What is dogma? Is dogma something that can change?

(Asked on Friday of the summer retreat in Colorado)

In the Orthodox Christian tradition, a dogma is an authoritative, unchanging formulation of divinely revealed truth, expressed as teachings tied directly to salvation and codified by ecumenical councils.

Nature and Purpose of Dogma

• Divine Revelation: Dogmas are not human opinions or cultural ideas, but direct insights into the mysteries of God given by the Holy Spirit.

• Guideposts, Not Exhaustive Limits: They act as clear boundaries and signposts pointing to the truth, though the infinite reality of God remains beyond complete human definition.

• Inseparable from Life: In Orthodoxy, correct belief (dogma) and correct practice/lifestyle (ethos) cannot be separated; one must live the truth one confesses.

Sources of Dogma

• The Holy Scriptures: The foundational written record of God's self-revelation.

• The Nicene Creed: The core summary of faith recited during worship that outlines the essential truths about the Trinity and Christ.

• The Ecumenical Councils: The collective, inspired decisions and canons produced by the universal Church in response to heresies.