Orthodox Monastery of Saint Brigid

​Who and What is the Orthodox Church?

 

The Orthodox Church traces its roots to the earliest Christian communities established by the apostles. As a Traditionally Inclusive tradition, Orthodox Christianity embraces the belief that God's saving grace extends universally to all humanity. Key aspects include:

 

Sacramental Life: In the Orthodox understanding, sacraments are visible signs of God's inclusive love for all people. Through sacraments like Baptism, Chrismation, and the Eucharist, individuals are welcomed into a community of faith where God's transformative grace is freely offered to everyone, regardless of background or belief.

 

Liturgical Worship: Traditionally Inclusive Orthodox worship celebrates the diversity and richness of God's creation. Services invite all people to participate in the sacred mysteries through prayers, hymns, and rituals that affirm the universal presence of God and His love for all humanity.

 

Hierarchy and Unity: The hierarchical structure of the Orthodox Church serves to uphold the unity of all believers in Christ, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries. This unity reflects God's desire for all people to be united in faith and love, fostering a community where diversity is celebrated as a testament to the inclusive nature of God's saving work.
 

Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy™

The original and Ancient Faith of the Apostles, as preserved and lived through by the Orthodox Church, is the foundation of Traditionally Inclusive Orthodox theology. This theological and ecclesial approach upholds the historic faith, liturgical traditions, and sacramental life of the Church while embracing an inclusive vision that honors the dignity of all God’s people. It ensures that no one is excluded from full participation in the life of the Church—whether in the sacraments, ordained ministry, or communal worship—on the basis of gender, marital status, sexual orientation, or other factors that have historically restricted access.

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Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy seeks to balance unwavering fidelity to the apostolic tradition with an openness that reflects the Gospel’s call to love, justice, and communion with God. Rooted in the core theological principles of Orthodox Christianity, it applies them pastorally to the realities of the contemporary world, affirming that the Church is truly catholic when it welcomes all whom Christ calls into His embrace.

 

Key Aspects of Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy

1. Apostolic Tradition & Orthodoxy

• Maintains the theological, sacramental, and liturgical heritage of the Orthodox Church, including the Divine Liturgy, veneration of the saints, and adherence to the creeds and councils of the early Church.

• Preserves the integrity of Orthodox theology, iconography, hymnography, and spiritual life.

 

2. Inclusive Sacramental Theology

• The sacraments are open to all who sincerely seek them, without exclusion based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or marital history.

• Marriage is recognized as a sacred union based on love and commitment, rather than restricted to specific gendered pairings.

 

3. Ordination & Ministry

• Affirms the ordination of women to all major orders, including the diaconate, priesthood, and episcopacy, as a restoration of early Church practice.

• Clerical celibacy is a choice rather than a requirement, and married clergy—regardless of gender—are fully accepted.

 

4. A Pastoral Approach Rooted in Love

• Emphasizes pastoral care that meets people where they are, affirming their dignity and worth.

• Recognizes that tradition must be lived and interpreted with compassion, guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

5. Commitment to Orthodox Spirituality

• Retains the ascetical and mystical dimensions of Orthodox spirituality, emphasizing prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and theosis (union with God).

• Encourages monastic and contemplative life while ensuring that monasticism itself reflects an inclusive ethos.

 

A Living Tradition

Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy does not seek to change the core doctrines of the faith but rather to remove barriers that have prevented people from fully participating in the life of the Church. It understands Orthodoxy as a living tradition—one that remains faithful to its roots while addressing the pastoral realities of the modern world.

 

1. The Doctrine of Theosis (Deification)

At the heart of Orthodox theology is the doctrine of theosis, the process by which human beings are called to become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy affirms that:

• Theosis is the goal of all human beings, regardless of gender, sexuality, marital status, or other distinctions.

• The Church’s role is to remove obstacles that prevent individuals from fully participating in this divine calling.

• All people, created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), are capable of growing in holiness and communion with God.

 

2. Christology: The Incarnation and the Fullness of Humanity

The Incarnation of Christ is central to Orthodox theology. Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy emphasizes:

• Christ assumed full human nature, sanctifying all of humanity—not just a select group.

• The Incarnation demonstrates God’s radical solidarity with all people, particularly the marginalized.

• The Church, as the Body of Christ, must reflect the inclusivity of Christ’s ministry, welcoming all into the life of the Church.

 

3. The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Orthodox tradition holds that the Holy Spirit is actively at work in the Church, guiding it toward truth (John 16:13). Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy understands:

• The Holy Spirit continues to work in the Church, calling it to deeper faithfulness and renewal.

• The Spirit moves beyond rigid structures and human limitations, calling all people into ministry and sacramental participation.

• The Church must remain open to the Spirit’s movement, discerning where tradition and pastoral care must align for the sake of the Gospel.

 

4. The Church as a Sacrament of Unity

Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy sees the Church as the living Body of Christ, meant to reflect divine love and unity:

• The Church is called to be a sacrament of God’s presence in the world, embracing all who seek Christ.

• Just as the early Church welcomed diverse communities, so too must the modern Church be a space where all people are fully incorporated into the life of faith.

• Orthodox ecclesiology affirms conciliarity (sobornost’), meaning the Church must listen to the faithful and respond to their needs while maintaining doctrinal integrity.

 

5. The Image of God in All People

A foundational theological principle of Orthodox Christianity is that all people are created in the imago Dei (image of God). Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy holds the following:

• The image of God is present in every person, regardless of gender, orientation, or other distinctions.

• This divine image grants each person intrinsic dignity and the capacity for communion with God.

• Excluding individuals from full participation in the sacramental life of the Church contradicts this core theological truth.

 

6. Sacramental Theology: An Understanding of Grace

The Orthodox Church teaches that sacraments are encounters with the grace of God. Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy affirms:

• The sacraments are means of divine grace accessible to all baptized believers who seek them in faith.

• Marriage is a sacramental expression of love and commitment, not limited to a specific gender configuration but rather rooted in mutual self-giving.

• Holy Orders (ordination) is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and both men and women can be called to serve as deacons, priests, and bishops, reflecting the diversity of ministry seen in the early Church.

 

7. The Kingdom of God as the Measure of Inclusion

Orthodox Christianity teaches that the Church is an icon of the Kingdom of God, and Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy emphasizes:

• The Kingdom of God is radically inclusive, where all are gathered at the banquet of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

• The Church, as a foretaste of the Kingdom, must strive to embody this inclusivity in its life and ministry.

• Barriers that have historically excluded people from full participation in the Church must be examined in light of the eschatological vision of Christ’s reign.

 

Tradition and Renewal in Harmony

Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy is not about abandoning the past but about deepening faithfulness to the Gospel by recovering a more holistic understanding of tradition. It seeks to be: Faithful to Orthodox theology, preserving its doctrinal integrity; pastorally engaged, ensuring that the Church remains a place of healing and grace; open to the Spirit’s work, discerning how to remove barriers that hinder people from encountering Christ.

 

By holding firm to the richness of Orthodox tradition while embracing a vision of inclusivity, Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy seeks to witness to the transformative love of God in a way that honors both ancient faith and contemporary pastoral needs.

 

Traditionally Inclusive Orthodoxy™ & Traditionally Inclusive Theology™ are a theological and pastoral identity developed by Fr. Matthew Christopher Kennedy, OCR that maintains ancient traditions while embracing the full inclusion of all God’s beloved.