A Historical Overview of Christian Traditions & the Continuity of Orthodoxy

"For the faith which the Lord gave was one, and this is enough for the salvation of the world; and this the holy Catholic Church has preserved, as it was received from the Lord, and handed down by the Apostles." - St. Athanasios, 4th Century, Ad Afros Epistola Syndica, 2.

The Apostolic Era (1st Century)

  • Christianity begins with the ministry, death, and ressurrection of Jesus Christ (c. 30-33 AD)
  • The Apostles spread the faith throughout the Roman Empire, establishing local communities (churches). 
  • Worship centers on the Eucharist, Scripture, and the teaching handed down from ther Apostles (Holy Tradition). 

The Undivided Church (1st-5th Centuries)

  • The early church is one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic. 
  • The Ecumenical Councils (from Nicaea in 325 to Chalcedon in 451) define essential doctrines:
    • The Trinity
    • The divinity and humanity of Christ
    • the authority of bishops gathered in council
  • Christianity spreads across the Mediterranean, Europe, North Africa, and Asia.

The Great Schism (1054 AD)

  • Tensions developed over centuries between Eastern (Greek-speaking, Byzantine) Christianity and Western (Latin-speaking, Roman) Christianity.
  • Disputes about papal authority, the "Filioque" clause in the Creed, and cultural differences lead to a formal split. 
  • The Eastern Orthodox Church continues the conciliar model of governance and preserves continuity with the worship, doctrine, and and spirituality of the early Church. 
  • The Roman Catholic Church develops in the west with the papacy as the central authority. 

The Western Reformations (16th Century)

  • In Western Europe, movements arise to reform abuses in the Catholic Church.
  • Protestant traditions emerge (Lutheran, Reformed, Angelican, etc.), emphasizing Scripture alone, and rejecting or revising aspects of Catholic sacramental and hierarchical life. 
  • The Catholic Church responds with the Counter-Reformation.

Orthodoxy in the Modern Era

  • The Orthodox Church remains united in faith and worship across national and cultural lines (Creek, Russian, Antiochian, Serbian, etc.).
  • Orthodox Christianity preserves the ancient Divine Liturgy, the veneration of saints, icons, and the sacramental life largely unchanged from the first millennium.
  • Migration brings Orthodoxy worldwide: parishes are founded in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia. 

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church (Martinez, CA)

  • Sts. Peter and Paul is a parish of the Orthodox Church, part of the same faith and tradition that traces its worship and theology directly back to the Apostolic Church. 
  • Though it is a modern community in California, it participates in the continuous living stream of Orthodox Christianity that 
    • Shares the same Eucharist and liturgy as St. John Chrysostom (4th Century). 
    • Proclaims the same Creed defined at Nicaea (325 AD).
    • Belongs to the same universal Orthodox communion that includes ancient Patriarchates (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem). 

How Traditions Relate

  • Orthodox Christianity: Preserves the direct line of continuity with the undivided Apostolic Church in faith, sacraments, and governance.
  • Roman Catholicism: Shares early roots and much doctrine, but  diverged after the Great Schism.
  • Protestantism: Emerged later from the Catholic West, emphasizing reform, often distancing itself from traditional liturgy and scaramental life.