The Orthodox Christian faith is based on the basic formulations of the doctrine accepted by the whole Church. The main essence of the doctrine of truth in modern times is called dogma and has a general church significance and a direct connection with the life and faith of man.
Modern textbooks of dogmatic theology indicate that the word "dogma" has Greek roots and translates as "count", "suppose", "think." In addition, the perfection of the Latin verb "dedogme" has a meaning in the Russian language "determined", "laid down", "installed", "resolved".
The term dogma has a pre-Christian history. It was used by philosophers of the ancient period. So, Plato in his works called this term human concepts and ideas about the beautiful and fair. In Seneca’s works, dogma refers to basic moral standards. In addition, philosophical truths that did not require proof, as well as government decrees and decrees, were called dogmas.
In the New Testament Scripture, the word "dogma" is used in two meanings:
- The Gospel of Luke tells of the decree of the ruler of Augustus on the census. The decree of Caesar is called dogma. The book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles calls the apostolic decrees of the Council of Jerusalem "ta dogmata".
- The apostle Paul uses this term to refer to Christian doctrine in its entirety.
Thus, for the Christian Church of the II - beginning of the IV century, the dogma was called the entire Christian dogma, which includes not only the basic tenets of the faith, but also moral principles. The era of Ecumenical Councils, which began in the IV century, influenced the fact that only doctrinal truths became known as dogmas. This was due to the formation of clear theological doctrinal formulations that were accepted by the Church from the moment of its foundation. It is worthwhile to understand that the very essence of a creed is called a dogma, and the verbal formulation (“shell”) is a dogmatic formulation.
After the Seventh Ecumenical Council, dogma began to be called dogma truths that were confirmed at the Ecumenical Councils of bishops and clergy of the Christian Church. At its core, dogmas are a boundary, a limit beyond which the human mind cannot go beyond thinking about God. Dogmas protect a person’s faith from false heretical creeds. So, for example, the dogma of two natures in Christ testifies to the faith of the Orthodox person that Christ is the true God (in the full sense of the word) and man (the second Person of the Holy Trinity was embodied).
Christian Orthodox dogmas have certain properties, expressed in terms of doctrine, revelation, ecclesiastical and law-binding (universally binding). Thus, dogma is a doctrine truth accepted by the entirety of the Orthodox Church.
Sometimes dogmas and basic doctrinal truths are difficult for human consciousness to perceive. For example, it is impossible for people to fully comprehend the concepts of the oneness and Trinity of the Divine with the mind. Therefore, the dogmas of some theologians are called the cross for the human mind.
An Orthodox person must understand that dogmas have a practical purpose and contribute not only to the correct thinking about God, but also to unity with Him and the pursuit of the Creator. So, the church historian A. V. Kartashev in his work "The Age of Ecumenical Councils" writes:
Another remarkable theologian V.N. Lossky directly speaks of the purpose and importance of dogmas:
