Question about reunification with the Orthodox Church

[RollTide1987]

After Pope Francis’s visit to Istanbul to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew last month, it is now a question of when (and not if) the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church will reunite after a near 1,000-year long separation. Suppose reunification happens in the near future, what will become of the role of the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church? Pope Francis said that no conditions must be met so how will the Eastern Church treat the papacy?

It’s an interesting prospect to think about.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Good question, but I cannot answer it.

 

[dmar198]

After Pope Francis’s visit to Istanbul to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew last month, it is now a question of when (and not if) the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church will reunite after a near 1,000-year long separation. Suppose reunification happens in the near future, what will become of the role of the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church? Pope Francis said that no conditions must be met so how will the Eastern Church treat the papacy?

It’s an interesting prospect to think about.

The pope did say there was one condition the Church would impose: a common profession of faith. What do you understand that condition to mean? Because I think it may make all the difference as to how the pope will be viewed by our new Eastern brothers, if they decide to accept the pope’s advances.

 

[Mystophilus]

After Pope Francis’s visit to Istanbul to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew last month, it is now a question of when (and not if) the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church will reunite after a near 1,000-year long separation.

The expression of a “resolution … to intensify our efforts to promote the full unity of all Christians, and above all between Catholics and Orthodox” is a declaration of shared hope, not a schedule for reunification.

Churches are currently held apart by the very fact that they differ not only upon what is right or wrong (about who can be ordained, about how the Church is governed, and about how theological questions are decided), but even upon what is vital and what is negotiable.

This declaration is a promising step, but it is far from the last step.

 

[Spelf]

The pope did say there was one condition the Church would impose: a common profession of faith. What do you understand that condition to mean? Because I think it may make all the difference as to how the pope will be viewed by our new Eastern brothers, if they decide to accept the pope’s advances.

I’d say that that might take the form of changing the text of the creed; “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of the life, who proceeds from the father through the son” rather than “and the son”, the oft-debated filioque. From what I understand, through the son is no less correct than and the son by our theology. I think some Eastern Catholics use that.

The primacy of Rome is non-negotiable, however.

 

[Tomdstone]

After Pope Francis’s visit to Istanbul to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew last month, it is now a question of when (and not if) the Catholic Church and Orthodox Church will reunite after a near 1,000-year long separation. Suppose reunification happens in the near future, what will become of the role of the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church? Pope Francis said that no conditions must be met so how will the Eastern Church treat the papacy?

It’s an interesting prospect to think about.

Orthodox do not agree with the filioque, papal infallibility and universal papal jurisdiction and supremacy. Also, they don’t use the annulment process in the case of a failed marriage, but rely on Church recognized divorces under certain conditions.

 

[TarkanAttila]

Orthodox do not agree with the filioque, papal infallibility and universal papal jurisdiction and supremacy. Also, they don’t use the annulment process in the case of a failed marriage, but rely on Church recognized divorces under certain conditions.

They also believe it is the priest, not the couple, that does the marrying. And they do not believe marriages with non-Christians can be valid Christian marriages, from what I’ve read. And their confession system is much less formal than our own, although only a priest can absolve.

 

[GEddie]

They also believe it is the priest, not the couple, that does the marrying. And they do not believe marriages with non-Christians can be valid Christian marriages, from what I’ve read. And their confession system is much less formal than our own, although only a priest can absolve.

In what way is confession less formal?

Beyond such prayers as the Act of Contrition (which has several forms), there’s not a lot of formality in Catholic confession, that I can think of.

ICXC NIKA