FatherGiryus
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Mary, my sense is that we Orthodox see the Magisterium of Rome as the 'lynch pin' of Roman Catholic teachings. There is a single point of reference, a single authority, for all teachings.
This has given the RCC the ability to conduct major changes in theology and practice in a very brief period of time, such as the Novo Ordo, which the Orthodox Church simply could never do even if a majority of the bishops resolved to do just that. Our diversification of authority, through the notion of common Apostolic succession to all bishops, prevents such changes.
For this reason, we tend to look at RCC tradition as a dictate of the Magisterium. All saints, all writings, all teachings come through this single entity, whereas Orthodox teachings come from a consensus perspective: we don't have a single interpretive office.
Now, there may be particulars in how that single office conducts business, and I imagine that given the size and history of the Vatican makes even small changes rather difficult, but they are certainly easier to accomplish than getting a room full of Russians and Greeks to sit down and agree to anything!
olice:
This has given the RCC the ability to conduct major changes in theology and practice in a very brief period of time, such as the Novo Ordo, which the Orthodox Church simply could never do even if a majority of the bishops resolved to do just that. Our diversification of authority, through the notion of common Apostolic succession to all bishops, prevents such changes.
For this reason, we tend to look at RCC tradition as a dictate of the Magisterium. All saints, all writings, all teachings come through this single entity, whereas Orthodox teachings come from a consensus perspective: we don't have a single interpretive office.
Now, there may be particulars in how that single office conducts business, and I imagine that given the size and history of the Vatican makes even small changes rather difficult, but they are certainly easier to accomplish than getting a room full of Russians and Greeks to sit down and agree to anything!
elijahmaria said:Nice cartoon but it doesn't say much about any Catholic reality.Irish Hermit said:I am not asserting it personally. This is what we are told frequently on this forum by Catholic members. Go back and find a thread on limbo, to take one example.J Michael said:
1. So you are saying that all Catholic utterances, in word or print, unless part of the magisterium, are worthless? Kinda sounds that way. That's quite an assertion!!
The Orthodox often forget the importance of the Magisterium for Catholics.
1. The Orthodox receive their faith through the transmission of the sacred Tradition which takes a variety of forms. Bishops, priests and laity alike are all guardians of the Tradition and must be obedient to it.
2. Catholics on the other hand are expected to be submissive to the Magisterium and to its official Magisterial teachings. Whatever of their tradition has not been codified into a Magisterial teaching is really nothing more than what the Orthodox might call theologoumena-opinion. Up until the Bull Munificentissimus Deus Catholics were quite entitled to deny that Mary the Mother of God was assumed into heaven, just as they had been able to deny she was immaculately conceived. Ditto for the Pope's infallibility - until 1870 nobody really knew if he were infallible or not.
I have learnt this major difference between our Churches in the way we approach the faith the hard way. I instinctively fall into the error of thinking that Catholics are subject to Tradition and I have often written of their traditional beliefs as if they are a certain part of their faith. In the absence of a magisterial teaching they are not. They are only an interim belief/opinion on which you cannot place much reliance.
I think I have written about this here previously? Teachings which have been taught and believed for centuries as part of Tradition within Catholicism may be annulled and superseded by subsequent teachings and definitions.
There actually is a great gulf between our Churches on this matter. The certainty of our faith is grounded in our Tradition,. The certainty of the Roman Catholic faith is grounded in magisterial statements. In other words, the faith is effectively taken out of the hands of the Church as a whole. The faithful are disenfranchised and the faith is posited in the hands of a small elite group known as "the Magisterium." I frankly would not wish to be in communion with a Church which has this disjunct between its upper echelon and the great majority of its members.
If it entertains then I suppose there's no real harm done.