The Validity of Sacraments in the Churches Separated from Orthodoxy

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of recognising in the Orthodox churches the validity of the sacraments administered in the non-Orthodox churches and communities. Various local Orthodox traditions, including theological and other reasons of recognising some of non-Orthodox sacraments, are briefly reviewed. In the author’s opinion, the existing vast diversity of practices of recognising non-Orthodox sacraments requires greater harmonisation of theological, canonical, pastoral and other arguments, including situational ones, for elaborating a more unified and coherent position of Orthodoxy on this issue.

Keywords

• theology
• ecclesiology
• church sacraments
• the validity of sacraments
• богословие
• экклезиология
• церковные таинства
• действительность таинств