rinnie,
There are theological, liturgical, spiritual, and disciplinary differences in the Catholic Communion of 23 Self-governing Regional Churches.
We all hold to the Deposit of Faith handed down to us from the Apostles, and yet we express this One Faith in accordance with the terminologies, emphases, and languages of the various cultures in which this Faith was planted. Our differing expressions are complementary to one another, and are not in essential contradiction to one another. We all share 6 major traditions:
- Latin
- Constantinopolitan
- Alexandrian
- Antiochene
- Armenian
- Assyro-Chaldean
The last 5 are considered the Eastern/Oriental traditions.
The Church has three levels:
- Universal level: This is the One Church, the Bride of Christ.
- Regional level: These are the 23 Churches in full Communion with each other (the Latin Church is only 1 of these 23, and the rest are Eastern/Oriental Churches)
- Local level: These are the many Diocesan/Eparchial Churches in full Communion with each other (the great majority of these are Latin Dioceses)
The Church mirrors the Trinity. Just as there is One God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, likewise, there is One Church: Latin, Chaldean, Coptic, etc. Just as the Father is fully Divine, the Son is fully Divine, and the Holy Spirit is fully Divine, likewise, the Latin is fully Church, the Chaldean is fully Church, the Coptic is fully Church, etc. The particularity extends further to the Diocese/Eparchy, in that, each Diocese/Eparchy is fully Church.
God bless,
Rony
