Orthodoxy through another perspective

[John Charmley]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I came across this the other say:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.equip.org/articles/the-eastern-orthodox-church">http://www.equip.org/articles/the-easte ... dox-church</a><!-- m -->

It offers an interesting perspective on the EO Churches, but also, by externsion (and implication) on our own. I thought it might be worth our discussing.

This:

Quote:As we?ve seen, despite this bewildering variety of views, Orthodox scholars agree that certain teachings and practices are not apostolic. Ware asserts, "Not everything received from the past is of equal value, nor is everything received from the past necessarily true. As one of the bishops remarked at the Council of Carthage in 257 ?The Lord said, I am the truth. He did not say, I am the custom.?"32

Rather than sorting through its heritage, the Orthodox church has preferred to hide behind the claim that the Holy Spirit guards it from errors. Hence, they fail to argue their claims effectively, whether historically or theologically. Moreover, Orthodox theologians avoid systematic formulation of their teachings, choosing instead a different approach to theology than that of Western Christianity.

seems a useful place to start, but I would encourage everyone to read the whole report.

Something of its tone can be divied from its conclusion:

Quote:Although it is clear from Peter Gillquist?s writings that he and his colleagues do not have a clear understanding of the Orthodox faith in its complexity, their claims to have discovered the true apostolic faith can mislead others, whose search for religious experience is influenced by limited knowledge and the current American hunger for mystical realities. A close look at Orthodoxy can help both the sincere searchers and the Orthodox churches themselves to avoid adding members to a romanticized, idealized church of the Western imagination rather than the real Orthodox churches.

But in an Forum where we have many enquirers, it may be a good thing for us to see how we answer some of these points. There is, I suspect, a deal in what it says about a 'romanticised, idealised' Church.

That said, I would hope the reality of the BOC will more than stand up to examination; it needs to be experienced, and one of the BOC's strengths is that it is not offering an idealised or romaticised and slightly exotic experience, it is offering Orthodoxy within a British ethos.

Yes, we do not offer the same theological paradigm which developed in the West, although anyone familiar with Catholic theology will recognised that it is taking on board insights from the Fathers; welcome as this is, Orthodoxy never lost sight of them.

Well, enough from me for now, and I'd invite our members to look at the pieace and continue with the discussion.

In Christ,

John