WHY THE EASTERN ORTHODOC CHURCH IS
STILL
THE
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Why do we keep suggesting that the EOC is a Roman Catholic Institution and basically still agrees with the Roman Catholic Church ?
It is important to understand the context within which this question arrises. It comes up because many Eastern Orthodox are actually fans of " within which this question arrises. It comes up because many Eastern Orthodox are actually fans of "moral ambiguity". This is the philosophical perspective that says that all spiritual roads are equally valid and true, and even if a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church cannot prove the history of their church, they believe in the genuiness of their church Sincerely, and this sincerity should be taken at face value.
Unfortunately the fact that according to the Eastern Orthodox Church, that they were a part of the Roman Catholic Church - for their first ONE THOUSAND YEARS, flies in the face of "moral ambiguity".
It is hard for Eastern Orthodox Laymen to hold to the premise of "Moral Ambiguity", when most of the new converts to the EOC are actually from a Protestant (nominal & uncomitted protestants, but still protestants) background.
Those EOC converts do happen to know Many of the problems, both historically and doctrinally - with Roman Catholicism. And so when they are reminded that the EOC was started as a Roman Catholic Institution, developed its doctrines First as a Roman Catholic Institution, and still retains today Most of its Theology which was developed while still Roman Catholic, it makes it very hard for those former protestants (Fake Protestants) to pretend that Nothing is wrong, with the faith or practice of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Unfortunately, even though they have found comfort with "moral ambiguity", (often by internally compromising several standards of exegetical accuracy), reminding them of the Roman Catholic roots of the EOC, also tends to remind them that their is a real God who operates Objectively, and who rewards Truth, and Not Moral Ambiguity nor sincerity.
Ghandhi was sincere. Genghis Khan was sincere. Stalin was sincere. Those who find Eternal life are those who find the Right Truth. Sincerity is only the criteria of the self-deceived. Of course, the first people who are most upset by this statement, are those who have already decided that what God values is "sincerity". No, what God values is Truth.
When we begin to simply list the doctrines of Roman Catholicism and the Doctrines of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and compare them, most of these doctrines have 2 things in common:
1. They agree with each other (Because they both are RCC), and
2. They are in fundamental disagreement not only with the Early Church of the first 400 years of Christianity, but also with the teachings of the Early Roman Catholic Church at that time (around 400).
Based on the Evidence we have studied, based on the claims of the Eastern Orthodox Church, based on the current meetings and cooperation that are taking place currently every month between the RCC and the EOC at the Vatican, and based on the THEOLOGY of the EOC and the RCC, there is an overwhelming basis to Conclude that - in all respects except formal subservience, the Eastern Orthodox Church is the Roman Catholic Church of the East, and Roman Catholic at heart as well.
Next: Why the Eastern Orthodox Church is really Roman Catholic - The Details
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(XOFC Staff)