www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Things the West can do right away

Dear Friends,

These are some of my thoughts on some things the Roman Catholic Church might consider doing on its own and right away to help the cause of unity with the Orthodox East:

1) Remove the Filioque from the Nicene Creed as recited in the West. This has been a symbolic "wall of separation" for centuries. "Dominus Iesus" and other documents have suggested the West isn't married to the Filioque and the RCC of Greece already has permission to use the original Creed without that interpolation. This, of course, does not mean that the Filioque as part of a Western theological perspective could not continue to be used.

2) Distinguish formally between the "Ecumenical" and "Universal" nature of the Seven Ecumenical Councils versus the "Local" nature of the later 14 Councils of the Roman Catholic Church. Apart from the papal doctrines, there was nothing in those later councils, reflecting Latin Church concerns and relations with Protestantism et al. as they do, that relate to the faith, morals or canons of Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy also has its Local Councils.

3) Affirm an eschatology that leaves "Purgatory" as what it is - a legitimate but Latin theological term/framework that would not be ever imposed on the East - while asserting the common tradition in both East and West regarding assiduous prayer for the dead.

4)Affirm a view of Original Sin that the West already says it shares with the East and outside the parameters of Augustinianism.

5) Affirm the two Western Marian doctrines as a Latin expression of what the universal Church has always believed about the Most Holy Theotokos, doctrines that do not alter or affect what the East believes about Mary.

6) Define Papal Infallibility within the context of affirming the canons of an Ecumenical Council and that alone. When Pope Pius XII declared the Assumption of Mary an infallible doctrine, he did poll the world's Catholic bishops on the matter first, before he proceeded. A pope of a future reunited Church could be said to be exercising "infallibility" when he signs the decrees of an Ecumenical Council.

7)Define Papal Jurisdiction solely in terms of the Local, Roman Church in terms of its "immediate exercise." Define it "universally" as a Primacy of Service and Love and in terms of when another Particular Church invites it to get involved in its internal affairs in situations of crisis involving faith, morals or the canons of the Church.

8) Define the Church as a "Communion in unity and love of all the Churches that make up the Body of Christ of the One, Holy, Apostolic, Catholic Church."

9) The West should adopt as its own the Paschal date of the Orthodox Church which is the Paschal date established by the First Ecumenical Council. Perhaps Rome could even influence the World Council of Churches or individual Protestant communions to accept the Orthodox Easter that would become the One Easter for all Christians.

10) Affirm a uniform Old Testament Canon of Scripture with Orthodoxy.

11) Assist the Particular Eastern Catholic Churches to become as autonomously self-governing as possible, and this even outside their established Patriarchies and to encourage greater dialogue between them and the Orthodox East. Should a Particular Eastern Catholic Church wish to return to full unity with its Mother Orthodox Church, Rome should, by all means, encourage this as a positive ecumenical event.

12) Regularly adopt into the Roman calendar chosen and newly-glorified saints of Orthodoxy.

13) Review immediately the current ecclesial arrangements of the Latin Church in Orthodox countries and the conditions under which its activity gives offense to the local Orthodox authorities - while striving to open negotiations with them to ameliorate the sources of tension.

14) Use the voice of the Pope to make known to the world the plight of Orthodox people, especially when there is no one to defend them.

15) Promote an annual week of prayer specifically designated for Catholic-Orthodox unity, perhaps around the feast of St Andrew. In addition to liturgical celebrations, lectures, conferences and forms of lay-participation at the local parish level for purposes of mutual enlightenment and understanding could be planned.

Alex

Dear Alex,

WOW! Is there any chance you could sign up to be the next pope? Many of these ideas deserve their own thread. Should we term this the "Orthodox-Catholic" platform? You have given great thought and energy to this effort. Any chance there is a corresponding list of concessions for the Orthodox to make? Tammy

Dear Tammy,

Only if my wife could come along to Rome and be my "Papessa."

Alex

Alex, my friend,

If, in fact, you do manage to ascend to the Papal Throne, do you think maybe you can get me a ride in that cool Pope-mobile??

That'd be awesome!!

a pilgrim

Dear Pilgrim,

I"ll even get you a year's supply of "pope-soap-on-a-rope!"

And I"ll be sure to raise all the Vatican urinals three inches - just to keep the Latins on their toes!!

Alex

That's a pretty good list!

Michael
hoping for some soap on-a-rope

Alex,

XB!

Some thought provoking ideas. The above is especially interesting. You are right. Orthodoxy has later local councils that can be considered "binding" yet they are not called Ecumenical Councils. Contrary to what anyone says, Orthodoxy places a special value on the Seven Ecumenical Councils and accepting and affirming them using that language is part of what a bishop-elect does in the Orthodox Church before he is consecrated bishop. He also accepts and affirms the later local councils but separately and using different language.

Tony

Wonderful !!

Anhelyna - with a wicked chuckle

Yes, that is an impressive list. Been there, done that. It seems every time the Catholic Church take one step forward, the Orthodox take 2 steps back. I understand now they will not recognize Catholic baptisim because it is not done by immersion.

Dear Tony,

Coming from you, that truly IS a compliment!

Thank you!

Alex

Dear Mike,

Good point - but this list is far from comprehensive and is meant only as possible initiatives by the RCC alone and in advance of any further discussions with the Orthodox.

I think it will remove a number of unnecessary issues that will hopefully lead the way to fruitful talks to what are the underlying main issues that separate East from West.

Like baptism by immersion, to beard or not to beard, whether priests can wear pectoral crosses or should this be reserved to bishops alone etc. - you know, the stuff of which schisms are made.

(Is Outrage!)

Alex

Dear Anhelyna,

Well, I didn't have you in mind when I made that last comment . . .

Don't you just hate it on those days when I don't post here?

Alex

Christ is risen!! Indeed He is risen!!!

Alex:

As far as number 9 goes, the Latin Church already uses the prescriptions of the First Ecumenical Council. As far as I've ever heard, there is a canonical prescription but the Council did not pass on the civil calendar that the canon was to be applied to.

As far as number 13 goes, maybe it should be reciprocal. But then what would happen to the activity of Orthodox parishes in Western Europe and the Western Hemisphere? Would it have to be as restricted as the Latins in Eastern Europe? After all, the Latin Catholics who find themselves in Russia today come from people whose ancestors often did not arrive there by choice. So their presence presents somewhat the same problem that people brought to the United States through slavery have. They are here; they are part of the society; and they are entitled to follow their consciences in regard to their culture and religion. Did we not learn a lesson here in the States with our past treatment of our brothers and sisters from the Eastern Catholic Churches who became Orthodox because of the way they were treated? People will not be forced in their relationship with their God to conform to customs taht are alien to them.

As far as number 13 goes, the MP has to get to the same point that we here in the West are. That is, that there is no longer a valid argument for defined territory because of the movement of people and peoples since the earliest days of evangelization of any given land. We live next to each other and are enriched by each other. And we can't turn the clock back to a time where "whose kingdom it is, his is the religion."

In Christ,

BOB

Dear Bob,

Yes, thank you for your post!

With respect to the Orthodox Paschal date, I don't know if it has all that much to do with the calendar itself, since there are Orthodox Churches that use the Gregorian calendar, but still celebrate the same Easter as the other Old Calendar churches.

In any event, I don't believe that this good-will gesture to follow the Orthodox Pascha will hurt anyone.

As for number 13, yes, both sides need to eventually talk to one another about this and other points.

My point is what the RCC (and BC) Churches can do NOW and unilaterally to address age-old Catholic-Orthodox tensions.

Yes, the Orthodox East will need to reciprocate at some point and hopefully, having made a good first few steps in this direction, it will be more open to dealing with the RCC.

But even if it isn't, our main concern is to try and do all we can to remove as many roadblocks as possible.

The rest is in God's Hands.

Alex

It may take a long time to resolve all of the issue Alex mentions. In the interim, would it not be a great idea if once a year, all the RC's attended a divine liturgy at an Eastern Church (BC, Orthodox, etc) and vice versa (ie: mass). I think that the average 'Joe' would just see that the differences separating us are minimal, and probably could be resolved sooner than later if there was a true will.

Hritzko