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This brochure served as an official statement of belief. To the best of our knowledge, it continues to accurately reflect belief and practice within the EOC.
We would like to introduce you to the Evangelical Orthodox Church. You may have some questions about its origins, structure, beliefs, and practices. This page addresses many of the questions most often asked about the Evangelical Orthodox Church. Hopefully, you will not only have the opportunity to read about the EOC, but to visit one of our churches, missions, or monasteries as well.
Desiring to be found in the mainstream of the historic Christian faith, many independent churches came together and became the Evangelical Orthodox Church in the mid-1970's. These various churches, believing themselves to have been led by the Holy Spirit, were eventually formed into a communion of churches that is held together by a common faith, worship, and practice in the bond of peace. They have a common council of bishops overseeing their life together, and who cooperate continually in establishing the Kingdom of God "on earth as it is in heaven." At present these churches are found in the United States, Canada, and Sweden.
In searching for the vocabulary of the ancient Church that would best describe our churches today with both Western and Eastern Christian terminology, two words were decided upon: evangelical and orthodox. Our desire is to be faithful to the evangelical commission of our Lord, and to be orthodox in the faith, worship, and practice of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. We do not claim to be a canonical Eastern Orthodox Church. However, we humbly suggest that God has brought us to a living expression of Orthodoxy in the twentieth century.
In the words of the Nicene Creed, the Church is "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic." From this ancient title we understand the Church to be:
One: The Church is one even as God is one. The pattern for our oneness is the Holy Trinity. Jesus prayed "that they may be one just as we are one" (John 17:22). The prayer and work of the Evangelical Orthodox Church is towards the true and greater unity of the Church.
Holy: The Church is both holy and called to holiness (Ephesians 5:25-27, I Peter 1:16). To be holy means to be set apart unto God with sufficient grace to live a life of purity and devotion that is pleasing to Him. May the Evangelical Orthodox Church always "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6) and be a communion where the mercy and justice of God "kiss" each other (Psalms 85:10).
Catholic: The word "catholic" literally means "according to the whole". The catholic Church is that Church which holds the faith, worship, and practice of the ancient, undivided, and apostolic Church. The Evangelical Orthodox Church desires to hold that faith, worship, and practice which was held "everywhere, always, by all" (from the canon of St. Vincent of Lerins).
Apostolic: The apostolic Church adheres to "the faith which was once and for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3) by the early apostles: men called, taught, gifted, and sent by our Lord Jesus Christ. This apostolic ministry continues in the Church today through her bishops. May the Evangelical Orthodox Church continually be led into all truth by the Holy Spirit that we might hold the faith, worship, and practice of the apostles (John 16:13).
Church: With Jesus Christ as her chief cornerstone, the Church is a community of God's people, "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" (Eph. 2:20). She herself is "the pillar and foundation of truth" (I Tim. 3:15), through which Jesus is present and active in the world today.
We of the Evangelical Orthodox Church believe that we are a part of the glorious Bride of Christ, this Temple of God, this Pillar and Foundation of the Truth, the Holy Church. By faith we are confident as to where the Church is. We are not as certain as to where she is not, since we believe that many Christian bodies have a part in her. We pray for the day when the Church will not be found in such a state of division here on earth. May she one day be on earth as she is in heaven.
Worship in the Evangelical Orthodox Church is liturgical, alive, and dignified. Our Sunday Liturgy is based on the St. John Chrysostom Divine Liturgy of the Orthodox Church. As a grand procession, our worship includes readings from the scriptures, liturgical songs of praise, intercessory prayers for the whole world, and finally concludes in partaking of the Lord's Supper, the Holy Eucharist. We close with prayers of thanksgiving.
Because we are a Western, evangelical expression of Orthodoxy, many Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox believers will identify with various aspects of our worship service. We maintain a strong emphasis on the written Word of God and preaching. We are Orthodox in our liturgical and sacramental view of the Church, embracing all of the gifts God grants to his people by the Holy Spirit. Throughout the worship, the music, imagery, and symbols involve one's whole being in manifesting the sacraments and mysteries of the Gospel, Christ in us!
The cross, icons, water, incense, oil, bread, and wine are ancient Christian symbols. When we make the sign of the cross, we are expressing our belief in the Holy Trinity whose triune work makes possible our salvation. The icons are "windows to heaven" that help us see the spiritual reality of entering the heavenly Holy of Holies. In Scripture the use of incense signifies the prayers of God's people-both on earth and in heaven-rising up before God. Water, of course, is the symbol of baptism and Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Bread and wine are the sacraments through which we receive the life-giving Body of Christ. The raising of our hands in worship symbolizes our surrender to the will and purpose of God, and our offering ourselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1-2).
Actually the liturgy does just the opposite. With people who are alive in their faith it ensures that all the components of worship are utilized. It provides for the freedom of expression as the Spirit moves, and involves the entire congregation, promoting a majestic atmosphere for praise and worship. The life and flow of worship is always dependent upon the grace of God and the delight of God's people who freely offer themselves to God.
We stand with the Apostle Paul, who teaches, "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, and instruction in righteousness" (II Timothy 3:16). In matters of interpretation, we hold with the fifth century Vincent of Lerins who wrote that in the Church itself, "the greatest care must be exercised to hold that which has been believed everywhere and always by all."
We confess with the historic Church that the Lord and Shepherd of our salvation, Jesus Christ, bids us to come to him in faith and to be washed in the waters of baptism through which our sins are remitted and the gift of the Holy Spirit is received (Acts 2:38). We further confess with the Apostle Paul that our salvation is by grace through faith. We also believe that salvation is an ongoing process of Christian maturity by which we are changed into His likeness.
While recognizing the importance of the Church to encourage repentance and grant forgiveness and mercy, the Church must also stand for biblical morality and ecclesiastical purity. Therefore the Evangelical Orthodox Church affirms:
That all human beings have the right to life from the time of conception until natural death. We believe that abortion on demand is sinful and murderous.
That God's creative distinction for mankind is male and female in their sexuality. Further, sexual intercourse outside the context of marriage and homosexual practice are sinful.
That offices and ministries are available to both men and women in the Church. The offices of bishop and priest are to be filled by godly men and the office of deacon and deaconess by godly men and women.
That the integrity of the family is to be preserved by the sanctity of marriage, and that the solution to marriage problems is not supposed to be divorce, but loving care, loving discipline, and self-sacrifice in the context of Christ's Church.
That the care of the orphans and the widows, the poor and the hungry, and others with social needs as defined by the Church, is to be encouraged and undertaken by all believers, especially in the neighborhoods where our churches are found.
Following the New Testament model as delineated by Ignatius of Antioch (ca. 117 A.D), we adhere to the historic church practice of the four orders: bishops, presbyters, deacons, and the people. The apostolic ministry of the bishop is to oversee his own eucharistic assembly as well as outlying missions. He is joined in this service by his council of local presbyters (from which the word prest or priest was taken, meaning elder), deacons (who serve the needs of the flock), together equipping all of God's people to "do the work of the ministry" (the priesthood of believers). This makes our church government episcopal, presbyterian and congregational.
It is first episcopal in that the bishops oversee the Evangelical Orthodox Church, safeguarding her unity, doctrine, worship, and discipline. It is presbyterian because each local church is shepherded by godly presbyters and deacons, who stand watch over the souls of their flock, protecting, providing, teaching, caring for and governing their charge. The fullness of church government is realized by the congregational "Amen" - the hearty corporate agreement that acknowledges the will and purpose of God.
The Evangelical Orthodox Church meets regularly as a Council of Bishops for their own care, discipline, and nurture, and to seek the will of God as regards their shared life together. No one bishop has authority over another. Whenever they meet, however, and for the sake of love and good order, the host bishop serves as the presider of the particular council. Each bishop desires to submit himself to the others in this context. Church matters are pressed out in accordance with the pattern established by the very first church council in Jerusalem (Acts 15).
Membering with an Evangelical Orthodox Church is not so much a matter of "joining," but rather of "entering." There is a process that one enters into based on ancient precedent. Active membership involves a high degree of commitment. Therefore, in order to count the cost, one is enrolled in an extensive catechism class after a firm profession of faith in Jesus Christ is made in the worship assembly. For those who are already Christians, this becomes more of an orientation to life in the church. However, for new believers, this is an explanation of the faith, worship, and practice of the mystery of Faith. At the end of the catechetical instruction, the new believer is baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity and received into the ranks of the faithful. The person who has already been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, however, is received through a formal service for that purpose.
If one is already a member of a church which is truly Christian, the acceptance for membership is conditioned by a sincere attempt for that member to be released with a blessing from his church, along with the stipulation that he or she not be under ecclesiastical discipline.
We are pleased that you have taken the time to read about the Evangelical Orthodox Church. By now we hope you have sensed that we are a people of God alive unto Christ and His Body the Church. Our desire is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Centuries ago the prophet Isaiah summoned the people of God to "Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations (Isaiah 62:10)." We in the Evangelical Orthodox Church have dedicated ourselves to that calling: to remove the barriers of a broken and divided Christendom and to pass through the gates together. May the days ahead find us bonded to our Lord Jesus Christ, and in some visible way, united with one another in anticipation of his second and glorious appearance.
Copyright © 2001 Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (EOC)