Basics of the differences between east and west?

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Hi everyone - hoping you could help me - using as simple language as possible, lol - what the major differences are between catholics who who are of the “west” and those of the “east”…My beginning understanding is this: there are eastern catholic churches that are in full communion with Rome…the major difference between the eastern and western churches are the “rites”, which really involve liturgical practices…this is a very historical/cultural phenomenon and all western rite people can take communion in eastern rite churches and vice versa…so far so good???

Are there any differences in belief - or perhaps on “stresses” of certain beliefs…anything the eastern rite churches focus on more (or less)…

I will confess my interest - after reading up on the orthodox faith (greek orthodox, etc) - I loved the way their spirituality was expressed…the way they talked about union between man and God…their understanding of salvation…but I know the orthodox churches are not in full communion…I wondered if the eastern catholic churches maybe have the same way of expressing beliefs - I don’t know if I’m phrasing this well - but sometimes the latin roman church feels so rule oriented, and logic oriented (which I know is not bad), but Im thinking those of the east (both orthodox and eastern catholic) might have more of a mystical slant…I;m also a bit unhappy with some of the augustinian/aquinus tradition of the western catholic church…

forgive me if I’m not making sense…Ive been a roman catholic for over 2 years, but still learning! 🙂
 
There are many differences.
For example, in Eastern Catholic Churches you will see icons, not statues.
The sign of the cross is made from right to left.
The faithful will bow, and not genuflect.
Leavened Bread is used.
Baptism, confirmation and holy Communion are received by the infant, at the same time.
The wedding couple is crowned at the wedding rite.
No instrumental music during liturgy.

and there are other many differences not mentioned here.
 
There is a nice radio show “Light of the East” that shows up on EWTN and others that presents the similarities and differences very nicely. For a while Immaculate Heart Radio was carrying it and it was nice listening to on my way home from Sunday Mass. Wasn’t on the last couple of weeks, but a quick Google indicates it is alive and well.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
Thanks so much, folks!!!

I’m wondering too about differences in emphasis of belief…for example - I know that eastern orthodox don’t believe in purgatory…Im assuming eastern catholics do?

Ive also seen a thread that said that eastern catholics, while believing in mortal and venial sins, tend to talk about “grave sin” and not spend too much time distinguishing…

Im also wondering if the eastern catholic understanding of “grace” is similar to the orthodox emphasis, or the latin emphasis (the orthodox tend to emphasize our free will)…

And how the eastern catholics see “theodosis”?

sorry - so many questions!
 
I recently assisted at a Byzantine rite Divine Liturgy and did not find a great deal of difference between that and my Latin Mass at my FSSP parish. Both were very reverent, both had prayer language which encouraged reflection, both emphasized the Real Presence, both were Catholic.
May God bless us all.
Amen.
 
StephieNorthCo said:
There is a nice radio show “Light of the East” that shows up on EWTN and others that presents the similarities and differences very nicely. For a while Immaculate Heart Radio was carrying it and it was nice listening to on my way home from Sunday Mass. Wasn’t on the last couple of weeks, but a quick Google indicates it is alive and well.

Blessings,
Stephie
Click to expand...
EWTN’s Light of the East is an old series with Fr. Michael Sopoliga and Fr. Joseph Bertha, two Ruthenian priests. Sometimes they rebroadcast an old episode, usually in the middle of the night, related to a major Feast. It’s an excellent series. EWTN was selling DVDs in their religious catalog, but apparently are no longer doing so.

Fr Thomas Loya’s The Light Of The East radio program is on many Catholic Radio stations on Sunday morning at 8:30AM Pacific time and podcasts archived here. Fr Tom is also an excellent Theology of the Body teacher, from an Eastern Christian perspective.
 
zaida said:
Thanks so much, folks!!!

I’m wondering too about differences in emphasis of belief…for example - I know that eastern orthodox don’t believe in purgatory…Im assuming eastern catholics do?

Ive also seen a thread that said that eastern catholics, while believing in mortal and venial sins, tend to talk about “grave sin” and not spend too much time distinguishing…

Im also wondering if the eastern catholic understanding of “grace” is similar to the orthodox emphasis, or the latin emphasis (the orthodox tend to emphasize our free will)…

And how the eastern catholics see “theodosis”?

sorry - so many questions!
Click to expand...
Eastern Catholics share the same spirituality as Orthodox Christians.

See this thread for EWTN Women of Grace host Johnnette Benkovic five part series of interviews with Abbot Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Monastery.

See also Eastern Catholic Theology PART 1 and Part 2 with Fr. Abbot Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Monastery

“Who are Eastern Catholics?” PART 1 and PART 2 with Fr. Maximos of Holy Resurrection Monastery

Feasting in the Byzantine Church Year with Fr. Moses of Holy Resurrection Monastery
Fasting in the Byzantine Church Year with Fr. Moses of Holy Resurrection Monastery.

If you click on “Show More” you can see a list of each of the questions Catherine Alexander asks in each episode.

Archimandrite Francis Vivona of Our Lady of Wisdom Italo-Greek Catholic Church in Las Vegas, Nevada shares with Catherine Alexander in these five new interviews.

Videos on Eastern Catholic Media
 
Just to throw in a slightly different perspective here: Not all Eastern Catholics are the same; i.e. Byzantine or from the Byzantine tradition. There are also Coptic, Ethiopian, Maronite, Chaldean, and other Eastern Catholics who are just as legitimately Eastern as any of the Byzantine Churches. They also have many traditions and theological and spiritual approaches that are quite different from the Byzantine East (and sometimes closer to the Latin West). In many of these Eastern Catholic Churches (as well as their Orthodox counterparts): do the Sign of the Cross is made the same as in the Latin West, i.e. left to right (which has been demonstrated even by Orthodox scholars to be the older form), the use of unleavened bread is traditional and not a Latinization (in fact, many of these Eastern Churches were using unleavened bread before the West); there is much less of a dependence on Platonic/neo-Platonic philosophy - and Greek philosophy and culture in general - than in the Byzantine tradition, and more dependence on the language of Scripture and poetry.

These are just a few examples.
 
I also would like to know more about the mystical prayer tradition of Eastern Catholicism in somebody’s own words, or their own experiences of prayer as Eastern Rite Catholics.

I tried to watch the Johnnette Benkovic video but my connection wasn’t strong enough I guess.
 
zaida said:
… And how the eastern catholics see “theodosis”? …
Click to expand...
No “do”, it is theosis (deification).

Christian Theosis has been contrasted with New Age ideas:There is an article by Ernest Valea on “The Divine Incarnation in Hinduism and Christianity”, and a very timely and useful one by Brendan Pelphrey entitled “I said, You are Gods. Orthodox Christian Theosis and Deification in the New Religious Movements”. …

It is a list of the Christian beliefs contested in New Age:
    1. We bear God’s image and likeness, but God is not within us; God is quite distinct from us.
    1. God creates the material part of us, so it cannot be evil. Theosis affects our whole selves, including the material aspect.
    1. The Incarnation is the key to our belief that, while the essence of God is ultimately mysterious, we can know God personally.
    1. Knowledge of God is offered freely, and is not an esoteric wisdom available only to a few initiates.
    1. Theosis does not come about through our efforts, but by God’s grace working in and through us.
    1. Transfiguration of our lives makes us fully human. There is no need to withdraw from our earthly, material life.
    1. Theosis inevitably involves an awareness of incompleteness or sinfulness, not an exaltation of the Self as divine or omnipotent.
    1. Theosis means being drawn into the Trinity, a perfect case of distinction at the heart of unity; in Christianity there is synergy but not identity, fusion or confusion of beings who are really quite distinct.
    1. Jesus Christ is not an “appearance” of one of the great masters, but the Incarnation of God.
    1. Theosis happens through participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Furthermore, it is the Church of history, warts and all.
vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/cultr/documents/rc_pc_cultr_20010315_doc_i-2001-not_en.html
 
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