Orthodox-Catholic reunion; a possibility?

[John_of_Patmos]

They’re actually pretty close to reunion with both sides. And both sides are closer to reunion with them than with each other.

Do you mean just the Copts, or all of the Oriental Orthodox? Which way are the Copts leaning: Catholic or Orthodox? What about a time table? Reuniting Churches seems to be really slooooooow business.

 

[searn77]

Do you mean just the Copts, or all of the Oriental Orthodox? Which way are the Copts leaning: Catholic or Orthodox? What about a time table? Reuniting Churches seems to be really slooooooow business.

Well a lot of the Eastern Orthodox (not the Old Calendarists) already consider the Oriental Orthodox as pretty much being the same Church and vice versa. It is not unheard of for Eastern Orthodox to give the sacraments to Oriental Orthodox. The Antiochians already have a sort of partial inter-communion with the Syriac Orthodox in the middle east. And I’ve seen an online presentation on Orthodoxy given by a Coptic priest who said the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox are pretty much the same Church.

You can read about the latest talks and discussions between the EO and OO here:
orthodoxunity.org/index.php

But just for clarification, Old Calendarists, which includes myself, don’t support this union with the OO and we’re not in communion with the EO who do.

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

What year did the Oriental Orthodox break off?

The schism occurred during the years following the Council of Chalcedon, which was held in 451 A.D.

 

[Vico]

The schism occurred during the years following the Council of Chalcedon, which was held in 451 A.D.

Also:

Assyrian Church of the East 424 A.D. First Catholicos, Mar Dadisho I, became independent.

Armenian synod rejected the christological teachings of the Council of Chalcedon in 506 A.D.

There are five other Oriental Orthodox Churches besides the Armenians, objecting to Chalcedon.

Tome of Leo is a point of controversy, yes, even in modern times.

1. The Tome is a compromise between Cyrilline and Antiochene theology.
2. Displeasing to Monophysites in its assertion that the two natures of Christ are true subjects of action.
3. Russian theologians are wary of it in that it presents only Cyrilline Christology as the faith.
4. Those of Mt. Athos oppose it as they oppose pro-Monophysite eirenicism.

See: Rome and the Eastern Churches By Aidan Nichols, Op Nichols, see pages 131-132.

Cyrilline School, John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh”
Antiochian School: Colossians 2:9 “For in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily”.

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

Also:

Assyrian Church of the East 424 A.D. First Catholicos, Mar Dadisho I, became independent.

Armenian synod rejected the christological teachings of the Council of Chalcedon in 506 A.D.

There are five other Oriental Orthodox Churches besides the Armenians, objecting to Chalcedon.

Tome of Leo is a point of controversy, yes, even in modern times.

1. The Tome is a compromise between Cyrilline and Antiochene theology.
2. Displeasing to Monophysites in its assertion that the two natures of Christ are true subjects of action.
3. Russian theologians are wary of it in that it presents only Cyrilline Christology as the faith.
4. Those of Mt. Athos oppose it as they oppose pro-Monophysite eirenicism.

See: Rome and the Eastern Churches By Aidan Nichols, Op Nichols, see pages 131-132.

Cyrilline School, John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh”
Antiochian School: Colossians 2:9 “For in Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily”.

Thanks for the additional info, Vico. I must say, you are a powerhouse of quotations from various works! Where is your library, and may I spend the rest of my life reading there?!

 

[Vico]

Thanks for the additional info, Vico. I must say, you are a powerhouse of quotations from various works! Where is your library, and may I spend the rest of my life reading there?!

Ha, Ha! I’m glad it is helpful. Most that I quote from are from book previews, but also I use the WorldCat inter-library loan, and the Catholic Encyclopedia at our local library. Some of the parisioners have lent me books at church too, and I bought some too. A good thing is that the older Patristic works are online, being out of copyright.

 

[paglione]

Im sure every Catholic here believes their Church is true in its teachings

If all Catholic doctrine is genuine and truth,and so is the Orthodox then what is keeping them apart?

Should Catholics be saying “hang on here ,the Orthodox rufuse union with us because maybe we teach error” “maybe we have to have a real hard look at our teaching and see if theyre wrong ,and change them if they are,so we can unite with the Orthodox”

But if they are all true,then its the Orthodox who should be the ones to have a good hard look at the doctrines and say" yes they are all ok ,we should and have to unite’

No Catholic here would admit or believe their own Doctrines are errors ,so believing they are true ,why do you think the Orthodox have a problem with them? What is their problem with uniting with Rome?

 

[paglione]

In my opinion both Catholic and Orthodox Churches are true and valid churches, both teach true Catholic doctrine, both are apostolic churches. The separation of the churches (my opinion) are political in nature. It would involve the Pope of Rome sharing his power and authority with the independent Orthodox churches each of which has its own Patriarch. There is a doctrine called “the first among equals” and that doctrine would have to be put into play because the Pope of Rome and the Orthodox Patriarchs of the various Orthodox churches would become “the first among equals”.
Petradom737@aol.com

 

[Volodymyr]

Not until the majority of the Russian Eastern Orthodox stop holding anti-Roman views, and they put in the effort for reconciliation…

My dear friend - don’t you see how biased and anti-Orthodox you are! How could you possibly know if the majority of Russian Orthodox hold such views anti-Roman?? I am believer of that Church and have held Roman church in respect, as do almost all believers that I know. Reconciliation is different problem from American-Western Europe view than Eastern European-Russian-Ukrainian. You want reconciliation to strengthen faith as West becomes post-Christian. In East we have already been for 70 years Post-Christian and need now to rebuild, to find, to be strengthed, to learn. All believers during Soviet times got along well despite differences - all were persecuted = Jews, Catolics, Orthodox, Buddhists, Moslims. You will find that such reconciliation by persecution is probably coming to West now!

 

[ThatOneGuy92]

Ha, Ha! I’m glad it is helpful. Most that I quote from are from book previews, but also I use the WorldCat inter-library loan, and the Catholic Encyclopedia at our local library. Some of the parisioners have lent me books at church too, and I bought some too. A good thing is that the older Patristic works are online, being out of copyright.

Nice! I’ll have to look up that WorldCat inter-library loan. Sounds like a good resource!

And I was excited to find my college’s library stocked full of not only various books on religion, but also almost all the collection of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, as well as other ECF works to boot. I was so happy I cried!

And now, back to the regular programming.

 

[louis91766]

All believers during Soviet times got along well despite differences - all were persecuted = Jews, Catolics, Orthodox, Buddhists, Moslims.

And what is the situation now? You have the Orthodox under Moscow, you have the Kievan Patriarchate (not recognised as cononical) and you have the Greek Catholics. Do they have friendly relations in Ukraine?

 

[Vico]

Nice! I’ll have to look up that WorldCat inter-library loan. Sounds like a good resource!

And I was excited to find my college’s library stocked full of not only various books on religion, but also almost all the collection of the Ante-Nicene Fathers, as well as other ECF works to boot. I was so happy I cried!

And now, back to the regular programming.

Many sources are here, online:

fordham.edu/Halsall/sbook1.asp