Choosing between the Greek Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church can be difficult. These two faiths have differences in philosophy and beliefs. It is important to know what the differences are to know which faith is better for you.
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Believe in the Virgin Mary’s great holiness
Throughout the centuries, the Church has emphasized the importance of the Virgin Mary and her great holiness. In fact, the Church teaches a cult of hyperdulia for her. In addition to this, the Church has officially pronounced the doctrine of Original Sin as a dogma of the Church in 1854.
The Blessed Virgin Mary has a special place in the Bible, because of her role as the Mother of Jesus. She was conceived in the perfect holiness of God, and therefore, was never subject to original sin. In fact, her holiness was so great that God exalted her above all the angels.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is also closely associated with the full victory of Christ over the devil on Calvary. This victory includes triumph over sin and death. She continues her mission in God after the Assumption.
The Blessed Virgin Mary and her Son, Jesus Christ, are also compared to the First Adam and Eve. The Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ compare to the First Adam and Eve because they are both conceived in the perfect holiness of the Creator.
Believe in the immaculate conception
Among Christians, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is an Article of Faith. It is the belief that the Virgin Mary was preserved from original sin through the merits of her Divine Son.
According to the Catholic Church, Mary’s sinlessness is an example of God’s perfect plan. Mary was conceived without sin, and she was free of sin for her entire life.
Historically, the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception has roots in Church writings from the 4th century. In the early Church, some theologians had questions about Mary’s conception. Theologians would point to scripture passages to validate cosmic preparation of Mary.
In the 19th century, Pope Pius IX declared the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception as an apostolic constitution. He also called for feedback from worldwide bishops. He was overwhelmingly positive about the results of the study. The apostolic constitution of 1854 was the first time the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was officially defined.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception is not as important as the Incarnation of Jesus. It is not the same as the miraculous conception of Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
Refuse to ordain married men as priests
Traditionally, the Greek Orthodox church has refused to ordain married men as priests. In contrast, the Latin Church has allowed married men to become priests in certain circumstances. In some cases, these men have become bishops.
There are many benefits to allowing married men to be ordained as priests. Married clergymen tend to have a greater concern for worldly matters than their unmarried counterparts. They often have problems with drinking, porn, and sexual misconduct. In addition, many of them struggle with the same sex attraction as their unmarried counterparts.
In addition, the Catholic Church has taken the same approach to priestly marriage as the Orthodox Church before the Trent Council. Before that, clergy were usually excluded from sexual relations.
Some Eastern Catholic bishops have recently reversed their traditional stance. However, there are still problems with the practice. One example is a married bishop who has entered monastic life after his widowhood.
There are also many problems with the modern priesthood in the West. Married clergymen can be workaholics. They can have problems with sexual misconduct and have issues with their children. They can also be expensive.
Believe in the Apocrypha books in their Old Testaments
Throughout the centuries, the Apocalypse books have been at the center of controversy. Some Protestants believe that these books should not be included in the Bible. The Catholic Church has never considered these books to be canonical. However, it has included them in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, the Protestant Reformation changed the way people could access the Bible. In the sixteenth century, theological debates dominated the debate over what is canonical.
The Old Testament is written in Hebrew. However, many of the apocryphal books were written in Greek. Unlike the Hebrew Bible, the Greek version of the Old Testament was written for non-Hebrew speaking Jews. The Greek translation of the Old Testament is called the Septuagint. The Septuagint also contains the Apocalypse.
The Apocrypha was written in Palestine between 300 BC and AD 100. It provides information about the development of immortality and eschatology. However, it also contains historical and chronological errors. The Apocrypha reflects the religious view of late OT times.
