What is going on???
Don’t they realize they are being overcome by the pharisaical spirit?
First, I think it’s important to remember that all non-Catholic clergy have one thing in common. For their authority to be legit, the Catholic Church must be wrong in her claim to be the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church.
Every non-Catholic sect broke away from the Bishop of Rome (or broke away from a group that broke away from Rome). If the Catholic Church is correct, then they are wrong. So for a non-Catholic clergy person; anti-Catholism is built into their job description, even if it’s not obvious.
Second, do the Eastern Orthodox have a “Pharisaical spirit,” yes they do. Let me explain:
(A) The Eastern Rite Christianity inherited something from Judaism much more so than the West. In Judaism, there is a concept of the “Righteous Deed.” Practicing Jews (rabbis included) focus on living their lives in a way where they are focused on performing the “Righteous Deed.” This is why Jews don’t evangelize. They believe if they are living and doing righteous deeds, then that’s enough. And if everyone is righteous enough, then others will want to join them.
Eastern Orthodoxy (and Byzantine Christianity in general) has inherited a similar outlook. When the See of Constantinople was raised to a patriarchy, the Patriarchy was tasked and granted all the evangelized lands beyond Christendom. However, after the split with Rome, Eastern Orthodoxy effectively stopped attempting to evangelize the world (the evangelization of Russia happened while still in communion with Rome). Eastern Orthodoxy began to look inward, similarly like the Jews, focusing on the “Righteous Deed.”
Evangelization was left to the Patriarchy of the West (Rome) and Rome continued to send missionaries, eventually to all the corners of the world. But Eastern Orthodoxy has not done this. The EO Churches outside of the traditional Eastern Orthodox countries are there to take care of the Diaspora, not to be missionaries to the world.
The irony is that Protestants say we Catholic don’t evangelize, but they got their evangelizing spirit from the the Catholic missionaries that have been evangelizing for 2000 years.
(continued)