Perhaps Othodox Need to Be Considered Catholic for Puposes of This Subforum

Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
Perhaps Orthodox need to be considered Catholic for the purposes of this subforum.

The two faiths are very close. Orthodox and Catholic both "venerate" icons and pray to saints. Both believe in penance. The Catholics believe in purgatory, and the Orthodox believe in toll houses. Orthodox also "venerate" relics and attribute miracles to them. Both Catholics and Orthodox elevate tradition above the Bible with regard to works being necessary for salvation. Both Othodox and Catholic attribute a sinless life to Mary, although (at this time) only Catholic consider Mary co-redemptrix/co-mediator with Jesus. Both Orthodox and Catholic believe in tansubstutiation. Although they do not geneally do so, Orthodox and Catholic may commune in the other's churches.

In 1054, Othodox split from the Roman Catholic church. The last staw on the camel's back was the Filioque the Catholics added to the Nicene Ceed, in violation of the ageement of the Third Eccumenical Council (Ephesus) that in the future, nothing was to be changed in the creeds unilaterally.
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Filioque

BTW, westen Protestant churches retained the Filioque.

In 1965, Othodox and Roman Catholics rescinded their mutual 1054 excommunication of each other.
https://orthodoxwiki.org/Paul_VI_of_Rome
Here's the text of the joint declaration http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-.../hf_p-vi_spe_19651207_common-declaration.html

In 2007, Orthodox (again) acknowledged the Pimacy of the Bishop of Rome (Pope)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_primacy

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America has an interesting article that reflects doctine moving closer between Orthodox and Catholic, and the goal of reuniting the Christian Church.
https://www.goarch.org/-/papal-primacy
 

sawas

Well-Known Member
Speaking for myself, I would have to agree. I once attended a Russian Orthodox Church with a friend and it was definitely a weird and very foreign experience for me. Different from my (also limited) exposure to Catholic Churches...less formal for sure. But, in either case, parishioners seem to be treated like children (rather than brothers & sisters), being subject to ruling mystics in the funny costumes. The icons were definitely creepy.

Oddly, my Orthodox friend once stated that he believed (and may have been taught) that protestants were more similar to Catholics, which made me scratch my head until he explained that we were the "schismatic children of the schismatics who left the One True Church". I started laughing until I realized that was making him mad. :hot
 

Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
Funny because the Orthodox were the ones that left! Although, some Orthodox say the Catholic church's addition of the Filioque to the Nicene Creed was the Catholics' way of leaving beause it violated the Ecclesiastical Council agreement. From a Filioque standpoint, your Orthodox friend is corect... I don't know of any Potestant denominations that have rejected the Filioque.

If one looks at the form of worship (not the doctrine), some Protestant chuches' services are similar to Catholic churches' services. Lutheran liturgies, especially conservative congegations are a good example... but the confessional/conservative Lutherans are still "good little schismatics" from the Catholic church... very sola Scriptura, sola fide, solus Christus, sola gratia, soli Deo gloria ... no monstrous, prayers to the saints, pope, etc.

:armor :pray :bible :pray :amen :knight

:bible Ephesians 6:10-20
 
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Seashell

Active Member
The Orthodox Churches were all started by other Apostles, For example the story of the Ethiopian Church which was started by Phillip is in the Bible. Acts 8:26-40. The Ethiopian Church is the oldest unchanged branch of Christianity in the world today.
 

Armor of Light

Praising my Savior all the day long!
For example the story of the Ethiopian Church which was started by Phillip is in the Bible. Acts 8:26-40.
The story is about an Ethiopian eunuch who was interested in God's word, but did not understand it, because the "Natural man" can not discern the word because he does not have the Spirit. When Philip filled with the Spirit explained the Gospel to him he accepted and believed and got baptized. Then God took Philip away immediately, he did what he was sent to accomplish. If someone wants to be saved , God will send an appointed worker to accomplish His work.
 

Batman

Well-Known Member
Since being born again, I've not understood why denominations have to add rituals and doctrines to the simplicity of the Gospel.
Sin, rebellion, and selfishness are what I believe fuels this, but I think we all also feel like some leave/divide and take bad doctrine, rituals, etc. with them because they did not rightly divide the word and are truly unaware they are wrong in whatever manner of things that should not be added. When they are given the truth and then refuse to agree and repent back to the truth they are now accountable to Christ just as those that always knew what they were doing.
 

Seashell

Active Member
The story is about an Ethiopian eunuch who was interested in God's word, but did not understand it, because the "Natural man" can not discern the word because he does not have the Spirit. When Philip filled with the Spirit explained the Gospel to him he accepted and believed and got baptized. Then God took Philip away immediately, he did what he was sent to accomplish. If someone wants to be saved , God will send an appointed worker to accomplish His work.
True, but that Eunuch is the one who went on and started the Ethiopian Church And Phillip is credited with it. In Lalibella, Ethiopia, Phillip is highly thought of as the one who started their church. So many things to see there and so much Christian history! Churches that were dug from the inside out from rock. Lalibella is a very cool place.
 
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Ghoti Ichthus

Pray so they do not serve alone. Ephesians 6:10-20
De
Since being born again, I've not understood why denominations have to add rituals and doctrines to the simplicity of the Gospel.
Depending on the church, the formal "ritualistic" worship can be traced back to the formal "ritualistic" worship services of the Temple.

Many prefer a formal "ritualistic" worship service because it is orderly, reverent, respectful, and one knows what to expect, when, and this frees the person to listen to God instead of fumble with a handout, etc. Formal doesn't mean meaningless, and it doesn't mean people don't pray to and Commune with God individually. Corporate prayer where the congregation is gathered in Jesus' Name, means two or more are gathered in His name, agreeing/praying about something, and Jesus is among them (Matthew 18:20)
 
Since being born again, I've not understood why denominations have to add rituals and doctrines to the simplicity of the Gospel.
It's in our nature. When Adam and Eve sinned, they made garments of fig leaves to cover their nakedness (literal nakedness and the spiritual nakedness they now possessed). God replaced those man made garments (rituals, tradition, doctrines) with his own garments made of animal skin to cover their nakedness (sin and spiritual depravity). The slaying of an innocent animal covered their sin, just like our sin is covered with the blood of our innocent savior.
 

Seashell

Active Member
Seashell I was wondering if you had time to read the information in the link I provided comparing RCC doctrine/tradition to Biblical Christianity
https://www.raptureforums.com/forum...ism-compared-to-biblical-christianity.137214/
Thank you so much, but I have debated with a Protestant for over a year. I’m not going to on this site, but I have made my peace with this. I know and love and follow Jesus and I think many people from many denominations do as well. God knows what’s in people’s hearts, so it’s his decision.
 

Armor of Light

Praising my Savior all the day long!
Thank you so much, but I have debated with a Protestant for over a year. I’m not going to on this site, but I have made my peace with this. I know and love and follow Jesus and I think many people from many denominations do as well. God knows what’s in people’s hearts, so it’s his decision.
Ok that's cool at least I know where you are coming from, pretty sure the HS informed me where you were. As long as you are following Jesus and not any pope , priest , tradition/man made rules for a relationship with our Holy God and not praying to the dead, the saints, Mary etc. I have great concern for people in RCC, as the Holy Spirit brought me out of that, I was born into it and had no choice until my eyes were opened at the age of 33 by a young man who was Protestant and shared the Gospel with me. And I was really hoping you would at least read the information on that link, it is important enough that it is a permanent link for our site and has been a help to many.
 

SkyRider

Well-Known Member
If one knows that all of that stuff is wrong, why stay in it??? If you don’t know that stuff is wrong, then maybe you lack discernment. When one is born again, the Holy Spirit indwells that person and one’s knowledge of the Word of God is steadily increased - or should be - so that one can readily identify that which is not spritual. The Roman Catholic religion is rife with false doctrine; most of what they force their followers to accept, is, at the very least man- made beliefs. At the very worst, their teachings are satanically inspired. I would strongly reconsider your allegiance to the false doctrines of the papacy. One iis not trusting in Christ if they are accepting and trusting in Rome’s misguided plan of salvation.
 

Armor of Light

Praising my Savior all the day long!
That was my reasoning for posting the comparison link, hoping to shed light, old strong holds are hard to break, I was raised in RCC I was a mess for years spiritually until the Holy Spirit opened my eyes. Jesus did not say to be any denomination or to follow any priest, he said follow ME and I will make you fishers of men. And he also said you MUST be Born Again.
John 31Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. [1] "
 

SkyRider

Well-Known Member
I was raised in the RCC system also. Amazing what one accepts in ignorance when they have no knowledge of the real Truth: worshipping a wafer as Jesus; paying a penalty (penance) for one's own sins; going to a place called Purgatory to purge leftover sins that neither Jesus, nor one's self, nor the RCC could clean up; praying to a false Queen of Heaven; praying to statues of this same “Mary”; calling the pope “Holy Father” and believing a sinful man could be infallible and all the other myriad false doctrines that Rome puts forward for salvation.

Why would anyone want to substitute the false teachings of the papacy instead of placing one's complete faith and trust in the completed work of Christ, as God details to us in His holy, infallible Word?
 
If one knows that all of that stuff is wrong, why stay in it??? If you don’t know that stuff is wrong, then maybe you lack discernment. When one is born again, the Holy Spirit indwells that person and one’s knowledge of the Word of God is steadily increased - or should be - so that one can readily identify that which is not spritual. The Roman Catholic religion is rife with false doctrine; most of what they force their followers to accept, is, at the very least man- made beliefs. At the very worst, their teachings are satanically inspired. I would strongly reconsider your allegiance to the false doctrines of the papacy. One iis not trusting in Christ if they are accepting and trusting in Rome’s misguided plan of salvation.
It is a matter of not hearing the Spirit. He sets us free from all ritual. We are free to pray, free to praise, and free to listen to the Spirit in what He leads us to do, and it's different for each part of the body.

Some men seem to need that structure. But we are spiritual, so it is unnecessary. When the freedom in Christ is handcuffed by structure and ritual, you know there is error.

Nearly all believers do some ritual, but we are arguably directed in only one by Christ, the Lord's supper, for as often as we do it.
 
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