Our Faith: Toward An Understanding

[St. Phillip]

Our Holy Mother of God parish is part of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta (His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta is our local hierarch) and, on a national level, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; other canonical Orthodox "jurisdictions" in the U.S. include the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church in America, and the Romanian Orthodox Church, to name only a few. Though the names are different, and there are small variations in liturgical language and practice, all canonical Orthodox Christian Churches are in perfect communion with one another.

The Orthodox Christian Church traces its origins to the Book of Acts, when our Lord gifted His Apostles—and all humanity—with the grace of the Holy Spirit during the feast of Pentecost. The Orthodox Faith is the faith of the Apostles; it is a scriptural faith; it is a sacramental faith; it is a faith with a deep, profound sense of prayer life; it is a faith of healing, compassion and love. Blessed by a 2000-year history, and led by our hierarchs, priests and all of the millions of Orthodox faithful throughout the world, we strive to continue the ministry and example given us by Jesus Christ for the glory of our Holy Lord and for our salvation.

The icon shown to the right is of a vital Orthodox saint: St. Philip the Deacon, whose feast is celebrated each year in our Church on October 11th. St. Philip is remembered for his tremendous faith and holy acts, including his service to the poor in Jerusalem and a multitude of miracles in Samaria. But his most celebrated act of faith was his teaching of the eunuch of Queen Candace of Ethiopia, as seen in the Book of Acts (8:26-40). In this vital piece of scripture, the eunuch is sitting in a chariot, trying to read and understand the Book of Isaiah with great frustration; St. Philip is led to this very spot by the Holy Spirit, and climbing into the chariot, begins to engage the eunuch in conversation and teach him: "And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture he preached Jesus to him" (8:35). Moved by St. Philip and the beauty of the Gospel, the eunuch shortly thereafter commands that the chariot stop near a small body of water, so that he might be baptized.

Coming to the Lord, coming home to faith—then and now— stems from the faithful, loving teaching of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior to those with open hearts who are ready to hear the Good News. It is in this spirit, and fueled by the moving story of St. Philip, that the following articles, links, and resources have been hand-picked by Fr. Alex, our priest, and offered to you:

The 10 articles below by the Rev. Dr. Thomas Fitzgerald will serve as a wonderful, thoughtful and sensitive introduction to the Orthodox Church. Fr. Fitzgerald is well known for his teaching, lecturing and ecumenical work and is Professor of Church History at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA. He has authored several books, including The Orthodox Church and The Ecumenical Movement: An Introductory History.

The 5 links below will serve as appropriate and authoritative mediums for further spiritual exploration and learning in the Orthodox Faith. The first three contain a wealth of information on Orthodox Christian history, the Sacraments, Orthodox spirituality and the general life of the Church. The latter two are excellent, proven and dependable sources of Orthodox books, icons, and other learning and worship mediums.

Our "Book of the Month" program may also be a helpful resource. Each month, Fr. Alex selects a book which he recommends through our monthly periodical, Reflections, from the pulpit, through our various ministry groups, and every means available. Each book is carefully chosen and approved by Fr. Alex for the spiritual edification of our community. Depending on the month, the particular book might be a general piece encouraging Orthodox spirituality or might be targeted for a specific group: married couples, teens, toddlers, young parents, those who are grieving a loss, etc. Please click on the following links to view the front and back covers of each month’s offering, and remember that each book may be purchased for your own home library by contacting Fr. Alex. Enjoy and happy reading!

Finally, Fr. Alex would be more than happy to sit and talk with you about the Orthodox Church: what it means to approach our faith and to be a part of our Holy Mother of God parish. He can be reached at 850-878-0747 or . In addition, please see the "Ministries" page of our site for a host of programs and projects—including "Homecoming" and our "Orthodox Life Series"—that might be of service to you as you continue your personal journey of faith.

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