Disambiguation
Orthodox Presbyterian Church vs Orthodox Christianity
Same word, entirely different Churches.
Search results for 'orthodox' regularly mix two unrelated bodies. The Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) is a small conservative Reformed denomination founded in the United States in 1936. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the ancient communion of the Christian East. They share an adjective and nothing else.
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
- Founded in 1936 by J. Gresham Machen after the fundamentalist–modernist controversy in the Presbyterian Church in the USA.
- Governed by presbyteries and a general assembly; confesses the Westminster Standards.
- 'Orthodox' here simply means 'holding correct doctrine' in the Reformed sense.
The Eastern Orthodox Church
- Continuous communion of the ancient patriarchates, unbroken since the apostolic age.
- Governed by bishops in apostolic succession; confesses the seven Ecumenical Councils.
- Sacramental, liturgical and ascetic life: the Divine Liturgy, icons, the fasting calendar, monasticism.
How to tell which one you found
If the church website mentions elders, sermons and the Westminster Confession, it is Presbyterian. If it mentions the Divine Liturgy, the Theotokos, icons, Pascha and a fasting calendar, it is Eastern Orthodox.
Frequently asked
- Is the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Eastern Orthodox?
- No. It is a Reformed Protestant denomination founded in 1936 in the United States and has no connection to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Why is it called 'Orthodox'?
- In its name, 'Orthodox' means adherence to correct Reformed doctrine, not the Eastern Christian tradition.