www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Orthodox Christian in Communion with Rome...

Just in case you want to really express yourself...check out the T-shirt.

http://www.cafepress.com/+dark_tshirt,352832333

Orthodox Christian in Communion with Rome [cafepress.com]

I liked the shirt and the journal

The T-shirt is quite unique...however, if I procured myself one, I'd be mighty careful not to wear it on any of my visits to Orthodox Churches. I think they'd tend to take it as a hostile gesture of provocation...maybe not...probably...when in doubt, don't do it.

I like the T-shirt myself, but it's a bit expensive for me!

Fr. Serge

Gonna get me one. Will wear it for Saturday evening Vespers and maybe parish work days.

Got the shirt...not too shabby.

And I wish I had the T-shirt and a Magic Marker (or whiteout), to adapt it:

Orthodox Christian in Communion with Rome Christ

The observation is correct that the original T-shirt would be seen as provocative if worn to an Orthodox parish.

References: one [jonathanscorner.com], two [jonathanscorner.com]

Christos Jonathan

P.S. I tried to think of a less offensive or better way of putting my point, but I couldn't find a really good way of saying what I had to say.

Christos Jonathan [jonathanscorner.com]

There is a lot I could say in response to Christos Jonathan's assertions, but I will begin by saying that many scholars have studied the issues "dividing" the churches and have come to quite a different conclusion to the hyperbole posted on your weblog.

I find Jonathan's writings to be, at best, highly confused and badly thought through, though I am sure his heart is in the right place.

Interesting. I'd invite you to read my author biography [jonathanscorner.com], covering such things as a master's degree in math (UIUC) and theology (Cambridge), and some pretty significant awards.

I was going to ask how you'd feel about a T-shirt that said "Catholic Christian in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury", but maybe you'd say that would be badly thought out too.

Christos Jonathan

Incredibly badly though out.

And I've never been much impressed by credentials. I work with too many academics.

Well, you've dismissed my writing without needing to include a single point or respond to it, and you've just as quickly dismissed my credentials.

I would rather go back to Orthodox, who find something noetic in my writing, or at least deal with Protestants, who at least engage me before dismissing me.

Christos Jonathan

I am in no way questioning your academic credentials. What I find curious is that you join a Catholic discussion forum and then post links to writings that are disrespectful to us. I am not against discussing difficult issues, but to create a caricature of Catholic teaching and then use it to condemn us is not a helpful technique. I also think your criticisms of St. Thomas are out of line. The two documents you compare side-by-side are completely different. One is a work of mystical theology; the other a summation of dogmatic theology. It is unfair to compare the two to make a polemical point, as the documents originated under different circumstances and were intended for two entirely different purposes.

Note that "The Byzantine Forum provides message boards for discussions focusing on Eastern Christianity (though discussions of other topics are welcome). The views expressed herein are those of the participants and may or may not reflect the teachings of the Byzantine Catholic or any other Church."

The forum is pan-Eastern, not Catholic. That said, respect for one another is the expectation of all posters - and is a much neglected commodity of late.

Many years,

Neil