Difference between Eastern and Western Orthodox

[GodsGrace101]

not to be blunt, but just go and check them out. sometimes you can only learn by living.

You mean join a church before I know about it?
I already did this once.
This time I'd want to be more careful.
I'm not so young anymore and it's beginning to seem to me that the Orthodox denomination is the closest to how Christianity was at the beginning.

 

[GodsGrace101]

I agree with what the others said. I was not rebaptized, but I was chrismated when I became Orthodox. I was part of a Protestant church earlier.

Being Chrismated would be no problem for me.
This is because I understand Catholic Confirmation and I don't agree with how it's done. Not the FORM....but WHO can be confirmed and who cannot. It's just a ritual. When a person turns 12/13, they are confirmed, whether or not they believe or are part of the faithful.
This is how the CC wants this.

 

[prodromos]

I belong to a Greek parish here in Sydney, but we also go to a small Russian skete led by a priest monk (formerly an Anglican missionary before he converted). A year ago, a Romanian parish moved into what was once an Anglican Church literally around the corner from my home. We have visited twice. Apart from the language difference, the liturgy was much the same as we had already experienced. The only difference was that the Romanians tended to only have Communion on major feast days.

 

[AMM]

You mean join a church before I know about it?
I already did this once.
This time I'd want to be more careful.
I'm not so young anymore and it's beginning to seem to me that the Orthodox denomination is the closest to how Christianity was at the beginning.

Not to join, just to go visit. I agree with Father Matt's assessment: it can be truly enlightening to simply attend one of the services and experience it for yourself. You can learn from going to the services, and get to know the priest that way.

 

[GodsGrace101]

I belong to a Greek parish here in Sydney, but we also go to a small Russian skete led by a priest monk (formerly an Anglican missionary before he converted). A year ago, a Romanian parish moved into what was once an Anglican Church literally around the corner from my home. We have visited twice. Apart from the language difference, the liturgy was much the same as we had already experienced. The only difference was that the Romanians tended to only have Communion on major feast days.

Yes,,,a girl I know that is Orthodox told me they do not receive communion very often. I do enjoy communion however, I should say. However, this would not keep me from joining an Orthodox church.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Not David]

Why do they do that? Shouldn't Communion be essential?

 

[GodsGrace101]

Not to join, just to go visit. I agree with Father Matt's assessment: it can be truly enlightening to simply attend one of the services and experience it for yourself. You can learn from going to the services, and get to know the priest that way.

Oh, I agree.
I mean that before becoming serious about changing,,,I would need to know the doctrinal beliefs first.

The first time I changed from Catholic to Protestant because I didn't even know about the Orthodox church.
I only knew that I wasn't Catholic anymore due to a born again experience. I found fellowship with others that felt as I did in a Protestant church and I also learned a lot there.

 

[GodsGrace101]

Why do they do that? Shouldn't Communion be essential?

In the Catholic church one could receive communion every day if they went to Mass.

In Protestantism it's usually done once a month.
But should communion be essential?
Why should it be?
I understand why Catholics believe it is...
you might be of that denomination.

 

[prodromos]

Why do they do that? Shouldn't Communion be essential?

You would have to ask them. I do know that there have been similar instances throughout the history of the Church where it has swung from frequent communion to maybe twice a year.

St Mary of Egypt communed twice in her life that we know of, but she is certainly one of the exceptions to the rule.

 

[Phronema]

I attend at a Greek church, and was taught that the more often we receive the Holy Eucharist the better.

That's of course only when we're ready to do so after confession, and repentance. That is between Father and each individual though as to whether they should be receiving or not.

 

[ArmyMatt]

You mean join a church before I know about it?
I already did this once.
This time I'd want to be more careful.
I'm not so young anymore and it's beginning to seem to me that the Orthodox denomination is the closest to how Christianity was at the beginning.

no, I mean learn about it by going.

 

[Not David]

In the Catholic church one could receive communion every day if they went to Mass.

In Protestantism it's usually done once a month.
But should communion be essential?
Why should it be?
I understand why Catholics believe it is...
you might be of that denomination.

I go to an Antiochian Church and they have it every week.

 

[All4Christ]

I go to an Antiochian Church and they have it every week.

Same with the OCA

 

[GodsGrace101]

No problem!
I'm already in a different culture.

But we're all One Body in Christ.

I've gotten 2 OPTIMISTIC.

I guess we're not all one Body in Christ?
And yet this is what Jesus wanted.
1 Corinthians 1:10
10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

 

[GodsGrace101]

I go to an Antiochian Church and they have it every week.

What is an Antiochian church?
The major doctrines?

 

[GodsGrace101]

no, I mean learn about it by going.

Hmmm.
I'm not so sure you learn about a church by going to one.

I went to a Catholic church all my life and learned nothing about it except to go to Mass every Sunday and to confession. I had to study to learn Catholic doctrine.

Ditto for the Protestant.

Of course, along with study, one also has to have the actual experience and participate in the liturgy.

I'll have to find out if they have some kind of bible study.

But it's pretty far for me...not sure how to handle this.

Some initial teachings from those on this thread would be appreciated.

For instance...do we understand justification and sanctification the same?

Justification is a work of GOD ONLY.
A person turns to God, he is justified by God -- declared righteous -- and then the person's sanctification is a synergistic work, a cooperation between God and man.

Would you agree to what I've stated?

 

[GodsGrace101]

I attend at a Greek church, and was taught that the more often we receive the Holy Eucharist the better.

That's of course only when we're ready to do so after confession, and repentance. That is between Father and each individual though as to whether they should be receiving or not.

What to you mean by confession?

 

[prodromos]

What is an Antiochian church?

Eastern Orthodox.
From about the 4th century onward, the Church was headed by five patriachates in Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople and Rome. Around the 11th century, Rome separated and became what is now the Catholic Church. The remaining patriarchates are what is known as the Eastern Orthodox Church

The major doctrines?

Same as every other Eastern Orthodox Church

 

[ArmyMatt]

Hmmm.
I'm not so sure you learn about a church by going to one.

I went to a Catholic church all my life and learned nothing about it except to go to Mass every Sunday and to confession. I had to study to learn Catholic doctrine.

Ditto for the Protestant.

Of course, along with study, one also has to have the actual experience and participate in the liturgy.

I'll have to find out if they have some kind of bible study.

But it's pretty far for me...not sure how to handle this.

Some initial teachings from those on this thread would be appreciated.

For instance...do we understand justification and sanctification the same?

Justification is a work of GOD ONLY.
A person turns to God, he is justified by God -- declared righteous -- and then the person's sanctification is a synergistic work, a cooperation between God and man.

Would you agree to what I've stated?

oh you do learn by going. Orthodoxy's best teacher is the Liturgy. not just in what we say, but also in what we do.

and to your second point, I would say not exactly. justification is sanctification.

 

[All4Christ]

Hmmm.
I'm not so sure you learn about a church by going to one.

I went to a Catholic church all my life and learned nothing about it except to go to Mass every Sunday and to confession. I had to study to learn Catholic doctrine.

Ditto for the Protestant.

Of course, along with study, one also has to have the actual experience and participate in the liturgy.

I'll have to find out if they have some kind of bible study.

But it's pretty far for me...not sure how to handle this.

Some initial teachings from those on this thread would be appreciated.

For instance...do we understand justification and sanctification the same?

Justification is a work of GOD ONLY.
A person turns to God, he is justified by God -- declared righteous -- and then the person's sanctification is a synergistic work, a cooperation between God and man.

Would you agree to what I've stated?

I’d like to address what you mentioned about justification and sanctification more from the perspective of someone who previously was Protestant, but I am at work now and have had a crazy week. I will try to do so soon. Suffice to say, there are some things that can be seen parallel and others that are different regarding those doctrines. However - from a Pentecostal perspective - it wasn’t a big jump for me in that subject once I understood the language and concepts used.

Regaeding attending the Church to learn - in Orthodoxy, our hymnography teaches our faith, as well as various other things. It is really important for learning the faith, especially since books, learning and questions only give you part of the overall faith (its more than just theology)

I certainly did a lot of research before stepping into the church, but I learned a lot as well once I started to attend. My process was reading a lot, asking questions here and to other Orthodox Christians, starting to attend catechism classes right as I started visiting the church (before I decided to become a catechumen), and then when Pascha (Easter) came, I knew for sure that it was where God wanted me to be. It still took a long time after that though, as the catechism is designed to ensure you understand the faith before committing to it.

If you look at the first few pages of TAW, you will see the I posted way a LONG time before I became Orthodox it was a journey and still is a journey for me.