How Do You Spell ORIENTAL ORTHODOX?

Pronunciation: [ˌɔːɹɪˈɛntə͡l ˈɔːθədˌɒks] (IPA)

The spelling of the term "Oriental Orthodox" can be challenging for some due to its pronunciation. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /ɒrɪˈɛntəl ɒrθədɒks/. This means that the first syllable is pronounced as "or-i," and the second syllable is pronounced as "en-tal." The stress is on the second syllable. The "th" sound is pronounced like "θ." The word "Orthodox" is pronounced "or-tho-dox" with the stress on the second syllable. The term "Oriental Orthodox" refers to a group of Christian churches in the Eastern Mediterranean region that separated from the mainstream church in the 5th century.

ORIENTAL ORTHODOX Meaning and Definition

1. Oriental Orthodox refers to one of the main branches of the Orthodox Christian communion, also known as the Eastern Orthodox Church. The term specifically refers to those churches that recognize three ecumenical councils—Council of Nicaea in 325, Council of Constantinople in 381, and Council of Ephesus in 431—but do not accept the Council of Chalcedon in 451.

   The Oriental Orthodox churches include the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Egypt), the Armenian Orthodox Church, the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (India).

   The term "Oriental" in "Oriental Orthodox" is derived from the Latin word "Oriens," meaning East, as these churches are predominantly found in the Eastern regions of the world. The Oriental Orthodox churches share a common theological heritage and belief, tracing their roots to the apostolic era and using the Ancient Oriental liturgical traditions.

   The Oriental Orthodox faith upholds the belief in the single nature of Christ, emphasizing his divine and human natures united in a hypostatic relationship without any confusion, division, or mixture. This view differs from the Chalcedonian Orthodox churches, which emphasize the double nature of Christ. Despite their theological differences, Oriental Orthodox and Chalcedonian Orthodox churches share a common commitment to preserve the Christian faith and maintain their ancient traditions.

   The term "Oriental Orthodox" serves as an umbrella term to encompass these specific churches that share a common heritage, sacraments, rituals, worship practices, and ecclesiastical structure within the larger Orthodox Christian communion.

Etymology of ORIENTAL ORTHODOX

The term "Oriental Orthodox" is derived from the word "Oriental", which means "Eastern" or "from the East". It is used to refer to the historical regions of the East, particularly in relation to Europe. The word "Oriental" itself comes from the Latin word "oriens", which means "rising" or "the East".

The term "Orthodox" refers to the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition, which originated in the Eastern Roman Empire and has its roots in the early Christian Church. The word "Orthodox" is derived from the Greek words "orthos", meaning "correct" or "straight", and "doxa", meaning "glory" or "worship". Therefore, "Orthodox" can be translated as "correct worship" or "true faith".