Orthodox Need to Reject Unity With Catholics

There is a lot of buzz about various efforts on the behalf of Pope Benedict XVI to create some type of unity with the Eastern Orthodox churches.

The Orthodox, however, need to study their Bibles and resist such efforts.

It is commonly taught that the two main doctrinal issues separating the two churches are:

1. The filioque clause that the Roman Catholics teach, but that the Orthodox do not (please see article Binitarian View).

2. A difference of opinion on how much authority that the Bishop of Rome should be able to exercise.

However, there are many more. Notice:

1. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, reject the Catholic notion of purgatory.

2. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, number the ten commandments as they originally were and not as the Roman Catholics number them.

3. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, believe that God has a plan of salvation (please see article Apocatastasis) that can occur at the time of the final judgment, the Roman Church rejects the idea that salvation can be available after the first death (please see the article on Catholic and COG Beliefs).

4. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, do not believe that God’s plan will result in most being lost or that it is a plan of terrorism. This differs from the Roman Catholic view of eternal torment.

5. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, believe in baptism by immersion. The Roman Catholics usually employ sprinkling.

6. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, believe in “the responsible use of contraception within marriage”. The Roman Catholic position is far more limiting.

7. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, reject “the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin”. That is a Roman Catholic dogma.

8. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, agree that “the final goal at which every Christian must attain: to become god”. The Roman Catholic teaching in this area is less than clear.

9. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, teach that presbyters (which they call “priests” but the COG calls “elders”) can be married. The Roman Church requires celibacy for all presbyters, even though that was not its original position (please see the article Was Celibacy Required for Early Presbyters?)

10. The Eastern Orthodox, like the Church of God, teach that “Christians must always be ‘People of the Book’ “. Yet, throughout history, the Church of Rome has tended to place more emphasis on non-biblical sources for much of its doctrines.

While there are certain ceremonial similarities (as well as differences) between the Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, if the Orthodox really wish to become “the people of the book” they need to reject all non-biblical doctrines and not enter into greater unity with Rome.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Churches of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Pope Benedict XVI and Orthodox Patriarch Want Unity But at least one Catholic prophecy predicting this unity shows that the Pope will rule in such an unified group.