Georgian Orthodox church

The Georgian Orthodox Church is one of a number of Eastern Orthodox churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church is made up of Christian churches that split with the Catholic Church in 1054 CE. Eastern Orthodox churches govern themselves and have hierarchies made up of bishops, priests, and deacons.

According to the Orthodox Church in America, the Georgian Orthodox Church included more than three million members as of 2013, and it is the principal religious institution in the country of Georgia, which boarders Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia. Even though the church lost much of its membership when Georgia was part of the Soviet Union, the church has grown a great deal since the late 1970s. It is the largest Christian denomination in Georgia.

History

In 337 CE, the country of Georgia adopted Christianity as its national religion. At that time, the Christian church was mostly united in many of its beliefs and customs. Over time, however, different groups of Christians developed different ideas and practices. The Christian community held a number of councils to clarify Christian beliefs and ensure that all Christians believed in the same fundamental ideas.

As Christianity became an important part of the Roman Empire, two major cities in the empire—Rome and Constantinople—became two centers of the Christian church. Over time, distance and differences in language and beliefs led to a split between the churches. The two churches separated from each other in 1054 in what became known as the Great Schism (or the East-West Schism). The groups aligned with the church in Constantinople fell under the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Georgian Orthodox Church remained loyal to the Patriarch of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, Georgia was invaded by outsiders, including Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. Some of the faithful, including nuns and monks, were murdered by the invaders. Although the Georgian Orthodox Church remained intact, it was weakened by the attacks.

The church was further weakened in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Russia took control of Georgia in the early 1800s. The Russians replaced the Georgian patriarch of the church with the Russian Orthodox patriarch. In the early 1900s, Georgia became part of the Soviet Union and was greatly affected by Soviet rule. Soviets did not believe in religion, and they limited religious freedoms throughout the region. In Georgia, the Georgian Orthodox Church was not forced to close, but its membership dwindled. In 1917, the country had 2,455 churches, but it had only 80 by the mid-1980s.

In 1991, Georgia gained its independence, and the Orthodox Church took on new meaning. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople gave back the Georgian Orthodox Church its ability to self-govern. The church helped give the country a national identity, and it became an important force in the country once more.

The modern Georgian Orthodox Church is a very powerful organization in Georgia. Georgia's constitution calls for a separation of church and state, but the Georgian Catholic Church still has much sway in the country. In 2002, the government gave the church a consulting role so the church and its leaders could influence political decisions. Furthermore, the government gives grants to the church. In 2009, the church received a grant for approximately fifteen million dollars.

The church's influence was also evident in the 2018 issue regarding the legalization of marijuana in the country. Church spokespeople condemned the constitutional court's decision to legalize consumption of marijuana at the end of July and called for the court to be dissolved. Upon learning of the plan to legalize cultivation of marijuana for exportation, the head of the church conducted a sermon against the proposal and legalization of consumption, after which several church members marched to a nearby square in protest; the government announced shortly after that the plan was on hold.

Beliefs

Like many other Christians, members of the Georgian Orthodox Church believe that the one true God is made up of three separate beings: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They also believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine and that he died on the Cross to atone for human sin. Members of the Georgian Orthodox Church also believe that Mary was a virgin when she conceived Jesus. They also believe that the saints and martyrs can intercede with God on their behalf. However, Eastern Orthodox Christians do not believe that the pope is infallible or the leader of the church, and they believe all bishops have the same authority. Furthermore, they believe that the Roman Catholic Church has strayed too much from the original liturgies and practices of the early Christian church.

Eastern Orthodox Christians, including members of the Georgian Orthodox Church, believe that worship is a central part of their faith. Many Orthodox Christians believe in praying multiple times per day, especially in the morning and at night. Fasting is also an important part of the Eastern Orthodox faith, with people fasting around holy days and on certain days of the week. Monastic life is also an important part of the Eastern Orthodox religion, in which monks and nuns hold special significance. Another important aspect of worship in the Eastern Orthodox Church is the icons, which are two-dimensional paintings. They are an important part of the liturgy and are seen as more than just mere decoration.

Organization

The Eastern Orthodox churches are headed by the Patriarch of Constantinople, though he is considered "the first among equals" and does not hold any real power over the individual churches. The Georgian Orthodox Church is autocephalous, which means that it has its own leader. The leader of the church is the Georgian Orthodox patriarch. Some other Eastern Orthodox churches are led by archbishops or metropolitans.

Even though the Eastern Orthodox churches govern themselves, they do have similar hierarchies. The bishops of the churches are thought to be the successors of Jesus's apostles. The hierarchy also includes priests, who can be married but may not marry after they have been ordained. Priests and other religious are ordained with a sacrament in the church. Followers of the religion become full members of the church when they are infants (or as adults if they are converting) when they receive the sacraments of baptism, chrismation, and communion.

Bibliography

"Church Protests Halt Georgia Cannabis Law." BBC News, 18 Sept. 2018, www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-45563477. Accessed 28 Jan. 2019.

"Eastern Orthodox Church." BBC, 11 June 2008, www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox‗1.shtml. Accessed 9 July 2015.

"Georgia's Mighty Orthodox Church." BBC, 2 July 2013, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-23103853. Accessed 9 July 2015.

Grdzelidze, Tamara. "The Georgian Tradition." The Orthodox Christian World. Edited by Augustine Casidy. Routledge, 2012, pp. 58–62.

McGuckin, John Anthony."The Church of Georgia." The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Its History, Doctrine, and Spiritual Culture. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.

"Other Orthodox Churches." Orthodox Church in America, oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/church-history/twentieth-century/other-orthodox-churches. Accessed 28 Jan. 2019.

Roberson, Ronald G. "The Orthodox Church of Georgia." CNEWA, Catholic Near East Welfare Association, www.cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=21&pagetypeID=9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=19. Accessed July 2015.