www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Eastern Orthodox view of Protestants

I was just wondering what the Orthodox think about the Protestants. Do they view them the same as we Catholics do?

Also, I read that someone said the Patriarch of Constantinople said it's ok for Anglicans to receive Eucharist? I find this hard to believe, just looking for confirmation.

Dominus Vobiscum

IgnatiusBenedictus

IgnatiusBenedict,

I will reply for now just because no one else has, but just to be clear, I am not Eastern Orthodox and I do not speak for them in any way. These are just my observations and guesses as a Catholic Christian.

First of all, I'm absolutely sure that Anglicans are not permitted to receive the Eucharist in Orthodox churches. It goes against the Orthodox reasoning as to what it takes to merit sharing the Eucharist, which is full ecclesial union. So, my guess would be a definitive no.

As far as what the Orthodox think about Protestants, it goes something like this: the Orthodox Churches don't make definitive pronouncements on whether or not there is grace outside of the Orthodox Churches, or any Mysteries, etc. They basically stick to knowing where these things can surely be found (inside the Orthodox Churches), and don't speculate about where they might or might not be found (outside the Orthodox Churches).

The stricter Orthodox view would be that there is no grace in the Anglican Church; a less rigid view would be that there probably is, to some degree, but to which degree one doesn't know. Many Orthodox I've come across view Catholics as being "different" than Protestants in that Catholics have retained basically sound views on Sacraments, the Priesthood, the nature of worship, saints, etc., and therefore there might be/is a different degree of grace to be found in the Catholic Church. But this, as far as I can tell, is not an official view, but rather the popular, personal view of many. There are quite a few Orthodox who disagree with this rather generous assessment of Catholicism.

So, I'll let the actual Orthodox come in and correct whatever mistakes I've made, but that's at least a general picture.

Alexis

Ignatius,

You may have read something from the 1950s or earlier, prior to the Anglican ordination of women to perform sacerdotal functions (definitely before openly ordaining and promoting active homosexuals). The EP and other Orthodox bishops had stated, in decades past, that Orthodox in the diaspora (UK, US, Australia, etc) should attend a liturgical Church, such as the Anglican Church, instead of going to non-liturgical protestant or reformed churches. The Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches were not considered "friendly" at the time, as there were still anathem� and other terms used against each other. Some prominent high-church Anglicans of the time were also in dialogue to unite the Anglican Church with Orthodoxy - obviously these fell through when the non-traditional politicos took over that church and started ordaining women without consent or counsel from their "sister church".

Thank you both for the replies. So the Orthodox bishops determined Anglican holy orders were invalid once they started ordaining women? I did read Anglican orders were valid but I can't put a date on the document.

Dominus Vobiscum

IgnatuisBenedictus

Actually, the Orthodox take Anglican orders on a case-by-case basis when an Anglican clergyman converts. They have not made any blanket statements, and as no woman "cleric" has ever asked to become Orthodox as priest"ess", it has never come up.

There has never once been a case of the Orthodox receiving an Anglican cleric as anything other than a layman.

Statements which used to give the impression that Orthodoxy "recognized" Anglican Orders referred to the hypothetical case of the entire Anglican Communion seeking entry into Orthodoxy - which, of course, never happened.

In 1948 the Moscow Patriarchate stated quite solemnly that until the Anglicans themselves could come to an in-house agreement on the significance of the Priesthood, there was no point in others making pronouncements on the Anglicans.

Various Orthodox authorities will say this and that implying the contrary - apparently because it "sounds nice" - but they will not act on such an evaluation.

Fr. Serge

Father bless,

Thank you for the clarification!