Contrasting Catholicism and Eastern Churches

[dauer]

I have a general understanding of the ideas presented by Catholicism. How do the Eastern Churches differ? I have some vague ideas. Don't they consistently believe in deeds over faith and also have no doctrine of original sin? That's about all I know. Thanks.

Dauer

 

[JJM]

Hi, the orthodox differences with Catholicism are mostly authoritative. They believe that each of the five Patriarchs are equal; with the pope as first among equals while Catholics view the Pope as just first. There are a few theological differences. They don’t believe that we are guilty of original sin but we are simply put in a fallen state by it. They refer to it as Ancestral sin. They also deny the filioque. This is the statement in the Nicene Creed that states that the Holy Spirit proceeds form the Father and the Son. They think that He just proceeds from the Father. They also have a more developed doctrine on the afterlife than the Catholic Church and I belive 3 more books in their bible. I’m sorry but I don’t know what a deed over faith I could you elaborate? Hope I helped.

 

[dauer]

That was very helpful. Thank you.

I had thought that they placed much more emphasis on right-action for salvation instead of grace, or at least that the dynamic was different, but I could be wrong.

Dauer

 

[JJM]

That was very helpful. Thank you.

I had thought that they placed much more emphasis on right-action for salvation instead of grace, or at least that the dynamic was different, but I could be wrong.

Dauer

They believe similarly to Catholics that we are saved through Grace. Grace is received through Faith but Faith without works is dead. As clearly stated in the book of James. So the Orthodox believe that you can have faith and it won't get you any Grace because you don't act on that faith. Even demons believe but they don't act on their belief and thus have no salvation. Does that make sense?

 

[dauer]

Yep. Thanks.

Are there any theological differences between the different Eastern Churches or are they mainly cultural?

 

[JJM]

Yep. Thanks.

Are there any theological differences between the different Eastern Churches or are they mainly cultural?

Well some eastern churches are Catholic and some are Eastern orthodox and some are Coptic Orthodox and some are Oriental Orthodox. But all of the different churches within each of these sects have the same doctrines but simply different style ceremonies called rites.



Some of the rites are present in more than one of the sects. For Example there are Coptic rite followers in the Coptic Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Now the EO and the Catholic chruch have different beleifs but The Coptic rites and the Byzantine rites within the Catholic church have the same beliefs. Does that all make sense? If not you can ask me to elaborate.

 

[dauer]

Well some eastern churches are Catholic and some are Eastern orthodox and some are Coptic Orthodox and some are Oriental Orthodox. But all of the different churches within each of these sects have the same doctrines but simply different style ceremonies called rites.



Some of the rites are present in more than one of the sects. For Example there are Coptic rite followers in the Coptic Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches.

Now the EO and the Catholic chruch have different beleifs but The Coptic rites and the Byzantine rites within the Catholic church have the same beliefs. Does that all make sense? If not you can ask me to elaborate.

Okay, let me know if this is correct. I'm not sure I get it completely. There are a few different rites, but the rites are not always exclusive to one group. Within any group, there could be different people practicing different rites. But the theology ties a particular group together. I'm not sure if that's quite right.

Are either Coptic Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox much different theologically?

Thanks.

Dauer

 

[JJM]

Are either Coptic Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox much different theologically?



Thanks.



Dauer

I'm going to respond to this first. I mistakenly referred to the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church as the Oriental Orthodox. The Oriental Orthodox is a group that contains six Orthodox Churches. It contains both the Coptic and the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Churches. They have intercommunion and are in essence one but simply have separate bishops. Similar to how the Greek and Russian Orthodox are one (part of the Eastern Orthodox) but have different Bishops although the Eastern Orthodox Separate their churches by Nationality predominantly so they are a little more uniform. Anyway the Oriental Orthodox is a group of churches that don't except councils from Chalcedon on. I don't know much about their theology but they are Monophysites though I know that much. Sorry about the confusion.

Okay, let me know if this is correct. I'm not sure I get it completely. There are a few different rites, but the rites are not always exclusive to one group. Within any group, there could be different people practicing different rites. But the theology ties a particular group together. I'm not sure if that's quite right.

This is basically correct. The reason for this is that these 3 churches used to be one. (I'm writing from a Catholic perspective so the other two groups will look at it with the same history and basic Idea but as if we broke from them) This was the church founded by the Apostles. This church eventually had many Rites (ways of celebrating the sacraments) every once and a while there was a small schism do to a religious belief but those offshoot churches where eventually brought back into the church. But after the council of Chalcedon that denounced Monophysitism a large schism accrued where the Orientals left the church. The majority of the people in the Coptic rite and a small amount of the Syrian and Armenian rites left and formed the Oriental Orthodox. (two more rites split from the Coptic but remained predominantly Oriental Orthodox and the Indian rite is from the lost church of Saint Thomas that was later found and the churches of that rite quickly joined one of the three sects. thus creating the six churches of the Oriental Orthodox. ) However some of these rites remain part of the Catholic Church and thus you had some Copitcs as Catholic and some as Oriental. Later the EO and Catholic churches split due to basically political reasons but some of the eastern rite churches stayed Catholic so certain churches of each rite are Catholic, Eastern, and Oriental Orthodox. I hope I didn't make this a much more confusing because it is very confusing. So anyway The Catholic Church contains all of the of the non protestant rites of Christianity, The EO contains all of the eastern rites except two or three and the Oriental has 6 rites. I'll post a link so you can see what all the different Rites are. I hope helped.



http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm

 

[JJM]

Orthodox is a group of churches that don't except councils from Chalcedonon.

there should be a space between Chalcedon and on sorry.



http://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm

Also don't know why the link to thi webiste didn't work in the first post.

I also would like to say that there is a big effort to reunify these churches and many of the Eastern Rite catholics today have Returned form being Orthodox only a small percentage never truely split.