I just reread a news article from last August where the Vatican returned an icon to the Orthodox church. While it was positively received, the Pope wasn’t allowed to return it in person. The Orthodox Church said there are still issues to be resolved before a personal meeting can take place.
So, can someone point me to a good site outlining these remaining issues?
Thanks.
Well, I’m sure somebody has a better cite than this, but if you go to www.christianforums.com (or .ca or .co.uk or .com.au ), skip down to the “Congregation” section, and select “One Bread One Body” or “The Ancient Way” (the Catholic and Orthodox forums respectively), you’ll find more than a little discussion on this.
A quick summary:
Nature of the Church: In Catholicism the Church is one monolithic entity characterized by being in communion with and under the authority of the Pope. Schismatic groups are recognized to be sure, but only as “broken branches only partly connected to the Vine” so to speak. In Orthodoxy, the autonomy and autocephaly of the national churches and their bishops, and their desire to remain in communion holding fast to the faith once given to the apostles, is the focus.
Filioque Clause: A much bigger issue than it appears to the average non-Orthodox, the unilateral addition by the West of the italicized words to the Creedal phrase “I believe in the Holy Spirit…who proceeds from the Father and the Son” works a radical change in the conception of God, at least in the eyes of most Orthodox theologians.
Ecumenical Councils: The seven Ecumenical Councils held before 800 AD define the doctrines of the Orthodox Church; while there is much theological ferment since that time, no Orthodox is obliged to believe that which was not taught at one of those seven councils. They’re fundamental to a doctrinal understanding of Orthodoxy, and in the eyes of Orthodoxy nothing can be officially changed without an ecumenical council, which it is impossible to hold while East and West are separated. Obviously, Catholicism has continued to hold what they term Ecumenical Councils called by the Pope ever since; the most recent was Vatican II, within the memories of older living board members. And a vast quantity of doctrine has resulted from them which Orthodox do not share.
4-10. Would be discussions of doctrinal developments in Catholicism and Orthodox stance regarding them. I’ll skip getting into that sort of detail for now.
Final observation: The icon that was returned and the snub given the Pope regarding it was done by one Russian Orthodox archbishop, who is, as noted above, pretty much autonomous, not answerable to anyone except God and a synod of his peers. IMO, the Russian church and its two American affiliates (OCA and ROCA/ROCOR) are in general very decent and caring people, but tend to number among themselves a few of the most staunchly conservative, stiff-necked seekers of affronts it is possible to find anywhere.
Nowadays it would also be sadly impossible to actually have an ecumenical council, as well, so the situation seems unresolved.
I’ve heard that most Orthodox believers have little interest in the filioque clause, though the other issues concern them to a greater of lesser degree.
There’s a major issue that has nothing to do with theology. The Orthodox churches feel very concerned about catholic proselytism in traditionnally orthodox coutries. It seems to me to be currently the most serious grudge, playing a significantly more important role than actual theological debate.
www.oca.org click on the questions and answers area.
In 1054 (or 1074?), when the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches broke apart, the leaders of same (The Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople) excommunicated eachother.
Is this stillin effect?
Somebodies right and somenoe’s wrong…which is it?
Oh… that’s a huge can of worms you just opened. It’s barely even a GD. Suffice it to say, from the Catholic perspective the Orthodox were wrong, and vice versa.
Many Catholics, assuming they think about it at all, do not have any real problem with the Orthodox and would be happy to reunite the faith. While we have slightly different orders of mass, our faiths do not particularly clash in our own opinion. A few of us who’ve studied it feel that some of the fire has left the Orthodox church, dating back to Communist rule.
Some of the Orthodox seem to hate us with a passion that’s (almost) holy. I know that much. Never was able to understand why.
As I have learned to my regret right on this board…
Reversed in 1967 (I think I have the date right here) when Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras rescinded the anathemas.
See my post above for a start. Then get into inordinate detail. Leavened or unleavened bread? Immaculate Conception of Mary? Assumption or Dormition? Transubstantiation or Mystery of the Real Presence? Sign of the cross right to left or left to right, and how do you hold your fingers in making it? Is the Patriarch of Rome the infallible single head honcho of the church, or first in honor among equals? Original sin? Atonement? Theosis? Chrismation, Confirmation, or both? Communion only at age of reason or as a blessing upon all regardless of age?