Orthodox Christians believe in the Holy Trinity-one God in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. They hold that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human, the incarnate Son of God who redeems humanity from sin
. Key beliefs include:
- Christ as the Head of the Church: Christ alone is the priest, pastor, and teacher of the Church, forgiving sins and offering communion with God
- The Holy Trinity: God is one essence in three persons, co-eternal and consubstantial, with the Father unbegotten, the Son eternally begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father
- Salvation and Divine Love: Salvation is understood as communion with God's unconditional love. Hell is seen not as a place of punishment but as the experience of God's presence by those who reject His love
- Communion of Saints: Those who have died in Christ remain alive in the Church, participating in worship and intercession, forming a "cloud of witnesses"
- Faithfulness to Apostolic Tradition: The Orthodox Church maintains continuity with the teachings of the Apostles, preserving the historic Christian faith without error or distortion
- The Incarnation and Christology: Jesus Christ is the unique union of divine and human natures in one person, the Word of God made flesh
- God's Essence and Energies: Orthodox theology distinguishes between God's transcendent essence and His uncreated energies, through which God interacts with creation without compromising divine simplicity
Orthodox Christians also affirm the eventual Second Coming of Christ to judge the living and the dead, with His eternal Kingdom having no end
. In summary, Orthodox Christianity centers on worshiping the Triune God, participating in the life of Christ and the Church, living a life of faith and love, and preserving the apostolic faith as handed down through the centuries