Forum Idea for Recurring Topics

[Madaglan]

inb4 404

Mods, if you’re listening (and I suspect you are), perhaps a “sticky” is in order?

(1) Proselytizing Orthodoxy over Catholicism is clearly out of bounds. But I imagine some believe that “proselytizing” Eastern theology over Western theology is fair game. So, which fora are open for arguing (i.e., not “proselytizing”) theology – East. Cath. or Non. Cath.? (or apologetics, even?)

(2) I agree that idle rants, like the “icons” vs. “statues” threads are stupid, or trolling / baiting threads like “I heard that the Eastern Church [insert something patently ridiculous]… what do you guys think”?

(3) Maybe we should all make a concerted effort to avoid driving out those with whom we do not immediately find common ground.

– N.

I’ve never really felt that the Eastern Catholics on this forum actively proselytize the Orthodox who post here. When I see Catholics posting about the Papacy, it usually strikes me as apologetic in nature rather than proselytism.

The important exception might be when the thread is by an Orthodox who states he/she is considering Catholicism, or by a Catholic who has an Orthodox friend that he/she would delight seeing attend an Eastern Catholic church instead.

As to proslytizing “Eastern” theology over “Western” theology: the two theologies are of the same faith, no? I see nothing wrong with proponents of Eastern theology arguing that their theology approaches certain aspects of the faith better. The proponents of Latin theology may do the same, if they desire. I think debate would tend to illuminate rather than create problems, given that posters act respectfully.

I think that there should be a one-stop thread for some or all of the following topics:

1. Filioque
2. Papal Primacy
3. Latin Catholic Dogmas
4. Eastern Clergy and Monastic Life
5. Becoming Eastern Catholic

There must be at least 100 threads with the title “filioque.” Oftentimes, the thread is created by a non-Eastern Catholic who wants to know the Eastern Catholic view of the addition of the filioque, and how the theology of the filioque is understood. The topics of Papal (or Petrine) Primacy and Latin Dogmas also frequently come up as thread topics (Latin Dogmas encompassing Papal Infallibility, Immaculate Conception, the Councils of Trent, Vatican I, etc.) If these threads can all be consolidated into a one-stop master thread, there will be less thread repetition. I think these three topics would best serve as master threads.

The other two:

Eastern Clergy and Monastic Life I mention because many non-Eastern Catholics ask questions about how the Eastern priesthood and monastic life is different from that practiced in the Latin Church.

Becoming Eastern Catholic would be for those persons interested in the process of becoming Eastern Catholic. I think this would be instructive, but I imagine that it may be interpreted in a certain way, so perhaps it could be worded differently.

 

[malphono]

I think that there should be a one-stop thread for some or all of the following topics: …

1. Filioque
2. Papal Primacy
3. Latin Catholic Dogmas
4. Eastern Clergy and Monastic Life
5. Becoming Eastern Catholic

There must be at least 100 threads with the title “filioque.” Oftentimes, the thread is created by a non-Eastern Catholic who wants to know the Eastern Catholic view of the addition of the filioque, and how the theology of the filioque is understood. The topics of Papal (or Petrine) Primacy and Latin Dogmas also frequently come up as thread topics (Latin Dogmas encompassing Papal Infallibility, Immaculate Conception, the Councils of Trent, Vatican I, etc.) If these threads can all be consolidated into a one-stop master thread, there will be less thread repetition.

I think these three topics would best serve as master threads.

The other two:

Eastern Clergy and Monastic Life I mention because many non-Eastern Catholics ask questions about how the Eastern priesthood and monastic life is different from that practiced in the Latin Church.

Becoming Eastern Catholic would be for those persons interested in the process of becoming Eastern Catholic. I think this would be instructive, but I imagine that it may be interpreted in a certain way, so perhaps it could be worded differently.

IMO, the theory of a single “master thread” isn’t bad, but I fear same could easily become unwieldy. There are always some “forks in the road” in a thread, (which is normal,) and threads have a tendency to grow and grow … and grow, which is also normal. It seems to me that with a “master thread” it would still be almost impossible to avoid repetition, but instead of in a new thread, it would be repetition upon repetition in a single thread. It’s rare that a poster does a search now, and it’s no more likely (probably less likely even) that someone is going to read through hundreds of posts in a “master thread” to see if the question was answered. In other words, it might even be worse.

From time-to-time, when I see a new thread about an old issue that I remember, I’ll do a search and post a reference to the old thread. If the poster wants to look at it, (they usually seem to do so), fine, and if they still have questions, I see no problem in a new thread.

Just my :twocents:

 

[Madaglan]

IMO, the theory of a single “master thread” isn’t bad, but I fear same could easily become unwieldy. There are always some “forks in the road” in a thread, (which is normal,) and threads have a tendency to grow and grow … and grow, which is also normal. It seems to me that with a “master thread” it would still be almost impossible to avoid repetition, but instead of in a new thread, it would be repetition upon repetition in a single thread. It’s rare that a poster does a search now, and it’s no more likely (probably less likely even) that someone is going to read through hundreds of posts in a “master thread” to see if the question was answered. In other words, it might even be worse.

From time-to-time, when I see a new thread about an old issue that I remember, I’ll do a search and post a reference to the old thread. If the poster wants to look at it, (they usually seem to do so), fine, and if they still have questions, I see no problem in a new thread.

Just my :twocents:

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

I was thinking that after a certain period of time, the master thread could become archived and replaced by a fresh master thread of the same title. So, the master thread would not grow to an unmanageable number of posts.

Perhaps the subjects of filioque, papal primacy and Latin dogmas could continue to be discussed in the main threads as discussion, while there could also be master threads for debate that may be of a more controversial nature. In this way, newcomers to the Eastern Catholic forum can have their questions effectively answered without having to conduct long searches; while veteran posters who want to argue or debate aspects of these subjects in depth may do so in master threads. Just a thought. Do with it what you will.