What Is Orthodox Christianity?
When people hear the term “Orthodox Christianity,” they often think of the Eastern Orthodox Church, with its icons, incense, and ancient liturgies. But the word orthodox doesn’t belong to any one tradition or geography. It means “right belief” or “right teaching and practice”and it describes the universal Christian faith rightly taught and rightly practiced.
So what is Orthodox Christianity–and where does the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) fit in?
Orthodox Christianity: More Than a Denomination
Orthodox Christianity isn’t limited to the Eastern Orthodox communion. At its core, it refers to the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3)–the teachings of Christ and His apostles, faithfully preserved and confessed throughout history.
This includes:
- The authority of Holy Scripture
- The doctrine of the Trinity
- The incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
- The apostolic creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian)
- The right administration of the Sacraments
This faith is orthodox because it is rooted in truth–not human opinion or cultural trends.
The LCMS: A Truly Orthodox Church
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod boldly confesses that it is part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. We are a historic, liturgical, traditional, and orthodox Church–cleansed by the Reformation, not created by it.
The Reformation was never about throwing away the Church’s tradition. It was about cleansing the Church of false teachings and returning to the pure doctrine of Scripture. As LCMS Lutherans, we stand in that tradition–proclaiming Christ crucified, administering the Sacraments rightly, and preserving the liturgical life of the ancient Church.
Orthodox Without the Errors
The LCMS shares many external similarities with the Eastern Orthodox Church: reverent worship, historic liturgy, vestments, chanting, and the centrality of Word and Sacrament. But we part ways on key doctrines, especially:
- The authority of Scripture over tradition
- Justification by grace through faith alone
- Clarity and certainty of salvation through Christ
- Rejecting prayers to saints, purgatory, and the denial of original sin
True orthodoxy is not just about ancient practice–it is about faithfulness to the truth of God’s Word.
What About¦ Eastern Orthodoxy? (LCMS Resource)
Lutheran Worship: Orthodox in Form and Content
LCMS congregations follow the historic liturgy, using resources like Lutheran Service Book. Our worship is centered on Christ’s gifts–His Word preached, His body and blood given and shed for us in the Lord’s Supper. We confess the creeds, observe the Church Year, and chant psalms and hymns rooted in Scripture.
This is not just tradition for tradition’s sake. It is the orthodox expression of the Christian faith, shaped by centuries of faithful proclamation.
Confessing the Orthodox Faith
Our confessions–contained in the Book of Concord (1580)–are not innovations. They are a bold proclamation of the orthodox, catholic faith, purified by the Gospel. The Augsburg Confession opens with these words:
“Our churches teach that the catholic faith is the true faith.”
The Lutheran Reformers did not invent a new faith. They returned to the truth of the apostolic and orthodox Church.
Conclusion: The LCMS Is Orthodox
So, what is Orthodox Christianity? It is the true Christian faith–rooted in the Word of God, confessed in the creeds, and lived in faithful worship. As LCMS Lutherans, we believe, teach, and confess this faith in its fullness.
We are:
- Orthodox in doctrine and practice
- Catholic in continuity and tradition
- Evangelical in proclaiming salvation by grace through faith
- Reformed by the light of the Gospel
The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is not a break from orthodoxy–it is a bold confession of it.
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