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Adherence to the Nicene Creed is a common test of orthodoxy in Christianity.

Orthodoxy (from Greek ὀρθοδοξία orthodoxía "right opinion")^[1] is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion.^[2] In the Christian sense the term means "conforming to the Christian faith as represented in the creeds of the early Church."^[3] The first seven ecumenical councils were held between the years of 325 and 787 with the aim of formalizing accepted doctrines.

In some English speaking countries, Jews who adhere to all the traditions and commandments as legislated in the Talmud are often called Orthodox Jews, although the term "orthodox" historically first described Christian beliefs.

Religions

Buddhism

The historical Buddha was known to denounce mere attachment to scriptures or dogmatic principles, as it was mentioned in the Kalama Sutta^[4]. Moreover, the Theravada school of Buddhism follows strict adherence to the Pāli Canon (tripitaka) and the commentaries such as the Visuddhimagga. Hence, the Theravada school came to be considered the most orthodox of all Buddhist schools^{[citation needed]}, as it is known to be highly conservative especially within the discipline and practice of the Vinaya.

Christianity

The Greek Cross, flanked by the Greek letters "ICXC NIKA" which means "JESUS CHRIST CONQUERS".

In classical Christian usage, the term orthodox refers to the set of doctrines which were believed by the early Christians. A series of ecumenical councils were held over a period of several centuries to try to formalize these doctrines. The most significant of these early decisions was that between the Homoousian doctrine of Athanasius and Eustathius (which became Trinitarianism) and the Heteroousian doctrine of Arius and Eusebius (called Arianism). The Homoousian doctrine, which defined Jesus as both God and man with the canons of the 431 Council of Ephesus, won out in the Church and was referred to as orthodoxy in most Christian contexts, since this was the viewpoint of previous Christian Church Fathers and was reaffirmed at these councils. (The minority of nontrinitarian Christians object to this terminology).

Following the 1054 Great Schism, both the Western Church and Eastern Church continued to consider themselves uniquely orthodox and catholic. Augustine wrote in On True Religion: “Religion is to be sought . . . only among those who are called Catholic or orthodox Christians, that is, guardians of truth and followers of right.” ^[5] Over time, the Western Church gradually identified with the "Catholic" label, and people of Western Europe gradually associated the "Orthodox" label with the Eastern Church (in some languages the "Catholic" label is not necessarily identified with the Western Church). This was in note of the fact that both Catholic and Orthodox were in use as ecclesiastical adjectives as early as the 2nd and 4th centuries respectively.

Much earlier, Oriental Orthodoxy had split from Chalcedonian Christianity after the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451), because of several christological differences.^[6] Since then, Oriental Orthodox Churches are maintaining the orthodox designation as a symbol of their theological traditions.^[7]

Hinduism

Orthodox Hinduism commonly refers to the religious teachings and practices of Sanātanī, one of the traditionalist branches of Hinduism.

Islam

Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as "orthodox Islam".^[8][9][10] As of 2009^[update], Sunni Muslims constituted 87–90% of the world's Muslim population.^[11] However, other scholars of Islam, such as John Burton believe that there is no such thing as "orthodox Islam".^[12]

Judaism

Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of Judaism, which seek to fully maintain the received Jewish beliefs and observances and which coalesced in opposition to the various challenges of modernity and secularization. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on biblical Mount Sinai and faithfully transmitted ever since. The movement advocates a strict observance of Jewish Law, or Halakha, which is to be interpreted only according to received methods due to its divine character. Orthodoxy considers Halakha as eternal and beyond historical influence, being applied differently to changing circumstances but basically unchangeable in itself.

Orthodox Judaism is not a centralized denomination. Relations between its different subgroups are sometimes strained and the exact limits of Orthodoxy are subject to intense debate. Very roughly, it may be divided between Ultra-Orthodox or "Haredi", which is more conservative and reclusive, and Modern Orthodox Judaism which is relatively open to outer society. Each of those is itself formed of independent streams. They are almost uniformly exclusionist, regarding Orthodoxy as the only authentic form of Judaism and rejecting all competing non-Orthodox interpretations as illegitimate. While adhering to traditional beliefs, the movement is a modern phenomenon.^{[citation needed]} It arose^[which?] as a result of the breakdown of the autonomous Jewish community since the 18th Century and was much shaped by a conscious struggle against rival alternatives.

Kemeticism

Kemetic Orthodoxy is a Kemetic denomination, which is a reform reconstruction of Egyptian polytheism for modern followers. It claims to derive a spiritual lineage from the Ancient Egyptian religion.^[13]

Rodnovery

There are organizations of Slavic Native Faith (Rodnovery) which characterize the religion as Orthodoxy (Russian: Pravoslavie), and by other terms.

Related concepts in religion

Orthodoxy is opposed to heterodoxy ("other teaching") or heresy. People who deviate from orthodoxy by professing a doctrine considered to be false are called heretics, while those who, perhaps without professing heretical beliefs, break from the perceived main body of believers are called schismatics. The term employed sometimes depends on the aspect most in view: if one is addressing corporate unity, the emphasis may be on schism; if one is addressing doctrinal coherence, the emphasis may be on heresy. A deviation lighter than heresy is commonly called error, in the sense of not being grave enough to cause total estrangement, while yet seriously affecting communion. Sometimes error is also used to cover both full heresies and minor errors.

The concept of orthodoxy is prevalent in many forms of organized monotheism. However, orthodox belief is not usually overly emphasized in polytheistic or animist religions, in which there is often little or no concept of dogma, and varied interpretations of doctrine and theology are tolerated and sometimes even encouraged within certain contexts. Syncretism, for example, plays a much wider role in non-monotheistic (and particularly, non-scriptural) religion. The prevailing governing norm within polytheism is often orthopraxy ("right practice") rather than the "right belief" of orthodoxy.

Non-religious contexts

Outside the context of religion, the term "orthodoxy" is often used to refer to any commonly held belief or set of beliefs in some field, in particular when these tenets, possibly referred to as "dogmas", are being challenged. In this sense, the term has a mildly pejorative connotation.

Among various "orthodoxies" in distinctive fields, the most commonly used terms are:

• Political orthodoxy


• Social orthodoxy


• Economic orthodoxy


• Scientific orthodoxy


• Artistic orthodoxy

The terms "orthodox" and "orthodoxy" are also used more broadly to refer to things other than ideas and beliefs. A new and unusual way of solving a problem could be referred to as "unorthodox", while a common and 'normal' way of solving a problem would be referred to as "orthodox".

See also

References

Bibliography

• 
  Henderson, John B. (1998). The Construction of Orthodoxy and Heresy: Neo-Confucian, Islamic, Jewish, and Early Christian Patterns. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
  


• 
  Krikorian, Mesrob K. (2010). Christology of the Oriental Orthodox Churches: Christology in the Tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Peter Lang.
  


• 
  Meyendorff, John (1989). Imperial unity and Christian divisions: The Church 450-680 A.D. The Church in history. 2. Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press.
  

External links

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