I was recently asked to explain the “exclusivity” of the Orthodox Church, namely what it meant for and how it applied to the average “adherent” of Christianity. This is a subject that tends to become more complicated than it needs to be, and is actually quite simple when understood within its proper context and application.…
Today, Reason & Theology, a YouTube show largely focused around disproving Eastern Orthodoxy, co-hosted the infamous Latin Priest and Scholar, Fr. Dr. Richard Price, Professor of the History of Christianity at Heythrop College in London and Priest within the Archdiocese of Westminster. Many theologians and students of history may already be familiar with Fr. Price’s…
It has been no long-held secret that the Latin tradition has overwhelmingly administered Communion under one kind or “species” to its laity. In fact, this practice has become so pervasive throughout the last several hundred years that even the Eastern Uniate Rites, or as a few like to call themselves, “Orthodox in communion with Rome,”…
Round and round and round we go. How many times has the Filioque been regarded as the focus of debate between the Orthodox East and the Roman West? Easy answer: Too many times to count. Though many between both Traditions seem to have found common ground on the issue, there are still polemicists that exist…
While the Orthodox Church and the Roman Church continue to have critical issues dividing our communions, I wanted to hearken back to the time when Constantinople and Rome mutually dropped excommunications (“into oblivion”) pronounced against each other and their respective communions. While we are no longer under mutual excommunication, nor under communication, it would appear…
For the Orthodox, the Council in Trullo (Quinisext Council) is considered ecumenical and is, in turn, added on as an addendum to the fifth and sixth Ecumenical Councils of the Church. While the East approved this Council and it’s related Canons (many of which were reiterations of previous ecumenical canons), it is well-known, according to…
The Catholic Encyclopedia of 1914 is widely considered to be the “most comprehensive resource on Catholic teaching, history, and information ever gathered in all of human history.” As I was reading through it this morning, I landed upon an interesting piece of information within the “Sign of the Cross” section of the document. While I…
“Conciliarity” is a term that Orthodox favor and hail regularly. We are “conciliar,” the Orthodox say. While we do have a first among our Primates in Constantinople, we still understand that Christ our God is the Supreme Head of the Church, even over he who is entrusted over the prime See. As such, we also…
Within Orthodox circles in the West, there seems to be a long lost understanding of what had constituted Rome, Constantinople, and the Roman Empire as a whole during the majority of the first millennium. What has become quite concerning is the overwhelming suggestion and maintenance of Constantinople as a separate and individual See, historically seemingly…
As we approach the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, there is no shortage of articles outlining praises and critiques of this great event. There is no doubt that the Reformation marks a pivotal time in history, especially in western Church history. It is the subject of much study, and rightfully so. This overarching event led…
