I believe In One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church
The
Church is one because it is the Body of Christ: Christ cannot have many bodies.
When we say ‘One Church’ we also mean that only in this ‘one’ Church can we
find salvation.
The
Church is one even though there are many Christians all over the world.
Remember the example of Christ the Shepherd — the sheep are many but there is
one sheepfold and one Shepherd. The Church isn’t divided into branches with
each containing a small part of the Church because each church building and its
faithful together are the whole Church.
Our
most important duty as Orthodox Christians is to live our lives according to
the teachings of the Church because it is only from within the One Church that
we have the possibility of living as Christ commanded.
The
Church is holy because it is the Body of Christ. Although we are sinners, by
being members of Christ’s Body, the Church, we can unite ourselves with Christ.
Only within this Holy Church can we partake of the Body and Blood of Christ in
the Eucharist.
The
word catholic means ‘universal.’ The Church is called catholic both because it
is known throughout the world and because it possesses all truth. Only within
the Church can we be united with Christ. It is also called catholic because all
of us have a common life in Christ in the Church. We are all sinners, but we
are all united in faith as members together of the Body of Christ. We all have
the possibility to become gods by grace.
The word
apostle means ‘someone who is sent.’ The Church is called apostolic because
Christ was sent by the Father to unite us with his Body in the Church. Christ
is the Father’s Apostle as St. Justin
the Martyr writes:
Much has been written to prove that Jesus the Christ is the Son of God and the Father’s Apostle. He is the Word Who existed from before the ages, Who appeared sometimes in the form of fire, and sometimes in the likeness of angels; but now, by the will of God, He has become man for the race of man.
The
Church is also called apostolic because it is based on the teaching of the
apostles. The Church is still apostolic even now. The Orthodox Church preserves
her apostolic succession; the bishops are ordained in a continuous line from
the apostles. Just as important as the actual physical connection between our
bishops and the apostles is the fact that they hold the same faith as the
apostles.
Excerpt from 'The Ark of Salvation'
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