FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions It is not uncommon for the COCOA to receive inquiries regarding our beliefs, history, and relationship to other churches. This FAQ page will hopefully assist you in finding the information that you need. However, if you have a question that you feel would also help others, please email it to us and it may be added to the site. Is the Christian Orthodox Church of America Catholic? Is the COCOA a new denomination? Who are the leaders of the COCOA? What is the meaning of "convergence worship?" What is apostolic succession? Is there a relationship between the COCOA and the Federation of St. Thomas Christians of America? What are the COCOA views on the virgin Mary? What are the sacraments in the COCOA? More questions to be added soon!

Yes, but we are not Roman Catholic. The word "catholic" simply means universal, which is how the ancient Christians understood the Church to be. Many Protestant Christians are not aware that the Roman Catholicism is not the only Church that can trace its lineage back to the apostles. However, more people today are learning about the other ancient "Eastern Orthodox" churches which have also been around since the days of the Apostles. Sometimes these churches are called "Eastern Catholic" because to western people they look the same as Roman Catholics. This is a great misconception, and in order to fully understand the Orthodox Church, it is necessary to learn more about the faithful Christians who have lived in the east for 2000 years. The original churches founded by the Apostles were Orthodox. Within the first few hundred years the Church was overseen by 5 Patriarchs (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem). The Roman Catholic Church as it exists today is the result of a split between the Rome and the rest of the Orthodox Patriarchs. Our church is part of the ancient Church of the east, and we consider ourselves "catholic" but not under the Roman Pope.

No. The Christian Orthodox Church of America is a new communion of churches, but has its roots in the ancient and apostolic church reaching back to 52 A.D. when St. Thomas the Apostle established seven churches on the Malabar coast in India. It is a common mistake for western Christians to label the various Orthodox bodies as denominations. There are no denominations in Orthodoxy, rather the Church is made up of self-governing "autocephelous" jurisdictions. True apostolic churches share in common essential doctrines concerning the sacraments and ecclesiology (church government). As Bishop Kallistos Ware has put it, "The Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing Churches. It is not held together by a centralized organization, not by a single prelate wielding absolute power over the whole body, but by the double bond of unity in Faith and communion in the Sacraments. In short, this common unity or belief of FAITH and APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION is what we call Orthodoxy. It is the Church of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets (Ephesians 2:20)." Denominations are born out of doctrinal distinctives. The COCOA is a convergence of liturgical, evangelical, and charismatic streams of Christianity. It is both ancient and modern in its expression.

The Presiding Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Christian Orthodox Church of America is His Eminence Paul Mar Gregory Schell of Denver, Colorado. Archbishop Gregory presides over the International House of Bishops for the COCOA as well as the Archdiocese of North America. The COCOA is comprised of Bishops of regional areas who are assisted by priests, deacons, and laypeople from across the nation. The COCOA is structured in this way; The Archdiocese is made up of the Presiding Archbishop, along with Bishops from each region of the U.S.A., and each diocese is comprised of all the churches within each region. Each level of our church government is mutually accountable and subject to church canon laws

Convergence worship is the free flow of the great historical expressions of Christian faith and practice: the Liturgical/Sacramental, Evangelical, and the Charismatic. Liturgical/Sacramental simply means that the COCOA identifies with the apostolic and catholic patterns of worship, with the regular gathering to celebrate the eucharist (Holy Communion) in addition to the other commonly accepted sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Reconciliation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick. The COCOA is evangelical in the sense that it seeks to reconcile the world to Christ through solid biblical teaching, preaching and missional outreach. The COCOA is charismatic in that it fully embraces the free flow of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The COCOA vision is to be a contemporary Church where there is a convergence of ministry, rooted in the ancient and historical truths of the Church Universal, with contemporary worship and spiritual renewal, while reaching to the future in relevant ways, meeting the needs of unchurched and churched people.

Apostolic succession is the passing down of authority from the original apostles through the laying on of hands. Since the days of St. Thomas and St. Peter, there has been an unbroken succession of the transference of apostolic authority. The very hands of St. Thomas that were thrust into the side of our Lord were successively laid on bishops for two thousand years (unbroken) all the way down to this present day. In the ancient church apostolic succession was the hallmark of the church's authentic catholicity (connection with the church of the apostles).

Yes. The COCOA is in full communion with the Federation of St. Thomas Christians of America. However, our communion is also independent and self-governing according to its own beliefs and church canons. COCOA Presiding Archbishop Paul Mar Gregory was consecrated by Archbishop Dr. Joseph Mar Narsai, the head of the Federation. The COCOA and the Federation are currently working together to establish new missions in the U.S.A. and throughout the world. While there are some members of the Federation that have distinctive doctrines and practices that diverge from christian orthodoxy, the COCOA remains faithful to the apostolic faith. In fact, the Federation has lauded the COCOA for its firm convictions in orthodoxy and its unwavering stand in defense of historic christianity. Mar Narsai has declared that St. Isaac Cathedral is the flagship church of the Federation, and a model for future missions. Therefore, the relationship between the COCOA and the Federation is best described as a fraternal network of a common vision; The gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since the Protestant Reformation, the confession of Mary as "Mother of God" has been under scrutiny. The Reformers strongly felt that the Roman Catholic Church put too much emphasis on St. Mary, and some felt that the title "Mother of God" was not appropriate. It is important to note that the Protestant reaction was primarily directed toward the Roman understanding of St. Mary. However, the Orthodox Church, whose traditions are ancient and have endured for 2000 years, also affirms the term "Mother of God" (the Greek term is actually, Theotokos which means "God-bearer"). This belief in Mary as Theotokos is very ancient, and was commonly accepted in the early Church. The Ecumenical Councils of the Church affirmed this as recorded in the Nicene Creed. Please check back soon for a more detailed description on the COCOA's views on Mary.

The Christian Orthodox Church of America celebrates what are commonly known as the "seven sacraments": Baptism, Chrismation, Holy Communion, Marriage, Holy Orders, Reconciliation, and Anointing of the sick. To learn more about our sacraments, click here.

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