Church
St. Paul
Eastern Orthodox Church: a neutral profile of what this congregation describes about its beliefs.
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55.9122° N, 130.0193° WOpen map →TraditionEastern Orthodox ChurchAbout →
Sourcing statusTradition default
Beliefs on file1040 positions
Statement of faithNot on file
Where they stand
Each position below is labelled by how it was sourced, so you can weigh it for yourself.
VerifiedConfirmed by the church
From their statement of faithEstimated, not verified
Tradition defaultEstimated, not verified
Showing 67 of 1040 positions across 18 topics. Expand any topic to see the rest.
God & the Trinity55 positions
- Analogical LanguageStrongly affirmsTradition defaultHuman language about God is analogical: true but never capturing God univocally as it captures creatures.Estimated, not verified
- Apophatic PriorityStrongly affirmsTradition defaultWhat God is in himself is ultimately beyond human comprehension, so negative ("God is not...") statements are more reliable than positive ones.Estimated, not verified
Christ70 positions
- Assumed Fallen Human NatureStrongly rejectsTradition defaultChrist assumed a fully fallen human nature (subject to the effects of the Fall) in order to heal it from within.Estimated, not verified
- Assumed Unfallen Human NatureStrongly affirmsTradition defaultChrist assumed an unfallen, sinless human nature, untouched by original sin/corruption.Estimated, not verified
Sin & the fall54 positions
- Adams Sin Brought Physical DeathAffirmsTradition defaultPhysical death entered the human race as a consequence of Adam's sin; humans were not originally subject to death.Estimated, not verified
- All Sin Deserves Death EquallyRejectsTradition defaultEvery sin, however small, deserves God's condemnation/death: there is no class of sin that does not by nature merit it.Estimated, not verified
Salvation65 positions
- Assurance Of Salvation PossibleRejectsTradition defaultA believer can have a settled present assurance that they are saved.Estimated, not verified
- Atonement Heals Human Nature TheosisStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe atonement's deepest purpose is to heal and divinize human nature (joining humanity to God), more than to settle a legal account.Estimated, not verified
The Holy Spirit55 positions
- Anointing For Special MinistryAffirmsTradition defaultThe Spirit grants a special "anointing" empowering particular individuals for ministry beyond the common indwelling.Estimated, not verified
- Assurance Is Normal For BelieversRejectsTradition defaultSettled assurance of salvation is normal and to be expected for genuine believers in this life.Estimated, not verified
The Church75 positions
- Apostolic Succession Required For Valid MinistryStrongly affirmsTradition defaultA minister's ordination is only VALID if conferred by a bishop standing in apostolic succession.Estimated, not verified
- Apostolicity Is Doctrinal Not SuccessionalStrongly rejectsTradition defaultApostolicity consists primarily in fidelity to apostolic DOCTRINE, not in an unbroken chain of ordinations from the apostles.Estimated, not verified
Sacraments & ordinances73 positions
- Anointing For Healing PracticeStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe church should anoint the sick with oil and pray over them for healing (per James 5).Estimated, not verified
- Anointing Sick Is A SacramentStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAnointing of the sick with oil is a sacrament conveying grace, healing, and forgiveness to the seriously ill.Estimated, not verified
Worship & liturgy65 positions
- Altar Call InvitationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultA public invitation/altar call inviting people to come forward to receive Christ or rededicate is a fitting close to worship.Estimated, not verified
- Altar Oriented ArchitectureStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe worship space should be ordered around an altar/holy table as its visual and theological focus.Estimated, not verified
Last things43 positions
- A Literal Mark Of The Beast Is ComingAffirmsTradition defaultA literal future "mark of the beast" will be imposed as a condition of economic participation.Estimated, not verified
- Apocalyptic Prophecy Read Literally FuturisticallyRejectsTradition defaultThe prophecies of Daniel and Revelation should be read primarily as literal predictions of still-future events.Estimated, not verified
Scripture57 positions
- Authority Creeds SubordinateRejectsTradition defaultThe ecumenical creeds and confessions are authoritative only insofar as they faithfully summarize Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Authority Holy Tradition OrthodoxStrongly affirmsTradition defaultScripture is rightly read only within Holy Tradition: the Fathers, councils, liturgy, and consensus of the Church.Estimated, not verified
Revelation, creation & science33 positions
- Adam Special Creation From DustStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe first human was specially and directly created by God from the dust, not biologically descended from earlier hominins.Estimated, not verified
- Angels Created BeingsStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAngels and other spiritual beings are part of God's created order, made by God.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Continuous Creatio ContinuaRejectsTradition defaultGod is best understood as creating continuously and in cooperation with an evolving, partly self-creating world (creatio continua), rather than as having finished creation.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Ex NihiloStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod created the universe out of nothing (ex nihilo), not from pre-existing matter.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Ongoing ProvidenceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod continually sustains the universe in being; creation is not merely a past event but an ongoing dependence on God.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Purposeful TeleologyStrongly affirmsTradition defaultCreation has a real divine purpose and direction (telos), not merely the appearance of order arising from undirected processes.Estimated, not verified
- Creation Will Be Renewed Not DestroyedStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe present physical creation will be redeemed and renewed (a "new heavens and new earth"), not annihilated and replaced.Estimated, not verified
- Day Age InterpretationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe "days" of Genesis 1 represent long ages or epochs, allowing for an old earth while keeping the sequence broadly historical.Estimated, not verified
- Deism No Special RevelationStrongly rejectsTradition defaultGod created the world and established its laws but does not intervene with miracles or verbal revelation; he is known through reason and nature alone.Estimated, not verified
- Environmental Stewardship Creation CareStrongly affirmsTradition defaultCaring for the created order (environmental stewardship) is a genuine theological duty flowing from the doctrine of creation.Estimated, not verified
- Evolution Unguided No GodStrongly rejectsTradition defaultBiological evolution is an entirely unguided, purposeless process requiring no divine involvement of any kind.Estimated, not verified
- Fine Tuning Design EvidenceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe fine-tuning of the universe's physical constants is real evidence of intelligent design or a divine designer.Estimated, not verified
- General Revelation ConscienceStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe human conscience and moral sense are a form of God's revelation, giving real knowledge of right and wrong written on the heart.Estimated, not verified
- General Revelation RealStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod genuinely reveals something of himself through the natural world and the created order, apart from Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Genesis Intended As HistoryStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGenesis 1-3 is intended as an account of actual historical events, not primarily as theological symbol, poetry, or myth.Estimated, not verified
- God Sole CreatorStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe one triune God is the sole creator of everything that exists, including all spiritual and material reality.Estimated, not verified
- Historical Adam EveStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAdam and Eve were real, historical individuals, the literal first human beings.Estimated, not verified
- Historical Fall EventStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe fall of humanity into sin was a real historical event by the first humans, not merely a symbol of the universal human condition.Estimated, not verified
- Humanity MonogenismStrongly affirmsTradition defaultAll human beings descend from a single original couple (monogenism).Estimated, not verified
- Image Of God SpecialStrongly affirmsTradition defaultHumans bear the image of God in a way that sets them qualitatively apart from all other animals, by a special divine act or endowment.Estimated, not verified
- Intelligent Design DetectableAffirmsTradition defaultCertain features of biology exhibit "irreducible" or "specified" complexity that is best explained by intelligent design and could not arise by unguided evolution.Estimated, not verified
- Material Creation GoodStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe material, physical world is intrinsically good as God made it, not evil, illusory, or a prison for the soul.Estimated, not verified
- Miracles Continue TodayStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod still performs miracles today (healings, signs, answered prayer beyond natural explanation) as he did in biblical times.Estimated, not verified
- Miracles Possible In PrincipleStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod can and does act in the world in ways that supersede or suspend ordinary natural causes (genuine miracles are possible).Estimated, not verified
- Natural Knowledge Of God Saving InsufficientStrongly affirmsTradition defaultWhatever knowledge of God nature provides is insufficient for salvation; saving knowledge requires special revelation in Christ and Scripture.Estimated, not verified
- Natural Theology Proofs ValidAffirmsTradition defaultRational arguments (e.g., cosmological, teleological, moral) can validly demonstrate, or strongly support, the existence of God from observable reality.Estimated, not verified
- Physical Death Human Consequence Of SinAffirmsTradition defaultHuman physical death is a consequence of sin; humans were created to be immortal in body and would not have died apart from the fall.Estimated, not verified
- Providence Through Natural LawStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGod ordinarily acts through natural laws and secondary causes, which are themselves his ongoing governance, rather than by frequent direct intervention.Estimated, not verified
- Resurrection Bodily HistoricalStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe resurrection of Jesus was a real, bodily, historical event, not merely a symbol of hope or the disciples' inner experience.Estimated, not verified
- Science Faith ConcordismAffirmsTradition defaultProperly interpreted Scripture and properly conducted science will agree, and apparent conflicts arise from misreading one or the other.Estimated, not verified
- Soul Special InfusionAffirmsTradition defaultEven if the human body has an evolutionary history, God specially creates or infuses a spiritual soul in each human (or in the first humans).Estimated, not verified
- Special Revelation NecessaryStrongly affirmsTradition defaultA clear and reliable knowledge of God and his saving purposes requires God's special, verbal self-revelation, not merely general revelation.Estimated, not verified
- Universe Eternal No BeginningStrongly rejectsTradition defaultThe universe (or some physical reality) is eternal and had no absolute beginning.Estimated, not verified
Life & bioethics67 positions
- Abortifacient Contraception WrongStrongly affirmsTradition defaultMethods that can prevent implantation of an already-fertilized embryo (e.g., certain IUDs, emergency contraception) are morally equivalent to early abortion and impermissible.Estimated, not verified
- Abortion Gravely Wrong In PrincipleStrongly affirmsTradition defaultDeliberately ending a pregnancy by killing the unborn is in itself a grave moral wrong.Estimated, not verified
Sexuality & marriage53 positions
- Abortifacient Contraception WrongStrongly affirmsTradition defaultContraceptive methods that may act after fertilization (potential abortifacients) are morally wrong even if other contraception is permitted.Estimated, not verified
- Annulment Recognizes Invalid MarriageAffirmsTradition defaultSome unions that appeared to be marriages were never valid marriages, and the church can rightly declare them null (annulment).Estimated, not verified
Society & politics55 positions
- Active Nonviolent Resistance ObligatoryAffirmsTradition defaultChristians should actively resist injustice through nonviolent means (protest, civil disobedience, noncooperation), not merely abstain from violence.Estimated, not verified
- Almsgiving Is A Binding ObligationStrongly affirmsTradition defaultGiving to the poor is a binding moral obligation, not optional charity, and to withhold from the needy is a sin.Estimated, not verified
Angelology Demonology58 positions
- Angelic Fall Caused By PrideStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe angels fell primarily through pride: refusing subjection to God / seeking to exalt themselves.Estimated, not verified
- Angelic Fall Predates Human FallAffirmsTradition defaultThe angelic rebellion occurred before the fall of humanity, and the serpent's temptation issued from an already-fallen angel.Estimated, not verified
Anthropology55 positions
- Body Essential To PersonStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe body is essential to being a complete human person, not an accidental or dispensable container for the soul.Estimated, not verified
- Body GoodStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe material human body is intrinsically good as created by God.Estimated, not verified
Covenant Law Israel32 positions
- Abrahamic Covenant Foundational And OngoingStrongly affirmsTradition defaultThe Abrahamic covenant is foundational and its promises remain operative for the people of God today.Estimated, not verified
- Believers No Longer Under Laws CondemnationStrongly affirmsTradition defaultBelievers are entirely free from the law's condemning function but remain under its directing function.Estimated, not verified
Mariology Saints75 positions
- All Believers Are SaintsRejectsTradition default"Saints" in the New Testament sense means all believers, not a special canonized class.Estimated, not verified
- Altar Relics Required Or ProperStrongly affirmsTradition defaultIt is fitting (or required) that altars contain the relics of saints.Estimated, not verified
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