What is orthodox christianity?

Question

I found a quote from Thomas Jefferson that I really liked and agreed with.

"Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call to her tribunal every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blindfolded fear. "

So I looked up more quotes by TJ and found this one to be interesting.

"I do not find in orthodox Christianity one redeeming feature. "

What was he refering to with "orthodox christianity"?

Answer 1

He meant the most established and best forms. He was excluding the nut cases. For example, during Jefferson's life, Jesus returned, in the form of a woman, and formed the religion called the Shakers. We owe much of our national wealth to the inventions of the Shakers, but unfortunately, or fortunately, they were celibate and so winked out of existence, though it was in the last decade or so when the last one died.

It is easy to criticize the nut cases and the wacky forms of Christianity. The well thought out, more faithful forms of Christianity are more difficult to criticize. That he found no redeeming feature is a very important statement. He is rejecting not merely nutty Christianity, but St. Francis of Assisi, Luther, Calvin, Mother Theresa and so forth.

Answer 2

Thomas Jefferson's take of orthodox christianity was obviously western Christianity which I have had issue with...
views like the nature of man many Chrisitans foucus so much on the faults of man they don't see the good. man is capable of both next legalism- in western Christinaity God can only forgive if some thing dies and decides to kill himself. I am a convert to "Eastern" Orhtodox Christianit- in part becuse it dose recognise man is capable of good and evil and sees the crusicifixion as more than just a death obssesed God.

Answer 3

"Orthodox" comes from the Greek word for "True (correct) teachings"

Orthodox is the opposite of heterodox, or more commonly called heresy (which is the Greek word for "Choice")

There is a branch of Christianity started from the Greek Church that calls themselves Orthodox (Most are in Eastern Europe). This represented the First split of the Christian Catholic (Greek for "Universal") Church, believing that those who remained in the Roman Church (Still called Catholic today) had strayed from the "True Teachings" (Orthodox).

Here however, Jefferson refers to Traditional Christianity in it's varied forms. Orthodox, as per Jefferson's meaning was not strictly the Orthodox Church, but all of Christianity as it had formed over the centuries.

Answer 4

orthodox is middle eastern christians sort of relted somewhat to the jews beliefs, also they are very very strict

Answer 5

he didnt like their legalism obviously...