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To Alex - have you ever seen that highly enjoyable old film *Miracle on 34th Street*? It usually re-appears around Christmas time, and it contains some information on how Santa Claus takes care of his beard! As for me, though, I neither shampoo my beard in public nor invite people to come watch while I'm bathing. I look bad enough fully clothed.
To Daniel - I love Middle Eastern cuisine; would the Melkite Kitchen care to feed me?
Incognitus

Dear Incognitus,

I was just pulling your beard . . .

Have a great weekend, O Great Unknown One!

Alex

Incognitus,

Sadly, the Melkite Kitchen serves such un-Orthodox abominations as spaghetti and meatballs, chicken and rice and Caesar Salad. Surely this is proof of the gracelessness of that religious organization?

Admin

Daniel,

I wish you well on your spiritual journey. I am sorry that you did not find the Presence of the Lord among us and am saddened that you have concluded that the Byzantine Catholic Church is without grace.

The best thing you can do is to develop a good prayer life. While you are in the Marines your time will not be your own so use the �KISS� rule (�Keep it simple, Silly�). Follow a simple Morning Rule of Prayer and another in the evening.

You stated that you are joining the Antiochian Orthodox Church only until you are able to join a �Traditionalist Church� at some future point. I submit for your reflection that what you are doing is picking and choosing what you like in a parish or jurisdiction rather than allowing the Lord to lead you. You are jurisdiction shopping even before you are formally received. Parishes in ROCOR, the Serbian or the Jerusalem Patriarchate are no more holy and Orthodox than those parishes in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, the OCA, the GOA, the MP or the ACROD (etc.).

Please contact me if you ever need assistance. I can put you in touch with some excellent priests, Byzantine Catholic, Roman Catholic, and/or Orthodox (not in communion with Rome).

Again, prayer and best wishes to you in your spiritual journey.

Admin

Daniel,

Please read St. Basil's letter to St. Amphilochius of Iconium. In the first section, he provides instructions on the reception of converts from sects that are not in communion with the orthodox Church. He teaches that in certain cases, those who have been baptized outside of the Church should not be rebaptized, because the sects that baptized them preserved the Trinitarian faith and baptismal formula. Only those who were baptized by sects that have abandoned belief in the Trinity or have altered the baptismal formula should be rebaptized. Both the Catholic Church and (in most cases) the Orthodox Churches have always adhered to this principle, which was firmly established by St. Basil.

You can read it for yourself at the following link:
The First Canonical Epistle of Our ...ocia to Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium. [ccel.org]

The heretics that the Church Fathers decried, and called graceless, were not Protestants or (God forbid) Catholics. They were sects that denied belief in the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and in some cases were even dualistic polytheists. While Protestants lack the fullness of truth, they still maintain belief in the Trinity, and their baptism is still salvific.

Please consider this. My prayers are with you.

Your friend,
Anthony

Another home run by Arturo!

This one knows what he is talking about

Lord have Mercy!

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear administrator, Thank you for your wise words to our brother Daniel. You are a true friend to all of us eastern Christians and I for one appreciate you thoughtfulness and patience.

Praying for peace,
Michael

Mexican I havnt been a Protestant in in gee I dont even know how long like 4 1/2 years I think, and that was only for 6 months, till I learned that they were wrong.

In Christ
Daniel

Anthony,

Haveing glanced over the link you sent me, what comes to my mind is the Roman Church and the Filioque, which is a heresy and is beleived by the Catholic Church.

Admin,

I have been sent a nice new Jordanville prayerbook by my ROCOR Priest, and given a Morning and Night prayer rule. Thank you for your concern. I will attend what ever Orthodox Parish is around me after I get out of boot camp, I am hoping there are one of the Traditionalist Churches around me, thats what I was hopeing for I was not nessisarly shoping for a Jurisdicition.
Thank you for the offer about the priest, but God always leads me to specific Priest's that have a great effect on me. I have found two great priests that I like very much and that are very good teachers and spiritual fathers.

Michael,

Thank you for your support it is much thanked.
Pray for me a sinner!

In Christ
Daniel

Slava Isusu Christu!

Lord, Bless!

Dear Daniel:

I am going to offer you some of the only counsel I am going to give you. Seek only the advice of your spiritual Father in regard to these matters, a forum is really not a place to deal with issues of such grave import. If you are going Traditionalist Orthodox then it probably would not behoove you to be hanging around us "Uniates" right? Or am I wrong, hmm? Or do you want that last argument which will convince you to stay in the old barque of Peter ?

This is *the* best Eastern Forum on the Net, however, it IS Eastern Catholic in orientation. Therefore expect that most of us will charitably not agree with your decision to leave the Holy Mother Greek Catholic Church If you are seeking validation of your decision is this the best place for that and if you are not then what is your purpose for posting your spheal? Honest questions seek'n honest answers.

Praying for your return to the Metropolia

Lord, Bless!

In St. Josaphat,


Robert Horvath

No need for validation.
I dont even recall how we go on to talking about
all these controversial issues. There just my opinions expressed. Thanks for the advice.

In Christ
Daniel

Dear Daniel,

Actually, the Filioque is not heretical at all, and there are Orthodox Christian teachers who don't accept it as heretical.

It would be heretical only if one accepted that the Spirit proceed from the Son as actively as He proceeds from the Father.

And the Roman Church has always taught that a) the Spirit proceeds from the Son PASSIVELY only (or the Eastern "From the Father through the Son") AND b) that to teach that the Spirit proceeds actively from the Son, as He does from the Father, is indeed heresy.

So the Roman Church also condemns what the Orthodox Church condemns with respect to a heretical understanding of the procession of the Spirit.

Orthodox theologians have generally come to agree with the Catholic Church on the procession of the Spirit - it is no longer a "hot button" issue between the two Churches.

In addition, as Kallistos Ware and others have shown, an Orthodox Christian may believe in the Filioque as a "theologoumenon" without being branded a heretic.

Therefore, you are wrong on this point, Friend.

Alex

Daniel, the best sources for you to consult regarding these questions at this point are the Fathers themselves as well as eminent Orthodox theologians such as Lossky, Meyendorff, Bishop +Kallistos Ware, etc. and see what conclusions and supporting documentation from the Fathers, Councils, etc. they propose regading these questions, including the Filioque. They can and do explain this better than anyone else here can.

According to some Orthodox Priest that I have talked to about it, it is a heresy. Of course a Eastern Catholic is going to give his explanation for the belief, but I believe what I have been taught by priest who a look to as my teachers the way the explain it, I believe it is a heresy.

In Christ
Daniel

Dear Daniel,

But there are other Orthodox who say it is not or at least say that the theology on this is not an insuperable obstacle to unity.

What is the basis for assuming the Orthodox priest you are consulting with is infallible or representative of Orthodox thought on the matter?

Alex