/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

The Balamand Declaration, Article 22 says that Orthodox don't need to convert either.

>22. Pastoral activity in the Catholic Church, Latin as well as Oriental, no longer aims at having the faithful of one Church pass over to the other; that is to say, it no longer aims at proselytizing among the Orthodox.

https://sites.google.com/site/catholictopics/the-church-since-vatican-ii/some-documents-of-the-council/the-balamand-declaration/balamand-declaration-text

Since Vatican 2, no-salvation-outside-the-Catholic-church has been weakened.

>>585670

So, basically compromising or a change of definitions to fit the preexisting theologies without anathematizing the other

>>585698

I've read it. In the Protestant tradition, Justification (how God reaches down and pulls a sinner in, declaring him righteous not because of what he did, but because of what Christ did) is discussed differently than Sanctification (growing closeness to God, natural fruits of faith, works, etc). In the Roman tradition this distinction is not made. So when they say "increase in Justification" in Trent we freak out but what they mean (or mean now) isn't what we mean. I dunno how much the reconciliation reflects deeper understanding or a drifting together, and finding ways to make it fit. In any case, it's a good thing. We need not re-litigate who was in error, but can proceed from a common understanding.

>>585670

>nor does it solve every difficulty

Boy isn't that an understatement

>"the remaining differences in language, theological elaboration and emphasis in the understanding of justification … are acceptable."

Considering they agreed on things which were never disputed by either side, and what they failed to declare harmony on was the entire difference, my only comment is "wrong"

(For those unkowing, the big problem with the declaration is the lack of the word "alone" after faith)

>>585702

>the reconciliation

Reconciliation? What reconciliation? This declaration was hot air, it contradicted nothing anyone during the Reformation believed. Reformer and counter-reformer alike would have approved what it says. The only thing compromised on was the conviction that truth matters