Orthodoxy - Catholic or Protestant?

» biogardener - Thank you Steve

Thank you, Steve, for sending me the URL of this article. In my article, "What is your Religion?" I discuss my checkered background with many different denominations, but I have very little background on Orthodoxy, even though I have close friends who are members of that church. The main problem is a matter of language. Most Orthodox church services in Winnipeg are conducted in languages which I do not understand.

-- posted by biogardener

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» JimForest - a bit more Catholic than Protestant...

Your short piece "Orthodoxy - Catholic or Protestant?" is brief but informative. Thanks for sending me its web address,

Bishop Kallistos makes the same point about Catholics and Protestants being two sides of the same coin. It's a challenging metaphor though I think the Catholic side of the coin resembles Orthodox Christianity more than the Protestant side.

The Catholic Church is not of its nature based on dissent, in contrast to Protestantism.

The Catholic Church has a similar view of sacraments, follows a similar calendar, and doesn't ignore that part of Christian history that lies between Pentecost and the Reformation.

After the collapse of the empire in the west, the Church in the west gradually developed toward a monarchical rather than conciliar model -- this is one of the main differences and problems.

The Orthodox Church is less legalistic, something we see very vividly in the Orthodox approach to broken marriages and its willingness to approach the question of remarriage at the local level, while in the Catholic Church all such questions are ultimately decided in Rome following a complex juridical process at the diocesan level.

Tradition is much stronger in the Orthodox Church. I sometimes say that, at first glance, the Orthodox and Catholic highways look a lot alike, but after a few minutes you notice that cars travel much more slowly on the Orthodox highway -- and there are no police cars. This is because our tradition is to drive slowly, and the tradition so strong police cars are not needed.

But in some ways the Catholic Church sets an example which we might emulate. It produces more saints of the Mother Theresa type. The Catholic has been far less troubled than the Orthodox Church with linguistic or national divisions or the heresy of ethno-plyletism. It has also tried to formulate timely, coherent responses to ethical issues about which the Orthodox hierarchy tends to be silent. Sadly, it is much more likely that a Catholic will know that the Church regards abortion as murder than an Orthodox Christian. At least since the Second Vatican Council. Catholic bishops are less likely to bless wars, preparation for war, or weapons of war -- they may even take an active role in efforts to prevent wars or hasten their end.

in Christ's peace,

Jim

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-- posted by JimForest

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» methodius - Re: a bit more Catholic than Protestant...

In response to message posted by JimForest:

Thanks for posting your observations, Jim. I agree with most of the points you raise. I should also perhaps note that since Vatican II Roman Catholic ecclesiology has drawn closer to Orthodox ecclesiology, and become a little more holistic - at least in what people say.

I've been reading Luzbetak's "The Church and cultutres", and he speaks of the relationship between the local church and the universal church in terms very similar to those of the Orthodox, though the practice is different.

-- posted by methodius

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» Minnie - Thank you, Steve

I appreciate you sending me the link to your article. I have placed your link in my article on Protestant Denominations and Differences in America at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/3830...

I learned very early about God as loving, even when people were separated from Him, so I see salvation more as reconciliation to a loving God rather than from His anger.

And recently, I am very aware that an important part of salvation is freedom from "sin, evil, death and the devil."

Traute had a wonderful surprising explanation of the meaning of Protestant in my article at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/3830... I would be interested in knowing if your viewpoint of Orthodox in relation to Protestant would be different if based on her definition.

I like the way that you explained things in your article and appreciate knowing the Orthodox beliefs.

-- posted by Minnie

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