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Did the Early Orthodox Church Reject Original Sin? What the Ecumenical Councils Actually Defined

July 1, 2026

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One of the most repeated statements in modern discussions of Orthodox theology is that “the Orthodox Church does not believe in original sin.” It is often presented as though this […]

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Witnesses of Our Continued Orthodox Faith

Celtic and Pre-Roman British Orthodoxy
- OCC celebrates over 1,000 Celtic Saints who flourished before Augustine arrived in 597AD to convert the Saxons, having complained to Pope Gregory about Britain’s already well-established Celtic Bishoprics.
- Gildas (542AD): “We certainly know that Christ… afforded His light… to our Island in the last year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar,” 37AD.
- Council of Arles (314AD), called the “First Ecumenical Council” by Augustine of Hippo, was attended primarily by Celtic clergy of Britain and Gaul.
- Chrysostom (402AD): “The British Isles… have received the virtue of the Word. Churches are there found and altars erected. There thou should’st hear all men everywhere discussing matters out of the Scriptures.”
- St Aristobulus, assistant of the Apostle Andrew, was the First Century Bishop of Britain — celebrated liturgically across Orthodox jurisdictions.
- Rhygyfarch’s Life of Saint David (c. 1090) of Wales states Saint David (c. 550AD) was anointed as an archbishop by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, a position confirmed at the Synod of Llanddewi Brefi by popular acclaim (over 200 Bishops were recorded under his direction at subsequent synods).
Testimonies from the Roman Church
- Cardinal Baronius (Roman Annales Ecclesiastici): “Britain received the Gospel by 37AD.” He said all the Roman Martyrologies must be corrected to read “to the Gauls”(Celts) rather than “Galatians,” affirming the Western apostolicity.
- Baronius further cited Metaphrastes that “about the year of Our Lord 58, St Peter was preaching in the West, particularly in Britain.”
- Augustine’s own arrival was only to convert the newly arrived Saxons — not the longstanding British Church.
- Archbishop Parker of Canterbury promised Calvin that England would “retain her Episcopacy; but not as from Pope Gregory, who sent Augustine the monk hither, but from Joseph of Arimathea.” (“The Life and Acts of Archbishop Parker ” By John Strype, Published in 1711.)

Early Patriarchates and Apostolic Connections

The foundational patriarchates of Jerusalem, Rome, and Antioch are historically connected to Britain’s early Church:
- St. James the Just and St. Simon Zelotes, the first and second Bishops of Jerusalem, had enduring missionary links to Britain.
- St. Peter and St. Linus, the first Bishops of Rome, are linked to the British Church, with St. Linus being the grandson of King Bran the Blessed, a baptized British ruler.
- The Orthodox worldwide celebrate St Aristobulus, as the First Bishop of Britain in the First Century. He assisted the Holy Apostle St Andrew.
- St. Lazarus of Bethany, the first Bishop of Gaul, traveled to Britain before returning to the Continent — showing the seamless flow of apostolic missions between Britain and early patriarchal centers.

Historical and Canonical Witnesses to Our Apostolic Catholic Rite
- The Orthodox Church of the Culdees (OCC) maintains a valid Catholic rite, judged by the Roman Apostolic See to be in the same position as the Eastern Churches, as defined in Canon 844 §3 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law.
- Rome has consistently affirmed in official declarations such as Dominus Iesus §17 and Unitatis Redintegratio §15 that Churches with apostolic succession and valid Eucharist — even if not in communion — are “true particular Churches” where the Church of Christ is operative.
- OCC clergy hold lines of apostolic succession among main lines widely recognized as valid and canonical. The Celtic Rite preserves valid form, matter, minister, and intent as affirmed by papal documents (cf. Apostolicae Curae, Leo XIII).
- OCC recognizes the sacramental legitimacy of Orthodox and Roman clergy and welcomes visiting members for sacramental participation, as they do for ours. This mutual practice is consistent with their Canon 844 and ecumenical norms.

✦ Continued Orthodoxy vs. Eastern Heresies

The Second Council of Constantinople (381 AD) declared:
“The Churches that are without the Roman Empire should be governed by their ancient customs.”
This canon affirmed the rightful independence of the British Church.
St. Columba of Iona, in his Letter to Pope Gregory I, reminded him that the Celtic church has not propped up heretics:
“None has been a heretic, none a Judaizer, none a schismatic; but the Catholic Faith… is maintained unbroken.”
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate was not formally established until 451 AD, long after the Gospel had already reached Britain (37 AD) and established bishoprics like that of St. Aristobulus.
Before 451 AD, the Greek sees were repeatedly governed by Arian heretics — the Patriarchs of Antioch, Constantinople, and Alexandria were condemned for promoting this heresy.
After their 451 AD establishment of their “Patriarchate”, many Greek Patriarchs were Monophysite or Monothelite heretics — the Patriarchs of Antioch, Constantinople, and Alexandria were condemned for continuing these heresies till the 7th Century.
Monophysitism was condemned at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD) for denying Christ’s human nature, and
Monothelitism was condemned at the Third Council of Constantinople (680–681 AD) for denying Christ’s human will.
The Celtic Church maintained doctrinal purity while many Eastern Patriarchates fell into error — a fact noted by both Church councils and saints such as St. Columba.
Recognition from the Eastern Orthodox World
1951 – Affirmation from the Greek Orthodox Church in America:
A signed/sealed document on the early consecrations originating from Greek Orthodox bishops in the U.S.
(View document with seal)
1976 – Recognition from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA):
A signed and sealed letter acknowledging the challenges of being a church replanted in America, and recognizes our episcopal consecrations as valid and canonical.
(View source document with seal)
1978 – Official Recognition by His Beatitude Nicholas VI, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria:
The Patriarch and Synod declared our Western Orthodox Bishops consecrated in America as canonical:
“we studied carefully the documents placed at our disposal placed at our [the Synod’s] disposal, and are pleased to declare your Episcopal Ordination as valid and Canonical for the existent conditions in America.”
(View Patriarchal document with seal)
Moscow Patriarchate Synod (1904–1907): Under the leadership of Bishop Tikhon (later Patriarch of Moscow and canonized saint), the Russian Synod reviewed the English liturgy and affirmed it as **theologically and liturgically Orthodox**, rooted in the ancient **Sarum Rite** of the British Isles. This recognition serves as a good reminder for Eastern Christians.
Patriarch Cyril Lucarius of Constantinople (1572–1638): This historically significant Patriarch endorsed a **Reformed (Calvinist) Confession**, demonstrating the breadth of doctrinal dialogue between Eastern and Protestant traditions. His support for doctrinal reform shows the complex and open nature of Orthodoxy in previous centuries.
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (1882): The Patriarch and Synod **conditionally approved the Western liturgy and offices for the British Isles**, acknowledging their Orthodox form and apostolic legitimacy when restored with correct doctrine and rubrics.
Scottish Episcopal–Russian Orthodox Dialogue (1868): Metropolitan Filaret of Moscow engaged with the Scottish Episcopal Church to explore restoration of the **Western Orthodox Rite**, resulting in formal approval of a revised Orthodox-compatible Western liturgy.
Russian Orthodox Church (1907): Affirmed that the **Book of Common Prayer** is canonical and Orthodox in content, specifically citing its derivation from the **Sarum Use**, thus validating the theological integrity of Anglican and pre-Reformation British worship forms.
Recognition of Britain’s Autocephaly: Across multiple centuries, **Eastern Patriarchates and Russian Tsars** repeatedly acknowledged **Britain as an independent Orthodox jurisdiction since the First Century**.
(cf. “History of the Nonjurors…” by Lathbury)

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Teachings by Pastor Leroy Crouch

A co-pioneer of the Celtic Culdee movement in Southern California. As you enter the sanctuary, you see the ensigns of the House of Israel, a remarkable artistic display of the House of David (British and other Royal House) genealogy, and framed copies of the Declaration of Arbroath. Many well-respected authorities on the Celtic Church came here to teach and unveil deeper truths of the Kingdom.

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Communion and Inter-Communion

St Andrew's and St Joseph's Orthodox Church of the Culdees maintains a welcoming inter-communion network. This is comparable, though not limited, to practices found among other Celtic Culdee jurisdictions, including:

+Abbot David Smith, Abbot General, Order of the Culdee published books
Abbot-Bishop Maelruain, Céle Dé (Kristopher G. Dowling) — of the Celtic Orthodox Christian Church and Ascension Western Rite Orthodox Church in Akron
Archbishop MacKillop — St Brendan's Orthodox Church of the Culdees
Bishop Kennedy — Celtic Orthodox Church

We are of established canonical orthodoxy, which in its pure form makes room for a wide breadth of tradition. By orthodoxy, we mean the reception of at least one of the Ecumenical Church Councils, the practice of the Sacraments, and Apostolic Succession.

OCC practices inter-communion in a broad sense with those who maintain closed communion in the proper Christian sense; that is, they ensure that communicants are converted to the mainstream Gospel of Jesus Christ, confessing and turning from all sin, and being Baptized, Confirmed, and duly prepared.

Full Communion with St Andrew's OCC, however, is granted only by certification with ministries that not only practice closed communion, but also make room, where ministers are available, for the fuller round of observances, including Saturday liturgies and the Biblical seven high holy days as practiced by our Church Fathers.

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