Protestant <->RC<->OO

[Petronius]

If you, as an EO Christian, would have access either to a Protestant, RC or OO church, which one would you choose to attend ?
Is there any official teaching of the EO Church ?
I read some were, issued by the czech and Slovak EO Church, in what condition an EO can attend and receive sacraments from the RC. It was dealing with cases of emergencies

 

[kamikat]

Frankly, when I traveled where there was no EO church, I generally just not go to any church. I haven't been in an RC church since I became a catechumen and I probably won't ever do so again, unless it's for a wedding or funeral.

My grandparents and dad received communion in RC churches when he was stationed in countries that had no EO churches.

 

[zhilan]

Without a doubt I would choose OO.

 

[Vasileios]

I think I wouldn't go to any church either. The only possible option that I would even consider would be OO though. However, I wouldn't receive communion in any case. Have to be obedient to my bishop and hope God forgives me if I am wrong.

 

[Dewi Sant]

I would have to analyse the church in question first.


At my uni, we don't have an Orthodox church.

But, I am loving the Anglican-Catholic chapel we have.
I've become somewhat monastic with morning and evening prayers in the chapel (and in my room...orthodox ones of course), midday prayers/Eucharist and plainsong chant. Along with the rosary.

 

[Oblio]

OO, Armenian if possible. Our temple is very Armenian like and the services I witnessed at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher were IMO a touch of heaven.

 

[Shubunkin]

I chose "none" because I have yet to figure anything like that out.

 

[ModernDaySpyridon]

I would go OO, although I'm not sure if I would partake. I would definitely talk to my priest first.

It seems to me that it would be a better idea to stay closer to the headwaters in a case like this. The OO are eastern, much of our theology is identical, I love the chanting, and from what I have heard the differences are minor enough that there is still limited communion between them and the EOC.

Let us pray pray for union with our OO brethren.
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[Lotar]

I wouldn't go anywhere else if there wasn't an EO church avaliable.

 

[NewToLife]

If I was to go somewhere it would be OO, though I would not receive communion whilst until such time as communion is restored.

 

[Akathist]

If I moved to a location and was going to live there for more than a couple months and there was no EO church available, but there was an OO Church, I would go to the OO church. I would call my current Priest and discuss the situation and follow whatever direction he gave me. If he gave me the blessings to receive the Eucharist there and to confess there, I would. If he said he didn't advise it, I wouldn't. However, as often as possible, I would travel however long the drive to an EO Church for confession and the Eucharist.

Whenever I travel, I preplan the travel to include what EO Church to visit. If there were no EO Churches available, I would visit an OO Church or an Eastern Rite Catholic Church. If none of them were available, I might visit an Anglican Church. Of course, I wouldn't receive the Eucharist.

However, if I were staying with people who had assumed I would go to church with them, I would just go to church with them. Even if attending an "Open" communion service, I would not receive.

 

[rusmeister]

I would obviously ask my priest, or available EO priest.

If I was in a crazy situation where there was any church but EO, and had to make a choice by my stupid self, I would go OO. I can't imagine not worshipping God in a church at all. It would mean falling away from God (for me), something that I feel in danger of at times anyway.

But that's my ignorant response, unguided by my priest.

 

[InnerPhyre]

Oo

 

[Matrona]

If there were no Orthodox church available (and by that I mean genuine Orthodox, not non-Chalcedonian), there IS no other choice. I would stay home and pray Typica for however long I found myself in that situation. God and His Holy Church come before donuts and coffee.

I'm surprised at how many are of the opinion that the non-Chalcedonians are "closer" to Orthodox. I'm aware of the substantive differences between Orthodoxy and the beliefs of the Roman Catholics, but the Roman Catholics accept all of the first seven Ecumenical Councils.

 

[Greg the byzantine]

It depends what we are talking about. If it was like a week away I would just not go anywhere, probably I would watch the services online (I know, I know but I have done it before when I was really sick)


If we are talking about moving for a long period of time to a place with no Orthodox Church (would probably never happen) I would probably attend an OO (without recieving). If no OO I would probably go to an RC mass (or course without recieving) as long as it's not one of those modern Charismatic types.

 

[MariaRegina]

I did visit a newly build OO church after our Divine Liturgy a while ago.

The OO priest had mentioned in a joint EO-OO day of recollection that there was no intercommunion established between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. So, if we do visit an OO church, we cannot receive the Eucharist from them.

 

[KATHXOYMENOC]

I'm surprised at how many are of the opinion that the non-Chalcedonians are "closer" to Orthodox. I'm aware of the substantive differences between Orthodoxy and the beliefs of the Roman Catholics, but the Roman Catholics accept all of the first seven Ecumenical Councils.

From what I've read, it seems that the leaders of the Orthodox Churches seem to have a more positive view of EOC-OO commonalities (versus EOC-RC commonalities) than you do. Is the truth perhaps somewhere in between?

 

[zhilan]

If there were no Orthodox church available (and by that I mean genuine Orthodox, not non-Chalcedonian), there IS no other choice. I would stay home and pray Typica for however long I found myself in that situation. God and His Holy Church come before donuts and coffee.

I'm surprised at how many are of the opinion that the non-Chalcedonians are "closer" to Orthodox. I'm aware of the substantive differences between Orthodoxy and the beliefs of the Roman Catholics, but the Roman Catholics accept all of the first seven Ecumenical Councils.

Although we share 7 councils with RCC, we are 100 times closer to the OO.

 

[Michael G]

Although we share 7 councils with RCC, we are 100 times closer to the OO.

Zhilian is right. The differences between the RC and canonical Orthodoxy are night and day. Rome is far closer to the protestant churches than it is to Orthodoxy.

 

[DavidBryan]

Yep...the NCs may not accept Chalcedon and the rest officially, but they hold to the same christology, when all is said and done. At least, they do imo; even though I have problems with how they word it, I still get what they mean.

Rome may assent to all seven Councils, but there are some way bigger fish to fry in terms of praxis, doctrine, ecclesiology, soteriology...none of this is an issue between us and the NCs, in spite of our not assenting to formal conciliar agreements, important as those may be.

Interesting that there's still unity of praxis, liturgics, doctrines, in spite of the conciliar difference that yet divides us...

All that having been said, I wouldn't attend any church regularly, no matter how "close." The Church is the Church, and if I can't commune, I ain't gonna waste my time going.