by Carlina

Created on: January 21, 2007   Last Updated: May 21, 2008

Original Church

That adherence to Biblical teaching in the New Testament not only is distinct of individual Orthodox believers, but it is the foundation of the entire Orthodox church and its claim to be the "original New Testament church." The Bible speaks of one undivided church, consisting of all Christians, regardless of where they attended church locally.

That universal church is said to have begun on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Christ's resurrection. Father Paul Burholt, priest of The Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Theotokos, a Christian Orthodox mission, in Kerrville, Texas. Orthodox Christians believe they are the continuation of that ancient Orthodox Christian Church, and they can trace their history through official ordinations of their priesthood back to Christ and appointments made by the apostles.

Today, the term which means "correct believing" or "correct, true glory" not only designates Christians who adhere to the teachings of Jesus found in the Bible, but it designates all churches that are part of the Orthodox lineage. Burtholt warned, however, that not all churches who take the Orthodox name actually are part of the official Orthodox church.

Burholt said Orthodox Christians don't claim that all other churches fail to adhere to Biblical teaching. Their assertion is that no other denomination has direct ties to or is in fact the original church, but this lineage is, for Orthodox Christians, no mere boasting point. The church's traditionalism is center to its beliefs, affecting the life of the church and the lifestyles of its parishioners, Burholt said.

While many churches have evolved during the last 2,000 years, changing their structure, styles of worship and membership requirements, often times, to attract and keep new believers, the Orthodox church maintains that to be Christian, people must change, not the church.

"We have to ask ourselves if the worship is just an expression of what we feel comfortable with, or if it is heavenly," Burholt said. "Orthodox doesn't agree with the idea of making a church fit your temperament, or a family,' where the purpose is for people to feel accepted. When we come to Christ, we are the ones that have to change, not the church.

"We have to defeat our culture and the idea that getting our needs met is what's most important," Burholt said.

Orthodox Life

Burholt said the Orthodox Christian lives a life both in and out of church akin to how the apostles lived, following Jesus' direction in every aspect of their

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