ROMAN CATHOLICISM- DIFFERENCES

MAJOR DIFFERENCES

Let's look in greater depth, keeping in mind the differing spirituality — mystical vs rational

Often summarized in three categories

Development of Doctrine

Faith and Reason

Spirituality

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINEBecause of greater emphasis on rational thinking 
Catholics accepts the idea of progress in its 
understanding of doctrine.

New dogma has been introduced in Catholic Church. A good Catholic today would not necessarily by a good Catholic three hundred years ago.

What does this imply?

Christ only gave a seed of the faith to Apostles and because reason is so valued we can today know more through reason.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINEHow is Orthodoxy opposite to this?

We believe that the knowledge of the Apostles is the highest knowledge, Christ gave them everything necessary.

Ecumenical Councils have preserved what they taught without change.

For Orthodox reason is a tool to live by faith, not a means to know Truth. Can be useful but not necessary.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

OC see faith in cooperation with God's grace, synergia

True theology, truth of God, is not determined by acuity of rational mind but by quality of prayer of heart, a direct knowledge.

Based on spiritual way of knowing.

What are some of the characteristics of this spiritual way?

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINEThis over emphasis on reason leads to an imbalanced spirituality.

It fractures the integral oneness of body, mind and soul nurtured in O spirituality.

We see this in differing art forms
CC use of Renaissance and Baroque art, three dimensional statues. Contrasted to Orthodox iconography.

O try to deliberately lift the viewer above this world, pointing to the heavenly kingdom.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

Also difference in musical style with their emphasis ornateness and inventiveness of composers instead of an emphasis on the texts being delivered,

In early church harmony was forbidden.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

There are innovations in the role of the Pope based on idea of progressive dogma

1. Papal supremacy

Teaching that Pope of Rome has supreme, immediate, ordinary, universal jurisdiction over every Christian

Ruling from Pope cannot be overturned even by a council.

This is clearly found in Council of Vatican 1 in 1870

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINEThis was idea from time of separation from 
Orthodox Church and part of basis of schism.

Pope is seen as the Vicar of Christ and head of whole church.

Implies his supreme and universal primacy, both of honor and of jurisdiction, over the Church of Christ.

Papacy first used this title in the 8th century; earlier they used the title "vicar of Saint Peter" the "vicar of the chief of the apostles".

Orthodoxy rejects papal supremacy, why?

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

Only Christ is head of Church and He does not need any Vicar because He is always present in His Church.

Based on unprovable belief that first Pope was Peter 
and that he was appointed head by Christ.

In Scripture nowhere is Peter called head of Church.

Paul challenged Peter with judaizing and it was James who offered ruling that Peter was wrong nor did Paul need Peter's permission to write his epistle to the Romans.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

Supremacy is confused with primacy

Has position of seniority and honor among equals

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

2. Infallibility of Pope

Pope of Rome is held to be infallible in questions of faith and morals

Defined in Vatican 1 1870.

Held that Pope has gift of Holy Spirit which protects him from heresy.

Even Peter’s infallibility was overruled in Judaizing controversy.

DEVELOPMENT OF DOCTRINE

Their innovations in doctrine imply a different God

Three elements of difference:

Filioque, 
Absolute divine simplicity, 
Created grace.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Filioque

A change made to Creed agreed to by 
whole Church in 4th Century.

Holy Spirt proceeds from Father "and Son."

How does this change the nature of God?

Reduces level of HS in Trinity.

SF

HS

F

S

HS

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Words of Christ Himself. "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me." (John 15:26)

Creed ecumenically ratified at 2nd Council

Agreed in later Council never to Change

Confirmed by several Popes

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Not just words. What would you forecast implications for spirituality?

Impacts prayer life and role of HS in the church.

Dynamic spiritual life is replaced by legalism, rule orientation that "kills, but Spirit gives life," (2Cor 3.6)

Eliminates idea of theosis changing path to salvation.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Absolute Divine Simplicity

C emphasizes a philosophical doctrine of 
absolute simplicity, an idea defining 
God like a substance with undifferentiated singularity, no facets, aspects, or distinctions. (Fourth Lateran Council 1215, Vatican 1 1870)

Essence of God is same as His attributes, what man can say about Him.

Minimizes differentiation of three persons and their distinct role and notion of God having essence and uncreated energies.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

OC agree that God does not have parts but sees God as three Persons with one essence, not a substance.

In addition to essence we experience His divine uncreated energies which are not attributes but God himself.

“Essence and energy are not totally identical in God, 
even though He is entirely manifest in every energy, 
His essence being indivisible.” Gregory Palamas

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Why is this central to Orthodox for salvation?

Man can know God and be united with Him through His energies.

As Jesus says it is through purity of heart one may see God. (Matt 5.8)

Idea of theosis foreign to C. They place emphasis on defining God's nature rather than experiencing God as three Persons.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

Created Grace

C teaches that there is created grace, created effects from God, given to man.

They reside in the human person and become a quality of his nature.

Granted by God can give merit to believer.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

OC sees grace as uncreated energies of God and represents the actual presence of God in the believer, not an attribute.

Believer is sanctified by grace and with synergy God and man work together to do His will.

God is alive within.

There is nothing in personhood of believer that sanctifies himself.

A DIFFERENT GOD?

In West, grace tends to be viewed as something unnatural to human nature, something added or superimposed onto our nature by God so we can be saved. 

Catholics call it donum superadditum, i.e. a super-added gift.  Suggesting that grace might be something created. 

In Orthodoxy, grace is our natural condition; makes us truly human precisely because it is God’s uncreated energies.  We are only really human as God created us when we participate in His grace.

SALVATION

Salvation

C understanding of sin differs, how it effects man 
and how he is saved.

C teaches that original sin with its guilt is transmitted to descendants of Adam and Eve through sexual reproduction.

Christ paid price for original sin and our sins must be punished

Salvation comes after a period in purgatory 
where we are punished for our sins.

SALVATION

OC teaches that we are only guilty our own sins.

Why do we sin?

Because we are human and because of fall of Adam we are capable of sin — ancestral sin, need healing. Are separated from God.

Christ came to renew mankind, to heal, showing path to union.

SALVATION

For OC sin means missing the mark, acting 
without awareness of God.

not seen in legalistic way as breaking a law that 
we must be punished for. Our soul needs 
healing to be reunited to Him.

We strive continually seeking Gods grace and to become one with Him, fully healed.

MERITS AND SATISFACTION Merit and Satisfaction, purgatory and indulgences

Because C understands sin in legal terms, sin is viewed as a debt or crime against God.

Even if forgiven one still has to pay for them. God requires satisfaction for guilt and debt owed God

Believer has to merit salvation and pay temporal punishment due in purgatory which can be lessened by obtaining indulgences.

Salvation is primarily a matter of satisfying God and avoiding punishment

MERITS AND SATISFACTION

An indulgence is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins"

“a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints"

recipient of an indulgence must perform an action to receive it.

MERITS AND SATISFACTION

Draw on treasury of merit accumulated by Christ's superabundantly meritorious sacrifice on the Cross and the virtues and penances of the saints.

By late Middle Ages, the abuse of indulgences had become a serious problem which the Church recognized but was unable to restrain effectively.

Target of attacks by Martin Luther and all other Protestant theologians.

MERITS AND SATISFACTION

“When a person sins, he acquires certain liabilities: the liability of guilt and the liability of punishment."

A mortal sin (one that is grave, or serious, in nature and is committed knowingly and freely) is equivalent to refusing friendship with God and communion with the only source of eternal life.

The Sacrament of Penance removes the guilt and the liability of eternal punishment related to mortal sin but temporal punishment of sin remains.

MERITS AND SATISFACTION every sin, including venial sin (a non mortal sin), is a turning away from God through what the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls an unhealthy attachment to creatures, an attachment that must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called purgatory.

The process of sanctification and interior renewal requires not only forgiveness from the guilt (culpa) of sin, but also purification from the harmful effects or wounds of sin."

The temporal punishment that follows sin is thus undergone either during life on earth or in purgatory.

indulgences relieve only the temporal punishment resulting from the effect of sin

MERIT AND SATISFACTION

OC does not emphasize debt or teach any such complex system of satisfaction, merit, and indulgences.

For OC what happens in Confession?

forgiveness in Confession cancels out any kind of 
punishment. 
Is no temporal punishment for sins that are forgiven.

What is needed is a reorientation of person so he functions differently. He needs healing not punishment. He receives guidance.

MERIT AND SATISFACTIONC can miss dominant understanding of Salvation in Scripture as healing

Greek word "σῴζω" is translated to save which also literally means to heal.

With legalistic mind, personal change is de-emphasized instead do prescribed action to earn indulgence.

OC teaches no one can merit salvation.

Not Christ's legal merit that saves us but our participation in Him.

IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY

Immaculate Conception of Mary

C says Mary was preserved from stain of original sin 
when conceived so she would be pure so 
she could give her ascent to Gabriel.

Therefore her holiness is not due to her.

OC believe all humankind are free to choose God because of free will. Mary is supreme example. She had same tendency to sin as any other human.

OC teaches Mary was was purified at Annunciation by HS.

SACRAMENTAL VALIDITYC understands sacraments in terms of categories of validity. If certain requirements are met then a sacrament is considered valid.

For example: Two sacraments are delayed in C: 
Holy Communion and Chrismation

Holy Communion given to only to those above a certain 
age. ~ 7. Confirmation (Chrismation) delayed until teens.

Based on idea must have rational understanding to receive sacraments

Emphasis is individual, rite of passage, rather than becoming part of spiritual community, the a Body of Christ.

SACRAMENTAL VALIDITY

Adoration of Eucharist outside act of communion.

Priest or deacon removes the sacred host from the tabernacle and places it in the Monstrance on the Altar for adoration by the faithful.

Often have special adoration chapels

Treats Eucharist as an object instead 
of an action

OC does not remove Eucharist from context of communion.

SACRAMENTAL VALIDITY

C allows ecclesiastical lines to be crossed even if no formal communion.

OC - HC only possible within ecclesiastical communion.

O can only partake from O clergy. O clergy can only give to OC.

SACRAMENTAL VALIDITY

Sacramental validity makes annulment of 
marriage possible because of technicality for C.

A deacon can perform service of marriage.

Couples are regarded as ministers of this sacrament, it's a legal contract, so can be rendered invalid if some technical requirement not fulfilled.

For O it's work of HS bringing about a mystical 
union of two souls.

ROMAN CATHOLICISM- DIFFERENCES

Numerous differences.

Implications?