If the Pope became Orthodox

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peter_J
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Peter_J

Guest
would you become Orthodox as well?

(I guess it goes without saying that this is a question for Catholics.)
 
I think we all hope for the day when the Catholic Church becomes one again.
 
No because he would be committing the sin of schism (and heresy by renunciation of key catholic dogmas) and formally be a schismatic. He is thus no longer the Pope as he is no longer a catholic as per canon law. Only a catholic can hold the position of a Catholic clerical office. He would depose himself as such and a new pope would be elected to replace him and I would follow this new Catholic pope.

Venerable Pope Pius IX

“If a future pope teaches anything contrary to the Catholic Faith,
do not follow him.”
 
HelenRose said:
I think we all hope for the day when the Catholic Church becomes one again.
Click to expand...
You mean when the Eastern Orthodox reunite with the Catholic Church?
The Catholic Church is one… It is also Holy, catholic and Is apostolic.
 
While I’d be very happy for the Catholic and Orthodox churches to reunite as one entity, if the Pope were to defect to the Orthodox church I would not follow him. Our loyalty should be to the Church Jesus founded, not to any one man, especially if that one man engages in schism. If I’d wanted to become Orthodox, I would have.
 
There is no question: I would become Orthodox. If the pope is supposed to be the sign of unity and infallible, how can we declare him a schismatic? The main argument (really the only argument) against the Orthodox has been that they broke communion with Rome. It makes no sense to now break communion with Rome if Rome became Orthodox. It would void any argument the west has against the east.
 
JC, Irish Catholic eh? Welcome back.😃

Oh and 👍 I hope too.

MJ
 
Mongo said:
There is no question: I would become Orthodox. If the pope is supposed to be the sign of unity and infallible, how can we declare him a schismatic? The main argument (really the only argument) against the Orthodox has been that they broke communion with Rome. It makes no sense to now break communion with Rome if Rome became Orthodox. It would void any argument the west has against the east.
Click to expand...
Wow! Would your answer be the same if the pope became a protestant?
 
peter26 said:
Wow! Would your answer be the same if the pope became a protestant?
Click to expand...
Actually, yes it would be the same. Either way I would become Orthodox. The difference between the Orthodox and the Protestants is that the Orthodox have a historical claim and can make the argument that they are the one church founded by Christ. So if the pope became Orthodox I would too. And if the pope became Protestant, I would become Orthodox.
 
They are working on it right now, have been for some time.
 
Mongo said:
Actually, yes it would be the same. Either way I would become Orthodox.
Click to expand...
Except to be a Protestant is to protest the Catholic Church. How could the Pope protest his own religion? That’s nonsensical. The office does not give the man power to contradict his own tradition. Same thing with Orthodoxy. The Roman Church would effectively be saying, “sorry guys, we’ve been teaching you wrong for a thousand years and binding your consciences to said teachings. C’ya”
 
Jon_Mallory said:
Except to be a Protestant is to protest the Catholic Church. How could the Pope protest his own religion? That’s nonsensical. The office does not give the man power to contradict his own tradition. Same thing with Orthodoxy. The Roman Church would effectively be saying, “sorry guys, we’ve been teaching you wrong for a thousand years and binding your consciences to said teachings. C’ya”
Click to expand...
The assumption of the question is that by becoming Protestant the pope would accept everything that involves including rejection of the doctrines of the Catholic Church, and acceptance of the doctrines of some Protestant tradition. My answer is that I would become Orthodox.

When it comes to the Orthodox Church, the assumption is the same. The pope would reject infallibility and the Filioque. Again, I would become Orthodox.

Tradition is an essential part of the Christian faith. Without it Christianity doesn’t stand. If the pope were to reject tradition, whether it is a particularly western expression or tradition in general, I would become Orthodox.
 
Mongo said:
The assumption of the question is that by becoming Protestant the pope would accept everything that involves including rejection of the doctrines of the Catholic Church, and acceptance of the doctrines of some Protestant tradition. My answer is that I would become Orthodox.

When it comes to the Orthodox Church, the assumption is the same. The pope would reject infallibility and the Filioque. Again, I would become Orthodox.

Tradition is an essential part of the Christian faith. Without it Christianity doesn’t stand. If the pope were to reject tradition, whether it is a particularly western expression or tradition in general, I would become Orthodox.
Click to expand...
What’s stopping you now?
 
Peter,

Could you clarify a couple things? Did this hypothetical pope renounce the papacy in order to become Orthodox or did he “become Orthodox” within his capacity as the Bishop of Rome (i.e. solemnly defined that the Catholic Church has erred the last thousand years and he is taking his See and all those in communion with it back to Orthodoxy)? I imagine the answers would differ based on what’s assumed in the OP.
 
Wandile said:
No because he would be committing the sin of schism (and heresy by renunciation of key catholic dogmas) and formally be a schismatic. He is thus no longer the Pope as he is no longer a catholic as per canon law. Only a catholic can hold the position of a Catholic clerical office. He would depose himself as such and a new pope would be elected to replace him and I would follow this new Catholic pope.

Venerable Pope Pius IX

“If a future pope teaches anything contrary to the Catholic Faith,
do not follow him.”
Click to expand...
Well said. I too, would follow the new Catholic pope.

Mary.
 
When he does, let me know and I will give it further thought. Too busy with a very bad reality to worry about a very bad fiction.
 
Peter_J said:
would you become Orthodox as well?

(I guess it goes without saying that this is a question for Catholics.)
Click to expand...
Good question, and perhaps for non-Catholics information.

I guess the scenario would be one that requires the Pope to abdicate and become an Orthodox. In other word, he is personally converting to another religion. Would I convert too? It depends on what’s the reason for the Pope to convert. Presently I cannot justify a reason to convert to Orthodox, and therefore I would remain a Catholic regardless of what the Pope is doing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top