On the Great Council of the Orthodox Church

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Already there is much talk about the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church. Between now and June 19, 2016, when the council officially opens on the island of Crete, there will be many rumors and much spin. Some will be justified; like other patriarchal institutions, Orthodox Churches are not normally known for their transparency. However, other chatter will be less than helpful. What follow are some brief clarifications on basic questions surrounding the council.
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firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2016/02/on-the-great-council-of-the-orthodox-church
 
Just trying to spruce the conversation up a little. :cool:

But anyhow, in plainer language, I really don’t expect a lot of new anathemas. If you have reasons to expect them, please tell me.
 
Peter_J said:
Just trying to spruce the conversation up a little. :cool:

But anyhow, in plainer language, I really don’t expect a lot of new anathemas. If you have reasons to expect them, please tell me.
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all the things the Orthodox oppose: the heresy of pan-ecumenism, the heresy of papal idolatry, etc.
 
Peter_J said:
Just trying to spruce the conversation up a little. :cool:

But anyhow, in plainer language, I really don’t expect a lot of new anathemas. If you have reasons to expect them, please tell me.
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Which definition of anathema are you both using in this context?
 
Jon_Mallory said:
all the things the Orthodox oppose: the heresy of pan-ecumenism, the heresy of papal idolatry, etc.
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They think we are guilty of papal idolatry? I thought they simply didn’t believe the Bishop of Rome was the head of the Church, that all Bishops are equal.
 
AKDee said:
They think we are guilty of papal idolatry? I thought they simply didn’t believe the Bishop of Rome was the head of the Church, that all Bishops are equal.
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I’ve read a lot of Orthodox writings and yes, their disagreement with the papacy is more than just disapproval. They believe it is an innovation and as such, heresy. It has no place in the Church. If reunion were to occur, the Pope would have to submit to their formulation of the role of the papacy: the first among equals.
 
Jon_Mallory said:
I’ve read a lot of Orthodox writings and yes, their disagreement with the papacy is more than just disapproval. They believe it is an innovation and as such, heresy. It has no place in the Church. If reunion were to occur, the Pope would have to submit to their formulation of the role of the papacy: the first among equals.
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I could equally say: If reunion were to occur, the Orthodox would have to submit to the Catholic formulation of the role of the papacy. :hmmm:
 
Peter_J said:
I could equally say: If reunion were to occur, the Orthodox would have to submit to the Catholic formulation of the role of the papacy. :hmmm:
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Hence why reconciliation, while a noble ideal… is not likely to happen. Both sides will continue to demand the other accede on this issue.
 
Peter_J said:
I could equally say: If reunion were to occur, the Orthodox would have to submit to the Catholic formulation of the role of the papacy. :hmmm:
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It is the age of ecumenism and compromise. 😉 Surely some sort of deal can be worked out.
 
Padres1969 said:
Hence why reconciliation, while a noble ideal… is not likely to happen. Both sides will continue to demand the other accede on this issue.
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Some might put it that way, but I don’t think of it so much as continuing to demand but continuing to honestly state what we believe. 🙂
 
Peter_J said:
Some might put it that way, but I don’t think of it so much as continuing to demand but continuing to honestly state what we believe. 🙂
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And yet the reality is that as we both claim to be Christ’s Church on earth, and both have apostolic succession and valid sacraments, that if we could get past the human pride factor and pray for the guidance of the Spirit we should be able to overcome the issues which separate us. Obviously one of us is wrong. Christ Himself prayed for unity among His followers in John 17.
 
AKDee said:
And yet the reality is that as we both claim to be Christ’s Church on earth, and both have apostolic succession and valid sacraments, that if we could get past the human pride factor and pray for the guidance of the Spirit we should be able to overcome the issues which separate us. Obviously one of us is wrong. Christ Himself prayed for unity among His followers in John 17.
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But which one? Would you accept that the Catholic Church was wrong and accept the pope taking a diminished role as the “first among equals” along side the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs?
 
Padres1969 said:
But which one? Would you accept that the Catholic Church was wrong and accept the pope taking a diminished role as the “first among equals” along side the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs?
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Absolutely, if that were God’s will. Wouldn’t not doing so be allowing my ego to be more important to me than God? Now personally I think there’s a lot of evidence that all the way to the beginning of the Church that the other Bishops recognized the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. And I think it makes a certain amount of sense that our Lord would give us a final authority to turn to when there are issues on which we cannot agree. And I think it’s telling that the Orthodox have not had an ecumenical council since the Great Schism. That said, if the two churches sat down and ultimately (through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit) determined that the Pope is merely first among equals I would be okay with that. My job is to be obedient to God.
 
AKDee said:
Absolutely, if that were God’s will. Wouldn’t not doing so be allowing my ego to be more important to me than God? Now personally I think there’s a lot of evidence that all the way to the beginning of the Church that the other Bishops recognized the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. And I think it makes a certain amount of sense that our Lord would give us a final authority to turn to when there are issues on which we cannot agree. That said, if the two churches sat down and ultimately (through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit) determined that the Pope is merely first among equals I would be okay with that. My job is to be obedient to God.
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I’m willing to admit that wasn’t the answer I was expecting. 👍
 
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