Can anyone here make a case for Eastern Orthodoxy? (tradition, hell, church)
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Although traditionally the Christian denomination of Eastern Europeans and Americans descended from those nations (Greek, Russian, etc.), Eastern Orthodoxy is attracting converts from Protestantism and Catholicism in the United States. Can anyone here make a case as to how it is truer than the other Christian denominations?
Well, all faiths are attracting converts from all other faiths. I would imagine that Eastern Orthodoxy tends to attract far more from the Roman faith, simply because the eucharist and tradition are so similar.
I'm Catholic, but some I've heard from Orthodoxers are a bit like.
One: Orthodoxy has the most continuity with the Early Christians. The Early Christians mostly used the Septuagint Bible, as does Orthodoxy, not the Rabbinic Old-Testament as Protestantism does.
Two: Orthodox converts sometimes like to say how it's much less influenced by the severity or rigidity they see in St. Augustine. Augustine's influence can be found in much Protestantism as well, but is far more limited in Orthodoxy.
Three: Orthodox converts from Protestantism sometimes come close to saying they like that it's "ancient Christianity" without any Pope or single leader. That they were maybe disillusioned with the history of both Protestantism and Catholicism.
Then maybe stuff that's even more specifically why Orthodoxy is "better" than other pre-Reformed Christians.
On the Coptics et alia Orthodox might say that they veered away from the Ecumenical Councils from Chalcedon to the 787 Council in Nicea. On us Catholics they feel we're too influenced by pagan Hellenistic philosophies, particularly Aristotelian, and created "unnecessary innovations" after 787.
As a Catholic I felt rather awkward, or guilty, doing that. But I think our reasoning is correct and that on certain areas Orthodoxy strikes me as too anti-intellectual or vague. For me learning more about it made me somewhat less interested/tempted. Also I think some Orthodox advocates exaggerate our differences a bit or underestimate how much they've "developed" since 787.
I'm Catholic, but some I've heard from Orthodoxers are a bit like.
One: Orthodoxy has the most continuity with the Early Christians. The Early Christians mostly used the Septuagint Bible, as does Orthodoxy, not the Rabbinic Old-Testament as Protestantism does.
Two: Orthodox converts sometimes like to say how it's much less influenced by the severity or rigidity they see in St. Augustine. Augustine's influence can be found in much Protestantism as well, but is far more limited in Orthodoxy.
Three: Orthodox converts from Protestantism sometimes come close to saying they like that it's "ancient Christianity" without any Pope or single leader. That they were maybe disillusioned with the history of both Protestantism and Catholicism.
Then maybe stuff that's even more specifically why Orthodoxy is "better" than other pre-Reformed Christians.
On the Coptics et alia Orthodox might say that they veered away from the Ecumenical Councils from Chalcedon to the 787 Council in Nicea. On us Catholics they feel we're too influenced by pagan Hellenistic philosophies, particularly Aristotelian, and created "unnecessary innovations" after 787.
As a Catholic I felt rather awkward, or guilty, doing that. But I think our reasoning is correct and that on certain areas Orthodoxy strikes me as too anti-intellectual or vague. For me learning more about it made me somewhat less interested/tempted. Also I think some Orthodox advocates exaggerate our differences a bit or underestimate how much they've "developed" since 787.
Eastern Orthodox is number two on the Truth charts right behind Rome, the preeminent see of the Church. Oh wait, Eastern Orthodox is not even one church. Then it's like two through 8 or 10 or something like that.
Eastern Orthodox is number two on the Truth charts right behind Rome, the preeminent see of the Church. Oh wait, Eastern Orthodox is not even one church. Then it's like two through 8 or 10 or something like that.
Well, the church is divided into I think about 5 patriarchies, but they are all in communion, so one church, 5 or so governing bodies.
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