Eastern Orthodox Churches Essay

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Catholic Churches and Eastern Orthodox Churches have parted ways since 1054. The Roman Catholics believe in one higher hierarchy, the Pope. The Eastern Orthodox Churches believe that everyone is equal, so there are multiple high bishops. Neither one of these ways of practicing hierarchy works perfectly. The main two sacraments we will be talking about are Baptism and Confirmation, a little bit of first communion too. Orthodox Churches do not refer to these celebrations as sacraments, but as mysteries because “what we believe is not the same as what we see, but we see one thing and believe another” (Ware 274). Here are some general definitions of the sacraments that apply to both Churches. Baptism is a religious sacrament of either full immersion in water or sprinkling water onto a person’s forehead, symbolizing purification and joining the Christian Church. Confirmation is a religious sacrament that is performed on a baptized individual to fully make them members of the church. First Communion is another sacrament that symbolizes a spiritual union between the individual receiving The Body of Christ and Christ. Both churches perform these sacraments at different times and sometimes in different …show more content…

Yes, I am biased because I am one. But I believe it is the right way because as infants we get to have that gift of the Holy Spirit at a young age to always be with us. Also, being baptized young and being welcomed into a spiritual community such as the Church plays an important role in my life. The Church is there for us to grow in our faith and around individuals with the same beliefs as our own. I am very thankful for growing up in a Greek Orthodox Church and having the friends that I have had since we were in Pre-Kindergarten going to Sunday School together. The Church should play an important role in everyone’s lives no matter what religion they

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