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Hello,I am fairly new to the byzantine church so please bear with me.An Orthodox friend told me that byzantine catholics are basically orthodox in appearance but roman catholic in theology.I have been attending adult eastern christian classes at our local byzantine church and our instructor has always consentrated on eastern theology.my question to my fellow byzantine catholics is this,as a byzantine catholic am I to to adhere to all roman catholic theology?
Your input would be greatly appreciated.Oh by the way,this is one reason why he feels he can't become a byzantine catholic,because he believes that byzantines ultimately belive in ll roman doctrine.If I can clear this up with him he may consider looking into the byzantine church and remain in communion with the pope of Rome.Thanks for your patience.In Christ,Valentino

Valentino,

This is, perhaps, a more general answer than what you were looking for. As Eastern Catholics we bring a specific tradition of explaining our faith that is steeped in Orthodoxy. Yet, because we are in communion with Rome, we also recognize the Roman way of expressing their faith. The two are not incompatible, but do sometimes express the same truth differently.

There is nothing in Roman Catholic teaching that is not found in our teaching, although we may teach it differently or may look at it from a different perspective.

It's important to remember that our theological approach is "apophatic" meaning that we don't tend to define what is, but what is not. This is in contrast to the Roman approach (called "cataphatic") in which they define what is. Further, the Romans have tended to be systematic in their approach to theology applying Aristotelian philosophy (especially the Scholastics) to theology while we have tended to follow the approach of the Church Fathers.

All this is to say, yes, we hold the same teachings as the Roman Catholics, but not always as the Roman Catholics do.

Edward, deacon and sinner

Dear Valentino,

You raise a fascinating question!

While we are in communion with Rome, I think we cannot downplay the tremendous differences between Eastern and Western Christians in terms of their spirituality and general approach to matters of the Christian faith.

We can say "it all boils down to the same thing" and, in a sense, this is true.

But there is not one thing, not one doctrine or practice that we are the same on.

And it all basically comes down to the difference in approach toward the Incarnation of God the Word.

The West sees in the Incarnation the "humility" of God in assuming our human nature e.g. "Who humbled Himself to share in our humanity."

The East sees in the Incarnation the Deification of our humanity in Christ.

Alex

Slava Jesu Kristu,

Along these lines, when reading theological works, should I read those by Roman Catholics or Orthodox? Does it really matter for Eastern Catholics?

Dmitri

Dear Dmitri,

Well, when reading books by Jesuits who are experts in Eastern theology - be careful, or else you may feel pulled by them in the direction of Orthodoxy!

Alex

By all means READ them then!!! Especially Father George Maloney SJ