- The Eastern Orthodox Church , which includes the Orthodox Church Of Constantinople , the Church Of Greece and the Russian Orthodox Church . This is the usual meaning of the unqualified term "Orthodox Church", and the Church is significantly larger than Oriental and Assyrian Orthodoxy. The Latin West split from Eastern Christianity in 1054. The first seven Ecumenical Council s are all recognised, so the Chalcedonian Creed is accepted.
- Oriental Orthodoxy , which includes the Coptic Church , of Egypt , the Syriac Orthodox Church , the Armenian Apostolic Church , the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church , the Indian Orthodox Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Church . The movement Schism ed from the rest of Christianity in the 5th century, after refusing to recognise the Christological dogmas of the Council Of Chalcedon of 451 AD, believing them to be tantamount to Nestorian dualism. Only the first three ecumenical councils are recognised, up to the Council Of Ephesus . It is sometimes described as non-Chalcedonian; its Christology of Miaphysitism was interpreted by other Christians as the heresy of Monophysitism , that Christ had only one nature.
- The Assyrian Church Of The East , which sometimes describes itself as the Assyrian Orthodox Church. In contrast to the Syriac Orthodox Church (part of Oriental Orthodoxy), the Assyrian Church is part of neither Eastern nor Oriental Orthodoxy, having split from the rest of Christianity in the Nestorian Schism of 431 AD, under the accusation that its believers heretically divided Christ into two persons. However, the Church does not characterise itself as Nestorian. It was active in the Spread Of Christianity To China and To India , where it is known as the Chaldean Syrian Church . Despite its historic importance, it is now a relatively small denomination.
Other movements and churches described as Orthodox include:
- A large number of Orthodox denominations, such as the Russian Orthodox Old-Rite Church , belong to the movement of Old Believers , which broke from the Russian Orthodox Church in the 17th century in a schism known as the '' Raskol ''. While a few parishes are now in communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Of Russia , most Old Believers are not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church.
- Western Orthodoxy is a term usually used to describe parishes that, although actually Eastern Orthodox, use rites adopted for use in Protestant or Catholic countries. It is also used by some church bodies associated with the Old Catholic , Continuing Anglican , and Liberal Catholic movements, rather than Eastern, Oriental or Assyrian Orthodoxy.
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