Most of the readers to this substack will know most of their Christian denominations. There are the Protestants of a gazillion varieties, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and Greek/Eastern Orthodox, but there are also the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Now I know the term “Oriental” has now passed from scholarly use, but this is the term that they used to designate themselves. But who are these Oriental Orthodox Churches?
Thanks Dr. Bird for this. I haven’t had time to learn more about the Oriental Orthodox Churches history but would like to learn more. Especially since in the USA 🇺🇸 many Protestant Evangelicals are converting to Eastern Orthodox or oriental churches more than ever according to statistics. Thanks again Dr. Bird!!!
I had a friend who converted from Baptist to Orthodox in his 20s, partly in his words because the Orthodox church is the only one that goes back to the original apostles and hasn’t split the way the other churches have. I didn’t know all of these details, but I did know that there were divisions in Orthodoxy just like every other branch of Christianity. I find all the variety comforting in some ways, to realize that God through Jesus can’t be contained in our religious understandings.
I’ve often been confused by the phrase “Mother of God” as it seems to imply that the entirety of the Godhead (that is, God) descends from Mary, the mother of the messiah. That seems to me to be somewhat problematic, but am I missing something there?
Thanks Dr. Bird for this. I haven’t had time to learn more about the Oriental Orthodox Churches history but would like to learn more. Especially since in the USA 🇺🇸 many Protestant Evangelicals are converting to Eastern Orthodox or oriental churches more than ever according to statistics. Thanks again Dr. Bird!!!
Yes, it is a phenomenon, and Elke is proof.
I had a friend who converted from Baptist to Orthodox in his 20s, partly in his words because the Orthodox church is the only one that goes back to the original apostles and hasn’t split the way the other churches have. I didn’t know all of these details, but I did know that there were divisions in Orthodoxy just like every other branch of Christianity. I find all the variety comforting in some ways, to realize that God through Jesus can’t be contained in our religious understandings.
I’ve often been confused by the phrase “Mother of God” as it seems to imply that the entirety of the Godhead (that is, God) descends from Mary, the mother of the messiah. That seems to me to be somewhat problematic, but am I missing something there?
Nathan, well, Jesus is God and Mary is his Mother. If you say Mother of the Messiah, then you are saying she birthed an anointed man not the God-Man.