/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>591523

For example, when comparing to Catholicism, could you talk about the difference in communion, and the difference in praying to the Virgin Mary?

No conspiracy theories please.

>>591523

5 Differences Between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church

>>591531

thank you. really excellent video, and great argument. i'd like to see more explaining the doctrine differences though as well, such as views of the Virgin Mary, praying to Saints, etc.

>>591541

>Virgin Mary

Its cooler since its just dulia instead of Catholic Hyper-dulia, she's amongst the other Christian saints instead.

>praying to Saints

Pre-schism stuff, still here.

>>591600

>Venerated as The Theotokos just as much as in the Roman Catholic church

>Implying its wrong

Nestorius, pls go away

>>591606

Read that again, Anon’s point is that Orthodoxes clearly venerate Mary in the same way as Catholics do even if you don’t use the term hyperdulia (which I don’t believe is even the case).

>>591600

>Implying any saint is faceless

Wait a minute… That image…

>>591653

Yup…I see dead patterns as well.

>>591523

Per the council of Florence, 5 doctrines separate us.

- The filioque. It is a problem of pneumatology. Catholics believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, Orthodox believe the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone.

- The legitimacy of the filioque's addition to the creed. Catholics believe that the Pope had the authority to add the phrase "filioque" ("and the Son") to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. Orthodox believe that ecumenical councils are the highest authority, and so nothing has the authority to add to the creed, not even another ecumenical council.

- The use of azymes. Catholics believe that it is equally correct to use unleavened or leavened bread for the Eucharist. Orthodox believe that only leavened bread may be used.

- Purgatory. Catholics believe in three states for the soul after death: Paradise, Purgatory, and Hades. Orthodox believe only in Paradise and Hades.

- Papal primacy, and how it is to be exercised. Catholics believe that the Pope is fundamentally always the head of the Church and can never lead the Church of Rome into heresy, and furthermore, he has jurisdiction over the entire Church, not over Rome alone. Orthodox believe that the Pope is equal to any other bishop and the Church of Rome isn't fundamentally unable to fall into heresy, and the Pope only has jurisdiction over the West.

I don't want to explain why I decided to begome, because I'm not in the mood for a fight. However, there are two very good books on the history of the schism that you should check out, both by Edward Siecienski:

- The Filioque: History of a Doctrinal Controversy

- The Papacy and the Orthodox: Sources and History of a Debate

I actually plan to attend an orthodox mass this Sunday. I have some concerns though.

I hear that a lot of orthodox christians in America are Greek/Russian immigrants. I attended a Catholic Church with all hispanics and I felt generally unwanted there. As someone who has mostly British blood would I get this same treatment in an Orthodox Church?

>>591686

I attend a Greek parish and I've been to several Greek parishes in America as well as a Russian parish in Britain and I never felt out of place. Not sure about Russians in America though, but I would assume that you would be fine. The Russians don't have pews though so be prepared if that's where you go.

>>591687

>The Russians don't have pews though so be prepared if that's where you go.

Also old calendar and church slavonic.

>>591685

>Orthodox believe that ecumenical councils are the highest authority, and so nothing has the authority to add to the creed, not even another ecumenical council.

Do you reject the changes made to the creed at the Council of Constantinople?

>>591716

The Council of Ephesus and the 4th Council of Constantinople (of 879-880) are understood by the Orthodox to mean that no additions can be made to the creed.

>>591685

Thank you for a well-thought out post. Very helpful. By the way, how often do the orthodox fast? I really want to fast, I feel it is a minor but determined sacrifice that helps your spiritual journey

>>591687

Are there pews in non-slavonic churches?

I've attended only Russian and Serbian parishes, and I thought it was the norm. In the Churches I've been there are pews only for the elderly and the sick, though my back would have liked them also.

>>591724

Technically speaking, Orthodox fast every wednesday and friday (not everybody does, it's a monastic rule mostly and it's condoned to laymen) and there are many days during the year when we fast, most importantly during Great Lent and before Christmas. The dates of the fast vary between the calendars used.

>>591724

This is a simplification, but:

We fast on Wednesdays and Fridays

We fast for 40 days up to Easter (Lent)

We fast for 40 days up to Christmas (Nativity Fast)

We fast from the Monday after All Saints' to the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul (Apostles' Fast)

We fast for 2 weeks up to the Dormition of the Theotokos

>>591793

It's common for Greek and Antiochian parishes to have pews.