Very often in Christian literature you can find expressions like "The Church has decided" or "The Church affirms." The question may arise as to what the Christian Church is in its dogmatic meaning. The Orthodox faith gives a clear and clear answer, based on the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church.
Definition of the Church in its dogmatic meaning
The church is not just a temple (building). This concept has a much deeper meaning. The Church, in the Christian sense, is understood as a society of people united by a single hierarchy (clergy through apostolic succession), by single sacraments (there are seven of them in Orthodoxy) in a single Head - the Lord Jesus Christ. It turns out that the Church is a society of believers, a living “organism”. The founder of the Church is Christ Himself. He told the apostles about its creation, and he mentioned the impossibility even for hell itself to overcome this society of believers. That is, any Christian who participates in church life is a member of this society and, accordingly, of the Church.
What is the Church
The Church of Christ can be divided into several "types". In particular, the Church is earthly and heavenly. The first is understood as all Christians living on earth. This Church in theology is called "militant", to the extent that Christian people are warriors on earth. They struggle with their passions and vices, and also sometimes with the very manifestations of demonic power. The second kind of Church (heavenly) is otherwise called "triumphant". It includes all the holy people who have already crossed the threshold of eternity, as well as all those who were vouchsafed to achieve paradise and unity with God after their death. They already triumph in eternal glory with God and are in his fellowship and love.
In addition, Christian theology can also refer to all the heavenly angelic hosts to the "triumphant" Church.
