www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West A Radical Proposal for Unity

As a Roman Catholic, I have a strong appreciation for the Eastern Christian tradition. As I have close friends and family members who are Eastern Orthodox, I have a strong desire to see our churches reunited as we were in the beginning. I know many here on this Forum share the same desire.

I have frequently read, in Orthodox sources, that the existence of the "Uniats" presents a serious obstacle to that unity which we all desire and for which the Lord prayed. I know the history between Eastern Catholics and their Eastern Orthodox brothers is a complicated one. Yet I must wonder, in the interests of furthering unity, if it would not be better for our Eastern Catholics to fully reunite with the Orthodox.

I realize that EC's greatly value their unity with the entire Catholic Church throughout the world, and as a Roman Catholic I too value their contribution to the "catholicity" of our Church. But if the Eastern Catholic Churches, here and throughout the world (especially in Eastern Europe) were to enter into full communion with the Orthodox churches, would that not help to further unity? Would it not remove an obstacle to our greater unity? Would it not provide a strong impetus, from within Orthodoxy, for reconciliation with the Western Church? Would it not strengthen the life and witness of Eastern Christianity as a whole?

At a time when there is a greater need for unity than perhaps ever before, perhaps it is time to lay aside whatever hinders our unity. Surely our Eastern Catholics share more in common spiritually, theologically, and liturgically with the rest of the East than they do with the West. Perhaps the way forward to unity is to lay claim to their full heritage together with their Eastern brothers and sisters. They can be a strong advocate for unity among all the Orthodox first and foremost, and then with their Latin brothers and sisters.

Ultimately, you must ask yourselves this: what do we risk losing by our unity with the Orthodox? What can we gain for the Lord?

Peace be to all!

Dear Sea Knight,

Your proposal is interesting, but I do not think that Byzantine Catholics reuniting with Orthodoxy would change anything on the unity front...unfortunately.

In Christ,
Alice

I would have to agree with Alice on her point. I believe that there are others issues in the resolution that need to be addressed before anything regarding the Eastern Catholic Churches can even be contemplated or resolved.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Practically speaking, for such a re-union to occur, the "Uniates" (of which I am one) would have to deny the solemnly-defined teachings of the Catholic Church regarding the Immaculate Conception, Purgatory, "Papal Infallibilty", to name a few, and would have to blow off all the teachings of the Councils deemed to be Ecumenical by the Catholic Church, after the first seven. Seems like a steep price to pay, especially if you accept all of those teachings.
Probably what will happen, down the road, will be a re-union of Orthodoxy and Catholicism, after all theological and ecclesiological differences are resolved (that, in itself, is a tall order), and a subsequent return of the "Uniate" churches to their original Patriarchates (i.e., Moscow, Constantinople, Antioch, etc.). Given the human element involved, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that day. As one Greek Orthodox priest-friend of mine has said: "In God's good time".


Dn. Robert

I'm going to have to agree. In particular, the current position of the Vatican is that anyone, whether Eastern or Western, in full communion with Rome is supposed to agree, among other things, that the pope has Universal Ordinary Jurisdiction.

On a positive note, though, I see no reason at all why the Eastern Catholic Churches need consider UOJ to be a dogma. I realize this may seem like a very small liberty, but I think it is an important point because it shows that the landscape of the dialogue is not quite so simple as most people make it out to be:

I mean, certainly there is a dialogue between those who consider Universal Ordinary Jurisdiction to be true and those who consider it to be false -- which is, in the main, a dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox. But there is also (or anyhow there is a need for) a dialogue between those who claim that UOJ is a truth which has been dogmatically defined, and those who claim that it is a truth which has never been dogmatically defined -- which is, in the main, a dialogue within Catholicism.

Furthermore, it seems clear that the level of difficulty of the former dialogue depends greatly on the outcome of the latter dialogue: That is to say, if they are correct who say "UOJ is a dogma", then the possibility of reconciliation between Catholics and Orthodox is not so much a matter of mutual rapprochement of sister churches, but rather a question of the Orthodox side repenting of having rejecting a dogma. (Symmetrically, if they are correct who say "UOJ is a heresy", then the possibility of reconciliation between Catholics and Orthodox is not so much a matter of mutual rapprochement of sister churches, but rather a question of the Catholic side repenting of heresy.)

I will be most interested to see what is said about all this in the fall.

God bless,
Peter.

I personally support the complete reintegration of the Eastern Catholic Churches in to their mother Orthodox Churches, but -- as I indicated in the quotation above -- I do not think that the Eastern Catholic Churches will ever be fully de-Latinized, and so that type of reintegration is not likely to happen. In my opinion, it is far more likely that the Roman Church will eventually suppress and absorb the Eastern Catholic Churches into its own ecclesial structure.

Peter, could you describe the nature of this dialogue and what the arguments are? I recall reading something along these lines written by Archbishop Quinn. Is that part of what you're referring to?

Andrew

Originally posted by Dn. Robert
Originally posted by Peter B. As an Orthodox Christian, I believe that the theory variously referred to as universal ordinary jurisdiction or immediate papal jurisdiction is more injurious to reunion than the defined Latin doctrines of purgatory, the immaculate conception, or even papal infallability. The doctrine of purgation after death can be given an Orthodox understanding. And both RCs and Orthodox address the Theotokos as Immaculate. As to papal infallability, I believe that it has only been invoked on two occasions and could be clarified. Orthodox may even be willing to admit that an Orthodox Bishop of Rome might possess a certain charism when excercising he teaching authority.

The theory of immediate papal jurisdiction, however, is something that most Orthodox could not admit as it would implicate a radical change in Orthodox Ecclesiology and the nature of episcopal authority.

Todd,

Can you explain more what you mean by this? I'm a bit taken aback, if I understand you correctly. Are you saying that the Latin Church will essentially absorb all of the Eastern Catholics, or that Eastern Catholics will function much like the Russian Catholic churches - as satellites under a Latin ordinary?

Not sure how the Melkites will take such a move!

Just curious...

Gordon

NO WAY!!!!

Personally Gordo, I could not see that happening the way it was just explained. How it would be worked out when the time came is almost anyone's guess, but I do not think going under a Latin ordinary would be the way to go.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

I'm with you there, Father. I see a broader and gradual alignment taking place (such as the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate and the Melkite Catholic Patriarchate).

Who knows - only God!

Gordo

GOOD GRIEF !

There are Latin Ordinaries who don't know what we are even now - and if we had to come under their Care ???????

Please this is too frightening to even contemplate

It is possible that if some of the Eastern Catholic Churches continue to self destruct and shrink to a small enough size some may be absorbed into the RCs while others will choose to either unite with other ECs that and form one strong EC Church or return to their Orthodox mothers. I do believe that absorbtion into RC or EO would prior to unity between EO and RC would constitute a serious blow to Christianity. Uniting with other ECs awaiting the full unity of the Church would be a very positive event. My hope rests in the solution.

CDL

I think what is important is to refer back to how things were done in the first milennium, and go from there. Benedict XVI gave that type of signal upon his elevation by donning a pallium which looks more like an Omophor. Some type of arrangement would have to be worked out where, on one hand, the Pope retains the right to exercise his "immediate jurisdiction" in cases of aberration where things get completely out of hand, but also with the understanding that Patriarchal rule, in conjunction with a Synod of Bishops, within a given Patriarchate, is the normal course of things. Such an arrangement would have to be memorialized solemnly in the form of a magisterial document. There is historical support for such a position. Pope St. Clement, who reigned while St. John the Theologian was still alive, intervened directly in Corinth to straighten out a situation gone awry.
Recent Popes, esp. John Paul II, and the present Pope, have expressed an interest in finding a way to exercise the Petrine ministry within First Milennium guidelines.
It must be pointed out that there were instances in the first milennium where reigning Popes came to the aid of great eastern Bishops/Saints who had been unjustly deposed by heretical emperors and their sycophantic bishops. My memory is clouded as to the specifics, but it was either St. John Chrysostom or St. Athanasius of Alexandria (or both) who benefitted from such assistance. Hope this is helpful.

In Christ,
Deacon Robert