Christian unity seems to be more focused on Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism rather than Protestant Christians

[bobzills]

Personally, the date of Easter is not an issue for me. Whatever method or calendar that the Church chooses is fine to me.

Yes. That’s also what I think. But this was not the issue that I was talking about. The statement was made that the Orthodox don’t really want reunion. My observation is that stubborness appears on both sides and not on one side only. If the Catholic Church really wanted a common date for Easter as they announced that they did, then why does the CC reject the Orthodox method for calculating the date of Easter. And there are other things that have come up in this regard. For example, the dome on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is shared by Orthodox and Catholics. For ten years the Orthodox presented beautful ideas for the reconstruction of the dome and the Catholic side turned it down because they said it was too Orthodox.
So my point is that to claim that the Orthodox side is stubborn and doesn’t want to make concessions is really very unfair if you look at these two examples.

 

[peary]

The announcement was made by a previous Pope that he wanted a commond date for Easter. If what you say is true, why did he not adopt the Orthodox method for calculating the date of Easter? You say it is not a big deal. If it is not a big deal, why do Catholics continue to reject the Orthodox method to calculate the date of Easter?

If it’s not a big deal, why do the Orthodox continue to reject the western Church’s method to calculate the date of Easter?

 

[lak611]

For example, the dome on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is shared by Orthodox and Catholics. For ten years the Orthodox presented beautful ideas for the reconstruction of the dome and the Catholic side turned it down because they said it was too Orthodox.
So my point is that to claim that the Orthodox side is stubborn and doesn’t want to make concessions is really very unfair if you look at these two examples.

Do you have any links about the reconstruction of the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre? I have never heard of any problems with it, nor did I hear that any reconstruction was planned.

 

[bobzills]

Do you have any links about the reconstruction of the dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre? I have never heard of any problems with it, nor did I hear that any reconstruction was planned.

It has already been finished several years ago, with the Catholic plan for the dome. The Orthodox plans for the dome were not acceptable to the Catholics.

 

[bobzills]

If it’s not a big deal, why do the Orthodox continue to reject the western Church’s method to calculate the date of Easter?

See how you are blaming the Orthodox for rejecting the idea for the common date. It’s not fair because the Orthodox are satisfied with things the way they are now. The Catholic side has announced with publicity and fanfare that it was pushing for a common date for Easter. This is what the Catholic side said that it wanted. But the Catholic side really doesn’t want it that badly at all, because if the Catholic side really wanted it that badly, they would simply agree to the Orthodox method of the calculation. But no they refuse to do that. the Orthodox never made any announcement to the effect that they wanted a common date for Easter. The Orthodox don’t claim that they want a common date for Easter as does the Catholic side.

 

[peary]

See how you are blaming the Orthodox for rejecting the idea for the common date. It’s not fair because the Orthodox are satisfied with things the way they are now. The Catholic side has announced with publicity and fanfare that it was pushing for a common date for Easter. This is what the Catholic side said that it wanted. But the Catholic side really doesn’t want it that badly at all, because if the Catholic side really wanted it that badly, they would simply agree to the Orthodox method of the calculation. But no they refuse to do that. the Orthodox never made any announcement to the effect that they wanted a common date for Easter. The Orthodox don’t claim that they want a common date for Easter as does the Catholic side.

**Do you see how YOU are blaming the Western Church for rejecting the way the Orthodox churches have figured the Easter date all these years? LOL

The Western calendar date is computed according to the rules established as part of the Gregorian calendar reform in 1582. The Gregorian calendar is the one now used worldwide for civil purposes.

For all its controversy, Wikipedia has a very good article on the controversy:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

And why should it be of concern of yours anyway? You aren’t a Roman Catholic, so it shouldn’t be a concern for you. **

 

[bobzills]

Do you see how YOU are blaming the Western Church for rejecting the way the Orthodox churches have figured the Easter date all these years? LOL
Not at all.
I am simply responding to the claim made that the Orthodox are not reasonable in the effort toward collaboration, whereas the the Catholic Church, supposedly, is reasonable in the efforts toward collaboration. I beleive it is unfair to put the entire blame on the Orthodox for the lack of significant progress toward reunion of the two Churches. The Catholic Church wants reunion, but only on its own terms. It refuses concessions to the other side, including for example, a simple concession as to the calculation for the date of Easter or for the plans for the reconstruction of the dome of the Holy Sepulchre.

 

[bobzills]

And why should it be of concern of yours anyway?

It is a concern, becasue it is a misrepresentation of the actual situation with reference to collaboration between the two Churches.

 

[peary]

It is a concern, becasue it is a misrepresentation of the actual situation with reference to collaboration between the two Churches.

**Factions both within the Western and Eastern churches have been quite open to the idea of unification, except for the Russian patriarch.

There is no misrepresentation on either side, except from you. Both sides, in Christian charity, are trying to do the right thing. By the way, the excommunication WAS lifted on Sept. 5, 1965… over forty years ago!**

 

[lak611]

It has already been finished several years ago, with the Catholic plan for the dome. The Orthodox plans for the dome were not acceptable to the Catholics.

Do you have any references which explain this? I’m not just going to take your word for it without seeing documentation.

 

[bobzills]

Do you have any references which explain this? I’m not just going to take your word for it without seeing documentation.

Right. You can check it out for yourself. i remember reading about it in a Catholic weekly newspaper a while back.

 

[lak611]

Right. You can check it out for yourself. i remember reading about it in a Catholic weekly newspaper a while back.

If you make a claim, it is up to you to support it. It is not up to me to look for it. Please show me the relevant information.

 

[bobzills]

**There is no misrepresentation on either side, except from you. **
Here’s the misrepresentation and it was not from me.
Ridgerunner;3003361:

I think, too, that the barriers to East/West reunion are formidable, easily underestimated, and are maintained primarily by the Orthodox, not by Catholicism. I believe Catholicism would do much for reunion. I am not at all convinced the Orthodox have any interest in it at all. It takes two willing partners for a reunion.

But someday, perhaps, and we can pray for that.

 

[bobzills]

By the way, the excommunication WAS lifted on Sept. 5, 1965… over forty years ago!

Oh really? This was only symbolic and not a true lifting of the excommunication, because if the Orthodox were really not excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church, it would not be a mortal sin for a Catholic to convert to Orthodoxy now.
There was a priest in our area who converted to the Orthodox Church and the bishop announced that he had been excommunicated. Why did the bishop excommunicate this priest, since according to you, the Orthodox are no longer excommunicated from the Catholic Church? Why are Catholics no supposed to convert to the Orthodox Church?

 

[peary]

Here’s the misrepresentation and it was not from me.

**I think they may unite in the not too distant future. I think this will be the result of the fact that they will HAVE TO re-unify to counteract what is happening in the world today. In unity there is strength, remember. **

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Greetings and peace be with you all,

The formula for unity is extremely simple we hang it on the greatest commandments.

How can Catholics love Orthodox as they love themselves?
How can Orthodox love Catholics as they love themselves?

Jesus sums it all up by saying love one another as I have loved you, by this all men will know that you are my disciples.

When there is a visible love between us then we will have unity, it is only our hardness of heart that gets in the way…

In the spirit of praying for peace on Earth

Eric.

 

[mgrfin]

I agree. The more I read about the East/West division, the more we underestimate how deep the division really is. The East seems to have nothing to gain in unification. They fear watering down of doctrine, diminution of liturgy, and disappearance of cultural significance

peace.

 

[peary]

The East seems to have nothing to gain in unification. They fear watering down of doctrine, diminution of liturgy, and disappearance of cultural significance

peace.

**Tell that to the Byzantine Catholic Church, whose unification with Rome *was *successful. There was no watering down of doctrine, absolutely no diminution of liturgy, and no disappearance of cultural significance.

The latter, however, is one of the weaknesses of the Orthodox churches - they do not contribute to what might be called a ‘catholic culture’ as their own ethnic cultures take priority over unification. They have always gone the way of politics of their countries of jurisdiction and have rarely sought separation from this, which keeps them rigid.**

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Greetings and peace be with you mgrfin;

I think, too, that the barriers to East/West reunion are formidable,

Are the greatest commandments formidable, are they beyond our understanding. We are commanded to love others, we are not commanded to make them love us.

The formula for unity is extremely simple we hang it on the greatest commandments.

How can Catholics love Orthodox as they love themselves?
How can Orthodox love Catholics as they love themselves?

Jesus sums it all up by saying love one another as I have loved you, by this all men will know that you are my disciples.

When there is a visible love between us then we will have unity, it is only our hardness of heart that gets in the way…

In the spirit of praying for peace on Earth

Eric.

 

[paarsurrey]

Hi

I am an Ahmadi peaceful Muslim.

We favour Christian Unity as we favour the Muslim Unity. Such good efforts must continue to end the confusion in the religious world. This is a positive approach.

The Catholics must advance sincere efforts for uniting with the Eastern Orthodox if that is easier at the same time the should focus with uniting the Protestant Church, without compromising on the principles that really matter.

Thanks