Orthodox Christianity
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Orthodox Christianity typically comprises those Christian traditions which are centered in eastern philosophy, as opposed to those traditions centered in the west.
These groups include those under the following pages:
- Eastern Orthodoxy is a Christian body whose adherents are largely based in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with a growing presence in the western world. It claims to be the original Christian church founded by Christ and the Apostles, and traces its lineage back to the early church through the process of Apostolic Succession. Eastern Orthodox distinctives include the Divine Liturgy, Mysteries, organization into self-governing jurisdictions, and an emphasis on the preservation of Tradition, which it holds to be Apostolic in nature.
- Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils of the undivided Church - the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus - and rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. Hence, these Churches are also called Old Oriental Churches.
For other definitions and meaning for the word orthodox, see Orthodoxy.