Is the pope unaware that the Eastern Orthodox is as equally old as the Catholics?

Question

The former did not "branch off" of the latter. It was an even split in the 11th century. So is he uneducated and ignorant, or just manipulative and deceptive?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_re_eu/pope_other_christians

Answer 1

*Is Catholic*

Yes the Pope is fully aware that the Orthodox are just as old (not all are as old as the Roman Church though) which is why the document in question goes at great length to praise the Orthodox for keeping apostolic orders, a true Eucharist, and being true Churches, even if they are wounded by a lack of unity.

Of course you would have known this if you would have read the document instead of relying on the media which doesn't know squat about religion.

The Russian Orthodox Church actually praised the Catholic Church for this document!

The Russian Orthodox church commended the text for its "unmistakable stance" and emphasized that it showed "how close together and how far apart we are". The document was a called a requirement for "honest theological dialog". Appreciated was also the statement regarding Apostolic succession of the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches. (Kath.net )

Answer 2

If you were to ask me, what is the Roman Catholic Church today didn't exist until 1054 AD, when Rome was excommunicated from the Church by the 4 eastern Patriarchs. As far as I'm concerned, the moment Rome changed their doctrine for the first time, they ceased to be the One Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. The addition of the filioque changed their doctrine, and their doctrine has continued to change since then (Papal Infallibility, for instance, and their doctrine of Original Sin didn't exist in the early Church).

To me, what defines a Church are it's beliefs. Once those beliefs change, it ceases to be the Church it was and becomes something else. From this standpoint, the Roman Catholic church isn't much older than the Protestant churches. It's only as old as the last time it changed its doctrine.

The Pope, though, probably says the same about the Orthodox - that our Church only dates back to 1054 and we are heretical.

The difference between claims here, of course, is that one cannot find legitimate historical evidence to support the claim that the Eastern Orthodox have ever changed their doctrine. There is, however, historical evidence in the written form by Roman Patriarchs which support the Orthodox claim that Rome changed her doctrine. (Pope Leo's statement rejecting the filioque in 808 A.D., for example).

Quite ironically, Papal Infallibility really states that the Popes of Rome have all anathematized each other, since they don't all agree on their doctrines through the ages.

Answer 3

The Orthodox church is in schism. It broke away from the one , true, Roman Catholic Church and from the Vicar of Christ (the Rock of Peter) who is the Pope. Thus the Orthodox church is flawed and cannot offer salvation as it is not the true Church of Christ. So the Pope is none of the names you call him. He merely reasserted the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church. This dogma that the RC Church is the one true Church has been said by many Popes and saints before him. It is a dogma which cannot be changed by anyone.

Answer 4

No, the Pope is fully aware that the Eastern Orthodox is equally as old as Catholicism.

But we broke apart on issues of doctrine. They believe they are more correct and we believe we are more correct.

Here is the full text of the new document that states nothing new: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congre...

Most Christian denominations believe that each of them is the fullest version of the Church of Christ.

While the Catholic Church also believes that she is "the highest exemplar" of the mystery that is the Church of Christ, she does not claim that non-Catholic Churches are not truly Christian. The Catholic Church teaches:

Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements.

Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church.

All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him.

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

The Roman Catholic Church was formed in the year 1054 when The pope committed two heresies. Before this time There Was only the Orthodox Church.

The Roman Catholic Church and their departure from Orthodoxy is most clearly seen by realizing that they are uncanonical and heretical by going against the Third Ecumenical Council by adding to the Nicene (Constantinoplean) Creed. The Roman Catholics recite the Creed as saying that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, whereas the Creed actually states (as does John 15:26) that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone (this is removed from the Roman Catholic Bible). This addition to the Creed was spoken against by Pope Leo in 808 A.D., who had the Creed, without the addition, inscribed on silver tablets. But the addition was later reintroduced by other popes and accepted as correct practice and defended by them for almost 1000 years.

As to their doctrine of papal infallibility, if the above example does not raise sufficient questions of that doctrine’s validity, then there is the fact that the Sixth Ecumenical Council anathematized one of the popes, Pope Honorius. This council is now and always has been accepted as valid by the Roman Catholics. In addition, their doctrine of papal authority over the whole Church is proved false by one of their own popes, who is also a saint, St. Gregory the Great. He wrote in the sixth century that no bishop (which includes the pope) ought to call himself universal (as the popes now call themselves "Universal Pontiffs") because all bishops are equal in authority (parenthetical statements are the author’s). This was written at a time when the Church in Rome was still Orthodox. The pope cannot be the head of the Church, as the popes term themselves, for Christ is the Head of the Church. Neither can the pope be Christ’s vicar, for that would necessitate that Christ was no longer present in the world, since "vicar" means "substitute" or "representative."

The apostles ordered the Church with each bishop equal in authority, a tradition which the Orthodox Church has kept. Indeed, at the council in Jerusalem described in Acts 15, it was the Apostle James who presided, not St. Peter-clear evidence that the apostles did not interpret the words in Matt. 16:18 as later popes have interpreted them. The Holy Fathers from the beginning have always understood the passage, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church (Matt. 16:18), to mean that Christ would build His Church on Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. The present day Roman Catholic interpretation of that verse came much later in Church history. St. Peter in his epistles makes no claim to supremacy, and neither did any of the early popes. The supremacy of the pope, the involvement of the popes in world governments, power struggles, wars, with their own armies, and in plots for or against worldly leaders and peoples are all clearly in opposition to the practice delivered to the Church by the holy apostles, and contrary to the example of humility given to us by Christ.

Answer 6

Pope Benedict....the name fits him. Some even speculate that he is the anti-christ. There should be a mass showing of the movie Dogma at the vatican, and George Carlin himself can host it. He was a catholic, until he reached the age of reason.

Answer 7

oh no. The Pope is still fuming. He Lost the Eastern Church to Greeks who dont shave and he lost Germany and the Nordic Countries to Germans. He's pissed. Oh he's pissed

Answer 8

The pope is dim witted, blind to reality on a whole bunch of things, now he is saying all other religions are fake..

Answer 9

It doesn't matter I suppose. Everyone wants to be right. And you're right. It was an equal split.Even worse? it was over whether to speak Greek or Latin in service!!

Answer 10

The office of the pope is man-made....and therefore flawed.

Yet another reason to reject catholicism......and accept the Lord Jesus Christ.

Anyone who trusts in that system needs to re-evaluate their beliefs.....and turn to the Lord in repentance