The True Church of Christ
Preaching in the Russian Church; Lectures and Sermons by a Priest of the Holy Orthodox Church: Chapter IV
What is the Orthodox Church?1 The Orthodox Church is a body or community of people, who, 1—correctly believe in divine revelation; and 2—who obey a lawful hierarchy instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ himself, through the holy apostles. In order to belong to the Orthodox Church two principal conditions are required: First—to accurately accept, rightly understand, and truthfully confess the divine teaching of faith; and secondly—to acknowledge the lawful hierarchy or priesthood, to receive from it the holy mysteries or sacraments, and generally to follow its precepts in matters concerning salvation.
Let us now consider the question concerning the true and divine doctrine of holy faith.
The divine teaching of our holy religion is contained in the books of the holy scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments, and in holy Tradition. The principal dogma2, i.e. the sacramental ones3, are laid down briefly in the “creed,” which commences with these words: I believe in one God, the Father, and which was compiled by the holy fathers of the first two universal councils in the fourth century. The moral truths of the Orthodox Faith are contained chiefly in the Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai which were completed and explained by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel and especially in the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount.
The doctrine, which does not agree with the true understanding of holy scripture and holy tradition, which is preserved in the Orthodox Catholic Church from the apostles’ time, is termed heresy; translated from the Greek language this word signifies separation. Certainly, it is to be understood that such who separate or draw others away from the body of the church by false teaching, thereby they excommunicate themselves from her fold.
Heresy, or injury to the teaching of Christ, began as early as the times of the apostles. St. Paul wrote to Titus, who was bishop on the island of Crete: “A man that is a heretic after a first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinneth, being self condemned.” (Titus, iii. 10, 11). The holy apostle Paul has written to the Corinthian Christians thus: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.” (1 Cor., ix. 19). The bishops, as the successors of the apostles, endeavored from the earliest times to transmit the teaching of Christ, which they received from the apostles accurately. Thus our faith was carefully, even to the letter, transmitted by tradition. It is plainly understood how holy tradition became a channel by which truths were conveyed to rising generations, as the first bishops themselves received the word and also necessary instructions from the apostles, not only in writing, but also orally; i.e. by word, face to face; therefore it is clear that this apostolic tradition was in itself an explanation of the holy scriptures, as it were—a supplement.
In regard to holy writ, the bishops were careful that no false books be counted in with the genuine collection, which was left by the apostles, and also that the original writings of the apostles themselves be not injured or marred by heretics through the least addition or omission to the text of holy scripture. And if a false teacher be found his teachings was at once examined by the bishops, and they declared before the Church universal that such and such a doctrine was not known to them, that they did not receive it from the apostles, and that it did not agree with the doctrine of the apostles. Heresy caused the gathering of local and general councils, in which the false teaching was compared with the holy scripture and tradition and then rejected. In course of time the apostolical tradition, which was transmitted orally at first, was gradually, as the necessities of the church demanded, committed to writing; and it is found in the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the first several centuries.
Although all heretics, whoever they be, do not belong to the church, yet, judging from the character of their false teaching, some are nearer to her, while others are greatly separated from her, and therefore the church receives into her communion the repentant heretics differently; namely—by three distinct offices during public worship. These offices were formulated in the time of the general councils. If we are spared we shall in some future time explain these offices, and also what differences and contradictions there are in the heresies themselves. Now we continue to briefly review the Orthodox Faith.
The principal dogma of our religion are these:
1—The doctrine of God as He is in His being; one God in substance, but in three persons; the Trinity consubstantial and undivided; the Father unoriginate; the Son begotten of the Father before all ages; and the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from the Father.
2—The doctrine of the Son of God, as the Savior of the human race; the second person of the Most Holy Trinity, the Son of God, who was incarnate for our salvation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who suffered and died in the flesh, arose again; ascended into the heavens, and he shall come again to judge the living and the dead.
3—The doctrine of the Holy Ghost, as the sanctifier and perfecter of the salvation of mankind; that He is sent on earth by the Father for the merits of Jesus Christ, and abides in the holy, Catholic, and apostolic church, preserves in her the Orthodox teaching of faith unimpaired and saves the faithful chiefly by means of the holy mysteries (or sacraments), regenerating, enlightening, edifying and strengthening in the spiritual life. Upon these truths are founded also the other dogma of the Christian religion; viz: That of the Mother of God4, the veneration of the saints of God, sacred images, the administration of the church, etc.
We have already learned that the true confession of faith by itself is not sufficient for salvation. Of necessity, another condition is required to belong to the Orthodox Church, and that is the recognition of a lawful hierarchy5, the reception of sacraments from the same hierarchy, and obedience to it in matters concerning salvation. In a community of Christians in which there is no lawful bishop, who is the dispenser of the gifts of saving grace, there are no sacramental gifts of the Holy Ghost, there can be no mystery of the body and blood of Christ, and where the Holy Ghost and Christ are not present, who sacramentally abide in Christians, there, of course, can be no church. Sacred scripture testifies to this very decidedly.
Let us turn our attention to the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. What do we read there? At the time when a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem and the holy archdeacon Stephen was stoned to death, then the Christians, excepting the apostles, scattered in different places of Judea and Samaria. The deacon Philip, who came into the city of Samaria, preached Christ there. The people with one heart gave heed to what Philip said, seeing the miracles which he worked; for the unclean spirits came out of many; some they left with wild cries, and many who were impotent and lamed became whole. And there was great joy in that city. There was a man in that place, one Simon by name, who before this practiced sorcery and confounded the people of Samaria, giving himself out as someone great. Many followed him, saying that he had the power of God. But when they believed Philip, who spoke to them of the good tidings of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they received baptism of him, both men and women. And so did Simon believe, and after being baptized he remained with Philip, and, seeing the great powers and signs which were manifested, he wondered. The apostles, who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John, who, having come, prayed over them that they might receive the Holy Ghost, and laying their hands upon them they received the Holy Ghost. Upon seeing that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Holy Ghost was given, Simon brought them money, saying: Give me this power, that upon whomsoever I lay my hands the same will receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him: Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money. Thou has neither part nor lot in this matter.
From this history, it can be seen that during the time of the apostles there were grades in the hierarchy. Philip, who was one of the seven deacons, notwithstanding that he received grace for the office of a deacon from the apostles, notwithstanding that by the Holy Ghost, who was with him, he performed many great works, yet he could not bring down the Holy Ghost upon the Samaritans, whom he had baptized. But when the apostles Peter and John had come they prayed and laid their hands upon them. Then the Holy Ghost came down upon them and was manifested in signs and miracles. The apostles transmitted the power of conferring the Holy Ghost only to the bishops. In other parts of the same book of the Acts of the Apostles, and in the epistles of St. Paul to Timothy, the Bishop of Ephesus, and to Titus, the Bishop of Crete, there are plain statements pertaining to the grade or office of presbyter, which is a middle one, between the episcopate and diaconate.
Which hierarchy is the true and lawful one? It is the priesthood which had retained and continued to follow these conditions:
1—In the first place such a hierarchy is true, which received the grace of the Holy Ghost from the apostles themselves in an unbroken line of succession from one to another. If, for instance, in a certain locality the bishops and priests were found to be wanting, the succession being broken, and in their absence, the laity elected new ones and lay their hands upon them, and proclaimed them to be bishops and presbyters, such a hierarchy would be unlawful and without grace, as the laity cannot transmit that which they do not possess themselves—the grace of the priesthood. In the time when the erring church of Rome was the cause of the Protestant separation in the sixteenth century, there was not a bishop in any of the countries that sided with them, excepting in England alone6, where Protestantism appeared later than in Germany. The Protestants commenced to elect and establish presbyters themselves, and these ministers not only baptize, but they officiate at a so-called communion service, which of course is not a valid sacrament, as the ministers have no apostolic ordination, and they are not presbyters.
As we learn from history, it is only such a hierarchy which is authentic—that received the grace of the priesthood from the Lord Jesus Christ’s apostles themselves, through an unbroken succession of the lawful heirs of this sacrament. And this is necessary. As the inclination to sin is transmitted successively from one to another by inheritance in the conception and birth of the body, thus also grace, that is the power of God, which wipes away sin and gives strength in struggle with it, for the merits of the new Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, being bestowed, it is transmitted uninterruptedly by the laying on of episcopal hands in the priesthood, by anointing all Christians with holy chrism, and also through sacred acts and visible forms in other sacraments.
2. Secondly, an authentic hierarchy is such, which confesses all the truths of holy religion, for there are heresies which entirely deprive bishops and priests of the ministerial grace.
3. Thirdly, for a priesthood to be lawful, it must administer the sacraments orderly, according to the rules of the holy church Catholic, not changing essential actions, as there are acts and conditions in the rites of mysteries that are essential, without which a certain sacrament may not be valid. Should a sacred minister violate an essential rule, he is subject to degradation if the violation has been intentional, or, at least, the mystery is void of power. The seventh rule of the apostolic canon enjoins: “Should anyone, bishop or presbyter, administer not three immersions in baptism in commemoration of the death of the Lord, but one, let him be cast out.” And those who were baptized by one immersion, it was ordered that they should be rebaptized. If a priest should consecrate Chrism himself, and anoint the newly baptized with it, such an act would not be the mystery of unction with Chrism, because it would be the usurpation of the rights and the power of a bishop, and such a thing is forbidden presbyters by the sixth rule of the Council of Carthage. Should a bishop or priest use only water in place of wine in the mystery of communion, as some heretics do, such an offering would not be a true sacrament.
4. Fourthly, to be a lawful and true hierarchy the same must be governed and must govern its spiritual charge according to the rules of the holy apostles, the seven ecumenical councils and other laws which are accepted by the Orthodox Church in general. Having apostatized from these universal or Catholic church regulations, the Roman church invented doctrine concerning the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over all the Christian churches. This has been one of the chief causes of the Romish schism or separation from the Orthodox Catholic church.
5. A fifth condition necessary for proving the lawfulness of the priesthood is its unity with the Orthodox Church in the spirit of peace and love. Whoever destroys the unity, except for a genuine and important cause, and the bishops and priests together with Christians who follow them, that separate themselves from the higher church authorities, are excommunicated from the church, according to the rules of the apostles and the canons of the councils.
The Orthodox Church, which is one, is one spiritual body, animated only by the Holy Ghost, having only one head—the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Orthodox Church is holy, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing (Ephes., v. 27). She sanctifies sinners by her teaching and sacraments.
The Orthodox Church is Catholic, i.e. collective, because she was organized by the Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of all people in the whole world, and she is the gathering of all true believers in all places, times, and peoples.
The Orthodox Church will continue on earth until the second coming of Christ, imperishable and not conquered by any powers of hell. In regard to holy doctrine, she is blameless and will ever remain unchangeable, as she has abiding in her the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, therefore she is, according to the apostle, a pillar and the foundation of truth (1 Tim., iii. 15). The existence of the lawful hierarchy and the administration of the holy mysteries will never cease in the church.
The Lord Jesus Christ himself had said: I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against her, and again: Behold I am with you always, even unto the end of ages. Therefore, it is the duty of the Christian to obey the church, for, outside of her, there is no salvation. If thy brother neglect to hear the church, let him be to thee as a heathen man and a publican (Matt., xviii. 17), saith the Lord.
May God, who is glorified in the Trinity, help us by His grace to become, through our membership in the church militant on earth, members of the church triumphant in heaven, that we may glorify His all-honorable and majestic name with the angels and saints forever, without end. Amen.
This is a digital edition of Beacon from the Bay: The Collected Works of Saint Sebastian Dabovich of Jackson and San Francisco, a several-month-long project to catalogue the out-of-print works of Saint Sebastian Dabovich, the first American-born Orthodox priest.
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The author is indebted for assistance in compiling the purely theological portions of these papers to the works of the M. Rev. Dr. Sergius, Archbishop of Vladimir, Russia.
These truths
Which may also be understood as the theoretical
See the author’s Ritual, Services and Sacraments of the Eastern Apostolic Church.
Or priesthood
Individually we have not the power to assert that the Church of England has retained all the conditions whereby she may not be an erring branch of the Catholic Church.