West vs East understanding of inheriting Adam's sin

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Maragal

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The more I read eastern theology, the more Im drawn to it. Im ruminating on this idea that the west teaches we inhereted Adams sin, whereas the East teaches we humans inherited a “distortion of the personality”, a propensity for sin, an alienation from God.

Im also drawn to the Eastern undetstanding of atonement - it speaks far less of Justice and far more of Healing.

Is it semantics, and/or simply a different emphasis? As an RC how far can I embrace eastern theology?

Thanks!
 
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If by “eastern theology” you mean Eastern Catholic theology (not Orthodox), then we’re all members of the same Catholic church, we all share the same beliefs, and the differences in theology are semantics and emphasis as you said.

Your being an RC is irrelevant when discussing Catholic theology, which includes Eastern Catholic theology. It’s not like RCs only are allowed to follow Western Catholic theologians and ECs only are allowed to follow Eastern Catholic theologians. We’re all Catholic, and Catholic theology belongs to all of us.
 
Thanks Tisbear - to be honest, most of the reading Ive been doing is from the Othodox Church - so, not Eastern Catholics in communion with the West.

Im not clear how much Eastern Catholic theology and Orthodox Theology are in alignment? For example, if I was to speak with an Eastern Catholic (in communion with the west)about Adams sin would they hold the more western views (sin inherited) or the more eastern view (propensity for sin inherited)…? Can they hold either?

Thanks!
 
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Actually Im posting here deliberately because I wanted perspectives on RCs following Orthodox theology…how much of the differences are just in emphases…if there are significant areas we simply are not allowed to believe (obviously, the role of Pope is a difference that we cannot accept Orthodox teaching on)…but specifically what I asked above…re Adams sin and atonement…
 
Traditional Catholicism is a subforum for discussing traditional Catholicism.
Most traditional Catholics do not sit around contemplating non-Catholic religions. Many traditional Catholics would think it was sinful or an occasion of sin to focus on a non-Catholic religion, as well as pointless because “extra Ecclesiam nulla salus”.
Orthodoxy is a non-Catholic religion.
 
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You might be right but Id still be interested to hear the view points re these issues of Adams sin and atonement…will see if anyone feeds in! Our catechism speaks so highly of the Orthodox faith, while acknowledging we are not in commumion, I can’t see folks having a problem with considering my questions…but what do I know, lol…
 
Think of it this way. Humanity inherited Adam’s state of injustice, the state he placed himself in by separating himself from subjugated relationship with God, a relationship that can ultimately only be fully realized and appreciated as a human comes to truly know and love and adore God.

Man was made for communion with God. Without that we’re lost, wayward, dead, out of synch with the truth of who we are and who He is. Man cannot retain control of his moral life without this vital partnership; sin is inevitable. “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Anyway, that understanding should help reconcile the two descriptions.
 
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