Questions to My Eastern Orthodox Friends from a Catholic

Kyle Urich

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Hello! I am a Catholic student and for my theology class I must gain insight from an Eastern Orthodox person on the following questions:

1. How do you view the Roman Catholic Church and its unity or lack of unity with your church?
2. What do you think of the Filioque?
3. What do you think of the teaching on Purgatory?
4. What do you think of the liturgy of the West?
5. What do you think of Rome's claim to primacy?
6. What do you find beautiful or distinctive about your own church?
7. What do you hope for the future concerning the unity of Christians?
 

HTacianas

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Hello! I am a Catholic student and for my theology class I must gain insight from an Eastern Orthodox person on the following questions:

1. How do you view the Roman Catholic Church and its unity or lack of unity with your church?
2. What do you think of the Filioque?
3. What do you think of the teaching on Purgatory?
4. What do you think of the liturgy of the West?
5. What do you think of Rome's claim to primacy?
6. What do you find beautiful or distinctive about your own church?
7. What do you hope for the future concerning the unity of Christians?

Just so you know, I take a softer stance on the East/West schism than many others do, preferring that all language used in discussing it be helpful and not hurtful. This is only my personal opinion and may not be the opinion of others or of the Church. If my opinion differs from the teachings of the Church my opinions are worthless. But to your questions:

I view the Romans as my beloved cousins and the disunity between us as a tragedy. It is an illness that needs to be healed.

There is theological support for the filioque, but no theological or other support for adding it to the Creed without consent of an Ecumenical Council. It is something for the Patriarchs to decide.

The concept of purgatory exists within Orthodoxy but it is not defined as fully as it is within the Western Church. If there is a purgatory so be it. I prefer that there is.

I am not familiar with the liturgy of the West well enough to comment on it. I know that the liturgy was changed by Vatican II and that there are objections to those changes but I do not fully understand those objections.

The bishop of Rome has always had a place of primacy in the Church and that primacy should be respected. But I do not support Rome's claim of supremacy or infallibility. The Church has always been conciliar and not monarchist.

The Orthodox Church is "the place where God dwells among men".

I hope in the future that the Church will be reunified. I agree with Patriarch Kiril that, in sum, the division "is a sin against Christ's commandment for unity".
 
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~Anastasia~

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Hello and welcome to CF and to TAW. :)

I don't know if this will help, but I'll offer a few of my own opinions/answers.



Hello! I am a Catholic student and for my theology class I must gain insight from an Eastern Orthodox person on the following questions:

1. How do you view the Roman Catholic Church and its unity or lack of unity with your church?

I think the Great Schism was one of the most unfortunate things to ever happen within Christianity. I think it's good to consider our commonalities for the sake of charity and dialogue. But it's also important to be fully cognizant of our differences, which I find Catholics less willing to acknowledge at times than Orthodox. But to be fair, perhaps because they've only seen it from their own perspective they can't really fully comprehend what we are saying. It's not easy for an outsider to understand (I say this as a convert who had to expend substantial effort in order to shift my own mindset.).
2. What do you think of the Filioque?
I think (1) regardless of their reason for inserting it, Rome should not have unilaterally taken it upon themselves to change a foundational Christian creed, (2) History shows Rome herself was at one time opposed to changing the Creed, and (3) while I'm glad that Rome now claims an acceptable interpretation (from the Father through the Son) ... history shows that wasn't what she initially meant, and honest dialogue needs to acknowledge that fact.

3. What do you think of the teaching on Purgatory?
I don't think it's supported within Holy Tradition, nor is it a necessary doctrine from the point of view that temporal punishment of all sin is required (we don't believe that). God WILL purify everyone, but the exact mechanics of this has not been made known to us. And if time were required, it would seem counterproductive to give anyone "time off".

4. What do you think of the liturgy of the West?
I've not attended many Catholic services and can't comment. We have a Western Rite though.

5. What do you think of Rome's claim to primacy?

Rome historically had primacy. There is no debate there. The is some misunderstanding about what that means though. Primacy does not equal supremacy.

6. What do you find beautiful or distinctive about your own church?

Too many things to list. :) The icons, the beauty in the Church, the chanting, the wisdom in the application to our spiritual care, the Saints and their lives, the true community that flows out of our living out the faith ...

7. What do you hope for the future concerning the unity of Christians?

I hope that the truths and the richness I have found within Orthodoxy will somehow become available to all ... but as I am also unwilling that Orthodoxy compromises or changes (as she herself resists) ... the bottom line is that all who truly learned of it would become Orthodox. I know that would upset some. To be honest, I didn't intend to become Orthodox either ... I planned to just take the parts I wanted. But it wasn't difficult to learn that what I wanted was really all of it, so becoming Orthodox became what I most wanted to be.
 
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ArmyMatt

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welcome to TAW! my answers will be brief.

1. one of the great tragedies of the past.
2. heresy.
3. heresy.
4. if it's Orthodox in its theology, I have no issues with it.
5. heresy.
6. Orthodoxy's beauty is in her truth, and everything she produces reflects the Faith once given to the saints.
7. the only way to unity is for everyone to join the Orthodox Christian Church.
 
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Not David

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welcome to TAW! my answers will be brief.

1. one of the great tragedies of the past.
2. heresy.
3. heresy.
4. if it's Orthodox in its theology, I have no issues with it.
5. heresy.
6. Orthodoxy's beauty is in her truth, and everything she produces reflects the Faith once given to the saints.
7. the only way to unity is for everyone to join the Orthodox Christian Church.
Father Matt, one cannot believe in Purgatory and being Orthodox?
Also, I heard Eastern Catholics saying papal supremacy is mostly a political problem rather than a thousand one.
 
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ArmyMatt

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Father Matt, one cannot believe in Purgatory and being Orthodox?
Also, I heard Eastern Catholics saying papal supremacy is mostly a political problem rather than a thousand one.

no, purgatory is heretical.

and yes, Eastern Catholics have to say that. if they believe it's a theological problem, it makes no sense to be in communion with Rome. the fact that we believe it's theology is one reason we aren't in communion with Rome.
 
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Not David

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no, purgatory is heretical.

and yes, Eastern Catholics have to say that. if they believe it's a theological problem, it makes no sense to be in communion with Rome. the fact that we believe it's theology is one reason we aren't in communion with Rome.
Didn't Bishop Kallistos Ware said Purgatory would be acceptable if viewed as a hospital rather than a prison?
 
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All4Christ

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no, because there is no third place/condition after death.
But there is a foretaste of heaven and hell after death, correct? With the particular judgement?
 
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ArmyMatt

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But there is a foretaste of heaven and hell after death, correct? With the particular judgement?

correct. my point is that it's either paradise or hades, not some third condition.
 
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All4Christ

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correct. my point is that it's either paradise or hades, not some third condition.
Thanks for the clarification. I’ve read some things like this:

“[The] departed ascend to the Judge in order to undergo their personal trial. Righteous souls are then taken by the angels and brought to the threshold of Paradise, which is called ‘Abraham’s bosom’: there they remain waiting for the Last Judgment. Sinners, on the other hand, find themselves ‘in Hell’, ‘in torments’ (cf. Luke 16:22-23). But the final division into the saved and the condemned will actually take place at the universal Last Judgment, when ‘many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Dan.12:2). Before the Last Judgment, the righteous souls anticipate the joy of Paradise, while the souls of sinners anticipate the torments of Gehenna.” - An Orthodox Catechism

Would you consider this to be accurate? The interesting concept to me with what I sometimes here is that they imply different “places” rather than conditions, like I’ve read from other Orthodox theologians, even after the final judgment. Is it just verbiage?
 
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ArmyMatt

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Thanks for the clarification. I’ve read some things like this:

“[The] departed ascend to the Judge in order to undergo their personal trial. Righteous souls are then taken by the angels and brought to the threshold of Paradise, which is called ‘Abraham’s bosom’: there they remain waiting for the Last Judgment. Sinners, on the other hand, find themselves ‘in Hell’, ‘in torments’ (cf. Luke 16:22-23). But the final division into the saved and the condemned will actually take place at the universal Last Judgment, when ‘many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt’ (Dan.12:2). Before the Last Judgment, the righteous souls anticipate the joy of Paradise, while the souls of sinners anticipate the torments of Gehenna.” - An Orthodox Catechism

Would you consider this to be accurate? The interesting concept to me with what I sometimes here is that they imply different “places” rather than conditions, like I’ve read from other Orthodox theologians, even after the final judgment. Is it just verbiage?

I think there is some kind of spatial separation, as sinners aren't in agony right beside a saint. it's just not according to our fallen understanding of space.

but yeah, that looks good.
 
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FenderTL5

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Hello! I am a Catholic student and for my theology class I must gain insight from an Eastern Orthodox person on the following questions:

1. How do you view the Roman Catholic Church and its unity or lack of unity with your church?
Unfortunate with a present need for prayer and restoration
2. What do you think of the Filioque?
It's outside the Creed.
3. What do you think of the teaching on Purgatory?
I do see purification after death in scripture but the mechanism is not defined. For me, the real challenges with purgatory are the doctrines precipitating the specific need (satisfaction indulgences etc)
4. What do you think of the liturgy of the West?
It was the late 70's early 80s the last time I attended a western liturgy, I don't remember enough to comment, plus I was protestant at the time and didn't really understand it.
5. What do you think of Rome's claim to primacy?
As long as the Latin Church is in schism, it means absolutely nothing. If there were repentance and restoration of communion, then Rome as First among Equals can be reconsidered.
6. What do you find beautiful or distinctive about your own church?
I've never been a part of a more welcoming, loving community. I love the way our building tips-the-hat to the past architecturally. There are some unique, customs in our parish that aren't readily replicated. I think our parish is not only stunning in its beauty but communicates the reality of heaven meeting earth.
7. What do you hope for the future concerning the unity of Christians?
repentance and resolution
 
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MariaJLM

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I figured my answers would shake things up a bit :smirk:.

1. How do you view the Roman Catholic Church and its unity or lack of unity with your church?
A great historical tragedy.
2. What do you think of the Filioque?
I don't have a particularly strong opinion against it. I see it as being merely the Western understanding of the Trinity.
3. What do you think of the teaching on Purgatory?
Again, no strong opinion against it. I even take an agnostic stance towards its existence myself.
4. What do you think of the liturgy of the West?
Having been to both Traditional Latin Mass and Novus Ordo Mass at least once I can say that I definitely prefer the Eastern Divine Liturgy. The periods of silence during the TLM were ominous, lol.
5. What do you think of Rome's claim to primacy?
A historical error and a gross misunderstanding of scripture and the role of the head bishops. This issue alone was one of my biggest hangups when discerning between Catholicism and Orthodoxy.
6. What do you find beautiful or distinctive about your own church?
The mystical approach to theology(I loooooove mysticism) and the aesthetic beauty as well.
7. What do you hope for the future concerning the unity of Christians?
I think unity with Catholics is unfortunately too far off at this time, especially because of the whole Pope issue. I do, however, hope and pray for unity with the Oriental Orthodox.
 
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