In the early centuries of Christianity, there appeared many so-called Christian churches which espoused false teachings (i.e., not based on Holy Scripture and/or the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Apostles). Thus the Christian Church had to address these heresies (false teachings) and to begin to systematically espouse and proclaim the true teachings of Christ. The Church did this through its Ecumenical (i.e., universal) and regional councils. Just as the Apostles in the Book of Acts, Chapter 15 asked for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in addressing issues regarding the teachings of Christ, their successors-the bishops-held councils in order to decide what is true and what is false. It was within these councils that the Orthodox Church began to form its doctrine; always guided by the Holy Spirit.

It was in the early centuries of the Church's existence, while fighting to safeguard the true doctrines of Christ, that the Christian Church officially took on the name "Orthodox." The word Orthodox literally means "straight teaching" or "straight worship," being derived from two Greek words: orthos, "straight," and doxa, "teaching" or "worship."

• Origin of the Orthodox Church
• The Orthodox Church in the First Centuries after Christ
• The Spread of Orthodox Christianity
• The Great Schism: Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism
• Continuity vs Reformation
• Orthodoxy in America
• The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America

The Orthodox Faith

• God
• Jesus Christ
• The Holy Spirit
• The Virgin Mary
• The Bible
• Holy Tradition
• The Sacraments
• Icons
• The Clergy and the Laity

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