www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Vote: "Christians of the true faith" or "orthodox Christians"?

Another non-scientific poll. This question is for Byzantine/Greek Catholic participants here.

What, in your view, is the better translation: "Christians of the true faith" or "orthodox Christians"?

Vote: "Christians of the true faith" or "orthodox Christians"? single choice

The preferred translation is "Christians of the true faith." (15%, 9 Votes)

The preferred translation is "orthodox Christians." (75%, 44 Votes)

No opinion. (10%, 6 Votes)

Total Votes: 59 Voting on this poll ends: 03/26/06 01:52 AM

Actually, I think "Orthodox" in that context should properly be capitalized.

Incognitus

You're probably correct but for the purposes of this poll please vote for "orthodox" even if you think it should be "Orthodox" or "0rthodox."

How about, "all orthodox Christians of the true faith".
Stephanos I

Dear Stephanos - what would be an orthodox Christian of an untrue faith?

Incognitus

Dear Nec Aliter - that's exactly how I voted.

Dear Incognitus,

An "orthodox Heterodox?" (As opposed to those Heterodox who break with their own heretical traditions . . .)

Alex

I once heard a conflated "all Orthodox and Catholic Christians of the true faith." Seemed a bit odd when "all you orthodox Christians" would suffice to include both.

Come to think of it, back when I was an undergrad the rule was that students under the age of - 21, I guess - had to live in university-approved housing unless they could obtain special permission to live somewhere else. When I asked just how one might obtain such permission, one suggestion was "tell them you are an orthodox anything, and that you are required by the teachings of whatever that may be that you must comply with dietary regulations which cannot be satisfied in university-approved housing!"

Now that is why, for our purpose, "Orthodox" should be capitalized!

Incognitus

This is just an excuse to get this poll in a more visible spot, so that those who have not yet voted may do so.

Incognitus

I am in favor of reverting to the correct terminology, but has anyone performed a study as to what will happen to the RC parishioners and those of the original BC church that have endured latinizations all their life, and now will have to face the dreaded "O" word?

How will/can we pastorally care for them? To some, it will truly seem to be a betrayal of faith.

In Christ,

Michael

It's a transition that both the Ukrainian and Melkite Catholics have both already undergone. They both use "orthodox" in their English translations of the Liturgy and have done so for a long time already.

Since I believe that all 'true' Christians have an element of Christianity, (with the exclusion of those Christian faiths, or rather the parts of that faith that have fallen away...such as many of the mainstream Protestants), I would rename the Church to:

Church That Contains the Totality towards One's Spiritual Growth.

Too long isn't it?

Zenovia

Lost & Found said "How will/can we pastorally care for them? To some, it will truly seem to be a betrayal of faith."

But isn't the deletion of Orthodox Christians the true betrayal of Faith. Perhaps the deletion of Orthodox Christians isn't as big of a betrayal of Faith as inclusive language, the deletion of Litanies, the suppression of Minor Orders, etc. But it is a betrayal of Faith. Afterall, by definition if you aren't Orthodox, you are wrong.

Dear Nec Aliter,

Does the UGCC have an English liturgy?! I'm always the last to find out about these things . . .

The reason the "o" is small in the UGCC "orthodox" is because of the fear that if "O" is used, many Ukrainian Catholics will get the idea in their head that they are "Orthodox" after all and will start to read dangerous books - like those published by the Melkites, for example.

The next thing our people will want is to commemorate the Pope only ONCE (would you believe the nerve?) during the entire Divine Liturgy!

And then (May heaven forbid this!) they will push to recite the Creed without the Filioque . . . and then start to pay attention to the Epiclesis during the Liturgy.

Once this happens, the floodgates of Easternization will be open and next they will doubtless want to have all THREE antiphons in place with NO KNEELING on Sundays!

Pretty soon things will really go downhill with their desire to bring in Akathists and Molebens in place of the Stations and Eucharistic Adoration and Mercy Chaplets!

Make no doubt about it, those upstarts will want to tell their hierarchs they want LONGER services . . . and that they should start to grow beards . . .

Well, if THAT is what you want, then, by all means, use "Orthodox."

But just don't say you haven't been warned!

Alex

What! All they have to do is get rid of the blasted pews and THEN they will be on the slippery slope heading east. All the strange stuff will follow the pews out the door. Like the rats after the piper.

ICXC
NIKA