A Comparison of Two Christian Denominations

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A Comparison of Two Christian Denominations

The two churches that I am going compare and contrast are the Anglican

Church and the Orthodox Church. These two churches have many different

symbolisms and traditions, but nevertheless have the same basic belief

in that Jesus Christ is the centre of their faith and worship.

The Orthodox Church is renowned for its colorful outside, exotic

features and images along with elaborate rituals. An Orthodox Church

cannot be confused with any other as it has those tell-tale domes that

characterize the ostentatious expressive Orthodox faith. The external

square shape with the dome on the top is an indication that everything

in God's universe is seen by him. The four corners of the square

represent the four gospels in the Bible.

The Anglican Church with its traditional cross-shape, reminding

worshippers of Jesus' crucifixion, may lack the extravagance of the

Orthodox Church, but nevertheless personifies Jesus' glory in its own

unique way. Similar to Orthodox churches, Anglican churches can be

identified by their traditional shape as well as their towers with

massive bells.

On the inside, the domes of the Orthodox Church show heaven with an

icon of Christ Pantocrator, while its circular shape, like a ring,

represents eternity. As you enter the church you walk into the narthex

or vestibule representing the world waiting for the coming of Jesus

Christ. Once in the nave one gets a real feeling of awe and the great

glory of God. In my opinion there is no other church in the world that

decorates the glory of God and his greatness in a more beautiful and

appealing way. As with all churches the symbo...

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...ated throughout the Bible.

I believe that it is both important to maintain and build special

places of worship, while at the same time it is also important to

think of the poor who find it hard to live day-in day-out. This

question suggests one has to make a choice between the two tenets of

the Christian faith of loving thy neighbor or worshipping God. At

first glance it may seem an impossible decision to make but, in

reality it's a case of finding the right balance. Worshipping does not

have to be done in extravagant luxury; because of this minor sacrifice

the money saved could then be used for easing poverty.

Bibliography:

Christianity for GCSE

The Bible- New International Version

www.cofe.anglican.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Orthodox_Church

http://web.utk.edu/~gwynne/maslow.HTM

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