33AD  + Holy Orthodoxy - Jesus Christ and his Apostles

 

1054AD  * Roman Catholicism - Pope Leo IX (Severed itself from Holy Orthodoxy)

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1517AD  * Lutheranism - Martin Luther

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1534AD  * Anglicanism - Henry VIII

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1555AD  * Calvinism - John Calvin

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1560AD  * Presbyterianism - John Knox

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1586AD  * Congregationalism - Robert Brown

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1609AD  * Baptists - John Smyth

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1739AD  * Methodist Episcopalians - John Wesley

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1789AD  * Episcopalians - Samuel Seabury

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1800AD  * United Brethren - Phillip Otterbein

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1827AD  * Disciples of Christ - Thomas Campbell

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1830AD  * Mormonism - Joseph Smith

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1856AD  * Salvation Army - William Booth

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1874AD  * Jehovah’s Witness - Charles Russell

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1879AD  * Christian Science - Mary Baker Eddy

 

 

There are various other groups that sprung from most of these heresies which have not been mentioned - especially those of the evangelical persuasion; the United Kingdom and the United States are full of them; Australia is, unfortunately, catching up! Therefore, detoxing from such is an ardours task and must be done with experienced guidance – preferably via the instruction of a bishop as was always the custom in formative years.

 

Another delicate issue is the tracing of lineage – due to this Great Schism, rapid fragmenting and withering away of the once venerable Western Church; such can no longer trace their Apostolic Succession to one of the Holy Apostles. A good number within such clusters of both the former Western Churches and the New Calendarists (revised Julian) orthodox (those who reformed alike Vatican ii) say that it is impossible to do so - considering historical documentation impeding such due to their inaccuracy or absence.

 

Many others within similar clusters maintain that they have a solid foundation, yet these can only trace their episcopal linage to a mere 15th Century high ranking Prelate Scipione Fabrizio Cardinal Rebiba (Born: 1504! Bishop: 1541 – 1577AD)  Hence, this phenomenal reality is precisely due to that major reason: the Great Schism, the fragmentation that it brought and the withering away from what is and always have been the Church of the Apostles! (Lk 23: 28-31)

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Hence, just as many of the early church temples of the Isles were gradually vested with wondrous stained glass windows – it (the stained glass) has become grouted by the elements of opposition and foreignness to the commandments of Christ as groom/Lord of his Church! The window needs a thorough clean not like the protesters and reformers did in the early years of iconoclasm repeated in English and Germanic Christendom (protestant reformers) – where the water pressure was too strong and the glass broke…..we need to gently wash away the filth of earthly empires and ego of obsessions - restoring the former beauty of celestial reality.

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Thus, most of the British Isles up until 1752AD observed Holy Nativity on January 7th as we who follow the Orthodox Calendar observe (not the Gregorian Calendar which is conveniently labelled by the New Calendarists as the revised Julian) the Isles adhering to thus which of course ceased after the bishop of Rome (Gregory XIII) imposed his rule and calendar over that which was Western Christendom in 1582AD!   

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These rites which were once orthodox in essence and most solemn in canonical practice were profoundly (a) Latinised with the prevailing Tridentine tradition 1545AD (b) Reformed over the various Protestant reformations 1509AD Although scholars play a round of tennis trying to make its liturgical antiquity fit; all that they were in original beauty are lost in time and remain so! 

It must be made clear that such reforms also occurred in Orthodoxy, particularly amongst the Oriental Rites where the tide of Iconoclasm within Christendom and Islam slammed into the very foundations of these churches. Yet, the occupation of the Portuguese and Spanish law enforcements under the spiritual command of the Jesuits and Franciscans also hijacked what once was the original beauty of such rites along with the layout of the Church temples. Hence, the assimilation to that which had become the worship within the West laced with an Eastern/Oriental appearance.

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May I reiterate: these once venerable rites were modified over the years via various key events firstly after the tremor of the Great Schism, later followed by the council of Trent (1545-1563AD) and the Protestant Reformations of both England (1509-1547AD) and Europe (1517-1600AD) - losing their original orthodox essence and solemn canonical practice!

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Let us keep in mind that the Church mirrored the temple of old rendered perfected in Christ where there is beauty with the art of the senses portrayed in such sacred surroundings as was commanded by God in the Exodos. These thugs (reformers) smashed, burnt to the ground and whitewashed any sacred solemnity in art and literature (like the soviet communists) which made it nearly impossible to acquire back originality.

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One also needs to take into account the political manoeuvres Rome set in place laying aside the guilt of the crown regarding remarriage and Church leadership which no crown or earthly government has the authority to hold! Moving forward - regarding reformers alike the communists; apart from context, the only ecclesial difference between the British and Slavic peoples regarding faith in dark times (persecution) is the following:

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The Slavs held onto the faith of the Church which is unchanged despite the setup of a puppet (uncanonical) patriarchate via the soviet regime! The British (with all due respect as many amongst them were rendered holy martyrs) populace succumbed to the ungodly orchestrations at play (via Roman-enforced innovations, and the crown’s advisors) within what had become the Western Church governments that constantly fluxed!   

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To bring such back to life in its original beauty and spirituality will take much effort via placing pre-conceived ideas and baggage to the side! Hence, detoxing from what is its current form; the humbling of self and trust in those who continue to live holy orthodoxy - in reigniting the flame of faith and spirituality of these isles hallowed by the bones of its holy! 

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Let us remember that each Church – diocese had its own rite based on a common rite(s) that the bishop and the local Holy Synod agreed on. Such was a way that nurtured the beauty of an organic spirituality where such a rite was tailored for that part of the world or better sill – part of Christ’s body which was held together by the ancient code of worship: the Anaphora of the Apostles!

Furthermore, when we talk about rites, we need to understand the status of each community along with their means of acquiring sacred texts for the worship of God. Although the monastic tradition encourages monks and nuns to memorise the Divine Liturgies and Holy Scripture via the cycle of services, yet most of those who laboured in humble conditions would serve by memorising as much as possible by heart.

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If we wind the clock back to the nascent years of the Gospel or even within the Old Covenant Church  (Testament) there were many town synagogues that had very little of the Holy Scriptures that form the (Tanakh) Bible. Some towns had but a portion of a book of one of the Holy Prophets, whilst others had entire books. Nazareth (a major city) for example was a prestigious place and we know this from a liturgical point of view when we read regarding St. Luke’s account of the Lord (Lk 4: 16-30) who was invited to read from Isaiah - revealing himself as the fulfilment. Any town with a major book like that of St. Isaiah’s prophesy was well off!

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Thus, in bringing time forward to the evolution of Christian ecclesial history within the British Isles, many churches had limited resources. Yet, if it was a cathedral church (where the bishop resides via the presence of his chair as overseer ‘cathedra’) such had the possibilities of extensive liturgical resources. This of course encouraged the need for a parish rite based on the common liturgics which integrated within the spiritual nourishment for that given community.

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It is interesting to note that when the reformers (1509-1547AD) hijacked ecclesial government – all churches (communities of faith) large and small were encouraged to pale away the solemnity of a cathedral form of worship; reverting to an enforced toned down (low church) parish form of liturgy which at times excluded rites (celebration of the Eucharist) of communion.     

Hence, what the totality of certain sublime early rites were in the West (although certain forms survived in the East), have remained buried in time (yet these liturgies - bits and pieces survived however vague) and in various parts were sadly short-lived. Yet, Holy Liturgy (The Eucharist) was always at the Heart of the Early Church and must remain so - for without it (LITURGY which God himself commanded from the beginning and throughout Salvation History) there is no Church, no Faith in its fullness, and no Life in Jesus Christ (the offeror and offered) as its head!