Gateway to Orthodox Christianity:
Your Invitation to Introductory Reading, Classes, Videos, and Worship
Voices from St. John's: Our members' stories on finding the Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church is the Church founded by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, the Body of Christ or Bride of Christ, begun at Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit around 30 A.D., prefigured in Old Testament times, and continuous in episcopal succession and in doctrines and governance. Upholding the Ecumenical Church Councils, the Orthodox Church is the "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church" proclaimed in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. The Russian Orthodox Church today has the largest number of adherents of local Orthodox Churches, which include the Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, and others. "Russian Orthodox" refers to a specific local historical tradition and hierarchical governance, not necessarily ethnicity (as "Roman Catholic" historically in the West did not mean adherents were necessarily Roman). Our Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia emerged from the post-Revolutionary diaspora of many faithful Russian Christians, is headquartered in America, and is under the Patriarchate of Moscow, which was founded with the blessing of ancient apostolic patriarchates.
To begin your study, we'd suggest you check out one or all of the first four texts linked immediately below, and come to our services, because much of the lived Orthodox tradition is found in liturgical worship and in what you'll experience there of corporate prayer, and guidance in private ascetic devotion. We also maintain catechism classes, adult Bible study, children's Sunday School classes, an Orthodox book club, and a mission lending library. Presently we are only having online adult Bible study. For details on the catechism classes and Bible study please see the home page. Also, our page on "governance" has a link to a classic article on the Orthodox experience of Church.