How decisions are made in the Churchtranslated

Who makes decisions in the Orthodox Church? Can the Patriarch resolve any issue single-handedly? Why are Councils and the Holy Synod needed? In fact, there is no single body that would resolve all church issues. Powers are distributed between parishes, dioceses and church-wide governing bodies, and the procedure for making decisions depends primarily on what exactly is being discussed. Let us examine these questions using the example of the Russian Orthodox Church.

1. What are church decisions based on?

In matters of faith and church life, the Orthodox Church relies on Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. Tradition includes not only the works of the holy fathers, but also the doctrinal definitions of the Ecumenical Councils, canonical rules, liturgical tradition and the entire experience of the life of the Church. At the same time, the question of who makes the decision is always connected with another: what kind of decision are we talking about?

2. Who decides issues of the parish and diocese?

Many everyday issues are resolved directly in the parish. The rector is responsible for the life of the parish community, but does not manage the parish solely at his own discretion. The parish operates within the framework of the Church Charter and is subordinate to the diocesan bishop. In his...