Blackwell Reference Online

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[xiii.d] A family of self-governing churches following the doctrine of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. The Orthodox communion includes the four ancient Patriarchates (see Patriarch) of Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople, and the churches of Bulgaria, Belarus, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine, in each of which it is the major religious community; it also includes the Orthodox churches of Albania, China, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the USA. Orthodox communities belonging to various jurisdictions exist in Western Europe, in Africa (see African orthodox) and Australasia.Since the separation of the Nestorian and Monophysite churches (see Christology), and the loss of Communion with the Western Church, the Orthodox Church is the main historical inheritor of the Byzantine tradition of Christianity (see Eastern catholics; Christianity, history and character of). Orthodox theology is strongly trinitarian (see Trinity) and apophatic. In his essence God is utterly unknowable but is present throughout creation in his energies. The energies are God and can be experienced. The human being is created in the image and likeness of God: by the Sin of Adam human nature is damaged and the likeness to God fades, but the image remains. Adam's sin brings death into the world, and because of death sin ... log in or subscribe to read full text