True.
I always find it interesting that in the English (for example) creedal-text used by Latin Catholics, it’s “who proceeds from the Father and the Son”.
Maybe I could create a hoax that the pope is thinking about changing it to “who proceeds *eternally *from the Father and the Son” … and then, when I reveal that it was just a hoax, the Orthodox will realize that “who proceeds from the Father and the Son” isn’t so bad after all.
There should be a canon law that nobody can spend more time here than they spend reading official church documents.
I know this thread hasn’t been actively recently, but I was just wondering … any update about your discernment process?
Hello,
uch
has stayed much closer to traditional Christianity than most protestants have. I don’t mean any offense to the protestant groups in your background, but Anglicanism and Lutheranism, which are protestant and catholic, are imo much closer to Catholicism and Orthodoxy.I can relate: I’ve felt frustration at the Orthodox on that same matter.
I don’t think that this is a particularly fair objection. Granted, a lot depends on exactly what you mean by “modern-day gifts of the Holy Spirit”, but in their reticence to pronounce this or that activity as a legitimate expression of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, the Orthodox Church is simply following the Fathers, such as St. John Chrysostom who explicitly says that the “tongues” referred to in scripture are not private languages as exhibited by modern Pentecostals and the like, but rather that the angels (cf. 1 Corinthians 13) “converse with each other by the manner which is known amongst us”. (source)
They are both Catholic and Apostolic with valid sacraments and valid priesthood. Do not be fooled by the name Orthodox. The name Orthodox was applied to those Church’s who remained in union with the bishop of Rome, and defeated the Eastern heresies and heretics that came from their Eastern Rite sister church’s. Orthodox was never applied to these church’s to divide them from the bishop of Rome. Orthodox was applied to those church’s who remained true to the apostolic teachings and did not fall into heterodoxy as their sister church’s did.
The Bishop of Rome is the only apostolic see that has never fallen into heresy. All the other apostolic see’s have fallen in and out of heresy. Jesus words prove that He has built His Church upon Rock = Peter, history records that the gates of hell did in fact come against the church of Peter but they never prevailed. If You look to the history that predates the schism of 1054 and all the 7 councils that Orthodoxy holds true too. You will find the bishop of Rome as the Church in unity with all apostolic successors. Who looked to the bishop of Rome as the church of Peter as “pre-eminent” to which all other church’s are to follow (St.Irenaeus).
Statues? The Orthodox church has a festival day dedicated to “Icons” that recalls the history of the Iconclasts who went about destroying Icons and statues in the Church.
The Virgin Mary is a subject that most protestants have difficulty with due to their misunderstanding of Marian doctrine such as Theotokos. Here you would have to place your protestant false views aside and re- learn what the Church truly teaches on Marian doctrine before drawing a conclusion. You have nothing to fear here, some of the most greatest minds in the world had a devotion to the blessed Virgin Mary.
The Eucharist is the pinnacle and summit of our Catholic Faith, no people is so bleessed than to have their God present among us, Amen. This subject can never be exhausted in human understanding and knowledge, faith begins here.
So that not one of His sheep will be lost. Take your time here. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and teach you in all Truth. I pray you can discern the spiritual things from carnal things in order to give to God what belongs to God and give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar.
I think here at CA you can look up James Lokrudis an x-Orthodox convert to Roman Catholicism on radio commentary. He has a book “Ending the Byzantine Schism”, that reveals the Orthodox thinking and Roman Catholic church as being the one Jesus founded upon Peter and his apostolic successors the bishop of Rome.
First of all the “Filioque” was used to defeat the Eastern Catholics heretical teaching of Jesus from Arianism. Let’s get this straight. What you have to understand here, is that the Roman Catholic Church still uses the same apostolic creed that existed long before the Nicence Creed was developed from Church councils. Here we remain in the Apostolic true Orthodox faith and never left it.(I’m still not sure why the Filioque was such a giant deal…it sort of seems like…semantics…?Please don’t stone me for saying that…)
Don’t partake of communion yet, when you see the Son of Man lifted up on the altar, pray and ask Jesus to show you the way.
Have you had an opportunity to engage with a Priest (From either or both) in person? Go for a lunch or a coffee with each one of them. They will probably enjoy the break and the opportunity to talk to someone in your situation. Exchange emails/phone and follow up on he conversations. This made the biggest difference for me when I was discerning my faith. I met with all kinds of Priests and Pastors
. Of course, I love conversing about theology and history .No. The problem is much more complicated than that and each is very much set in their ways.
Together but not blended?
If a family has its petty quarrels (and every family does), does that mean it isn’t united?
Because despite the jurisdictional mess here in America (something which we are taking steps to resolve, thanks to the establishment of the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America, and now, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America), we are united by faith and most importantly at the chalice. Furthermore, the division of the church into regional synods has always been its structure from the earliest of times, as is evidenced by the 6th canon of Nicaea and by Apostolic Canon 34/35.
It does when one family member is not welcome to eat at table with another family.
Armenians can commune with the Copts and all other bodies which are known as “Oriental Orthodox.” There are two bodies which are typically called by the name “Orthodox,” the Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox. The Oriental Orthodox split from other Christians over the Council of Chalcedon (the fourth ecumenical council), and reject all subsequent councils. The Eastern Orthodox split from the West in a slow process of schism, beginning in the eleventh century, and ending in the fifteenth century, with the rejection of Florence. The two groups, despite being called Orthodox, are historically unrelated, and asking why they are not united is somewhat like asking why everybody who is called “Christian” is not united.
I can’t speak for the Oriental Orthodox Communion. Although the situation sounds strange nonetheless. I imagine there is more to it than what you’ve said.
I emailed the person in charge of RCIA a while back but got no reply. I also emailed the person in charge of the side chapel where candles are lit and inquired whether I could pray there. Got no reply.Have you had an opportunity to engage with a Priest (From either or both) in person? Go for a lunch or a coffee with each one of them. They will probably enjoy the break and the opportunity to talk to someone in your situation. Exchange emails/phone and follow up on he conversations. This made the biggest difference for me when I was discerning my faith. I met with all kinds of Priests and Pastors
Who knows, you might end up with great friendships!
I am going to suggest the following to you for aid in understanding.