www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology What Separates Catholicism and Orthodoxy?

Dear Michael,

FYI - I agree totally with what you've said.

It's too bad I'm not Orthodox - we could have achieved union in our own small way right now!

(As for "progressive blah blah blah" that is simply my way of saying that my perspective is progressive so you better accept it . . . - it's something I've learned from Mary! (kidding - O.K. now I'm in trouble . . .)

Alex

This is not fully true, Subdeacon. Yes. He can be very testy. He can blurt out things without thinking sometimes in a way that is rough on the outside, or smooth with inner barbs. He can even be truly kind, or truly concerned. He can do all those things and more because he has a good mind and spends time thinking about things and observing the world around him.

You do the same thing. Better that you do it together and in appreciation of one another than if you do this.

Talk to Father as he really is. Do not demonize him and then kill the demon.

That is precisely the kind of thing that Father was referring to that happens between us in the midst of religious wars.

So in some fashion you are proving his point.

Don't give him that satisfaction.

Mary

LOL!! li'l snot! You are God's own brat!

M.

PS: forgot to tell you that I agree very much with your long note to which Michael replied!!

Dear Mary,

Don't take this the wrong way - but I just LOVE YOU!

There's nothing predictable about you, since you are always thinking and bring fresh perspectives to everything.

A breath of fresh air, you are . . .

Alex

Mary is somewhere at the top of the list of my <Cool People Book>

I second that emotion!

Technically I was second on that emotion!

Mary now has quite a dilemma on her hands . . .



Alex

Testy? Who, me?

I'm spending most of my time today preparing lasagna. However, I just waded through several pages (from the last few hours) on this thread, to find someone rhetorically addressing me as follows:


How's that again? What is a "blanked statement" and when did I make one? My comment that two important factors separating Cathols and Orthodox are

a) ignorance, and

b) fear

most emphatically did not indicate just who is fearful of whom and who is ignorant of what. In both instances, there is more than enough blame to go around.

Ignorance of the members of either Church about the other is never edifying, and can often be downright frightening. Fear can be driven out by perfect love, and we have that on the highest authority.

Was my remark ignorant? Alas, no, it was based on many years of experience and study of the subject - I could produce only two many examples from whichever side one pleases.

But I am sometimes testy - in this case I'm testy enough to suggest that "infallibility" is correctly spelled as I just wrote it.

Fr. Serge

You fellows are wreaking havoc with my sanctity index!!...But I will relish and enjoy the kind words anyway.

And I have become exceptionally fond of all of you as well.

It is astonishing that we can go flying apart and then when it seems that we're headed for totally different orbits...something turns us and we come back to try again.

That's progress, gents!

M.

Bless, Father Archimandrite!

And I always thought you Irish swore only by Irish stew!

Ignorance on my part this time . . .

Alex

Oh...

Where did you come from.

I thought you were asleep!

M.

Thank you for correcting my spelling mistakes Father.

I don't know what I would do without you.

Maybe between passing judgments and calling people names you can give me an English lesson eh?



I think it is rather clear whom you're addressing here.

Because it is a clericalized view of the church.

Dear AMM,

Well, the last I looked the Orthodox and Catholic Churches don't let the laity define theological doctrine.

And Orthodoxy especially has a very social conception of the Church with the hierarchy setting the rules and affirming correct faith and worship.

If that is not the way it should be, then let me know how it should be.

Alex