orthodox

Orthodox is a term used to describe adherents to traditional, established beliefs, or to the groups that claim to preserve the original, correct form of a given faith. The word comes from Greek orthos, meaning right or correct, and doxa, meaning belief or glory.

In Christianity, Orthodox commonly refers to the Eastern Orthodox Church, a communion of autocephalous churches including the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Russian Orthodox Church, and others. They share a common theology expressed in the Nicene Creed, practice of infant baptism, and liturgical worship that traces its roots to early Christianity. The historical split with the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 is known as the Great Schism. There is also Oriental Orthodox, a separate communion that rejected the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE; its members include the Coptic, Armenian, and Syriac churches.

In Judaism, Orthodox Judaism denotes the traditionalist stream that emphasizes adherence to Halakha (Jewish law) and Rabbinic authority. It includes subgroups such as Modern Orthodox and Haredi communities, and it contrasts with Reform or Conservative approaches to modern Jewish life and practice.

The term can also be used more generally to describe conventional, mainstream, or accepted beliefs within a culture or organization. In such general use, lowercase orthodoxy may imply adherence to established norms rather than a specific religious tradition.