THE ORTHODOX METROPOLIA OF GREAT BRITAIN

What is Orthodox Christianity?
The term “Orthodox” means “correct praise” or “right doctrine.” During the early centuries of its history, when it was united, the Church was both orthodox and catholic; that is, it was the Church of “correct praise” and was “universal” (which is what catholic means).The term “orthodox” was used by the Church to separate itself from other groups that held false doctrines about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, salvation, and the Church. These groups were called “heterodox” or “heretics” by the one, orthodox and catholic Church.

When did Orthodox Christianity begin?
We trace our history back to the apostles and thus to Jesus Christ Himself. We believe that Christ brought the Church into existence, that it is empowered by the Holy Spirit, that it was to be led by the apostles and then by those whom the apostles were led to ordain (the passing down of this authority through time is called apostolic succession), and that it represents the presence of the body of Christ in this world.
When people come into an Orthodox Church, they light a candle. Why is this?
Coming into our Church from outside, you first enter the narthex, which is a kind of “half-way” space between the outside world and the temple. Lighting a candle in the narthex can mean several things. One purpose is to signify, as we light the candle, that we wish to leave our worldly cares in this room before we enter the temple.
Another reason for lighting a candle may be that we are remembering someone who is in need. We say a brief prayer for them as we light a candle and kiss one of the icons. In a way, then, our worship begins out in the narthex, even before we come into the worship service itself.

Why do worshippers kiss the icons?
Icons, the painted pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints, or sacred events, are very important in Orthodox worship. These icons mean far more to us than ordinary paintings. Icons are windows into the sacred realm, into the kingdom of God. The persons portrayed on these wooden icons are, in a spiritual way, present with us. We kiss the icon to show love and respect, even as we might kiss the picture of a family member to show the same.

Does kissing icons mean that Orthodox Christians worship the icon or the person portrayed?
No. Only God (as Trinity — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is worthy of worship. The Virgin Mary and the saints are worthy of our deepest respect and love, or what is called “veneration.” As was said above, even as we might kiss a picture of a loved one, so we kiss the icons to show our love and respect for these spiritual beings who are alive with Christ and, therefore, with us in worship.

Why is there a screen at the front of the church, and why does it have those particular icons on it?
This wall is called the “iconostasis,” or “icon screen,” and certain, very important icons are hung to face the congregation. The “royal doors,” or “beautiful gates” (again, using imagery from the Jerusalem Temple), are in the middle of the iconostasis, and through them we can see into the altar area, or what we term the “sanctuary.”

Why does the priest face away from the congregation? Isn’t this rude?
The priest is actually facing toward the altar and the icon of the crucified Lord. He is facing the same direction as we are, as we look to Jesus throughout our worship.The area where the congregation gathers we call the nave. That word is related to the word “naval,” which should remind us of a ship. The priest, then, might be compared to the first mate on a ship. From the altar area, the priest leads us in prayer and directs the readers and chanters.
You will notice, also, that the priest does not always face forward, but turns toward the congregation on occasion. He faces the congregation to bless us, to give the sermon from the pulpit, and to cense us with incense.

Why and when do Orthodox Christians cross themselves?
Orthodox Christians make the ancient sign of the cross frequently during worship. This ancient gesture (Orthodox Christians use three fingers of their right hands to touch the forehead, heart area, then the right shoulder/arm, and finally the left shoulder/arm) is usually given when there is a mention of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) in the Liturgy. It will also be seen at other times in the service. This simple gesture, of making the sign of the cross on our bodies, can be considered a way of keeping our minds and hearts on Christ. It is, then, a type of bodily prayer.

I have seen the inside of an Orthodox church building. I have attended the Divine Liturgy. It all looks very mystical to me with the vestments, incense, candles, singing…. How would you compare the Orthodox Church to the other Christian Churches of the West?
The Orthodox Church is an Eastern Church in the sense that, at least humanly speaking, it is the product of Middle Eastern, Hellenic and Slavic history and culture. In a word, the Orthodox Church has a historical and spiritual development worked out in almost total isolation from the Christian Churches of Western Europe and America, namely the Roman Catholics and the Reformed Protestant Churches The formal break between the Christian East and West cannot be easily pinpointed. It may be put formally in the 11th or 12th centuries. However from as early as the 4th century the Christians of the East were already living with very little contact with the Christians of the West.
The liturgy of the Orthodox Church as celebrated today developed within those centuries when the East was already in a certain isolation from the West. The liturgy stands at the center of the church’s life and bears witness to the central experience of the Orthodox Faith, namely that man is created for communion with God in the everlasting life of His Kingdom.

Would you say that the Orthodox Church is closer to the Roman Catholic Church than to the Protestant churches?
It is hard to answer that question easily without giving the wrong impression. The Protestant churches, as you know, came out of the Roman Church when this body was already separated from the Eastern Orthodox Church. Thus, as one Orthodox theologian put it in the last century, it is probably true to say that the Roman and Reformed Protestant churches are much closer to each other; historically, spiritually, theologically, culturally, psychologically than the Orthodox Church is to either. The many events and changes in the various churches in recent days, not excluding the Orthodox Church, makes this question still more difficult to answer. Thus, although we might say that the Orthodox are closer to the so-called “high” churches of the West such as the Roman and Anglican, it might be much safer and more correct to approach Orthodoxy solely on its own ground without too much comparison to others.

What are the clerical offices in the Orthodox Church and what is their significance?
The Orthodox Church has the three classical Christian offices: bishop, priest (or presbyter) and deacon. The bishop is the highest office since the bishop is the one responsible to guide the life of the church, to guard the faith and to preserve the unity of the churchly body in truth and love. Bishops are traditionally taken from the monks, and by a regulation dating from the 6th century, must be unmarried. A widowed priest or any unmarried man can be elected to the office of bishop.
The priests (or presbyters) carry on the normal pastoral functions in the Church and lead the local parish communities. They are usually married men. They must be married prior to their ordination and are not allowed to marry once in the priestly state. Single priests or widowers may marry but in this case, they are no longer allowed to function in the ministry. At the present time, the diaconate in the Church is usually a step to the priesthood, or else it exists solely as a liturgical ministry. The deacon may also be a married man, with the same conditions as those for the married priesthood.

You talk as if only the Orthodox who believe these things can be saved. What about other Christians and all other men in the world?
In the first place it must be made clear that it is not enough for anyone merely to believe these things, or merely to be a formal member of the Church. In order to be saved one must live by the truth and love of God. It is the common teaching of the Orthodox Christian tradition that the Church has no monopoly on grace and truth and love. The Church teaches on the contrary that God is the Sovereign Lord who saves those whom He wills. The Church believes as well that salvation depends upon the actual life of the person, and God alone is capable of judging since He alone knows the secrets of each mind and heart. Only God is capable of judging how well a man lives according to the measure of grace, faith, understanding, and strength given to him. The Orthodox would insist, nevertheless, that an honest seeker of truth and love will see these things perfectly realized and expressed in Jesus Christ and will recognize God, the end of their seeking, in Him.
We all know, however, that our image of Christ is deformed both by the lives and the doctrines of those who claim him, and thus His truth and love and His very person remain obscure and hidden to those who might follow Him if they could see Him clearly.
But once again, let it be clear that every man is judged by God alone according to the actual truth and love in his life. This goes for Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike. And although the Orthodox confess that the fullness of truth and love is found in the life of the church, nominal church membership or formal assent to some doctrines does not at all guarantee salvation.

What about such very specific issues as divorce and birth control and abortion? What do you have to say about such things?
These important issues all bear upon the appreciation of the family, and generally we can say without hesitation that the Orthodox understand the family to be willed by God as a created expression of His own uncreated life. Thus, in principle, the family must be preserved and glorified as something divinely and eternally valuable. Regarding divorce, the Orthodox follow Christ in recognizing it as a tragedy and a lack of fulfilment of marriage as the reflection of divine love in the world. The Church teaches the uniqueness of marriage, if it will be perfect, and is opposed to divorce absolutely. If, however, a marriage breaks down and collapses, the Orthodox Church does in fact allow a second marriage, without excommunication, that is, exclusion from Holy Communion, if there is repentance and a good chance that the new alliance can be Christian. More than one marriage in any case, however, is frowned upon. It is not allowed to the clergy, and the service of second marriage for laymen is a special rite different from the sacrament as originally celebrated.
The control of the conception of a child by any means is also condemned by the Church if it means the lack of fulfilment in the family, the hatred of children, the fear of responsibility, the desire for sexual pleasure as purely fleshly, lustful satisfaction, etc.
Again, however, married people practicing birth control are not necessarily deprived of Holy Communion, if in conscience before God and with the blessing of their spiritual father, they are convinced that their motives are not entirely unworthy. Here again, however, such a couple cannot pretend to justify themselves in the light of the absolute perfection of the Kingdom of God.
As to abortion, the Church very clearly and absolutely condemns it as an act of murder in every case. If a woman is with child, she must allow it to be born. In regard to all of the very difficult cases, such as a young girl being raped or a mother who is certain to die, the consensus of Orthodox opinion would be that a decision for abortion might possibly be made, but that it can in no way be easily justified as morally righteous, and that persons making such a decision must repent of it and count on the mercy of God. it must be very clear as well that abortion employed for human comfort or to stop what a contraceptive method failed to prevent, is strictly considered by the canon laws of the Church to be a crime equal to murder.

We have not talked much about the Church itself. For example, what about the Bible? Do the Orthodox use the Bible as other Christians do?
For the Orthodox, the Bible is the book of the Church, written by and for those who believe in God and constitute His People. The Four Gospels are the centre of the Bible, just as Christ is the centre of the Church. For this reason the Four Gospels are always enthroned on the altar in the Orthodox Church building. The Orthodox generally interpret the Bible in terms of Christ. In this sense, the Old Testament is partial in that it prepares for the time of Christ, the Messiah, who fulfils its message and history. The New Testament writings are also cantered around Christ and tell of His action in the world and in the Church through the Holy Spirit. Thus the Orthodox position about the Bible, would be that the New Testament is prefigured in the Old, and the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New.
The Bible is central in the life of the Church and gives both form and content to the Church’s liturgical and sacramental worship, just as to its theology and spiritual life. Nothing in the Orthodox Church can be opposed to what is revealed in the Bible. Everything in the Church must be biblical.
The Bible itself, however, not only determines and judges the life of the Church, but is itself judged by the Church since it “comes alive” and receives its proper interpretation and significance only within the life of the Church as actually lived and experienced by the People of God.
This would be the basic Orthodox approach to the Bible. Very sadly however, it must be mentioned that the knowledge of the Bible among Orthodox is not very great. There is a conscious attempt being made today to renew the reading and meditation of the scriptures by the faithful of the Church.

What about the sacraments? How many are there? How does the Orthodox Church understand them?
First of all we must say that traditionally the Orthodox never counted the sacraments. The number of seven was adopted in Orthodoxy very recently under the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. Traditionally the Orthodox understand everything in the Church to be sacramental. All of life becomes a sacrament in Christ who fills life itself with the Spirit of God.
The Orthodox baptize infants as well as adults as the new birth into the new life of Christ.

Baptism is understood and celebrated as the person’s participation in the death and resurrection of Christ. It is the person’s Easter as he is born again into life eternal.

Chrismation Chrismation (or confirmation) is the “sealing” of the new life in Christ by the life-creating Spirit. In Chrismation the person receives the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” in order to have the power to live the new life in the new humanity of Christ. In this sense, chrismation is the person’s personal Pentecost just as baptism is his Easter.

Holy Communion Holy Communion is the “sacrament of sacraments” in that it is the banquet of the Kingdom of God, the fulfilment of every other sacrament. In Holy Communion we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, the Eternal Passover Lamb, Who makes us alive and holy with Himself. Through Holy Communion we become sons of God the Father, together with Jesus, filled with the “communion of the Holy Spirit.”

Marriage in Christ allows our human love to become divine and unending. There is no “until death do us part”. The point is just the opposite. Christ comes to our human love, frees it from sin and grants it everlasting joy in His Kingdom of love.

Anointing By our anointing of the sick in Christ’s name, we consecrate our sufferings with the sufferings of Christ and we are healed by Him; if not for more time in this world, certainly for an eternity in the Kingdom of God. Thus by anointing with oil in Christ’s name, our wounds become the way to Life and not to Death.

ConfessionIn confession, the sacrament of repentance, we come to Christ and receive His divine forgiveness. We are allowed once more to enter into Holy Communion with Him in the Church. We are reinstated into that life which we received in baptism and are renewed with that power which we were given in chrismation.

Ordination / Holy OrdersThe one sacrament within the Church which guarantees the identity and continuity of the Church in all times and places is the sacrament of priesthood, the “holy orders,” as they are called. The priesthood exists within the Church as the sign of the certain presence in the community of Christ Himself. Christ is not absent from the Church. He is present as its head and is manifested in the Body through the ministry of the priesthood. Thus the mystical life of the Church is fulfilled.

What do you mean by the universality of the Church?
All men are called to be part of the Church, hence the salvific plan of God to gather together His scattered children in unity (cf. Jn 11:52). It is for this purpose that God became Man to take possession of the universe and snatch us from the power of the rebellious angels who, however, believe in Him and tremble (cf. Jas 2:19). The Holy Spirit who is God and who gives life is, for the whole Church, for each and every one of the believers, the principle of their gathering and their unity in the doctrine of the Apostles, and the fraternal communion, in the fraction bread and prayers (cf. Acts 2:42). The people of God cannot be divided as long as they allow themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit and therefore the need for reconciliation in the Holy Spirit is essential in order to eradicate all the divisions which have struck the Church. All the faithful, in fact, scattered throughout the world, are, in the Holy Spirit, in communion with others. But since the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world (cf. Jn 18:36), the Church remembers that it must act as a unifier with this King to whom the nations have been given as an inheritance (cf. . . Ps 2, 8) and in whose city gifts and presents are brought (cf. Ps 71 [72], 10; Is 60, 4-7; Rev 21, 24). The members of the People of God are called to share their goods and to each of the Churches the words of the Apostle also apply: "Let each put at the service of others the gift he has received, as befits good dispensers of divine grace which is so diverse” (cf. 1 Pet 4, 10) . Thus, to that unity of the People of God which prefigures and promotes universal peace, all Christians are called.

Can you please explain how Christ can be both God and man?
There are many who questioned how this can be, how this could have taken place, how this can be intellectually comprehended, articulated, explained, etc.. And each attempt to bring this divine mystery down to the human level and dissect it under the faulty microscope of the imperfect mind has resulted in heresy. This is because the human mind has limitations – the greatest being the ironic lack of awareness of those very limitations (i.e. pride). And so, some said that Christ couldn’t be fully God, others that He could be fully man. The Arians thought the Son of God unequal to the Father and not fully God. The Docetists said that He only appeared to be man and really wasn’t so. But the Fathers in humility preserved and codified the Apostolic doctrine of the Incarnation, not explaining the “how” (which we can never comprehend) but expounding upon the “why”, which is for us men and our salvation. You see the Fathers knew that if Christ were not truly God and truly man at the same time, then He could not be the mediator and Savior, He could not reunite us with God, who is life, and we would remain dead in our sins.

What do you teach about Abortion?
In the eyes of the Church all life is viewed as being sacred and we respect life on "both sides" of the birth canal. We consider conception to be the very beginning and moment when that life is formed. In fact, the Church even commemorates the conceptions of our Lord (March 25), the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 9), and St. John the Forerunner (September 23).
Based upon the Bible, our Theology, and Dogma, we considers abortion to be sinful and wrong.Why are non - Christians unable to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion in your Mission?According to the earliest teachings of the Church, the Eucharist (Holy Communion) can only be administered to those who are Baptized and Chrismated into the Faith. A second century writing known as the Didache instructed believers to “let no one eat or drink from your Eucharist except those who are baptized in the Lord's Name.” In fact, so protective were the early Christians that, there were even restrictions implemented which prevented non-believers from entering churches or attending service.

What's your understanding to Marriage?
Marriage is a solemn and public covenant between a male and a female, establishing between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, and is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses. The union of spouses, in heart, body, and mind, is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity. The spouses must engage themselves, to make their utmost effort to establish this relationship and to seek God's help thereto.
“desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Our mission welcomes all with open arms because we are all as humans are made in the image of God.

What is your understanding to Tradition?
We are clear in our believes on Traditions; they are the oral Traditions that were handed to us through the Holy Apostles and the Early Church Fathers on matters regarding the Faith. However, we are clear to acknowledge that there are also traditions (“t") that we ought to evaluate at all times since in most cases, these traditions ("t") are based on ethnic and cultural practises and are not based on Theological and Dogma matters. We confirm that we are serious on Traditions with regards to matters of the Faith and we are sceptic about traditions (“t”) that divides communities and confuse the faithful, traditions (“t”) that relate to ethnic social culture.

OK, I understand the Bible speaks of tradition, but where does the Orthodox Church’s Holy Tradition come from?

There are five basic sources that comprise “Holy Tradition”, passed down from one generation to the next, from Christ to the Apostles, in written and unwritten forms. The first is Holy Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. The second source is the Liturgy, which includes the entire body of the Church’s common and public worship (including the sacraments of the Church). The third are the councils of the Church, the first one recounted in the Book of Acts (Acts 15), and their subsequent creeds and canons. The fourth are the Saints of the Church, especially the writings of a particular group of saints called the “church fathers”. The fifth source of Church Tradition is Church art. Saint John of Damascus said that words written in books are “images”, as are material images like icons. Art is the use of the material to express the intangible and the revelation of God.

The Bible speaks of tradition, but where does the Orthodox Church’s Holy Tradition come from?
There are five basic sources that comprise “Holy Tradition”, passed down from one generation to the next, from Christ to the Apostles, in written and unwritten forms. The first is Holy Scripture, both Old and New Testaments. The second source is the Liturgy, which includes the entire body of the Church’s common and public worship (including the sacraments of the Church). The third are the councils of the Church, the first one recounted in the Book of Acts (Acts 15), and their subsequent creeds and canons. The fourth are the Saints of the Church, especially the writings of a particular group of saints called the “church fathers”. The fifth source of Church Tradition is Church art. Saint John of Damascus said that words written in books are “images”, as are material images like icons. Art is the use of the material to express the intangible and the revelation of God.

What is your understanding to Spirituality?
Spirituality in the Orthodox Church means the everyday activity of life in communion with God. The term spirituality refers not merely to the activity of man’s spirit alone, his mind, heart and soul, but it refers as well to the whole of man’s life as inspired and guided by the Spirit of God.
Every act of a Christian must be a spiritual act. Every thought must be spiritual, every word, every deed, every activity of the body, every action of the person. This means that all that a person thinks, says and does must be inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit so that the will of God the Father might be accomplished as revealed and taught by Jesus Christ the Son of God.
. .. whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10.31).
Doing all things to the glory of God is the meaning and substance of life for a human being. This “doing” is what Christian spirituality is about.

Do you only help Christians?
Absolutely not, we help all those who are in need regardless of: background, age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief.

Does a person have to be Greek,  Russian, Arabic or from some other European heritage to be an Orthodox Christian?
Most emphatically NO! The various Orthodox churches welcome anyone for worship and to consider membership. At the present time, the Orthodox churches in the West are experiencing significant growth from Protestants and Roman Catholics interested in our worship and doctrines. The Orthodox Church is Christ’s Church and is therefore open to everyone.

What is your understanding on the Virgin Mary?
The Virgin Mary, the Theotokos (in Greek word that means “God-bearer or Birth-giver to God”, the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son and Word of God. She conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is our belief and tradition that the holy Virgin was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ.
Our devotion to the Virgin Mary the Theotokos is not merely a matter of popular piety. It is also an expression of the central teaching of the Catholic Church, the doctrine of the Incarnation of Christ.
Mary to us represents the submission of humanity to the will of God.

You talk about the Kingdom of God continually. What is this Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God is what Christ has brought to the world. The Gospel is full of Christ’s insistence that the Kingdom of God is given to men by His coming. It is a Kingdom not of this world, but of God, a Kingdom of everlasting life in union with God, the Trinity.
Thus, we define the Kingdom of God as life in and with God. The Orthodox believe that this life is communicated to men in the Church through Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is a life where men worship and obey God and do His will by the presence and power of His Spirit.
One saint has even defined the Kingdom of God as life in the Holy Spirit, which is the same definition given by Orthodox to the Christian Church itself.
What we know in the Church, in the Holy Spirit, of communion with God the Father through Jesus Christ, remains still a mystery. The Kingdom is really here, but in symbol and sacrament. At the end of the ages this Kingdom will come with observation, with power and glory, when Christ will be revealed and God will be “all in all.”
Thus because we Orthodox believe that the Kingdom is already given to those who believe, and that the righteous dead have even a greater access to this Kingdom than we have on earth because of our mixture with the evil of this age, we insist that “heaven” is not a locatable place within the space of our created universe, but a spiritual, divine, condition of existence which will fill the universe at the end of time. It is “eternal life” already revealed to the saints in death and to the holy people of God within the sacramental life of the Christian Church.

What about Advent?
The Eastern - Right Liturgical year does not use the Roman Catholic structure and terminology for cretin seasons; we do not have Advent or Ordinary time. In the Eastern Tradition, the season prior to Christmas, known in the Latin Church as Advent, is called in the Eastern tradition the Nativity Fast.

You talk about the Church as unity in the truth and love of God. What do you mean by this?
We believe that the life of the Church is life in communion with God Himself, in the Truth and Love of Christ, by the Holy Spirit. We believe that Christ is the Son of God. We believe that He reveals the truth about God and man. We believe that we can know this truth by the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit that He gives to us.
The greatest truth shown to us by Christ is that God is Love, and that the only true way of living is by following Christ who called Himself, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Christ gave the great commandment and the great example of perfect love. Thus the greatest truth is love. This is our conclusion. And life in this truth which is love is the life of faith, the life of the Holy Church. Of course there are deviations and betrayals and sins all around. Clergy and laymen alike are guilty. But the Church itself, despite the sins of its members, is still the union with the Truth and Love of God given to men in Jesus Christ, made present and accessible in the Holy Spirit, who lives in those who believe. This is the mission of the Orthodox Church and that's what we pray and work for, Unity.

What is your religious habits and your liturgical vestments?
Our formal religious habit are with accordance to the tradition of either the Eastern or Western Tradition depending on the Rite that is followed.

If God is One, how can Christians have so many varying and even conflicting positions on theological, social, and moral issues?
Although the answer to this question is simple, it is not easily accepted, except by the humble. Quite simply: God is truly one, but we are not yet fully one with Him. As St. Dorotheus of Gaza once said, we are as points along the perimeter of a circle and God is at the very centre. As we draw closer to Him, we draw closer to one another, until finally we arrive at perfect union with Him and one another. The fact that we have conflicting positions on theological, social, and moral issues, should indicate to us that we need to draw closer to God, who alone can bring us closer together and make us one. This is the mission and activity of the Church, which has the Lord Jesus Christ as its centre, focal point, and means of unity.

What is the Doctrine of the Incarnation and why is it important?
The doctrine of the Incarnation is that the uncreated the Son of God has entered into creation, taking on flesh and becoming the prophesied Son of Man, the Saviour of the world. The doctrine says that Christ is a single person with two natures, divine and human; being both perfectly and fully God, while at the same time perfectly and fully man.
The term used in the Nicene Creed to describe the relationship between God the Father and the Son of God is homoousios – meaning of the same substance. In other words, as the Father is truly God, so is the Son truly God – both being fully divine. In taking on our human nature, being like us in everything except sin (which is simply a deformation of our humanity), the Son of God, becomes also now truly man, taking the name Jesus Christ, and therefore homoousios (of the same substance) with us. And so, as we are fully human, Christ is likewise fully human. And so in Christ, we see the perfect union of the divine and human natures. The Incarnate Christ now serves as the perfect and only vehicle (only mediator) for humanity’s return and reunion with God, who is the eternal Life from which man has fallen. In the Church, we are joined to Christ’s Body, becoming one with Him, and being reconciled through and in Him to God, saved from our sin (separation from God) and from death (separation from life).

Can you please explain how Christ can be both God and man?
There are many who questioned how this can be, how this could have taken place, how this can be intellectually comprehended, articulated, explained, etc.. And each attempt to bring this divine mystery down to the human level and dissect it under the faulty microscope of the imperfect mind has resulted in heresy. This is because the human mind has limitations – the greatest being the ironic lack of awareness of those very limitations (i.e. pride). And so, some said that Christ couldn’t be fully God, others that He could be fully man. The Arians thought the Son of God unequal to the Father and not fully God. The Docetists said that He only appeared to be man and really wasn’t so. But the Fathers in humility preserved and codified the Apostolic doctrine of the Incarnation, not explaining the “how” (which we can never comprehend) but expounding upon the “why”, which is for us men and our salvation. You see the Fathers knew that if Christ were not truly God and truly man at the same time, then He could not be the mediator and Savior, He could not reunite us with God, who is life, and we would remain dead in our sins.

What is your understanding to the Holy Spirit?
We believe the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit comes forth from God by the manner of procession; He proceeds from Him. He is not another Son.The Spirit of God does not proceed from the Father and the Son together; He proceeds from the Father ALONE. The Spirit is also the Spirit of the Son because He proceeds from the Father and rests on the Son. Everything that the Son has, divinely or humanly, He has received from the Father. From the Son, the Spirit then proceeds to us.The Son is the agent of all of the Father’s activities in the world, including the sending of the Holy Spirit.

Why did God give man free will, if He knew that man would choose evil?
We recall that God created the world good, and man very good. He also gave the commandment not to come to the knowledge of good and evil. In other words, man was commanded to know only goodness, and more than this, man was to grow in the participation of God – who alone is truly and infinitely good. This was God’s will – that man might share in everything that He Himself has as God – love, wisdom, life, light, etc.. And for this to happen, man needed to be like God, free. Man needed free will.
In His infinite foreknowledge, God knew that man would misuse this free will and choose evil. Yet, God permitted this because by so doing, man could come to understand the difference between good and evil, light and darkness, truth and falsehood, life and death. By personal experience, man was to grow in the realization that everything truly good can be found only in God, while everything truly evil can be found only in separation from and rejection of God. The Lord permitted man to misuse his freewill so that he might educate himself by this experience and come to spiritual maturity.
Of course, we might say that the easier path would have been simply to trust God and to listen to His commandment not to know evil. However, by allowing man to choose evil, God opened a way to show His compassion, forgiveness, mercy and love to measures beyond what man could have seen in the Garden of Eden. Man was now able to see the “love of God in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) When Christ hung on the Cross – the Creator rejected and put to death by His creation – He revealed the Father in a way beyond imagination or comprehension. He revealed the unfathomable depth of God’s loving-kindness. In so doing, by being lifted up on the Cross, He draws all men to Himself for truly nothing is more beautiful or desirous than self-sacrificial, unconditional love, even for one’s enemies. This is the love that conquers hatred, the light that the darkness could not overcome/comprehend, and the life that overthrows the power of death.
As Christians, it is our hope that all might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth – that all might have eternal life. “And this is eternal life, that they might know You, O heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent.” (John 17:3) It is our hope that even those who have sinned in the most horrid of fashions, might be changed by this love of God in Christ Jesus – a love which is and remains unconditional, all-powerful, and eternal. What man can withstand, overcome or outlast God’s infinite loving-kindness and patience?
Truly, the time is coming when “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Then no one will ask the question: Why did God give man free will? The answer will be obvious: So that God might reveal His infinite goodness, which is extended even to those who would crucify Him, and by the beauty of this love He might draw all of mankind to freely enjoy and share in His very being and life.
And so, the God Who was hidden, veiled, and invisible throughout the Old Testament, simply saying, “I AM Who I AM”, has now revealed Himself, showing Himself visibly in the Son who redeems man from his fall through the Cross, the Holy Spirit who sanctifies man by His indwelling presence, and the Father who shares not only His kingdom with His created sons but also His very Self. This was, after all, the plan from the beginning: that man might see the infinite beauty, love, and goodness of God, and having seen his Creator, that he might freely choose to share by grace in everything which God has by nature through the revelation and gift of the Holy Trinity.

Why are non - Christians unable to receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion in your Mission?
According to the earliest teachings of the Church, the Eucharist (Holy Communion) can only be administered to those who are Baptized and Chrismated into the Faith. A second century writing known as the Didache instructed believers to “let no one eat or drink from your Eucharist except those who are baptized in the Lord's Name.” In fact, so protective were the early Christians that, there were even restrictions implemented which prevented non-believers from entering churches or attending service.

Do you consider yourself a liberal Church?
We consider ourselves neither liberal nor conservative (two modern terms that are irrelevant to the Church mission). Our mission is to bring the good news to all mankind and preach the Gospel of our Lord. We believe the mission of the Church is to embrace and invite all individual to know Christ.