Foundational Criteria for Authentic Religious Teachings

In the pursuit of genuine religious doctrine, modern thinkers highlight a number of important indicators that contribute not only to an intellectual understanding but also to a profound personal experience of faith. The foremost, and one of the most significant, elements is the orientation toward the common good—the teaching must bring forth a practical light to improve the life of every individual, enabling religion to become a powerful driving force for societal change. This is followed by the requirement of objective verification: a true teaching is not limited to abstract dogmas, but demonstrates the possibility of testing its assertions with factual results and the real experiences of its believers. Equally important is the direct experience of the presence of the Supreme Being, an experience that forms the foundation of faith, where each person feels their unity with the Divine on a personal, emotional level. Moreover, establishing a living relationship with the Divine personality goes beyond formal adherence to canon and becomes a support for genuine spiritual revival. Finally, the path of personal transformation and spiritual asceticism stands as a clear testimony that the study of religion leads to the realization of one’s inner potential and harmony with higher ideals. Thus, the combination of caring for the common good, empirical verification, personal spiritual experience, sincere engagement with the Divine, and personal transformation forms a solid foundation for assessing and recognizing the authenticity of religious teachings.

What criteria can be used to determine the authenticity of religious beliefs?

The answer to your question can be formulated by highlighting several key criteria by which the authenticity of religious beliefs is determined:

1. Criterion of Orientation Toward the Common Good. The teaching must be aimed at achieving the overall improvement of life. For example, one document states:
"Two signs of the authenticity of the Teaching: first – the aspiration toward the Common Good; second – the acceptance of all previous Teachings that met the first criterion" (source: link , page: 665-668).
This criterion implies that genuine religious teaching should demonstrate a practical orientation toward the common good, emphasizing the improvement of people’s lives.

2. Criterion of Objective Verification and Factual Substantiation. The authenticity of religious teaching must be supported by facts and provide a concrete method to verify its claims. As noted:
"Orthodoxy … firstly, provides facts that confirm its authenticity, and secondly, indicates a real way to verify its claims" (source: link , page: 41-44).
Here, authenticity is defined by the possibility of empirically confirming that the assertions of the religion correspond to real-life practice and are validated by the experiences of its believers.

3. Criterion of Direct Inner Experience. A true teaching should be based on the experience of the presence of the Supreme Being, perceived not as abstract knowledge but as a directly experienced fact:
"The fundamental and unquestionable truth appears to be the existence of the Supreme Being. It is not even a truth, but a directly experienced fact" (source: link , page: 438-440).
This approach emphasizes the importance of personal spiritual experience as the basis for faith.

4. Criterion of Personal Relationship with the Divine Personality. Genuine religious faith is built upon the awareness of a living relationship between the believer and the Divine personality, rather than on formal dogmas:
"Awareness of the relationship between the living Divine personality and the human personality serves as the foundation for faith" (source: link , page: 4-5).
This underscores that the authenticity of religious teaching is determined not so much by logical constructs as by the depth and sincerity of the personal contact with the Divine.

5. Criterion of Spiritual Asceticism and Personal Transformation. The outcomes of the spiritual path, manifested in the transformation of the human personality and the realization of one’s ideal, pre-eternal Divine mission, also serve as an important indicator of authenticity:
"To know the truth means to become true, i.e., to fulfill one's ideal, pre-eternal Divine purpose" (source: link , page: 44-45),
as well as the idea that a life built in accordance with spiritual laws provides a concrete and comprehensive answer to questions about the meaning of existence (source: link , page: 42-43).

Thus, the criteria for determining the authenticity of religious beliefs include:
• the orientation of the teaching toward the common good;
• the availability of factual confirmations and the possibility of testing the claims;
• the direct, experienced encounter with the presence of the Supreme Being;
• a profound personal relationship with the Divine personality;
• the demonstration of spiritual asceticism and personal transformation.

Supporting citation(s):
"Two signs of the authenticity of the Teaching: first – the aspiration toward the Common Good; second – the acceptance of all previous Teachings that met the first criterion" (source: link , page: 665-668)
"Orthodoxy … firstly, provides facts that confirm its authenticity, and secondly, indicates a real way to verify its claims" (source: link , page: 41-44)
"The fundamental and unquestionable truth appears to be the existence of the Supreme Being. It is not even a truth, but a directly experienced fact" (source: link , page: 438-440)
"Awareness of the relationship between the living Divine personality and the human personality serves as the foundation for faith" (source: link , page: 4-5)
"To know the truth means to become true, i.e., to fulfill one's ideal, pre-eternal Divine purpose" (source: link , page: 44-45)
"Orthodoxy meets a fundamental human need – it provides a concrete and comprehensive answer to the question of the meaning and purpose of one’s life" (source: link , page: 42-43)