Orthodoxy

Статья посвящения определению религии православия

Orthodoxy is one of the world’s religions. About 225 million people belong to this religion and of course it greatly influences the life of many people.  Due to the fact that this religion is widespread all over the world there are various discrepancies in its essence. Unfortunately Orthodoxy is not as united as many people would like it to be. As a matter of fact, Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Orthodoxy have different approaches to various aspects of people’s life. It especially concerns such notions as sin and salvation. Thus, for example, Western Orthodoxy treats sin as a crime, a violation of a law. Sin is viewed from the legal point of view and therefore is treated as contempt of the law. The broken commandment results in punishment, just like criminal is punished after committing a crime. The Eastern Church has a different approach on this problem. Sins are treated as something that moves a person away from the God, breaks the divine unity between them. So the essence of the punishment has to do with moral aspect rather than legal. People were created after the image and likeness of God, so committing sins they betray His divine nature in themselves. Therefore salvation is the reestablishment of the unity between a man and the God. That is why different views about human life may predominate among the followers of Eastern and Western Orthodoxy. The Western Christianity seems to establish relations between a man and the God on fair terms: do not sin and you will not be punished. But the Eastern Christianity creates some mystical atmosphere in these relations and in the world perception in general.