www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West I'm not confident that I am in the right church.

I was going to ask the same question as perplexedstepan but he beat me to it :), because I think it (i.e. whether you're already in full communion with the Armenian Apostolic Church, or whether you're thinking about entering it) is very important for understanding what you're asking here. (You might compare it to the difference between a married person saying "Should I divorce my spouse?" vs. an engaged person saying "I'm not sure if I'm going to go through with the wedding, because I feel like he/she might not be right for me.")

What is divorce, another OO church or some other Apostolic church?

Whether or not it is divorce, isn't it important to seek truth, not just comfort or status quo?

Maybe you should start by explaining what you think the AAC is teaching that isn't in line with truth.

Ok, well maybe the papacy isn't as crazy as I thought when I dismissed it earlier. which leaves me at a place of uncertainty on that point.

I thought it was very absolute and dictatorial, but it doesn't seem as much like that as I thought, with everything else that keeps doctrine in line, too much faith in just one person. Now I'm not sure that is exactly as I thought it was. I think that is the biggest thing.

How does the pope differ from the AAC patriarch then? Is the AAC patriarch infallible?

I used to have an Antiochian priest who used to tell me, Constantinople has seated many heretics, so the Eastern Christians are more than just a priesthood. Of course there are disagreements among Catholics about what the pope has decreed as doctrine as was demonstrated by the Protestant Reformation, but I think it is probably different than disagreeing with an Orthodox patriarch. If I understand correctly, an Orthodox patriarch can still make mistakes (which is why the Holy Fathers and Apostles are held in such high esteem in the East), so it is up to the individual to accept or reject newer doctrines like toll houses or other such myths. However, the patriarch isn't the church. He is a represtantive who was elected by the other bishops of the church to reconfirm the ancient faith and heritage of the Holy Fathers and Apostles... at least... that's what they should be in theory.

I would encourage you to compare and contrast papal infallibility (which states that the pope is infallible when making decrees on matters of faith) and what the AAC patriarchs have said about the authority they hold. Because, while the pope can make declarations like Vatican I and II, the Byzantine rites are an exception, I think. Meaning, they have been given the opportunity to choose to follow Vatican II or to keep to the old ways. To my understanding, the pope's have blessed them to continue, but Vatican II is still considered in force.

Personally, I don't see any need to change the liturgy, etc. If the liturgy was how we were told to correctly worship God, then I don't see any reason why it should be changed or revised.

A couple of other differences that you might look into and ponder include: the immaculate conception (states that the Virgin Mary was born without original sin) - which was declared doctrine by a Roman pontiff within the past 500 years and... transsubstantion (as opposed to the Russian - not sure about Armenian - constubstantiation? There are a number of of other differences between the East and West, but generally, these are where the doctrines between the East and West begin to crumble.

This is just my perspective, so feel free to take it with a grain of salt.

Dear sister Anastasia13,

I translated to Catholicism from Oriental Orthodoxy precisely because I discovered that what Catholicism taught according to orthodox Catholic sources was very different from Catholicism as presented by my non-Catholic sources.

As a Catholic, I've rejected nothing of my Oriental Orthodox Faith. The only thing I have come to reject were the misunderstandings of the Catholic Faith that I had imbibed when I was in the Oriental Orthodox communion.

Blessings

Dear sister Anastasia,

I am not saying you need to translate to the Catholic Church. You need to go where you feel the Spirit is leading you to have a more fruitful relationship with Christ.

I knew a gentleman online a long time ago, a cradle Armenian Catholic, who was spiritually conflicted as a Catholic, and often complained about what he saw as "differences" between his Catholic Faith and the Armenian Apostolic Faith. He eventually translated to the Armenian Apostolic Church, The difference in his spiritual state was evident after he joined the Oriental Orthodox communion. The ironic thing was, after he joined the Oriental Orthodox communion, he became an indefatigable champion of unity between the Oriental Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church.

I've always maintained that it matters not if you are in an Orthodox communion of Churches or the Catholic communion of Churches - as long as you work for unity through understanding. What I strongly question and oppose are those who join Catholicism from Orthodoxy or vice-versa and work instead towards disunity - or a unity based not on understanding, but through uniatism with no regard or appreciation for the Tradition of other Churches.

In terms of our objective relationship with Christ, I sincerely believe the Catholic and Orthodox Churches offer equally valid and equally enriching avenues of Grace. The only thing we need to work on as far as our relationship as Orthodox and Catholics is to mutually enrich our understanding of each other. It is only through the spiritual fruit of understanding that the unity that Christ commands of us will be realized.

Blessings,
Marduk

Pope Theodoros finds otherwise.

This is exactly what I was trying to say. Only transfer if you honestly believe that you should, and do so with your eyes wide open and fully aware of the differences.

I don't think that advice 'in general' is ever adequate to individual people. So what I'll offer is. My general counsel to myself and to others is 'stay put.' If you long for unity with the Catholic Church, let that longing be part of your own belonging to and living within the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Edit: So what I'll offer is only a beginning thought.

I'm not sure I entirely know what you mean.

Anastasia, I only mean that you don't have to leave your church and join another simply because you feel a particular closeness or affinity for it.

Anastasia,

You are already Catholic as a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church so I see no reason for you to change Churches.