www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Is Rome and Orthodoxy really ready to unite?

Dear Friends,

If every roadblock to unity were to be removed at the theological.ecclesiological level tomorrow, would Rome and Orthodoxy be ready to unite soon?

Why or why not?

Alex

Dear Alex,

If that were the case, then they should unite, but I don't fool myself into thinking that they would be ready tomorrow. Ready or not, they would be obligated to try.

The only reason to delay or go slow would be if the resulting confusion (on the Latin side, most likely) and possible schisms (on the Orthodox side, most likely) would harm the flock. In this case, one would want a running start of announcing the UPCOMING reunion. Sort of like the announcement of an upcoming wedding.

In Christ,
Andrew

Here is one Latin that is more than ready!
Stephanos I

Slava Isusu Krystu!

Yup, i agree with andrew. Especially those nations with Catholics as majority and Protestatism are among its populance and Orthodoxy is not heard of... the situation would been seen that the catholic church gave way to the protestants and would cause distrust to the church.

this is based upon experiece because most catholics here view the greek orthodox church as a protestant group.

Glory! eumir

I am very new to this but that would be great.
Hope one day happens and I also pray that our Protestant brothers get united some day. This last one I find it harder to happen since there are so many divisions and they have lost so much already.

Because the problem today really isn't theological.

The separation is sociopolitical (translation: human jealousy, scorn, dislike, envy, slothfullness, desire for power, and money).

Give me three steps Mister!

I'm headed for my bunker.

John

The question of unity is of two parts: the "head" (doctrine, official dialogues, statements) and the "heart" (the lived experience of the faithful, including memory). The head is often ahead (!) of the heart in most respects, which is to say hierarchs and theologians tend to be in front of the faithful, where they should be as leaders (although shepherds traditionally walk BEHIND their flocks, no?). The heart, however, sometimes lags behind, and in the matter of Orthodox-Catholic unity I fear this is the case. Not on the Catholic side so much as on the Orthodox. This was very clear in the 2001 visits to Greece and (less so) to Ukraine. Thus I think that, in addition to clearing the doctrinal swamp, we need especially to clear, that is, to purify, our memories of all the sins we have committed against one another (sack of Constantinople, etc.) and then, going one step further, begin to create a new memory TOGETHER. We have no common memory of unity but a thousand-year-old memory of division. We need to begin to think anew.

But all this begins at a local level, with individual Catholics and Orthodox seeking reconciliation.

Is that really true?

I have found the opposite: most Roman Catholics regard Orthodox as close cousins or even brothers and sisters.

It is painfully obvious to anyone with an open mind that we agree about 99.99 % of the time.

Protestants are another story entirely.

Protestants have left the Apostolic Faith. Reunion with Rome would require a great deal of humbleness on their part.

Reunion with Orthodoxy requires humbleness on both the part of individual Orthodox Churches and the Vatican. Humbleness is in very short supply at the Vatican.

in the Sacred Heart and the Immaculata,

prostrate before the Chair of St. Peter,

your servant

It's somewhat scarce in some Orthodox circles, too, brother.

We can keep praying for it, though.

If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts . . .

I think it would depend on the way those "theological.ecclesiological" roadblocks were removed. If the Orthodox believers thought it had been overcome with a heavy hand by Rome, they would (I believe correctly) oppose it. If, on the other hand, they perceived Rome as having made significant compromises to the theological and ecclesiological roadblocks, I believe the Orthodox faithful would cautiously approve of increased interparticipation.

Please read the "however" statement above as a form of "but" and pass the nuts. Candy isn't good for my teeth.

I'm a SISTER not a brother. lol.

Hehehe - well if you will have a male screen name confusions will surely arise

Dear Anhelyna:

Are you strongly suggesting that she should change her screen name to St. Petra?

AmdG

Amado

Good thought - I know what she is getting at

Why not St Petra - well is there one ???

Now there is a challenge -- any offers ?

Anhelyna