoxy does not treat it as a mechanical pedigree: succession in the office is inseparable from succession in the faith, and a bishop who abandons the apostolic teaching is not held together with the Church by the validity of his consecration. So the succession that matters is of ordination and confession at once, which is why the Church has deposed bishops whose orders nobody doubted.ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsEcumenical Patriarchate of ConstantinopleThe 'first among equals' (primus inter pares) of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches. Located in the Phanar district of Istanbul. The Ecumenical Patriarch holds a primacy of honor and has specific prerogatives: granting autocephaly, hearing inter-church appeals, and leading pan-Orthodox gatherings. Currently Patriarch Bartholomew I (since 1991).ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsPrimacy and the Papal ClaimsOrthodoxy holds a primacy of honour: the first see presides, convenes, and is appealed to, and it does not govern the other churches. Every bishop is fully a bishop and the Church is whole in each local eucharistic assembly, so authority is conciliar, and the Ecumenical Councils were received by the whole Church rather than ratified by one bishop. What Orthodoxy does not accept is universal immediate jurisdiction and personal infallibility, defined at the First Vatican Council in 1870. The Fathers read the rock of Matthew 16:18 as Peter's confession, an Ecumenical Council condemned a pope for heresy, and the canons that give Rome its rank give it for the honour of the city, which is an argument about order and not about office.ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsAutocephaly & Church OrganizationEach autocephalous Church is self-governing with its own synod and primate. The system reflects conciliar (synodal) rather than monarchical governance. Currently 14-16 autocephalous Churches (number disputed due to the Ukrainian and Macedonian situations). The four ancient patriarchates: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem.ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsPatriarchate of JerusalemOne of the four ancient patriarchates, guardian of the Holy Places. The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre (Greek monks) has maintained custody of the holiest Christian sites, among them the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Church of the Nativity and the Tomb of the Theotokos, for centuries. The smallest patriarchate by population but immense in spiritual significance.ImportantChurch Structure & JurisdictionsRussian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)The largest Orthodox Church by number of faithful (est. 90-150 million). Autocephalous since 1448; Patriarchate since 1589. Survived Soviet persecution (1917-1991) which destroyed thousands of churches and martyred millions. Major centers: Moscow (Cathedral of Christ the Saviour), St. Petersburg, Trinity-Sergius Lavra.Church Structure & JurisdictionsBulgarian Orthodox ChurchBulgaria was Christianized in 864 under Khan Boris I. The Bulgarian Church became a center of Slavonic literacy: the First and Second Bulgarian Empires produced the Cyrillic alphabet, trained clergy for all Slavic lands, and developed rich literary traditions. Patriarchate briefly in the medieval period and permanently since 1953. Survived Ottoman and Communist persecution.Church Structure & JurisdictionsChurch of CyprusOne of the oldest autocephalous churches (autocephaly since the Council of Ephesus, 431). Founded by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas. The Archbishop of Cyprus has the unique privilege of signing in red ink and wearing a purple mantle: imperial prerogatives granted by Emperor Zeno. Currently Archbishop Georgios.Church Structure & JurisdictionsChurch of GreeceAutocephalous since 1833/1850. About 98% of the Greek population identifies as Orthodox. Strong cultural identification between Greek identity and Orthodox faith. Governed by a Holy Synod under the Archbishop of Athens. The New Lands (northern Greece) have a dual jurisdiction with the Ecumenical Patriarchate.Church Structure & JurisdictionsGeorgian Orthodox ChurchOne of the oldest Christian nations: Georgia was Christianized by St. Nino in the 4th century. Autocephalous since the 5th century (auto-cephaly recognized by Constantinople in 486). Rich literary and artistic tradition. The Georgian alphabet was created to translate Scripture. Survived Persian, Arab, Mongol, and Soviet domination. Patriarchate since the 11th century.Church Structure & JurisdictionsPatriarchate of AlexandriaOne of the four ancient patriarchates, traditionally founded by the Evangelist Mark. Historically the center of Christological theology (Athanasius, Cyril). After the Arab conquest (642), the Greek-speaking Orthodox community shrank dramatically. Today the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria has jurisdiction over all of Africa and has a growing missionary presence.Church Structure & JurisdictionsPatriarchate of AntiochOne of the four ancient patriarchates, founded by the Apostles Peter and Paul. Based in Damascus, Syria. Primarily Arabic-speaking. Has a significant diaspora, especially in the Americas (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America). Known for its missionary spirit and openness.Church Structure & JurisdictionsRomanian Orthodox ChurchThe second-largest Orthodox Church by membership (about 16-19 million). Autocephalous since 1885; Patriarchate since 1925. Unique as the only Latin-language Orthodox Church. Major theologians: Fr. Dumitru Staniloae (The Experience of God). Beautiful monastic tradition: Painted Monasteries of Bucovina (UNESCO).Church Structure & JurisdictionsSerbian Orthodox ChurchAutocephalous since 1219, granted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to St. Sava, the founder of Serbian ecclesiastical independence. Patriarchate since 1346. Deeply intertwined with Serbian national identity. Major centers: Belgrade, Pec Patriarchate (Kosovo), Zica Monastery.Church Structure & JurisdictionsThe Oriental Orthodox ChurchesThe Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Ethiopian, Eritrean and Malankara churches, which did not receive Chalcedon and are not in communion with the Orthodox Church. They confess one united nature of the incarnate Word, miaphysis, and they reject Eutyches as firmly as Chalcedon did, so they are not what Chalcedon condemned. Joint commissions at Chambesy in 1989, 1990 and 1993 concluded that the two christologies agree in substance. Those agreements were never received: the Sacred Community of Mount Athos and a number of hierarchs rejected them, no local council has ratified them, and communion has not been restored. Theirs is an ancient and venerable tradition, and it is a different one.Church Structure & JurisdictionsOrthodox Church in America (OCA)Granted autocephaly by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1970 (not universally recognized). Primarily English-speaking, multi-ethnic American church. Descends from the Alaskan mission (1794). Major theologians: Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Fr. John Meyendorff, Fr. Thomas Hopko. Represents the ideal of a territorial American church.