Teachings of Orthodoxy

For the past year or so I have been considering conversion to Orthodox Christianity.  I have read many things on the internet, as well as a number of books about the Church’s faith, worship and…

At present, my wife and I are seriously considering conversion to Orthodox Christianity.  I, however, am concerned that my many past sins would prevent me from being accepted into the Church.  I…

I was reading your answers about faith and life. I have been raised to believe that grace is all that is necessary for salvation… no works. But having read the verse from James that you quoted…

Recently I came across some quotes from St. John Chrysostom concerning wealth which I find disturbing. First, he writes, “our money is the Lord’s, however we may have gathered it.” Second, God…

If this is so, how do you understand life in this world right now? What is it that men should do?

You also keep speaking about the experience of God and communion with God. Do you really believe that these things are possible for men?

You have mentioned Christ, the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Can you say something more about the Trinity?

You will have to be more specific than. You called Christ the Son of God. This is a common phrase. What do you actually mean by it?

You talk about the Church as unity in the truth and love of God. What do you mean by this?

What is the proper name for the Orthodox Church? One sees so many, and of such different variety!

I was wondering why—and I assume this came before the Catholic/Greek split—the church changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday.

I never realized it until a Jewish friend mentioned that…

Is there an explanation for why Eastern Christians make the sign of the cross from the right should to the left, while Western Christians make the sign of the cross from the left shoulder to the right.

What are your beliefs about the Virgin Mary—most particularly do you pray to her?

Why do you pray for the departed? The Bible clearly says it is appointed unto man once to die and after that…

Can you comment on this: “Blessed Augustine is respected in the Orthodox Church as a teacher, because of his wonderful defense of the Church’s teachings against the various heresies of his time,…

Where can one obtain the names of the many orthodox devotional service—I’m not speaking of the Divine Liturgy or the Hours—in parallel columns with greek terms and slavic terms…

What is the Orthodox attitude toward circumcision?

A Protestant told me that just believing in Jesus is enough to get one into heaven. This isn’t what I was taught, or is my memory incorrect? Please clarify this. These born-again Christians can be…

You talk about the Kingdom of God continually. What is this Kingdom of God?

I would like to know what is the orthodox canon regarding the “original sin.” The following confuse me:

Father Michael Azkoul states that God punished man only once for the original sin by…

This leads one to think of Orthodoxy as a very loosely organized body. How is the Orthodox Church organized and how is it held together as one worldwide Church?

Is it true, as I have been told, that the Orthodox Church does not celebrate Augustine of Hippo as a Saint and has no doctrine of original sin.

Surely human sufficience is at the root of secularism.