Compare
Greek Orthodox ChurchandLutheranism
At a glance
- Common groundIn full: Common ground
- Common inheritanceNo direct separation: Protestantism arose in the Western church in the 16th century, centuries after the West had become estranged from the Orthodox East. What they share is the Bible and the early Church as each receives it.
2 sources
- The Filioque: A Church-Dividing Issue? An Agreed Statement, IISource verified
- Christianity: The First Three Thousand YearsIdentified, not independently read
Provisional: broadly supported, but awaiting fuller checking.
- GodOne God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
- ChristChrist is fully divine and fully human; Two natures united in one person, as defined at Chalcedon (451)
- Sacraments and ordinancesChrist's body and blood are truly present; Infants are baptised
- Common inheritanceNo direct separation: Protestantism arose in the Western church in the 16th century, centuries after the West had become estranged from the Orthodox East. What they share is the Bible and the early Church as each receives it.
- Key differencesIn full: Key differences
- Scripture and authorityGreek Orthodox ChurchScripture read within Holy Tradition, the councils and the FathersLutheranismScripture as the supreme authority for faith and life
- Creeds and councilsGreek Orthodox ChurchThe Creed is used without the FilioqueLutheranismThe Creed says the Spirit proceeds from the Father 'and the Son' (Filioque)
- Mary and the saintsGreek Orthodox ChurchThe saints, above all Mary, are venerated and asked for their prayersLutheranismThe saints are remembered as examples but not invoked
Below: 1 difference of emphasis, 2 topics where teaching varies.
- How their histories connectIn full: How their histories connect
- Lines parted · 1054 (conventional) · A gradual process · Through the wider familyThe estrangement of East and West (schism)Read the account in Eastern Orthodox Church
- Line of descentGreek Orthodox Church became self-governing from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (1833).
- Line of descentLutheranism took shape in the Reformation of the Western church under Rome (1517–1530).
- Connected today?In full: their relationship today
Not yet researched
The Atlas has not yet researched their present relationship. This is a gap, not evidence either way.
Composed from each tradition’s sourced records. Where a topic is not yet recorded for one side, the Atlas says so rather than guess.
Structured comparison. Composed from each tradition’s sourced position records. No research has yet been written for this particular pair, so the Atlas shows only what those records establish.
Where they differ
Creeds and councils
The Filioque
- Greek Orthodox Church
- The Creed is used without the Filioque
- Lutheranism
- The Creed says the Spirit proceeds from the Father 'and the Son' (Filioque)
Scripture and authority
Sources of authority
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Scripture read within Holy Tradition, the councils and the Fathers
- Lutheranism
- Scripture as the supreme authority for faith and life
Mary and the saints
Asking the saints to pray
- Greek Orthodox Church
- The saints, above all Mary, are venerated and asked for their prayers
- Lutheranism
- The saints are remembered as examples but not invoked
Different emphases, not necessarily opposed (1)
Salvation and grace
Characteristic emphasis
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Salvation as theosis: union with God by grace
- Lutheranism
- Justification by grace, for Christ's sake, through faith and not by works
Where teaching varies within a tradition (2)
Sacraments and ordinances
How the rites are understood and counted
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Seven sacraments (holy mysteries)Shared Eastern Orthodox teaching.
- Lutheranism
- Lutheran confessions usually speak of Baptism and the Lord's Supper; some also count absolution. No fixed number is recorded here.
Church and ministry
Church government
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Bishops governing in synods; self-governing churches without a universal head
- Lutheranism
- Episcopal in some churches, synodical or congregational in others.
Ministry
- Greek Orthodox Church
- Bishops in historic apostolic succession
- Lutheranism
- Some Lutheran churches keep the historic episcopate; others do not regard it as necessary.
Not yet comparable (4)
No sourced position is recorded for one side, so the Atlas does not say whether they agree:
- Creeds and councils (councils received): not recorded for Lutheranism
- Sacraments and ordinances (how christ's presence is explained): not recorded for Greek Orthodox Church
- Mary and the saints (how mary is named): not recorded for Lutheranism
- Day of worship (weekly day of worship): not recorded for Lutheranism
How their histories relate
The Atlas has no researched record of a direct historical relationship between these two. Not every pair of traditions experienced a schism or union with each other. Each took shape in its own way:
Their relationship today
Not yet researched
The Atlas has no researched record of the present relationship between these two. That is a gap in the research, not evidence of any particular relationship.
Developments towards reconciliation
No documented agreement or formal dialogue between these traditions is recorded in the Atlas.
Explore further
Greek Orthodox Church
All citations link to the Atlas’s single source register.