Do you believe that it would be better if the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church was ONE again?

Question

As it was before the "Great Schism" in 1054.

Answer 1

I think it would be better if the RC, Orthodox and Anglican were all back together again. We have all been working on that, with dialogs between the different branches. There have been some positive agreements. I don't know that it will ever happen in my lifetime. As to Roman, they will have to give up somethings such as the Idea that the Bishop of Rome is head of the church. He was meant to be "first among equals" and never the 'head'. Both of the others will have to come into the 21 century as to women before the Anglicans will be on-board. Ya, I know we have that gay bishop thing, but let's not talk about that right now.

PS. I see that Jeff needs to study his church history a bit more!! He is wrong.

Answer 2

they never were together, and you're talking about the protestant church anyway not the orthodox church, and the protestant church now encompasses so many denominations that it's impossible for them to even get together, actually it would have been better to begin with if the catholic church were never created because all it is is a centralized system of control that was really in control of everything up until the great schism, you think God intended for the world to be run by a church?? i doubt it, christianity would have a lot more followers if they didn't have so many belligerant rednecks and italians scaring everybody off, catholics are the worst kind of christian in my personal opinion, oh and the great schism was way later than 1054 moron

Answer 3

Of course.

"The Catholic Church embraces with hope the commitment to ecumenism as a duty of the Christian conscience enlightened by faith and guided by love…Jesus himself, at the hour of his Passion, prayed 'that they may all be one' (John 17:21)." -- Pope John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint, May 25, 1995.

The Catholic Church already has the following open dialogs with her sister Churches:

- The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation
- The Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops
- The Oriental Orthodox-Roman Catholic Consultation
- The Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue
- The Anglican-Roman Catholic Consultation USA
- The Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue
- Roman Catholic-Reformed Consultation
- The United Methodist-Catholic Dialogue
- Southern Baptist Convention-Catholic Dialogue
- The Evangelical-Catholic Dialogue
- Faith and Order Commission, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
- Consultation with the National Council of Synagogues
- Consultation with the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

For them to be ONE is not necessarily where they should be; they could be one in Satan. (I am not sure what the writer means by 'Great Schism of 1054'. Could their schism with God's word have occurred well before 1054?

May you receive a large pleasant surprise today to God's glory!!!

Answer 5

Yes, for me ONE again seems to have the same religious calendar (to not Cricificate Jesus Christ for two times on an year)
To celebrate together the religious calendar, like brothers , on earth can be for the goodness of menkind, and the joy of God.
The mass are the same, one is more singing than others.

Answer 6

Hello,
I believe that you need to study what "romns_1_1..." had to say. He seems to know about the Lord's Church on earth. The main thing that I would like to add is that I personally attend a Church of Christ in Ohio and we use only the BIBLE to find our Worship and Study material. GOD wrote all that we needed. We were told not to add to or take from HIS WORD, yet the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are doing so each and every year. They are not practicing what Jesus' Followers told us to do in the BIBLE. Please read and study everything that "romns_1_1..." wrote and see what you think.

To become a real Christian, we are told that we must HEAR the WORD in John 6:45, Jesus said, “It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.” We are also told so in Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. We are told the we must BELIEVE in Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We are also told so in Mark 16:16, Jesus said “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” and in John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. We are told that we must REPENT (or turn from sin) in Luke 13:3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Also in Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent. We are told to CONFESS CHRIST in Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. We are also told in 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. We are to be BAPTIZED according to Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” and Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. We are to CONTINUE to be FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH according to Revelation 2:10c Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. We also know that Paul wrote in Romans 14:12 each of us shall give account of himself to God. It is important that we not ignore what is written, change what is written, or add to what is written in the New Testament which is our Christian Guide. Have a great day!
Eds

Answer 7

No...

Christ adds you to his Church once you obey the gospel if it is for the right reasons:

Church of Christ Romans 16:16 the church you find in the NT.

Read below to see what defines that Church (did not have enough room to talk about how we should worship in that Church see links for that) also check out the links too.

All man made religions are not authorized by God.

"(2Co 6:17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."

"(1Pe 4:11) If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

"(1Co 3:11) For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

"(Mat 15:13) But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."

Denominations causes division.

"Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Co 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1Co 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
(1Co 1:13) Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"

Jesus says to Peter that he will build his Church in Mat. 16:18.

Notice that Christ did not say that he would build churches. So we are not authorized to name a church after and act of grace or a mans name or anything else, but only Christ.

"(Col 3:17) And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

"(Rom 16:16) Salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you."

"Christ purchased the Church with his own blood according to Acts 20:28."
Does he not deserve to have his name as owning the Church?

In Eph. 1:22-23 that the body is the Church.

"(Col 1:18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."

"(Eph 4:4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;"

"(Eph 4:5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

(Eph 4:6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

"(Eph 5:23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body."

The only way to be saved is to be a member of his body or Church. Also it says that Christ is the husband of the Church. What husband does not want his wife to take on his name?

How do we become part of the body or Church?

"(1Co 12:13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

Act's 2 is when the Church was first started.

"(Act 2:38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

"(Act 2:41) Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

"(Act 2:47) Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

We are added to the Church and our sins are forgiven when we obey the Gospel, which is defined in 1 Cor 15:1-4 which consists of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

"(1Pe 3:20) Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."

"(1Pe 3:21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:"

"(Joh 3:5) Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

"(Act 22:16) And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

"(Tit 3:5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,"


For those that say pray the sinner's prayer:

"(1Pe 3:12) For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."

If you are unrighteous he will not hear you till you obey the Gospel Romans 1:16.

"(Mat 7:21) Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.

(Mat 7:22) Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works?

(Mat 7:23) And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"

You have to do the will of the Father.

"(Jam 2:14) What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?"

Gal 3:26-27 We put on Christ when we are baptized.

Romans 6:4 Buried with Christ in baptism.

Leave the shackles of man made religion and be only a Christian.

(Joh 8:32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

http://www.gbntv.org
http://www.searchingfortruth.org
http://www.apologeticspress.org
This is an excellent book on-line of how we got the Bible http://www.apologeticspress.org/pdfs/e-books_pdf/hdyk.pdf