I am currently a Roman Catholic but I am looking forward to becoming an Orthodoxy? But I have seen so much confusion within the Orthodox Church. Believe it or not I am right now 21, as this would mean I am an unusual person looking for Christ's truth in an age while when my peers and my fellow Catholics my age are leaving Catholicism to become atheists, agnostics, humanists, Muslims, etc.
I left Catholicism because it has become quite modernized and the Catholic church really looks more like an Anglican church. When looking at Orthodoxy, I have seen two divisions within like Oriental Orthodoxy and Eastern Orthodoxy and to make matters worse, I have seen some Eastern Orthodox debating each other in certain issues like calendars and between the traditionalist Orthodoxies. However, I came to understand that Orthodoxy in general is the Christian Church with the least changes since the time the apostles founded the Church?
How do I know which sect of orthodoxy is the true one? I've been reading the bible and praying for God to guide me to the right one? Which Orthodox church really holds the truth that the REAL Jesus sent?
Glad you're doing a lot of investigation at your age when so many are choosing to turn away from the beauty of Christ - I had a lot of friends who turned away from the Lord and I am glad for the grace of Christ on my life that kept me seeking Him so that I didn't fall away and was able to have people (be it Oriental Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox or, for that matter, Eastern Catholics and many others) who truly encouraged me to remember the beauty that comes from keeping Jesus Christ as our focus.....and seeking to share Him with others.
That said, I can relate to the difficulty in the journey you're on (as I've communed in EO parishes as well as OO parishes due to my ecc
lesiastical affiliation, authorized by the SOC and the Antiochian EO church). My own background involves both the Syriac Tradition as well as the Antiochian tradition - and I already have friends/family in the Coptic tradition (which I already shared when speaking about being invited to visit His Holiness when he was in town, others knowing where I stand as I've shared before in
Prayers, as I'm looking Forward to Meeting the Coptic Pope Tomorrow and Pesach...something to think about). The history of Orthodoxy is rather complicated when seeing how extensively detailed every group is. For reference, a
s noted best elsewhere, on the differing variations:
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PENTARCHY
AUTOCEPHALOUS ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
AUTONOMOUS ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCHES
ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EPARCHIES
Many places with Intercommunion occurring are places in the Church others do not know of due to geography and simply disconnection - and this is the case with regards to Antiochians as one example among many when it comes to intersections/connection.
And there are already dioceses of the OCA allowing intercommunion so long as permission is given by the ruling hierarch. Additionally, there is also inter-communion arrangements between the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate and the Eastern Orthodox EO reference the Syriac Orthodox tradition frequently in identification, even though the tradition is not rooted solely n the EO Tradition. Others such as
Dr. Sebastian Brock - the foremost scholar on Syriac Christianity - have done a rather excellent job on pointing that out in regards to the scholarship when it comes to the universality of others from the OO tradition and the work done in the EO community.
From the EO side of things, it is the case historically that the Greek Orthodox church is in full communion with the Oriental Orthodox church:
Since the Holy Synods of both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa have already accepted the outcome of the official dialogue on Christology between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, including the two official agreements: the first on Christology signed in June 1989 in Egypt and the second also on Christology and on the lifting of anathemas and restoration of full communion signed in Geneva 1990, in which it is stated that "In the light of our agreed statement on Christology..., we have now clearly understood that both families have always loyally maintained the same authentic Orthodox Christological faith, and the unbroken continuity of Apostolic tradition". It was agreed to have mutual recognition of the sacrament of Baptism, based on what St Paul wrote, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph 4:5) - https://orthodoxjointcommission.wor...d-greek-orthodox-patriarchates-of-alexandria/
Moreover, for practice, we already have it where Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, congratulated His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II on his election to the throne of Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church. In his words:
Your Holiness,
I wholeheartedly congratulate you on the election to the throne of Primate of the ancient Syriac Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church values good relations with the Syriac Church and thinks highly of the heritage of your demised predecessor – Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas. He was always committed to the active inter-Christian dialogue and was a supporter of closer interaction between the Orthodox and the Oriental Churches.
Our Church is praying for the re-establishment of a longed-for peace in the Syrian land, sanctified by the feet of holy prophets and apostles. I sincerely wish you to be a preacher of truth and reconciliation in your homeland and a wise steerer of the church boat.
Many and good years to you!
With love in Christ,
/+Hilarion/
Metropolitan of Volokolamsk
Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate ( https://mospat.ru/en/2014/04/16/news101026/ )
For more reference, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (another EO) confirmed in writing in 1984, that he gives Communion to Oriental Orthodox - and in fact,
he spoke at the Coptic “Orthodox Women’s Ministry” conference...an Inter-Orthodox conference event that took place in Heythrop College, University of London, in the United Kingdom from Friday, September 11, 2015, to Sunday, September 13, 2015. It is a new lay movement in the Orthodox Church
blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Tawadros II, of the Coptic Orthodox Church - and the "
two main objectives were to establish a general understanding of the role of women from a historical, theological and practical perspective in today's world; as well as to cultivate a deeper appreciation for the call to holiness for men and women in the life of the Church."
And for reference on where dialogue and official statements have occurred:
There have been several books on the matter as well in differing seminaries...
- Patristic Theology by Fr. John Romanides
- Exomologetarion: A Manual for Confession by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
- Concerning Frequent Communion by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
- The Truth of Our Faith: Vol. 2 by Elder Cleopa of Romania
Besides working with other Orthodox in both worlds on several projects, others have noted that before in the forum, as said before:
I think my church (Antioch) is pretty pronounced in its acceptance of the OO, and so it cannot be said that the OO are universally rejected either.
I hate to be the voice of the campus radical, but I have met many Orientals who were more Orthodox in spirit than some of my Eastern brethren.
Views on the Eastern and Western Catholic Churches?
and Extra Prayers for Those Suffering in Syria
...or St. Mary Syrian Orthodox Church Destroyed in Syria
..or We are all called to become Saints....
Prayers for Metropolitans Paul Yazigi & Youhanna Ibrahim who were KIDNAPPED.. &
Moving Forward with Catholic/Orthodox Relationship
(and, for that matter, EOs working actively with the Coptic Pope as noted previously).
There really is MORE unity in the Church than many are willing to admit....
What happens in canonical Orthodox has been quite clear when keeping up with the actual discussions, statements and what leadership has done.
There really is MORE unity in the Church than many are willing to admit....
Many are of the mindset that there's a STRONG need to remember that Blood has no boundaries with significance. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his saints (Psalm 116) and there's unity in the Faith that is present in more ways than one...
As an aside, although I've shared thoughts before on the issue (as seen in
Feb 14, 2016 ), if interested, here are some good discussions that may bless you in your pursuits. They pertain what happens in the world of both EO and OO - and it is an excellent discussion on the subject of evangelism and I was very thankful for it.
- Evangelism - For his last class on Evangelism, Fr. Chad Hatfield, the Chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, hosted three priests for a panel responding to questions raised by the Seminarians. The three priests were Fr. John Parker from Mt. Pleasant, SC. and Chairman of the Dept of Evangelism of the OCA, Fr. Michael Elias, pastor of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Brooklyn, NY, and Fr. Michael Sorial, pastor of St. Anianas Coptic Orthodox Church, Princeton, NJ. All three are SVOTS grads.
- October 8, 2015 Our Common Father: Saint Cyril
The Very Rev. Dr. John Anthony McGuckin, renowned author of 25 books, several of which are published by SVS Press, presented the keynote address at this year's Education Day at St. Vladimir's Seminary. Fr. John outlined a brief history of St. Cyril, highlighting the point that the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox traditions agree with much of the saint's theology.
