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Orthodox Church

2008-06-26T14:45:17Z

NancyBoersen: /* Church of Albania */ Added nationality

The '''Orthodox Churches''' are the second largest body of [[Christians]], with an estimated membership between 250 million and 350 million people. The Orthodox Churches understand themselves to constitute the original Catholic Christian Church founded by [[Jesus Christ]]. The Orthodox faith is notable for its use of [[icon|icons]], candles, incense, relics of [[saint]]s, and beautiful vestments during her rich liturgical services. It is often confused with the Byzantine-rite Catholics who are in communion with the Pope of Rome. The Orthodox are not in communion with the [[Roman Catholics]], whom they view as holding several false doctrines. While in the West the Orthodox Churches may be thought of as the Church in Russia, Greece, and other Eastern European countries, they are present on all inhabited continents and in most countries of the world.

== Beliefs of Orthodox Christians ==

While the Orthodox Church draws its beliefs from a very wide variety of sources, including the [[Gospels]], the other books of the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s, the written histories, the writings and sayings of saints, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, angelic communication and other direct spiritual experiences, icons, the Holy Mysteries (sacraments) and many other things besides, the core of what they believe is contained in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and Tradition, (the deposit of faith).

The Creed:

<blockquote>''I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light; true God of true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. And He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried. And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. In one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. [[Amen]].''</blockquote>

This creed is professed by all Orthodox Christians prior to baptism, and at every celebration of the Divine Liturgy (the main service of the Orthodox Church).

The [[Bible]]
The Orthodox regard the Bible as the main source of and rule against which the life, actions, words, and thoughts of the Church and her members are judged. Its role in the life of the church can not be overstated. It is read from at every service, in fact, most of the services of the Orthodox Church consist, at least in part, of chanting large portions of the Bible.

The Gospels are accorded a special place in the worship of the orthodox Church. They are afforded great honor. For example, they are bound in Gold often beset with gems, separately from the rest of the Bible. They are carried in processions, they are kissed , they are bowed to, and they are censed. All stand when the Gospel is read during a service. When the Gospel is not being venerated or being read from it is kept on the Altar.

All Orthodox Christians are expected to read from the Gospels and the [[Epistles]] every day, except during [[Lent]] when Old Testament readings are assigned.

== The Autocephalous Churches==

===Church of Constantinople===

This church which had always had a strong missionary zeal has suffered greatly under the heel of [[Islam]]. Also, the catastrophic effect of the Roman Catholic invasion of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade can not be overstated. That event saw most of the relics carted away or destroyed, and a Roman Catholic pretender put in the place of the Orthodox [[patriarch]]. Nevertheless, in the last hundred years this Church has recaptured its missionary heritage, establishing churches in Singapore, Malaysia, [[Australia]], India, Korea, New Zealand, North America, Mexico, and South America. The Church of [[Constantinople]] also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America. This Church was established by [[St. Andrew]] but was a very small and almost insignificant Church until [[St. Constantine]] moved the capitol of the [[Roman Empire]] to this city and the [[Council of Nicea]] gave the Church there second place after [[Rome]].

===Church of Alexandria===

Having been devastated first by schism, and then by Islam, and also by European colonial powers, this church languished as a diaspora church for Greek speakers for a thousand years. It is only now making remarkable strides to regain its lost footing, having expanded west into territory lost to the Roman schism, south into territory lost to the Coptic schism, and even beyond that all the way to South Africa, establishing new dioceses in Madagascar, Kenya, Congo, South Africa and many other countries and regions of [[Africa]]. [[Alexandria]] is one of the three ancient Petrine Sees, having been established by [[St. Mark]] on the instructions of [[St. Peter]].

===Church of Antioch===

Like the Church of Alexandria, this Church also was much hindered by schism and Islam. First they lost all of the Persian, all of the Indian, and most of the Assyrian dioceses to [[Nestorian]] heretics. Then Islam invaded. Nevertheless, this church never lost its missionary zeal. Even while persecuted they continued to send out missionaries, reestablishing the Church in all of the countries it lost. The Church of Antioch also provides arch-pastoral services for some Orthodox in the U.S. who are not part of the Orthodox Church in America. Antioch is one of the three ancient Petrine Sees.

===Church of Jerusalem===

The early history of this church is related in the [[Book of Acts]] in the New Testament. It too has been plagued by Islam and crusaders. Though its missionary activity is circumscribed by its being surrounded by other Patriarchates, it does engage in missionary activity to the Jews in [[Israel]] and the Muslims in [[Palestine]]. The liturgy is served in [[Hebrew]] and in [[Arabic]]. This is also the only one of the Orthodox churches still serving the Liturgy of [[St. James]], the oldest and longest liturgy of the Orthodox Church. (Only a small part of the liturgy was actually written by St. James.)

===Church of Russia===

Though there were already Orthodox Christians in some of the Black Sea ports, and though [[Viking]] traders had become Christians in Constantinople and had built some churches along their Volga river trade-route, and though the Polish had begun some missionary activity along the western frontier of the Kievan state, the year conventionally recognized as the establishment of the Church of Russia is 988 when [[St. Prince Vladimir]] decreed Orthodox Christianity as the state religion. This church, like many of the Orthodox Churches suffered from Islamic invasion, but also [[Mongol]] conquest and most recently, severe persecution under the [[Communists]]. This last persecution produced more than 50 million holy [[martyrs]].

===Church of Georgia===

This is the only of the Local Orthodox Churches to have been established by a woman, St. Nina. In the 4th century she traveled around Georgia preaching and baptizing. Priests followed after her organizing parishes and administering the other Holy Mysteries. In the 18th century the Russian Emperor folded this Church into the Russian Church, but since the dissolution of the Soviet Empire the Georgian Church has reclaimed its autocephalous status.

===Church of Serbia===

This church was devastated by [[communism]], and later confused by the nationalist movement of [[Slobodan Milosevic]]. Though the bishops did not fall for his “Orthodoxy is Nationalism” heresy many of the poorly-prepared Orthodox laity did. The results were devastating. The spiritual heartland of this Church is [[Kosovo]] where Prince Lazar and the peoples of eastern Europe attempted to defend their homeland against the invading Ottoman Empire in 1389. He lost, and animosity accrued over the ages as the Serbs continued to keep their Orthodox heritage, but the Albanians adopted the religion of their conquerors. In more recent times Muslim Albanians waged a guerilla war against the Orthodox Serbs that led to the destruction of many centuries-old monasteries and churches. The Orthodox Church is very concerned with the heartland of the Church being ripped away from Serbia and has urged fighting to prevent this from occurring.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSHAM738779 Serb church urges state of war over Kosovo], Reuters, Feb 17, 2008.</ref>

===Church of Romania===

Though this Church is second in size to the Church of [[Russia]], it is probably 1st in zeal and active membership. The contributions of the Romanian Church can not be overstated. Martyrs, ascetics, monastics, theologians, hymnographers, missionaries, and spiritual warriors abound in this Church.

===Church of Bulgaria===

Established by the brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius in the 9th century this ancient Patriarchate was suppressed and was made a part of the Church of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in the 15th Century. Missionaries from Bulgaria were key in the evangelization of the lands of Serbia, [[Romania]], and Montenegro. Only in the 1870s did the Church of Bulgaria regain its autocephalous status.

===Church of Cyprus===

Established by St. [[Lazarus (brother of Mary)|Lazarus]] (the one Jesus raised from the dead) this has been a church of martyrs, in the Second Century a hundred thousand Christians were murdered here by Jewish mobs, and in the 1840's the entire Episcopacy and all leading laymen were rounded up and murdered by the Turks. It has been autocephalous since the Council of Ephesus made it so A.D. 431. Nevertheless, it is an important pilgrimage site since the relics of St. Lazarus and St. Barnabus are there. Two stories about St. Lazarus still circulate on the island. One that he laughed aloud at a man who stole a clay pot saying “clay stealing clay” and that he always served something sweet at every meal.

===Church of Greece===

Though part of the Church of Constantinople for most of its history, this Church emerged from the 19th and 20th century struggle for Greek independence from the Turks. Probably, the most famous bishop of Athens is [[St. Dionysius]] who was converted by St. Paul.

===Church of Albania===

This Church is the only Church in Europe that has to deal with a Muslim-majority population. Oddly, the Greek Primate of this church, Archbishop Anastasios is one of the most loved people in Albania. Even Muslims come to him for blessings on their marriages and for prayers when they are sick.

===Church of Poland===

This Church has existed since the 9th Century when it was established by [[Saint Cyril]] and [[Saint Methodius]] but was part of the Church of Constantinople for most of its history. In the 15th century most of the Orthodox in Poland fell away into Roman heresy and formed one of the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches in communion with the Pope of [[Rome]]. In 1924 this much diminished Church was granted autocephaly. After WWII part of western Byelorussia was added to Poland. With the territory came many Orthodox Christians. Most Orthodox in Poland are descendants of these former Byelorussians.

===Church of the Czech and Slovak Lands===

The brothers St. Cyril and St. Methodius established this Church in the Czech region of Moravia in the 9th century. But when the brothers died Pope Stephen V of Rome ordered that their mission be destroyed, and forced all of the people who converted under the Sainted brothers to leave Moravia and settle in what is now Slovakia. There, due to the influence of the nearby Orthodox Poles and the Kievan State the Orthodox were able to survive, barely. In 1921 many people began leaving the Roman Catholic Church and converting to Orthodoxy under a Serbian Bishop. One of them was a Roman Catholic priest who took the name Gorazd upon his conversion. A few years after his conversion he was consecrated Bishop of Moravia. Under his apostolic ministry the Church of Bohemia and Moravia, as well as Slovakia experienced tremendous growth. He was martyred by the Nazis in 1942. The Church suffered greatly under the [[Nazis]] and the Communists and is only now regaining its footing. It was officially recognized as Autocephalous by the other Autocephalous churches in 1998.

===Orthodox Church in America===
See history of the Orthodox Church in America below :

== History of the Orthodox Church in North America ==

===The Russians===

In 1794 several monks from Russia’s northeastern monasteries began working with the native population of Kodiak and Unalaska Islands. Among those monks was St. Herman.

St. Herman was born in the town of Serpukhov in the [[Moscow]] Diocese around 1756. At the age of 16, he entered the monastic life at the Trinity-St. Sergius Hermitage near St. Petersburg. While here he developed a severe throat infection from which he nearly died. After fervent prayer before an icon of the Theotokos, he fell into a deep sleep. During this sleep, He dreamed that he was healed by the Virgin and upon waking, he had completely recovered. A few years later he moved to the Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga. At this time the Golikov-Shelikov Company - licensed to exploit the resources of Alaska - requested monks to work in a new Alaskan mission. Father Herman was among the eight monks selected. They arrived on Kodiak Island on September 24, 1794, and immediately set out on the task of educating and converting the natives. Eventually only Fr. Herman survived from this original mission.

The members of the mission felt that it was their duty to protect the Alaskans from harm and exploitation. They defended them against the often cruel treatment of the Russian-American Company which controlled the colony under the leadership of the cruel Alexander Baranov. As a result of their protests, and because they tried to place the natives under imperial protection by administering an oath of allegiance to the Czar to them, Baranov threatened the monks with physical violence and even placed them under house arrest.

Sometime between 1808 and 1818, Fr. Herman went to Spruce Island. He spent the rest of his life on the island, where he cared for orphans, established and ran a school, and continued his missionary work. He lived the ascetic life which has been standard since the time of the Desert Fathers. He built a small chapel and guest house. Food for himself and the orphans was produced from his own experimental garden. He wore the simplest clothing and his cell was practically empty. His life was devoted to prayer and to following the services he could do as a layman who had not been ordained.

His love grew to the point that he could see into the hearts of his spiritual children and help them. The natives regarded him as their intercessor before God. When there was a tidal wave (tsunami) on the Island, Fr. Herman took an Icon of the Theotokos, placed it on the beach and assured the people that the water would not rise beyond the place where the Icon was, and it did not. When there was a great fire on the island, he dug a trench and stayed the flames. Prior to his death he foretold that there would be no priest to bury him and that he would be forgotten for 30 years. He died on December 12, 1837, and was forgotten until 1867 when Bishop Peter of Alaska heard about him and had his life investigated. This investigation was followed by publications of his life in 1894, 1900, and 1952. In 1952 an Akathist Hymn was composed, and on March 11, 1969, the Great Council of Bishops solemnly proclaimed the Act of the Universal Church Canonization of the Staretz Herman to Sainthood in the Orthodox Church in America: "Taking into consideration the long and undisputed witness of the grace of God, appearing through the servant of God, the Staretz Herman of Alaska." The Canonization was performed on August 7 - 9, 1970.

In 1822 the Holy Synod of Russia decided it was time to send a priest to perfect the work of the monks. A priest named Ionn volunteered to be that priest. In 1823 the 26 year old Fr. Ionn and his family set off for Unalaska Island. He built a church with his own hands, learned the language of the local people, the Aleuts, composed an alphabet for their previously un-written language, and translated the Gospel of Matthew into Aleutian. He also translated a catechism and some liturgical books for the Aleuts, and wrote the first book ever written in the Aleutian language, a brief course in dogmatics entitled, “A Guideline to the Kingdom of God". Considered one of the best catechetical courses and educational aids for children and youth, this course has been reprinted in several languages many times since.

Fr. Ionn established a school with an enrollment of 600 children, built a hospital, and fought hard against the practice of polygamy that treated women as property. After ten years on the island, Father Ioann had baptized all of the people in the archipelago. He made a trip in 1829 to Nushegak on the American continent and preached the Word of God to people who lived on the Bering Sea coast and baptized those who came to believe.

In 1839 Fr. Ionn returned to Russia to convince the Holy Synod of the need for establishing a permanent mission in North America. While he was on this trip back home he received the news of the death of his wife. After a pilgrimage to St. Sergius Monastery of the Holy Trinity and to the shrines in Kiev, Archpriest Ioann, on the advice of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, took monastic vows on November 29. He took the name of Innocent, after Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk, and was elevated to the rank of archimandrite on the following day. In 1840 the Holy Synod in Moscow created a new diocese in North America and consecrated the Archimandrite Innocent as its new Bishop. In 1855 St. Innocent was elevated to Metropolitan of Moscow. While serving in that capacity he established the Orthodox Missionary Society to help fund mission work. He was concerned for arranging the work of theological schools in his diocese, opened a school for icon-painting and other arts for poor children and orphans, transformed Philaret's college into a school for daughters of the clergy who did not receive any pensions or allowances, founded the large Ostrovsky alms-house, and wrote educational aids for the clergy of the staff list, as well as their widows and orphans.

At the same time, the great enlightener continued his concern for the Russian Orthodox Church in North America. It was on his initiative that the Holy Governing Synod chose San Francisco as the bishop's See. Metropolitan Innocent also emphasized the need for the clergy to know English and for the Church to train priests from among local Americans as a necessary condition for strengthening Orthodoxy in the American continent.

Feeling his death approaching, Metropolitan Innocent of Moscow and Kolomna asked on the Great Tuesday, 27 March 1879, that the Sacrament of Holy Unction be administered to him. On the Great Thursday, 29 March, he Communed. On Great and Holy Saturday, March 31, the Metropolitan, Equal to the Apostles, fell asleep in the Lord.

The Orthodox Church’s next great burst of growth in America occurred during the ministry of St. Tikhon of Moscow, the Enlightener of North America.

St. Tikhon was a missionary bishop to North America. During his short ministry in North America he became a U.S. Citizen, and the Church grew from 15 parishes to 70 parishes. He was called back to Moscow in 1907. He was elected Metropolitan on August 15 1917. On November 5 of the same year he was selected, by drawing lots, to be the Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus’. The Communists accused him of sabotage and imprisoned him from April 1922 through June 1923. He fell ill and was hospitalized in 1924, and fell asleep in the Lord on March 25, 1925, just two days after serving his last Divine Liturgy.

One of St. Tikhon’s most important decisions during his time in North America had to do with how to minister to Orthodox Christians from the Middle East who were arriving on the East Coast. He realized that these newest members of his flock needed someone who could speak their language and who was familiar with their distinct customs so he asked the Patriarch of Antioch to send him an Arabic-speaking priest.

The priest who arrived was Fr. Raphael Hawaweeny. In 1904 he was consecrated a Bishop by St. Tikhon and St. Innocent and from then until his death in 1915 he was known as Bishop Raphael of Brooklyn. During the course of his ministry he established 29 parishes and assisted in the establishing of a monastery in [[Pennsylvania]]. He was recognized, even while living, as a saint but was not officially glorified by the Church until March of 2000.

===The Russian Revolution===

With the rise of Communism in Russia and the corresponding infiltration of the KGB into the Orthodox Church in Russia, many Orthodox Christians in North America began clamoring for bishops they could trust. Additionally, the Russian Church split into two factions: The Metropolia (today known as the Orthodox Church in America or OCA) and the Patriarchal parishes. Essentially, the Patriarchate of Moscow sued the church in America for control of properties and actually won some of the cases. The parishes in those cases went under the direct jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Moscow. A third group of Russian bishops arrived in the United States following the Russian Revolution. They called themselves the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. For a while they merged with the Metropolia but they did not think of themselves as Americans or as missionaries to America. They were intent on keeping Russian culture alive among the exiles and returning to Russia someday. They eventually split off from the Metropolia.

Amidst this confusion, there was a desire for bishops from the “old country”; that is, Serbs wanted a Serb bishop, Albanians wanted an Albanian bishop, etc. And the Archbishops and Patriarchs from the “old countries” were happy to send them. Thus, right after the Russian Revolution, what had been an administratively unified Church in the U.S. became administratively fragmented.

== The Present Situation in America ==

After decades of a very cold relationship, in 1970 the Metropolia was granted autocephaly (think of it as administrative independence) by the Patriarch of Moscow and became known as the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). When that happened, numbers of the Romanian, Bulgarian, and Albanian Churches in the USA and Canada merged with the OCA.

The Orthodox Church continues to grow in North America. Most of its bishops were born in America, many having converted (either from paganism or other Christian churches) as adults. The Orthodox church has experienced a couple of waves of mass conversions, such as when several thousand Byzantine-rite Catholics converted in the early 20th Century.

The Orthodox in America have established one undergraduate college, Holy Cross in Boston as well as several seminaries including (Anchorage, [[New York]], [[Boston]], and Pennsylvania), one practical ministerial institute (Penn.), and a graduate school for lay theologians (Berkeley). Some of their parishes have Saturday schools where Greek, Russian, and other languages as well as theology and culture are taught to children. A few parishes have established High Schools and elementary schools.

Several monasteries have been established for men and women, and two (one in New York and one in Miami) have converted from other churches and have become Orthodox monasteries.

==References==

<References/>

[[category: Christian Denominations]]

Sin

2008-06-26T14:36:55Z

NancyBoersen: Added important information

{{etymology|From [[Old English]] ''synn'', from either [[Old Norse]] ''synd'' or [[German]] ''Sünde'', from ''sun(d)jo'' it is true, from [[Sanskrit]](?) ''es-'' it is.}}
[[Sin]] is any failure to conform to the letter of a given code of [[morality]], or the state of being of one so failing to conform, or the state of the world that results from such failure.

Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness, can we be saved after sinning.

== Meaning of sin ==
The root meaning of the [[English]] word ''sin'' is actually, "He is guilty as charged." This in turn implies that the person committing the offense knew, or ought to have known, that his act would ''be'' an offense before he committed it. This word actually captures the meaning that many religious traditions ascribe to sin.

The [[Greek]] word used in the original [[New Testament]] and translated "sin" in English is '''ἁμαρτία''' (''hamartia'') (whence ''[[hamartoma]]'' a malformation of [[cell]]s that are within their usual place in the body). This word captures the ''[[Christian]]'' meaning of sin much better. ''Hamartia'' means ''missing a target.'' Thus sin does not require bad intentions, but might result from a misunderstanding. This is not to say that the consequences are any less dire, however. It does mean that sin need not be intentional; it can be a knowing (but not intentional), reckless, or negligent act.

=== Required: a moral context ===
Sin, which is a moral failure, cannot exist in the absence of a code of [[morality]]. [[Objectivism]] defines morality as "a code of values accepted by choice."

This is not to say that sin requires a context of ''divinity.'' Objectivism, for example, refuses to admit [[God]], while still prescribing a standard of value and a code of morality that follows from it. (Whether such a code can properly stand, by the rules of Objectivism itself, is another matter.) The context in which sin ceases to have meaning is not [[atheism]] ''per se'' but rather [[amoralism]]--the doctrine that says that no person may properly define what is moral for another, because no two people will ever value the same thing to the same degree, or value the same collection of things by the same rank structure.

Whether any man ''ever'' lives without some form of moral code--even if that code is, "I denounce as sin any disagreement with myself or any attempt to stand in my way"--is [[Can any man live without some code of morality?|debatable]]. Nevertheless, without ''some'' form of moral context, sin has no meaning.

== Differing views of sin ==
==== Jewish ====
In [[Judaism]], and certainly in ancient practice, the preferred method of [[atonement]] for sin was [[blood sacrifice]]. The Book of [[Leviticus]] prescribed multiple animal sacrifices for atonement for various types of sin. But by far the most important atonement--on the [[Day of Atonement]] (''Yowm Kippur'')--was made by the high priest of the [[Hebrew]] people (originally [[Aaron]], brother of [[Moses]]). This involved making a blood sacrifice, entering the [[Holy of Holies]] (in [[Latin]], ''sanctum sanctorum''), and sprinkling some of the blood from the sacrifice on the [[Ark of the Covenant]].

Animal sacrifice has not been part of Jewish practice since the destruction of the [[Temple of Jerusalem]] by the future [[Rome|Roman]] [[Emperor]] [[Titus]] in [[70 AD]]. But the [[Old Testament]] did not imply that animal sacrifice was the sole ''necessary'' measure for reconciliation. Simple repentance and prayer sufficed numerous times in [[Bible]] history.

Today, though animal sacrifices are no longer observed, Jews do observe ''Yom Kippur'' and other festivals related to repentance and reconciliation. But a movement now exists to attempt to regain exclusive control of the [[Temple Mount]] area in [[Jerusalem]], rebuild the Temple, and resume the burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings prescribed in the [[Torah]].

In traditional Jewish thought, sin may be balanced by the good deeds one performs throughout life; the image of scales weighing one's life are prominent in folklore, similar to other ancient Middle Eastern religions such as ancient Egypt.

=== Christian views ===
==== Roman Catholic ====
[[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] doctrine distinguishes [[original sin]], or the sin of [[Adam]], from ''personal'' sins, which require individual reconciliation with [[God]]. A personal sin may be ''mortal'' (a particularly grave matter that the perpetrator commits by deliberate intent) or ''venial'' (a less grave matter that could result from a misunderstanding). The RCC distinction is: Mortal sins cut a person off from the grace of God; venial sins do not, but still injure one's relationship to God.

The one mortal sin that, to a Catholic, would be unforgivable (because its successful commission leaves no opportunity for reconciliation later), is [[suicide]]. Beyond that, a person may receive reconciliation for a mortal sin by making [[Confession (Catholic)|confession]] to a [[Priest (Catholic)|priest]] and receiving the ceremony of [[Absolution from sin|absolution]]. One can reconcile from a venial sin by the sacrament of reconciliation, or by receiving communion, or [[Holy Eucharist]].

Roman Catholic doctrine historically included two other controversial holdings. One is [[purgatory]], a place where the soul must be held to "purge" him of all traces of sin before he can gain entry to [[heaven]]. Redemption from purgatory allegedly required the payment of a monetary fee by the deceased's relatives to the Church. The other is the [[indulgence]], a fee paid to the church by the perpetrator in advance. Indulgences have not been sold for centuries, and recently [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]] issued an [[encyclical]] casting doubt on the entire concept of purgatory.<ref>''Encyclical Letter, Spe Salvi, Of The Supreme Pontiff, Benedict XVI, To The Bishops, Priests, Deacons, Men And Women Religious, And All The Lay Faithful, On Christian Hope'' 30 November 2007 [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20071130_spe-salvi_en.html Vatican website] Accessed 3 January 2008.</ref>

===== Virgin Mary =====
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that not only was [[Jesus]] sinless, but so, also, was His Mother, [[Virgin Mary|Mary]]. The belief that the Virgin Mary was sinless at conception is called the [[Immaculate Conception]].

The [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] teaches that the Virgin Mary was born with Original Sin but that she was cleansed of this sin at the time of the Annunciation. The Church also teaches that by free will she did not commit any actual sin.

This doctrine, called ''Marianism'', is not ''universally'' held by all Catholics, however.

==== Anglican Communion ====
The [[Anglican Communion]], essentially the breakaway church of the [[United Kingdom]], retains the Roman Catholic tradition of confession and absolution of sin. But instead of an individual process, confession in Anglican churches is a group activity, and absolution is pronounced by a [[Minister (Protestant)|minister]] to the entire church-going group. Purgatory and indulgences have no place in Anglican doctrine.

==== Eastern and Oriental Orthodox ====

In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] there are no "categories" of sin as found in the Christian West. In the pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic catechism, sins were categorized as "mortal" and "venial." These categories do not exist in the Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy believes that, while everyone bears the consequences of the first sin, the foremost of which is death, only Adam and Eve are guilty of that sin. Roman Catholicism teaches that everyone bears not only the consequence, but also the guilt, of that sin.

The Orthodox churches, including Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox, differ little from [[Judaism]] in their holding of what sin is and how to reconcile it--except that animal sacrifices have never been part of Orthodox tradition.

==== The Reformation ====
In [[1517]], [[Martin Luther]] led the most serious break from Roman Catholic doctrine and tradition, the [[Protestant Reformation]]. This occurred at about the time that King [[Henry VIII]], then of the [[Kingdom of England]], formed the Church of England, the forerunner of the Anglican Communion.

Luther is most famous for his "95 precepts nailed to the church-house door." The most important of these is the principle that he stated in Latin as ''[[Sola Scriptura]]''--literally, "by Scripture only." Luther rejected out-of-hand most of the various categories of sin, and the elaborate rituals that attended its so-called reconciliation.

To Luther, and to his intellectual heirs in the [[Lutheran Church]] and the [[Dutch Reformed Church]], the Bible tells all one needs to know about sin. Sin, according to Luther, is any failure to observe God's commandments or other Godly precepts that one may determine from the actual teachings of [[Jesus]] and of His [[Apostle]]s (especially [[Paul]], the most prolific writer among them). ''Reconciliation'' from sin was a ''private'' matter between God and any of His followers. A priest or minister ''was not'' required, because that would imply that a human being, of whatever office, could stand in the place of God--a thing Luther regarded as an insult to God, which is the definition of [[blasphemy]].

Nor was any animal sacrifice required, because [[Jesus]] Himself made the One Total and Complete Sacrifice of His own life for the sin condition of the world (see below) and for the sins of individual people, past, present ''and future''. Salvation was strictly by faith and strictly by grace. Luther drew directly on the letters of [[Paul]] that addressed this very subject.

==== The Baptist Tradition ====
The [[Baptist|Baptists]] would generally agree with Luther. Like him, Baptists hold that sin is an act or omission that displeases God, and the state of being that the perpetrator falls into, and remains in until he has confessed this sin.

Baptist churches do not tend to engage in corporate, collective confessions. Rather, Baptist practice depends heavily on {{Bible ref|book=Matthew|chap=18|verses=15-20|version=KJV}}, which prescribes this procedure for the handling of sin that gives offense to a fellow believer:

# The aggrieved person, or the minister if the aggrieved person has asked him to, tries to encourage the perpetrator to repent. ''Repentance'' (Greek ''metanoia'') means a change of mind, or a change of heart.
# Failing that, whoever tried to talk to the perpetrator the first time, tries a second time and brings a witness.
# If this still does not bring repentance, and a cessation of the behavior, then and only then does the matter come before the entire church. The minister lays out the case, and puts the matter to a vote as to whether the offender ought to be allowed to remain in fellowship.

Not all Baptist churches practice this discipline, however. In such environments, sin is a matter between the offender and God (and the person or persons to whom the offender might have given offense). Some observers suggest that churches suffer when they fail to practice discipline as they should.

==== Fundamentalists ====
: ''Main Article: [[Sin (Fundamentalism)]]''

The above article is a comprehensive theory of sin, and its effects on the offender, on mankind as a whole, and on the entire world.

=== Islam ===
In [[Islam]], sin is very simple: anything that runs counter to the will of [[Allah]] (Arabic for [[God]]). In Islam, sin is simply an act, never a state of being.

Islam recognizes five gradations of sin, in order of severity:

# Mistakes.
# Immorality.
# Transgressions.
# Wickedness and depravity.
# Ascribing a partner to God. Thus this one special instance of [[blasphemy]] is held worse than any other sin a man can commit.

In Islam, permanent reconciliation cannot come in life. Instead, at death, a person has his "good deeds" measured against his "bad deeds" (sins). If the good outweighs the bad, then the person must walk a tightrope over a lake of fire in order to cross into heaven. Islam, however, offers one important exception: any person who dies ''in the course of an act that advances the Muslim faith'' gains automatic entry into heaven, regardless of any prior sins he has committed. The usual, and some Muslims (particularly the [[Wahhabism|Wahabbi]] sect) say the only, context for such a death is ''[[jihad]]'', literally ''holy [[war]]''. Furthermore, ''jihad'' is a ''physical'' war against non-adherents to Islam.

Other Muslims will say that ''jihad'' is not physical at all, but refers instead to a personal struggle that every Muslim must engage in continually against sin and the temptations thereto.

Still others state that two forms of Jihad are known:
# The greater Jihad, which is the internal struggle within a person against sin.
# The lesser Jihad, physical war against the infidel.

Those who make that distinction state that what they call the "lesser jihad" is practiced only by fanatical holders to Islam. A ''fanatic'' is one who holds to a set of beliefs uncritically--that is, without being willing to judge them. Since the [[World Trade Center incident]], a number of Muslims ''have'' begun a critical analysis of Muslim doctrine (both verbal and written) and the place of Islam in the civilized world. Whether those voices can find sufficent logical support in the written texts that define Islam is debatable.

=== Objectivism ===
Objectivism does not admit to any kind of divinity, but it still has its own code of morality. Though a student of Objectivism does not normally use the word ''sin'', one may best infer what Objectivism considers sinful by examining what it teaches man to value. A basic, but by no means exhaustive, list would include:

# Failure to be relentlessly rational in everything one does.
# Coveting the fruits of another's labor without being willing to pay for those fruits.
# Failure to give value for value received.
# Violation of another person's right to pursue his life in a non-offensive manner.
# Initiating the use of force against another person or group of persons.
# Accepting as real anything one cannot see.
# Refusing to accept reality.
# Attempting to create one's own reality.

Reconciliation for sin, beyond restitution to another to whom one has brought material loss by his sin, is not generally required. In the Objectivist model, one pays the consequences of his particular sins in the form of loss of trade, loss of respect, ''et cetera.'' Because Objectivism admits no heaven, it admits no [[hell]], either, and therefore all of the consequences of sin ''must'' occur in this life.

=== Cults and cult figures ===
A [[cult]], properly speaking, is a belief system centered on one person, or the group of persons led by that person. In the context of a cult, sin is any refusal to uphold the decisions or obey the orders of the leader, and anything else that gives offense to the leader. Reconciliation is generally at the leader's own discretion.

=== Totalitarianism ===
[[Totalitarianism]] is a [[philosophy]] of [[government]] that holds that the government ''must'' have absolute authority over ''all'' aspects of life. [[Communist]]s are totalitarians, just as the [[Nazi]]s were.

Totalitarian authorities and their apologists have their concept of sin as well: it is anything that works against the government, or tries to thwart its goals. This is true even in a regime that is explicitly [[Atheism|atheistic]] in world view. Reconciliation generally requires recantation.

=== Socialism ===
[[Socialism]], whether as a system of government or as a school of philosophy, has a definite standard of value, known as Utilitarianism: "the greatest good for the greatest number of people." Sin under socialism is anything that undermines this. Theoretically, sin might also include ''conspicuous consumption'' at a level beyond that attainable by "the average person."

=== Environmentalism ===
[[Environmentalism]] also has a standard of value: ''the good of the planet as a wild system.'' Anything that harms the earth or makes it less wild is sinful in this system. The controversy surrounding [[global warming]] is, at root, a controversy about environmentalism as a source of moral values, and the allegation that humans in general, and/or some humans in particular, have transgressed against the environmentalist moral standard.

== Summary ==
Some religious and philosophical traditions consider sin to be a deliberate act; others say that it can be merely a mistake. Some say that reconciliation for sin requires a certain work; others that reconciliation is by the grace of [[God]] (or, for some, a cult leader), and still others (most notably the Objectivists) say that reconciliation is not required, except perhaps to any particular affronted person.

[[atheism|Atheists]] typically lack a concept of sin, and may even ridicule it. More generally, ''amoral'' individuals deny that sin exists, because sin presupposes a moral code that someone might breach.

== References ==
<references/>
* [http://creationwiki.org/Sin Sin] by [[CreationWiki]]

[http://www.oca.org Orthodox Church in America]

[[Category:Bible]]
[[Category:Philosophy]]
[[Category:Sin]]

Spring Valley Community Church

2008-06-26T14:26:27Z

NancyBoersen:

'''Spring Valley Community Church''' is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America and holds to the basic creeds and doctrines of that denomination.

All those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as the head. Membership in the church stretches across boundaries of race, gender and time. As the body of Christ, the Church is involved in: reaching spiritually lost people, worshipping God, instructing followers of Christ in the Bible and the Christian life, caring for one another, helping believers discover and deploy their God given gifts. Among those gifts is the gift of leadership, which is given to elders who govern the Church.

'''Randy Weener''' is the founding pastor of Spring Valley Community Church.

Randy enjoys bicycling, playing various musical instruments, gardening, backpacking, and kayaking. He and his wife Sally have 3 children, Amanda, Seth and Lyndi. They launched Spring Valley in January 2000. Prior to that, they served churches in Grandville and Standale, Michigan.

He is a graduate of Hope Collage and Western Theological Seminary and is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.

'''Salvation''' is a gift God offers to us to be forgiven of our sin. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ into our life by faith.

'''Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved....''' 

<blockquote>
'''Worship Celebrations''' 
Sundays: 10:00am 
Allendale Middle School Gymnasium 
6561 Lake Michigan Drive 
</blockquote>

Spring Valley Community Church

2008-06-26T14:25:11Z

NancyBoersen:

'''Spring Valley Community Church''' is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America and holds to the basic creeds and doctrines of that denomination.

All those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as the head. Membership in the church stretches across boundaries of race, gender and time. As the body of Christ, the Church is involved in: reaching spiritually lost people, worshipping God, instructing followers of Christ in the Bible and the Christian life, caring for one another, helping believers discover and deploy their God given gifts. Among those gifts is the gift of leadership, which is given to elders who govern the Church.

'''Randy Weener''' is the founding pastor of Spring Valley Community Church.

Randy enjoys bicycling, playing various musical instruments, gardening, backpacking, and kayaking. He and his wife Sally have 3 children, Amanda, Seth and Lyndi. They launched Spring Valley in January 2000. Prior to that, they served churches in Grandville and Standale, Michigan.

He is a graduate of Hope Collage and Western Theological Seminary and is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.

'''Worship Celebrations'''
Sundays: 10:00am 
Allendale Middle School Gymnasium 
6561 Lake Michigan Drive 

Salvation is a gift God offers to us to be forgiven of our sin. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ into our life by faith.

'''Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved....'''

Spring Valley Community Church

2008-06-26T14:24:41Z

NancyBoersen: Clean up and additional information

'''Spring Valley Community Church''' is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America and holds to the basic creeds and doctrines of that denomination.

All those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as the head. Membership in the church stretches across boundaries of race, gender and time. As the body of Christ, the Church is involved in: reaching spiritually lost people, worshipping God, instructing followers of Christ in the Bible and the Christian life, caring for one another, helping believers discover and deploy their God given gifts. Among those gifts is the gift of leadership, which is given to elders who govern the Church.

'''Randy Weener''' is the founding pastor of Spring Valley Community Church.

Randy enjoys bicycling, playing various musical instruments, gardening, backpacking, and kayaking. He and his wife Sally have 3 children, Amanda, Seth and Lyndi. They launched Spring Valley in January 2000. Prior to that, they served churches in Grandville and Standale, Michigan.

He is a graduate of Hope Collage and Western Theological Seminary and is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.

'''Worship Celebrations'''

Sundays: 10:00am 
Allendale Middle School Gymnasium 
6561 Lake Michigan Drive 

Salvation is a gift God offers to us to be forgiven of our sin. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ into our life by faith.

Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved....

Spring Valley Community Church

2008-06-26T14:21:44Z

NancyBoersen: Introduction

'''Spring Valley Community Church''' is a ministry of the Reformed Church in America and holds to the basic creeds and doctrines of that denomination.

All those who profess their faith in Jesus Christ are members of His body, the Church, with Him as the head. Membership in the church stretches across boundaries of race, gender and time. As the body of Christ, the Church is involved in: reaching spiritually lost people, worshipping God, instructing followers of Christ in the Bible and the Christian life, caring for one another, helping believers discover and deploy their God given gifts. Among those gifts is the gift of leadership, which is given to elders who govern the Church.

'''Randy Weener''' is the founding pastor of Spring Valley Community Church.

Randy enjoys bicycling, playing various musical instruments, gardening, backpacking, and kayaking. He and his wife Sally have 3 children, Amanda, Seth and Lyndi. They launched Spring Valley in January 2000. Prior to that, they served churches in Grandville and Standale, Michigan.

He is a graduate of Hope Collage and Western Theological Seminary and is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.

'''Worship Celebrations'''

Sundays: 10:00am
Allendale Middle School Gymnasium
6561 Lake Michigan Drive