www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Latin vs. Byzantine Theology in 100 words.......

The author of the material in question is a prominent Ukrainian Catholic theologian. It may be simplistic but I think it presents the view of many Eastern Catholics.

What I love about the Byzantine in terms of the Trinity is that there is an emphasis on their oneness. The first words of the priest at Divine Liturgy that is spoken with an audible voice is, "Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever." I've never heard in the RC the Holy Spirit referred to as one with an office of a king. But in the East the emphasis is given on their oneness that what one has, the others also possess. In the RC the roles have been distinct. The Father does this, the Son does this, the Holy Spirit does this.

And I found that image to be offensive to trads.

Interesting comment, Constantine. Are you thinking that to be the case because it appears to ignore their view of what the Roman Mass should be like, etc - focusing on the Latin Church as it typically functioned (liturgically, architecturally, etc) in the post-VII era?

Many years,

Neil

I posted that at CAF and the trads went nuts. Yes, its about their perception on what the Roman Mass should be. They hate the part about the "meal", the versus populum, the modern architecture and modern music, especially the guitar is depicted. Anything that will set a trad off is in that poster except for CITH and female altar servers. But lets be fair and realistic, 9.5 of 10 RC parishes will fit what is described in that poster.

The problem with it from that perspective is that it places the legitimate traditions of the East along side the illegitimate practices and erroneous beliefs of the modern West, suggesting equivalency.

Well, we could put everybody's actual practices side-by-side, but the results would be so disheartening that visitors would flee in dismay.

I've seen this same brochure at St. Nicholas Cathedral (Ukrainian Catholic) in Chicago near the doorways.

When I asked at my parish about the difference they also gave me this flier. I was a tad disappointed.

I wouldn't say its illegitimate. Its what the Roman OF is doing today, for better or for worse. I think its a fair description and its accurate. The Metropolitan Sheptytsky Institute, which came out with the poster, did an excellent job in capturing an accurate picture of both Liturgies as they are today. Its not their place to say how it should be.

Agreed unfortunately CTG.

Often when talking about the contrasts with Roman Catholics I feel Byzantines try to find simplest explanations for things.

So often we refer to things as mysteries. As the mystical and unknowable workings of God. How does something happen? How does this or that occur? We simply cannot know for sure. So we affirm what is done. What is truth instead of attempting to conjecture and debate our conjectures. This is unfairly why I feel we are considered "more mystical" as some Romans have said.

An example is how Grace is defined. I asked several friends to tell me how they understand grace, and how it works in our life. Often the answers refer to grace in the abstract, and impersonal. But they nevertheless succeed in identifying what it does even if they aren't aware of the Greek understanding of theosis. It transfigures us.


Instead of qualifying Grace into categories, let us simply say it is the indwelling of the holy spirit in a person, and so long as they are attentative to its ministry in their heart, all their movements in life will be in accordance to plan of Father.

Hmm. "Creatures of grace" vs. "deification in Christ" in His uncreated energies.

This reference certainly doesn't fit the "100 words" criteria, in fact the contents are voluminous.

However, if you are interested in an "in depth" investigation of the Middle East Churches "sui iuris" plus the Latin Jerusalem Patriachate, this is a good place to check out the links.
http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/christians-in-mideast.shtml

There is no real difference.

St. Gregory Palamas (and others) have shown clearly otherwise...