To my Orthodox Brethren

[prodromos]

If you are going to be so petty about titles, then perhaps you should attend to his words?

I've been to his Church and spoken with him and his lovely wife. Our family attends a Greek parish and a Russian parish. At our Russian parish we have Serbians, Greeks, Jordanians, Lebanese, Australians and of course, Russians. How am I not heeding his words?

 

[zippy2006]

I've been to his Church and spoken with him and his lovely wife. Our family attends a Greek parish and a Russian parish. At our Russian parish we have Serbians, Greeks, Jordanians, Lebanese, Australians and of course, Russians. How am I not heeding his words?

So I hear you saying that Orthodoxy does require greater unity, and that you are doing your best to aid that effort. Which is great. Good for you. But you have been resisting my claim that Orthodoxy requires greater unity. The about-face is welcome, but a bit sudden.

 

[prodromos]

But you have been resisting my claim that Orthodoxy requires greater unity.

I've obviously misunderstood your posts. You seemed to me to be finding fault with the fact that we do not have a uniform manner for receiving converts. I personally don't see that as a problem

 

[zippy2006]

I've obviously misunderstood your posts. You seemed to me to be finding fault with the fact that we do not have a uniform manner for receiving converts. I personally don't see that as a problem

The overarching point here is that if Orthodoxy can't meet us half way, reunion is obviously going to be impossible. In this case, if Orthodoxy can't admit that ethnophyletism and a more general lack of unity is a problem for Orthodoxy, then this whole thing seems a bit silly. I earlier admitted that Catholicism lacks episcopal synodality:

Yes, that's right. Because as I said earlier, Orthodoxy lacks union with the Pope, and is deficient in this. And there are plenty of Orthodox who recognize a deficiency in their own Churches insofar as the primacy of Peter is absent. Contrariwise, I think the majority of Catholic theologians would admit that Catholicism lacks synodality, and is deficient in this.*


* Where the neologism "synodality" means something more historical than what has flown under that noun during Pope Francis' tenure.

If the Orthodox tack is going to continue to be pointing out specks in Catholicism's eye while failing to look at the beam in its own, then we're in trouble. Indeed, in these matters there is hardly any criticism you can point to in someone else's Church that does not also exist in some form or another in your own. So throwing rocks without a willingness to address the common underlying problems is counterproductive, to say the least.

 

[prodromos]

The overarching point here is that if Orthodoxy can't meet us half way, reunion is obviously going to be impossible.

Reunion is going to be impossible. Orthodoxy, with all the failings of the people within, is the fullness of the Christian faith, once handed down by the Apostles. To meet half way is to compromise our faith

In this case, if Orthodoxy can't admit that ethnophyletism and a more general lack of unity is a problem for Orthodoxy, then this whole thing seems a bit silly. I earlier admitted that Catholicism lacks episcopal synodality:

We have our problems, and they present a poor witness to the world, but they are not exclusive to the Orthodox Church. Are you aware that a bit over a century ago in New Orleans you had German Catholics and Irish Catholics building their own churches across the street from each other?

If the Orthodox tack is going to continue to be pointing out specks in Catholicism's eye while failing to look at the beam in its own, then we're in trouble.

We honestly don't pay much attention to the Catholic Church, so I don't know what "specks" you are talking about.

Indeed, in these matters there is hardly any criticism you can point to in someone else's Church that does not also exist in some form or another in your own. So throwing rocks without a willingness to address the common underlying problems is counterproductive, to say the least.

You were the one pointing out perceived faults in the Orthodox Church.

 

[zippy2006]

Reunion is going to be impossible. Orthodoxy, with all the failings of the people within, is the fullness of the Christian faith, once handed down by the Apostles. To meet half way is to compromise our faith

Well I am heartened to know that you have zero say in the matter. Hopefully those who care about the unity that Christ prayed for in John 17 will have a say in the matter, and will be able to put their ego in the backseat.

 

[prodromos]

Well I am heartened to know that you have zero say in the matter.

You seem to have forgotten Ferrara/Florence.

Hopefully those who care about the unity that Christ prayed for in John 17 will have a say in the matter, and will be able to put their ego in the backseat.

My ego has nothing to do with it. The fact that the Orthodox Church has remained steadfast despite some of the worst attacks from without and having had heretics at the helm is truly humbling.

 

[linux.poet]

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