Yes, but they’re not theological. All canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in America believe the same faith, celebrate the same sacraments, and confess the same Creed. The differences you’ll notice are cultural, linguistic, and administrative.
If you’re visiting Orthodox churches around Southeast Texas, you might encounter an Antiochian parish, a Greek parish, maybe an OCA (Orthodox Church in America) mission. They’re all Orthodox. Fully. The priest at a Greek church can celebrate Liturgy at an Antiochian altar. An Antiochian bishop can ordain a man who’ll serve in a Romanian parish. We’re in communion with each other because we share the same apostolic faith.
So why the different jurisdictions?
How We Got Here
It’s mostly historical accident. Orthodoxy came to America through immigration. Greeks brought their priests and bishops from Greece. Russians brought theirs from Russia. Syrians and Lebanese brought theirs from Antioch. Each group naturally stayed connected to their mother church back home. Over time, this created overlapping jurisdictions in the same territory, which isn’t the canonical ideal. Orthodox ecclesiology normally expects one bishop per city, one church per region. But here we are, and we’re working on it.
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops exists precisely to coordinate among jurisdictions and move toward greater unity. It’s slow work. These are ancient churches with complex relationships going back centuries. But the will is there.
What Actually Differs
Walk into a Greek parish and then an Antiochian one, and you’ll notice things. The music sounds different. One might use Byzantine chant, the other English hymns or Arabic melodies. Some parishes have pews, some don’t. The iconography might reflect different artistic traditions. You might hear more Greek or Arabic in one, more English in another.
Calendar differences exist too. Most Antiochian and Greek parishes use the Revised Julian calendar (which matches the secular calendar for fixed feasts), while some Russian and Serbian parishes keep the Old Calendar. Pascha is still calculated the traditional way across most jurisdictions, so we usually celebrate Easter together.
Fasting practices are basically the same, though how strictly they’re emphasized can vary parish to parish. That’s often more about the priest’s pastoral approach than the jurisdiction.
Language matters a lot if you’re an inquirer. Many Antiochian parishes switched to English decades ago because we had an influx of converts. The OCA did the same. Greek parishes are increasingly bilingual. If you don’t speak the heritage language, ask how much of the Liturgy is in English before you visit.
Choosing a Parish
Here’s what I tell people in Beaumont or Port Arthur looking for an Orthodox church: visit the nearest canonical parishes and see where you can actually learn. Doctrine is the same everywhere, so practical fit matters.
Can you understand the service? Does the parish offer catechism classes? Is the priest available to answer your questions? Do people welcome you, or do you feel like you’re crashing a family reunion? These things matter more than whether the sign says Antiochian or Greek or OCA.
Some converts drive an hour to the parish that fits them. That’s fine. But don’t overthink it. If there’s a solid Orthodox parish twenty minutes away with good teaching and a welcoming community, that’s probably where God wants you. You’re not choosing a denomination. You’re choosing where to be received into the one Church.
A Word About Unity
The situation isn’t ideal, and we know it. Overlapping jurisdictions confuse inquirers and create administrative headaches. But we’re not divided the way Protestant denominations are divided. There’s no Antiochian theology versus Greek theology. We don’t have competing truth claims. An Antiochian Christian visiting Houston can receive Communion at a Greek parish without question. Try that as a Baptist at a Presbyterian church.
The jurisdictions are administrative structures, not separate churches. Think of them as different dioceses that happen to overlap geographically because of historical circumstances. We’re working toward a more canonical arrangement, but these things take time when you’re dealing with ancient patriarchates and complex histories.
If you’re inquiring into Orthodoxy, don’t let the jurisdictional question paralyze you. Find a parish where you can hear the Gospel, learn to pray, and be formed in the faith. The Church is bigger than any jurisdiction. When you’re chrismated, you’re not becoming Antiochian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox. You’re becoming Orthodox, period. The jurisdictional label is just where you happen to be planted.
Visit a few parishes if you can. Talk to the priests. Attend a Liturgy. See where the Holy Spirit seems to be drawing you. That’s not relativism, it’s recognizing that God works through the concrete circumstances of your life, including which Orthodox parish is actually accessible to you in Southeast Texas.
