Difference between Orthodox and Roman Catholic???

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Marie1234

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Hi,

I tried looking up the difference between the two and I keep getting a lot of very confusing and often contradictory answers as to how Roman Catholicism is different than Orthodox. Can anyone give me a clear list of the differences?

Why do Orthodox think that Roman Catholics are heretics?
 
Marie1234 said:
Hi,

I tried looking up the difference between the two and I keep getting a lot of very confusing and often contradictory answers as to how Roman Catholicism is different than Orthodox. Can anyone give me a clear list of the differences?

Why do Orthodox think that Roman Catholics are heretics?
Click to expand...
This is a difficult question to answer, within the rules of the forum, due to the phrasing. The rules include:
  • Non-Catholics are welcome to participate but must be respectful of the faith of the Catholics participating on the board.
  • Catholics must be charitable in their discussions about non-Catholic belief and practice.
I would rephrase it to Do Orthodox think that Catholics accept doctrines that are incorrect?
 
The main difference is over the role of the Bishop of Rome - is he the Sovereign Pontiff over all the Christian faithful of every rite (Catholic), or is he merely the first patriarch among equals with no jurisdiction outside of western Christendom (Orthodox)? Other issues would be the Filioque addition to the Nicene Creed (“We believe in the Holy Spirit… who proceeds from the Father and the Son”), and the Essence-Energies distinction. Here’s a Wikipedia article that sums up a lot of it: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_%E2%80%93_Roman_Catholic_theological_differences
 
Marie1234 said:
Hi,

I tried looking up the difference between the two and I keep getting a lot of very confusing and often contradictory answers as to how Roman Catholicism is different than Orthodox. Can anyone give me a clear list of the differences?

Why do Orthodox think that Roman Catholics are heretics?
Click to expand...
I have to dig out this book I heard about a year ago, it compares Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism and it is written by a convert from Roman Catholicism to Orthodoxy.
 
I like Orthodoxy a LOT. I prefer their view on the nature of purgatory (which is not doctrinal for them or us). I prefer their view on the minister of Holy Matrimony (which is doctrinal for us both, but makes no substantive difference, because the end result is the same - a valid Christian marriage is the result either way).

But the Orthodox have no teaching authority. Like the (traditional) Anglicans, they recognize no higher authority than their local Bishop. They have the Patriarch of Constantinople, but he has no actual authority beyond his own See (just as the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury has no jurisdiction beyond his own borders). The Patriarch is “first among equals,” a purely human administrative role (just like the Anglican Archbishop), and it is not a role that is specifically sanctioned by Jesus, apart from the role of the other Apostles.

The Orthodox are “conciliar” - which is the idea that a Council of Bishops is required to define Catholic doctrine. They thus accept the first seven Ecumenical Councils which took place before the “Great Schism” of 1054 AD, when the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople mutually excommunicated each other. To the Orthodox, this ended Catholic unity, and thus the Church forfeited Her ability to meet in episcopal Council and define Doctrine.

To (Latin) Catholics, this event did not interfere with Our Lord’s promise that the Church should proclaim the Gospel and continue to teach in His name (even when new questions arose). The Catholic Church has lost members and thus entire populations (Martin Luther, Jean Calvin). But the Church continues to teach that which She has always taught.
 
Marie1234 said:
Hi,

I tried looking up the difference between the two and I keep getting a lot of very confusing and often contradictory answers as to how Roman Catholicism is different than Orthodox. Can anyone give me a clear list of the differences?

Why do Orthodox think that Roman Catholics are heretics?
Click to expand...
Orthodox have a variety of opinions about the CC, anywhere from viewing them as heretics to acceptance as a sister ancient church. There cannot be a united voice on this matter simply because there is no official unity among the various Orthodox Churches. The RCC, on the other hand, does have an official position, which is that the Orthodox are true church, albeit in schism.
 
There will differences in what is considered orthodox between the Eastern Orthodox, the Oriental Orthodox, and the Assyrian Church. To give an idea of what have been the historical issues, In 1583 the Council of Constantinople with Jeremiah of Constantinople, Silvester of Alexandria, and Sophronius of Jerusalem, defined what must be professed and lived.

Baptism: Must be baptized in Orthodox style.
Church and Customs including Calendar:Must confess with heart and mouth that one is a child of the Eastern Church.
Must not wish to overthrow and destroy the dogmas and customs of the Church which have been handed down by our fathers.
Must follow the customs of the Church as the Seven Holy Ecumenical Councils decreed, and Holy Pascha, and the Menologion but not per the Gregorian Calendar.
Must be faithful to have been taught and brought up in, and be willing to shed your bood in order to safeguard the Faith.
Filioque:Must profess that the Holy Spirit proceeds out of only the Father, essentially and hypostatically.
Mystical Supper:Must profess that the Mystery of the Holy Communion the laity must also partake of both kinds and keep the custom.
Must profess that leavened bread was used for the Mystic Supper.
Afterlife and Final Judgement:Must profess that Christ will come to judge souls together with bodies (embodied souls) not body alone.
Must profess that those repented souls of Christians who repented while in the world but failed to perform their penance, do not go to a purgatory of flame and punishment when they die.
Must profess that that hell is everlasting.
Pope:Must not profess that the Pope is the head of the Church rather than Christ.
Indulgences: Must not profess and that the Pope has authority to admit persons to Paradise with his letters of indulgence or other passports.
Must not profess that the Pope can forgive sins if such person pay money to receive from him indulgences.

orthodoxwiki.org/Sigillion_of_1583
 
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