Orthodox~1054 (Great Schism formalised)
Eastern Orthodox
📍 Byzantine Empire (Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria)
Ancient Christianity preserved in the East. Deep liturgy, icons, and theosis.
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Denomination Explorer
Christianity is not one tradition. It is a family shaped by centuries of faith, geography, and the many ways people have met God. Explore the full family here. All branches. No judgment.
Orthodox~42 AD
Coptic Orthodox
📍 Alexandria, Egypt
Egypt's ancient apostolic church, founded by the Apostle Mark.
Learn moreOrthodox~301 AD (state church)
Armenian Apostolic
📍 Armenia (modern Turkey/Armenia)
The world's oldest national church, founded by Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew.
Learn moreOrthodox~37 AD (Antioch); Jacobite identity ~543 AD
Syriac Orthodox (Jacobite)
📍 Antioch, Syria
Ancient Aramaic church tracing origins to Antioch and the Apostle Peter.
Learn moreOrthodox~1st–2nd century AD
Church of the East (Assyrian)
📍 Mesopotamia (modern Iraq and Iran)
The ancient Eastern church of Mesopotamia - Christianity in the Persian Empire.
Learn moreOrthodox~330 AD (state church)
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo
📍 Axum, Ethiopia
Africa's ancient apostolic church - 81-book canon, Ge'ez liturgy, and the Ark of the Covenant.
Learn moreOrthodox1666–1667 (Great Schism from Russian Orthodoxy)
Old Believers (Raskolniki)
📍 Russia
Preserving the pre-Nikonian Russian Orthodox rites against all reform.
Learn moreOrthodox~52 AD (apostolic tradition); reformed 1836
Mar Thoma Church (Thomas Christians)
📍 Kerala, India
St Thomas's ancient Indian church meets the Protestant Reformation.
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Mar Thoma Church (Thomas Christians)
Orthodox~52 AD (apostolic tradition); reformed 1836
📍 Kerala, India
🌍 ~1.1 million
Origin
According to tradition, the Apostle Thomas arrived in Kerala, India, in 52 AD, establishing Christian communities that persisted under a Syriac liturgical tradition linked to the Patriarchate of Antioch. In the 19th century, Anglican CMS missionaries introduced Reformation theology, sparking internal reform. In 1836, Abraham Malpan revised the Syriac liturgy to align it with Protestant doctrine. His son Matthew was consecrated bishop without patriarchal approval - founding the Mar Thoma Church as a unique Eastern-Reformed hybrid.
Core beliefs
- Apostolic foundation through Thomas the Apostle in 52 AD
- Reformed theology within an Eastern liturgical form - a unique synthesis
- Justification by faith; Scripture as supreme authority above tradition
- Episcopal governance with the Metropolitan as head
- Social justice and service to the poor as essential expressions of the gospel
Worship style
Syriac liturgy reformed on Protestant lines - Scripture in Malayalam, evangelical preaching, vestments, and altar. The annual Maramon Convention on the banks of the Pamba River draws hundreds of thousands for Bible teaching and is one of the largest Christian gatherings in Asia.
Key scriptures
- John 20:28
- Romans 1:16–17
- Acts 2:38–42
- Matthew 5:3–10
Relationship to other denominations
A unique bridge between Oriental Orthodox (Thomas Christian heritage) and the Protestant-Reformed tradition. In communion with Anglican/Episcopal churches and the Old Catholic Church. Sister to the Malankara Orthodox Church.