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3 days ago · Eastern Orthodoxy, one of the three major doctrinal and jurisdictional groups of Christianity. It is characterized by its continuity with the apostolic church, its liturgy, and its territorial churches.
- John Meyendorff
The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 230 million baptised members.
- Development of doctrine. Perhaps the most important difference between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches is their approach to doctrine itself.
- Faith and reason. The Roman Catholic church places reason at a much higher level in the spiritual life of the Christian than the Orthodox Church. Pope John Paul II calls faith and reason “two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth”.
- Liturgical revision. At one time, liturgical worship in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches looked almost identical. But throughout the last 70-80 years, the Roman Catholic church has seen significant changes in its liturgical life.
- Papal Supremacy. Papal supremacy is the teaching that the Pope of Rome has immediate, supreme, universal jurisdiction over every Christian. In effect, he is the physical head of the Church.
May 31, 2023 · In the phrase “Roman Catholic,” Catholic refers to the worldwide collection of churches in the Catholic tradition. “Eastern” refers to the geographical area of the Orthodox tradition, whose capital was Constantinople. The “Western” church refers to Roman Catholicism, whose capital was Rome.
Mar 24, 2024 · Orthodox theologians argue that the Pope’s authority as defined by the Catholic Church undermines the collegiality of bishops and the unity of the Church. Additionally, Orthodox theologians see the Pope’s claim to universal jurisdiction as an obstacle to reunion between the two Churches.
The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church have been in a state of official schism from one another since the East–West Schism of 1054. This schism was caused by historical and language differences, and the ensuing theological differences between the Western and Eastern churches.
Orthodox Christians understand the word “catholic” word to mean “whole, complete, lacking in nothing.” Hence, when we say “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church,” we mean that the one, holy, and apostolic Church is “whole, complete, and lacking in nothing.”
