Greek Evangelical Church
Encyclopedia
The Greek Evangelical Church (Greek
: Ελληνική Ευαγγελική Εκκλησία Elliniki Evangeliki Ekklisia) is a Presbyterian
Reformed
denomination in Greece
. It was the first Protestant
church established in the country.
was founded in 1867. Today there are 30 Greek Evangelical Churches in Greece, 3 in Cyprus
and 5 in the Greek diaspora
.
. Beliefs are typical of most Protestant denominations: they recognize the Bible as the only authority on matters of faith (sola scriptura
) and recognize two sacraments
(baptism
and holy communion). Their Confession of Faith is very similar to the Westminster Confession and consists of 28 articles.
and the World Council of Churches
.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Ελληνική Ευαγγελική Εκκλησία Elliniki Evangeliki Ekklisia) is a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
Reformed
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
denomination in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It was the first Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
church established in the country.
History
Greek Evangelical Church dates back to 1858 when the first Greek Evangelical, Mihail Kalapothakis started publishing the magazine Astir tis Anatolis (Star of the East) which is still published today. He gathered a group of followers thus forming the first Greek Evangelical community and organized Sunday School for children as well as issuing the Efimeris ton Paidon (Newspaper of the Children) in 1868. The first Greek Evangelical Church was built in 1871 in the center of Athens, which was demolished and rebuilt in 1956 due to the increasing number of followers. Greek Evangelicalism spread also through the Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, the first Greek Evangelical community in Asia MinorAsia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
was founded in 1867. Today there are 30 Greek Evangelical Churches in Greece, 3 in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
and 5 in the Greek diaspora
Greek diaspora
The Greek diaspora, also known as Hellenic Diaspora or Diaspora of Hellenism, is a term used to refer to the communities of Greek people living outside the traditional Greek homelands, but more commonly in southeast Europe and Asia Minor...
.
Theology
Greek Evangelical Church is theologically CalvinistCalvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
. Beliefs are typical of most Protestant denominations: they recognize the Bible as the only authority on matters of faith (sola scriptura
Sola scriptura
Sola scriptura is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid...
) and recognize two sacraments
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
(baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and holy communion). Their Confession of Faith is very similar to the Westminster Confession and consists of 28 articles.
Affiliations
The Greek Evangelical Church is affiliated with the World Communion of Reformed ChurchesWorld Communion of Reformed Churches
The World Communion of Reformed Churches is an ecumenical Christian body formed in June 2010 by the union of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council...
and the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
.