Teaching Authority of Orthodox Christians

[DJLake]

Are traditional teachings of the Orthodox Churches irrevocable just as the infallible teachings of the Catholic Church? Do the Orthodox Churches teach infallibly that they are the “one, true, church” outside of which there is no salvation?

 

[RyanBlack]

Are traditional teachings of the Orthodox Churches irrevocable just as the infallible teachings of the Catholic Church? Do the Orthodox Churches teach infallibly that they are the “one, true, church” outside of which there is no salvation?

For the Orthodox, just as for Catholics, truth is objective and unchanging, so traditional teachings that the Church has always believed and taught would be understood as irrevocable. As to the second question, the Orthodox do teach that they are the one true Church. As to whether salvation is possible beyond the visible boundaries of the Church, in my experience, the Orthodox tend to be agnostic. As far as the issue of infallibility, the Orthodox do not believe that any bishop is infallible; some say that an ecumenical council teaches infallibly, some do not.

 

[dzheremi]

I suppose they’re irrevocable in the sense that we’re not going to stop believing and teaching what we have believed for the last 2,000 years, and we do also teach that we are the one holy catholic and apostolic church of God, but I have a feeling that you’re really wanting to know if we have anything like the Roman Catholic magisterium and/or something like Papal infallibility for our patriarchs. The answer to both of those questions would be no. There is no Orthodox magisterium (there are synods and councils, but they don’t really function like the RC magisterium does, since the magisterium works together with the infallible Roman Pope, and we don’t have anything like that), and no bishop in Orthodoxy is considered to be infallible.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Are traditional teachings of the Orthodox Churches irrevocable just as the infallible teachings of the Catholic Church? Do the Orthodox Churches teach infallibly that they are the “one, true, church” outside of which there is no salvation?

There is one revelation, one teaching from Jesus Christ handed down to the Apostles and then passed on to our Fathers of the Faith and onto us. So yes, they are irrevocable and infallible because God is infallible and the Truth is irrevocable.

The Orthodox Church does not have a concept of infallibility. What does it serve anyway? The truths Christ taught does not change, any person living the tradition of the Church would know what those truths are.

 

[DJLake]

Thank you for your answers. I’ve been reading posts on another board that point out the more severe interpretation of the No Salvation doctrine back in the middle ages as compared to today, where someone in invincible ignorance can be saved. Have the Orthodox re-interpreted their teaching, or only the Catholics?

 

[ConstantineTG]

Thank you for your answers. I’ve been reading posts on another board that point out the more severe interpretation of the No Salvation doctrine back in the middle ages as compared to today, where someone in invincible ignorance can be saved. Have the Orthodox re-interpreted their teaching, or only the Catholics?

Theophan the Recluse has this to say about the matter:

“You ask, will the heterodox be saved… Why do you worry about them? They have a Saviour Who desires the salvation of every human being. He will take care of them. You and I should not be burdened with such a concern. Study yourself and your own sins… I will tell you one thing, however: should you, being Orthodox and possessing the Truth in its fullness, betray Orthodoxy, and enter a different faith, you will lose your soul forever.”