The word dogma in ancient Greek originally meant “that which seems good.” Through time, its definition was expanded to reflect the truths of any given philosophy, society, or culture. Later, however, the word became narrowed again so as to mean those tenets belonging to a specific doctrine or belief. In essence, a dogma is a religious truth issued from divine revelation and indisputably defined by the Church – and many of these teachings/doctrines were decreed as “dogmas” at the eight Ecumenical Councils. Therefore, dogmas of the Church include God’s Triune Nature (i.e. the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit); Jesus Christ – the Son of God – being born with two natures (God & Man); Mary’s role as Theotokos (bearing God in her womb) while still remaining a virgin, etc.
