Steve,
I realize this thread is about Protestants, but since you bring up the Orthodox Church, let’s talk. It amazes me that you refuse to give credit to Orthodoxy’s self-understanding, though as a Catholic triumphalist, I probably shouldn’t expect anything different.
Orthodoxy got its start in a similar fashion as Protestantism did. Rejection of the authority Jesus gave to His Church He builds on Peter and those in union with Peter. They separated as a result
Your own theologians, meeting in the Catholic/Orthodox theological dialogue, meeting in Chieti Italy agreed that Rome never exercised canonical authority over the East.
schisms heresies, etc from the Catholic Church is a big sin (mortal) not a little sin (venial). Speaking of the Orthodox, now the Russians ~60%+ of Orthodoxy are now in schism with the rest of Orthodoxy.
You continually assert your point about Orthodoxy being in schism from itself, with the actions of Russia. Yet you refuse to understand how we operate. We are indeed ONE Church, comprised of a number of administratively independent churches. All share the same faith. When jurisdictional issues come up between churches, communion may, for a time, be broken, as Russia has now done with Constantinople. Such a break in communion is in response to questions of jurisdiction, not faith. No one believes matters of faith are in question. While regrettable, this is the primary means by which the Orthodox call each other’s attention to a very serious matter. Indeed, many meetings are being had between primates, bishops, theologians, etc. to work through the issues between Russia, Constantinople, and Ukraine. The primates of Cyprus, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Antioch have met. We also don’t work quickly, but rather work slowly and deliberately. Sure, it’s frustrating in this modern world where everything happens in an instant at our very fingertips, that we are so slow, but I’ll tell you, I don’t want a hasty response either.
If the schism of the Orthodox is a mortal sin, why are we permitted, according to Canon 844.3 to receive communion from a Catholic priest?
To make the point of authority even more specific for THEM, the Orthodox can’t even get together in council as individual Churches with each other , over the last 900+ years. The one PAN Orthodox (as in all the Orthodox) getting together, attempted in 2016, couldn’t happen because the Russians and 2 other churches boycotted.
You’re forgetting about the pan-Orthodox councils in Constantinople (1341-51), Jassy (1642), Jerusalem (1672), and Constantinople (1872).
Orthodoxy got its start rejecting the authority of the Catholic Church, put in place by Jesus. And authority issues remain with them to this day even among themselves individually… as with Protestantism of every stripe
Again, see the statement by Catholic theologians made at Chieti. The authority you claim we rejected, was never in fact in place even when East and West were in communion.
so far, best I can observe, it’s one person at a time.
