MLG, as Kosta pointed out in his post, what Orthodoxy believes and teaches about atonement is that which The Church has taught from the beginning. If you are correct in your recent theology, why did God allow humanity to wallow in darkness for 1500 years until some Western Europeans who were angry with an Italian pope/monarch finally set everyone straight...except of course Holy Orthodoxy which is the same today as it was when the Reformers revolted against Rome.
Were there no “elect” around for those 1500 years, or is it that correct theology or belief is of no consequence for the elect? The problem you face, indeed the one which all Protestants face when confronting Orthodoxy, is to explain just where the HS was for those 1500 years before Calvin and Luther started grinding their axes and why, given what must be manifest Orthodox heresy to you people, there was nothing even approaching a reformation in Holy Orthodoxy.
That is not true at all. Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, John and the Apostles all taught clearly the propitiatory nature of the Atonement, not "ransom" and "ransom only". Now if you want to say that Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, John and the Apostles are not part of the Church then go ahead, but yuo will be in shakier ground than already.
The Church never made any dogmatic declarations that restricted the Atonement to "Ransom" only. As a matter of fact, there was great debate at to the "ransom" itself. Some said the ransom was paid to Satan, others to the Father.
We do not deny the "ransom" aspect of the Atonement, but that is not the totality of the Atonement.
If you are correct in your recent theology
Misrepresentation, it is not "recent", it was taught clearly by Jesus Himself, and the Apostles.
why did God allow humanity to wallow in darkness for 1500 years
Maybe to humble you.