Introduction to The Order

Overview:

Principles

  • The Oriental Orthodox Order exists to manifest and teach Christianity as a sapiential tradition based upon the original vision of Yeshua and its wider and fuller expression throughout history.
  • It exists to provide a pathway of teaching, worship, and practice that will allow its members to live this inner vision in profound fellowship with the hidden Master at the level of the heart and in solidarity with all fellow sages, saints, and spiritual beings across the centuries and the traditions.
  • It exists as a lineage of transformational wisdom to order outer life and inner progression in such a way that humans will become wise beings, sages, in their life and practice, and individuals and groups will be sustained on their journey into God.
  • It exists to express hospitality, generosity of heart and solidarity of spirit with all in every circumstance of life as the pathway that connects the inner and the outer worlds.
  • It exists for the life of this world and the life of the worlds to come.

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Practices

  • Members of the Oriental Orthodox Order in the West commit themselves to the wisdom path of Yeshua expressed through his original teachings and vision as personal practice, and to the visionary development of Christianity both in the East and the West and its continuity as an inner tradition in solidarity with all other wisdom paths.
  • Members of the Order seek to maintain an inner practice of life, prayer, worship and study, and where possible meet with others of like mind and heart to support their practice.
  • Members of the Order may have parallel commitments to other churches, institutions, orders, and sacred traditions while following the wisdom path of Yeshua and its tradition.
  • Members of the Order are encouraged to progress along a pathway of loving service to the world through one of the fourfold Gospel archetypes: the Way of the Warrior, the Way of the Healer, the Way of the Teacher, the Way of the Visionary. On this pathway some will be called to a communal life of visionary service to society, while others will be called to a hermetic life of solitude as an inner service to the world. All are called to the path of interiorized monasticism.

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Structure

  • The Oriental Orthodox Order is a network of individuals and communities who freely join in support of the spiritual path.
  • Without coercion or creed the Oriental Orthodox Order extends membership to all individuals who commit themselves to the path of personal transformation in accordance with its principles and practices. In making this commitment, members are assured of reciprocal support from the Order in our mutual journey of transformation.
  • Various guiding documents provided by the Order in the form of guidelines for rules of life, definitions of practice and commitment, and descriptions of the perspectives shared by the community, provide direction in this pursuit.
  • The life of this Order and its affiliated communities (which includes both clergy and laity) is sustained by abbots and priors who oversee its growth and development.
  • The Order is governed by a council which meets yearly (or on special occasion when called by the Abbot-General) to make decisions about its life and governance.

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Lineage

The Oriental Orthodox Order In the West was established under the guidance and direction of the Bishop and Abbot of the Oriental Orthodox Tradition in the West as a direct transmission from the Holy Catholic Apostolic Church of the East.

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Location

From its historical roots in the Middle East, members of the Order are found across North America in a network of priories and groups that hold similar lineage or support common goals and values.

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For more details refer to the following: