www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West What would make you Orthodox?

Dear Friends,

A hypothetical question to Eastern Catholics.

What would conceivably be the one thing that could possibly happen that would make you seriously consider, if not go ahead, and leave the communion with Rome and become Orthodox?

Just wondering . . .

Alex

There would have to be a declaration of heresy from the Holy Father which contradicted 2000 years of teaching. For instance, a future pope, sitting ex cathedra, teaches that Arias was right and that Christ Jesus was but a creation of God rather than there being the Blessed Holy Trinity.

You see, that would prove that Matthew 16: 18 is false, the Catholic Church NOT the Church of Jesus Christ, and the Orthodox indeed are.

And I would be gone in a country second!

But until then.....I've got the best of both worlds now and am enjoying it thoroughly!!

Cordially in Christ,

Brother Ed

For me, all it would take is for the church to declare that all religions are equal in the eyes of God; women being ordained priests; and same-sex marriages being sanctioned. I'm outta there!!!

Peace,

V

Nothing. We are already Orthodox.

Dear Administrator,

You must have excelled in philosophical studies, eh?

So let me rephrase the question: What would make you leave the Communion with Rome to become Orthodox in communion with someone else?

(Do you sport a beard, by the way?)

Alex

Alex asked: What would make you leave the Communion with Rome to become Orthodox in communion with someone else?

Nothing.

(Do you sport a beard, by the way?)

Yes.

Dear Administrator,

Yes, I've always pictured you with a beard for some reason.

It has always "pulled" at me to ask you the question . . .

Alex

Dear Friends,

The only immediate situation that would entice me to possibly leave the Communion with Rome would be if my own Church/community, for whatever reason, decided to leave it (irreconcilable differences over the Patriarchate, as a likely point of contention).

Alex

Alex,

Actually, I've heard that the Holy Father is about to ban the eating of pyrohi and kielbasi. Since this is not part of the patriarchial debate I am glad to know that this forthcoming decree will not deter you from maintaining full communion with the Orthodoxy of Elder Rome. :p

Admin

Been there....Done that. It is an entirely overrated experience (no offence to my brother Orthodox).

Dmitri

Actually, the day-to-day liturgical life and ethos of any Byzantine Christian parish is pretty much the same whether the parish is in communion with Rome, Constantinople or Moscow. I have numerous friends in many different jurisdictions and the the only notable difference they find in visiting my parish is the music.

To be honest, I agree. There truely is no difference in praxis.

Dear Admin:



Is this a case of your friends not being in communion with Rome has kept their Church music out of tune?

AmdG

Nah. Just that they use different liturgical music. Some of it is wonderful.

You know the old saying? When you sing your pray twice. And when you sing in key you pray thrice!

Prescinding from the question (highly unlikely, given Rome`s history) of rampant heresy being openly taught or clearly untraditional practices being enforced (eg., ordaining women), I think the one big thing which would push me to become Orthodox would be a gutting of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom along the lines of what happened to the old Roman Mass. Such barbarism would be quite intolerable!