Brief introduction to the knowledge of the Orthodox Church

This article by Olivier Clément constitutes a synthetic introduction to the Orthodox Church, aimed at a non-specialist readership. Adopting a panoramic and didactic approach, it covers the main dimensions of Orthodoxy: its historical roots, its geographical spread, its theological foundations, its liturgical life, its iconographic art, and its monastic and hesychast tradition. The central idea is that Orthodoxy forms a coherent whole articulating Trinitarian theology, synodal ecclesiology, mystical experience, and liturgical expression, while traversing recurring crises — persecutions, nationalisms, integrisms — from which it emerges through successive renewals. The contribution of the article lies in the interconnection of the doctrinal, cultural, and institutional dimensions of Orthodoxy, with particular attention to the role of the Western diaspora and the Paris School in the theological and ecumenical renewal of the twentieth century.