THEOLOGICAL POSITION

WE BELIEVE:

  1. That our Lord Jesus Christ was both God and Man, perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His Humanity, and that He, without confusion or alteration or fusion, was both God and Man simultaneously while He was on earth. He is the only son of God the Father conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Theotokos Mary, was crucified, died, buried, and then conquered death by His Resurrection.
  2. That in one God-head there are three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and that each is eternal.
  3. That the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 15:26).
  4. That together with the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is adored and glorified.
  5. That there are three Creeds: Apostles, Athanasian, and Nicene.
  6. That there are three universally accepted Ecumenical Councils which are: Nicaea (A.D. 325), Constantinople (AD. 381), and Ephesus (A.D. 431).
  7. That there are seven grace-giving and Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church: Baptism, Holy Chrismation (Chrisma), Holy Eucharist, Penance or Confession of Sins, Holy Priesthood, Holy Matrimony, and Holy Unction of the Sick. The sacraments were instituted by Christ as a means of obtaining grace.
  8. There are seven effects of Holy Baptism:
    9.
    • Regeneration (John 3:5);
    • Forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38);
    • Putting on of Christ (Galatians 3:27);
    • Salvation (Mark 16:16, I Peter 3:21);
    • Burial and Resurrection within Christ (Romans 6:4-6);
    • Baptism by water using the Formula;
    • Baptism of Infants.
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  9. That the Holy Spirit is received through the Mystery of Holy Chrisma when anointed with Holy Myron (Chrism) (I John 2:20,27).
  10. That our sins are forgiven by God through Confession of Sins to the priest (Matthew 18:18).
  11. That in the Holy Eucharist there is the Real Presence of our Lord's Body and Blood effected by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 26:26-28; I Corinthians 10:16.
  12. The elements of bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ after the Epiclesis (Calling on the Holy Spirit).
  13. That the sick and dying should be administered Holy Unction (James 5:14-15).
  14. That the bonds of marriage are to be perpetual but for just cause, e.g., adultery, may be dissolved and divorce granted (Matthew 5:32, 19:9, Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18), for apostasy (I Corinthians 7:15), and for other serious offenses approved through time by the Holy Synods.
  15. That there must be monogamy in true marriage, and polygamy must be rejected as sinful.
  16. That only men may be ordained to theMinor Orders and Sacred Orders of Deacon, Priest and Bishop. 
    17.
  17. That altars shall be erected in all churches and chapels for the Divine Liturgy and for raising incense to the Throne of God (Hebrews 13:15, Malachi 1:11, Revelation 8:3-4).
  18. That icons should adorn our churches, and that statues not be used in keeping with the Commandment of God, and that these icons be used to give a heavenly appearance. Furthermore, we believe in hyper-veneration of icons, i.e., the lighting of candles in front of icons and the incensing of them..
  19. That the Blessed Mother Mary, the Theotokos, was perpetually a virgin and the Mother of God.
  20. That purgatory is a Roman innovation which must be rejected.
  21. That the idea of primacy over bishops be rejected.
  22. That we abstain from meat (and fast when directed) during the Great Lent, through the year, except fst-free weeks, on Wednesdays (from red meats) and Fridays (from all meats), and other fast periods of the Church.
  23. That faith without good works is dead (James 2:18-20).
  24. That tradition is a viable source of our teachings.
  25. That the Church has its own rites and laws.
  26. That heresies and beliefs against the original teachings of the Christian Church, and that certain cultic religious beliefs (as with Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses) are anathema and to be rejected.
  27. That the errors and heresies of Nestorianism are anathema, and that we believe  St Mary the Virgin is the Theotokos (Mother of God), (Luke 1:43).
  28. That the Bible is in fact the inspired work of God.
  29. That all healing comes from God, and that it is our duty to care for the body-temple through theocentric holistic healing and care of the mind, body, and spirit (soul) as being truly right and just, as well as seek medical care when necessary. That biblical healing methods and remedies are not to be controlled by men utside the Church.
  30. That every human creature from the time of conception is of God, made in His image and likeness, a precious soul, and that unjust termination of such life by man is sinful and anathema.
  31. That we should believe as St Vincent of Lerins said: "Let us hold that which has been delivered everywhere; always and by a1l, for that is truly and properly Catholic."
  32. That Church and State should be separate so that we may give proper glorification to God. That the Church is of God, here for God, and shall always be subject to Almighty God

Therefore, deeply aware of our duty to God and all who love and believe in the Faith of our Fathers, let us strive to love God and our neighbor with our whole mind, our whole body, and our whole spirit. Amen!

The Syric-Greek Antiochian Orthodox Catholic (also known as Syro-Russian Synod).