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Introduction to Orthodox Christianity

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God
God is not an impersonal essence or mere "higher power," but rather each of the divine persons relates to mankind personally. Neither is God a simple name for three gods (i.e., polytheism), but rather the Orthodox faith is monotheist and yet [[Triadology|Trinitarian]]. The God of the Orthodox Christian Church is the God of [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]] and [[Jacob]], the '''I AM''' who revealed himself to [[Moses]] in the burning bush.
The source and unity of the Holy Trinity is the Father, from whom the Son is begotten and also from whom the Spirit proceeds. Thus, the Father is both the ground of unity of the Trinity and also of distinction. To try to comprehend unbegottenness (Father), begottenness (Son), or procession (Holy Spirit) leads to insanity, says the holy [[Gregory the Theologian]], and so the Church approaches God in divine mystery, approaching coming to know God [[apophatic theology|apophatically]], ; being content to encounter God Him personally and yet realize realizing the inadequacy of the human mind to comprehend him.
The primary statement of what the Church believes about God is to be found in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].
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