Questions Orthodox "can't answer"

[Philothei]

think this is mentioned in the Orthodox Study bible but I left mine at work. If I remember right it says something to the effect that the Deutero-Cannonical books are considered fully cannonical, and should really be mentioned along with the rest of scripture not placed in an also cannonical sub category. I will check this out and update my post tomorrow unless someone else responds first.

I will also check it out there I think there is a section... I am so forgetfull but it has been years since studied that stuff.. And to imagine my paper in OT was on Malachi.... wow... I do not remember anything at all...

 

[Dorothea]

You're so smart, Macarius!! I wish I had your brains!

 

[E.C.]

Great posts thus far. I'll throw in my bits here and there.

11. If you are not permitted to engage in private interpretation of the Bible, how do you know which "apostolic tradition" is correct between the Roman Catholic, the Orthodox and the Watchtower churches, for all three teach the organization alone can interpret scripture correctly, to the exclusion of individual?

See Hebrews 11:1. That and obedience.

12. Why did God fail to provide an inspired and infallible list of Old Testament books to Israel? Why would God suddenly provide such a list only after Israel was destroyed in 70 AD?

I don't think God failed to provide. We just failed to find.

14. If the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches both believes that the scripture: "the church is the pillar and foundation of truth" means the church is protected from error then: a. Why do they teach doctrine so different that they are not even in communion with each other? b. How do you account for the vast number of documented theological errors made by the pope and the church in general?

A) Rome had a weakness that the other four patriarchs did not: isolation.

Because Rome is geographically isolated away from Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem; it was not really able to be checked. The other four cities are nearby each other and thus they could keep a relative system of balancing power. Yet when you have one that is in the primacy of honor and is isolated, than human nature is bound to kick in and leaders bound to get big headed.
This would lead to one of the popes taking the "holier than thou" approach and elevating himself to be above the other bishops (that and Charlemagne's Carolingian Reforms did not help the East much either) and when that happens than a cease in Communion and unity is bound to happen.

Rome, following Western thinking, continuously changes in some major way to conform to the world. This is especially seen in a post-Vatican II world when new RC parishes no longer have statues and paintings covering the church; both of which are characteristic and distinctive about Roman Catholicism. Both of which more so resemble Protestantism.

The last time Orthodox worship was changed was in the days of St. John Chrysostom when he took a few prayers out of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil. The difference between the two are a few prayers being taken out, but nothing major.


B) Errors made by the pope after Schism are a Roman Catholic problem; not an Orthodox one.

And in this context, I'd like to know what you mean by "the Church" (mainly because I'm half asleep). Do you mean the Roman Church as a whole? The Orthodox Church as a whole? Or all of Christendom as a whole?

15. If the both the Orthodox and Catholic churches follow apostolic oral tradition exactly, how come they teach doctrine so different, that they are not even in communion with each other?

That is just the problem: one follows very closely whilst the other follows very little.

16. Both Tertullian and Jerome gave a list of oral traditions ... Why do both the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches not keep any of these traditions, with the exception of thrice immersion by the Orthodox?

Actually, we don't kneel on Sundays. If you attend a Divine Liturgy during the weekday, let's say Wednesday or something, than you will find yourself kneeling during the Lord's Prayer.

20. Name one sure way or method, that a new believer in Christ, can know that the Orthodox church is the one true church. (The challenge: make sure this method cannot apply also to the Roman Catholic church.)

Listen to God speaking to you and obey Him.

But since you want a way that Catholicism can not use, I'd say this: look at non-Western European history for a history of Christianity.

Look at how consistent everything in Orthodoxy has been for 2,000 years from belief to life to worship and all things in between.

21. Name one sure way or method, that a new believer in Christ, can know that the Roman Catholic church is the one true church. (The challenge: make sure this method cannot apply also to the Orthodox church.)

Believe the stuff about the pope being the only human one needs to follow on earth.

 

[MariaRegina]

14. If the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches both believes that the scripture: "the church is the pillar and foundation of truth" means the church is protected from error then: a. Why do they teach doctrine so different that they are not even in communion with each other? b. How do you account for the vast number of documented theological errors made by the pope and the church in general?

The Orthodox Church believes in maintaining in an unchanging manner the Holy Faith that was preached by Christ to the Holy Apostles.

The Catholic Church at Rome believes that the faith can develop and hence change.

 

[Julina]

you know, i think the main reason i'm looking into orthodoxy is because i feel like orthodox Christians are the only ones who actually get what Christianity is all about. they've been around for thousands of years, so surely they must be doing something right! but seriously, to me sola scriptura beliefs seem to be worshipping a book instead of worshipping God.
i really like that article posted at the beginning!