Introduction: A Call Back to the Word
True Orthodoxy has always been rooted in the faithful study, teaching, and living out of the Holy Scriptures. Yet in recent decades, particularly within many Eastern Orthodox communities in the West, there has been a troubling neglect of this foundational aspect. Scripture teaching, especially for the laity, has been sidelined in favor of a vague cultural feeling of “tradition.” What once made the Church a living, breathing body of Christ—built on the Word, strengthened through confession, and refined by repentance—has in many places become little more than liturgical pageantry.
At St. Andrew’s OCC, we are reviving the ancient and apostolic Orthodox tradition: Scripture-centered teaching for the perfection of the saints.
The Great Commission Was a Teaching Commission
Christ’s final command was clear:
“Go ye therefore and teach all nations… teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19–20)
The true Orthodox mission is to teach obedience to the commands of Christ—not merely to chant creeds or uphold rituals detached from their living meaning. The Apostle Paul reminds us,
“All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
This mission was never intended for clergy alone. The Bereans were praised because,
“They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11)
Orthodoxy, properly understood, was never afraid of study, inquiry, or Scriptural depth.
The Western Orthodox (Celtic) Legacy of Teaching
Every one of the ancient Celtic Churches were centered around abbeys and monastic schools, was one of the most Scripture-focused branches of early Christendom. Every church had a community with Scripture teaching for the laity at the center. These weren’t just places for elite scholars—they were places where farmers, craftsmen, and kings alike could hear the Word and grow in it.
St. Columba of Iona, in his letter to Pope Gregory I, declared proudly:
“None has been a heretic, none a Judaizer, none a schismatic; but the Catholic Faith… is maintained unbroken.”
This was not merely boasting. It was the fruit of a Church that taught the people. Every person in the community was expected to know the Scriptures—not just the priests. That is why the western universities, including Oxford, Paris, and St. Andrews, all began as institutions attached to churches for the purpose of teaching the Scriptures and training up faithful laity.
Before the formation of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchates in 451 AD, the Gospel had already reached Britain by 37 AD. Bishoprics such as that of St. Aristobulus had long been planted and thriving.
Meanwhile in the East: A Troubled Record
By contrast, many of the great Eastern sees (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch) suffered from centuries of doctrinal instability. Before the formation of their formal patriarchates in 451 AD, most of these sees had already been overtaken by heresies such as Arianism. Even afterward, the rise of Monophysitism and Monothelitism continued to plague them until the 7th century.
While the East was battling theological confusion at the top, the West—particularly the Celtic Church—was safeguarding orthodoxy at the grassroots level, by teaching the laity Scripture and calling every person to holiness.
Even today, several Eastern churches still reject some of the Ecumenical Councils. In contrast, the Celtic and Western Orthodox consistently affirmed all seven.
Eastern Orthodoxy in the West: A Cultural Confusion
In the present day, many Eastern Orthodox churches in the West have leaned into a vague identity of “tradition” without substance. Few offer regular Bible teaching. Most Orthodox laity cannot explain the moral law of God, and even fewer know how to apply it. No wonder then, as some bishops now admit, that more than half of American Orthodox Christians now support abortion and other liberal doctrines explicitly condemned by Scripture.
This is not an isolated cultural drift—it is a direct result of a failure to teach Scripture as central to the faith.
In contrast, western churches—even imperfect ones—still maintain practices like confession, excommunication for public sins, and the call to live by the Word of God. These tools help people know what sin is, how to avoid it, and how to return to grace. Confession of sin is emphasized in the West not only as a sacrament, but as a liturgical norm. In Eastern practice, confession exists, but is often viewed as something rare or reserved for the most devout.
At St. Andrew’s OCC: A Return to Apostolic Order
We are blessed to have both the beauty of liturgical worship and the meat of doctrinal teaching. We uphold the ancient canons, including those of the Apostolic Constitutions (Didascalia), which command:
“Let the laity attend the Church every day, to hear the Scriptures and the instructions of the priests.”
The Scriptures are clear that God appointed not only bishops and pastors, but teachers, for:
“The perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11–12)
If teaching is neglected, the body remains immature.
At St. Andrew’s OCC, we honor every part of the Great Commission—not just the rites of baptism or the forms of liturgy, but also the duty to teach all nations to obey what Christ commanded. That includes meditating on God’s law, hearing it, confessing sin (even sins of omission), and growing in spiritual understanding.
Conclusion: Let Us Delight in the Law of the Lord
Scripture says,
“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
And again,
“His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)
Let us then return to this true Orthodoxy—not merely in name or culture, but in substance. Let us raise up churches where every believer can become a disciple, every disciple a student, and every student a saint.
At St. Andrew’s OCC, we are committed to rebuilding the Church as Christ intended: grounded in the Word, alive in the Spirit, disciplined in repentance, and filled with joy in the truth.
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