But this is not good. It’s disrespectful to the valid Eastern traditions and rich treasury of grace the East has accumulated over the last two millennia.
I think you are denying the historical interplay between traditions where the West and East borrowed liturgical/devotional practices and ascetical teachings from each other. They were never air-tight, self-contained , pristine traditions that never met or had influence on each other, especially in the first thousand years of undivided Christendom, things were developing in East and West with a beautiful, harmonious, and sometimes clashing interplay.
Playing the Devil’s Advocate, don’t you think if our eternal salvation depended on holding the One True Faith from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that the merciful Lord who loves mankind would make that One True Faith and True Church apparent to all, rather than allow us poor blind children of Adam and banished children of Eve to try and sort out whether East or West is correct?
, there is call in Gospel for us all to spread Truth and search for it.
Yes but whose truth? Is not Truth a person, that perfect Revelation of Our Lord Jesus Christ? Does not the Catholic Church hold the orthodox vision of Christ, and does not the Orthodox Church hold the orthodox vision of Christ?
Things are not so black and white as this strict interpretation (from self-proclaimed traditionalists on both sides) suggests. Historically there is much room for play with the idea and reality of impaired communion between East and West rather than the creation of two separate faiths. What is wrong with the realization that the Schism is within the Church, rather than from the Church? This is not a branch theory, as Anglicans have touted for years, but rather a merciful vision of our mutual positions. The Catholics need orthodoxy and the Orthodox need catholicism. Could not this be the Holy Spirit illuminating us to see our own faults and seek reconciliation?
Catechism is not dogma–catechism is an expression of dogma and doctrine bound to a certain time, place and audience. Thus we have so many different catechisms throughout the history of the church written in every age and language for the edification of a certain people. I am not denying there are teachings that are constant in them, but a dogmatic statement comes either when the pope says “I define, and declare” or by an Ecumenical Council (Orthodox position) as ratified by the Pope (Catholic position).
