If you are looking for a new faith or would like to know more about the Catholic Church, it’s important to understand how orthodox Christians view the church. Some of the issues that people have to face when considering becoming Catholic are the authority of the Pope, the Nicene Creed, the indissolubility of marriage and the New Testament. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to help you make a decision.
Table of Contents
Orthodox Christians believe that the Pope is the first and foremost among the leaders of the Church. While not all orthodox bishops have the same authority, the Pope is still the leader of the most influential branch of Christianity.
The Papacy is a magnificent gift for the Church. It was given to the Church by Christ as a means to help assure the unity of the Church. However, the concept of a Papacy is much more complex than meets the eye.
The role of the Pope as the leader of the Christian community is not the same as his role as a Patriarch of the Latin Church. Although the two roles are often confused, the Papacy exists for the well-being of the Catholic Church, not to serve as an autocratic dictator.
A central theme in the Orthodox faith is the importance of conciliarity, a term used to describe the relationship of the Church to its bishops. Conciliarity is not to be understood as an allegiance to the central authority, but rather a unity of the Church.
The indissolubility of marriage
For Orthodox Christians, the indissolubility of marriage is an important doctrine. It is a foundation for understanding the relationship of the spouses to the Divine Trinity. This doctrine has also been elucidated throughout the centuries.
There are many ecumenical questions regarding the Church’s teaching on divorce. Many people are concerned with the possibility that the Church may allow divorced people to receive sacraments. In fact, even firm believers wonder whether the Church can accept divorced individuals to sacraments.
The Christian Church has always taken this issue seriously. Jesus has emphasized the permanence and indissolubility of marriage. He distanced himself from the practice of divorce in the Old Testament.
Today, the modern mentality does not consider marriage in a sacramental sense. Some young people feel the need to have a lasting relationship in keeping with the spiritual nature of a human person.
However, this desire can be fulfilled only through a union rooted in the divine life. Marriage is a gift of the Creator, and is directed to the good of the spousal relationship and to the children.
The New Testament
Orthodox Christians hold high regard for the Holy Scriptures. They also believe that the Holy Spirit is an essential part of the Trinity. However, they differ greatly from Roman Catholics in a number of important ways.
The Bible is a collection of books, which contain God’s revelation to the ancient Hebrews. These books cover the history of the Jewish people and prophecies of the Messiah. It is therefore important to understand the context of these writings.
Aside from being a collection of various literary styles, the Bible is considered the Word of God. The Old Testament serves as an introduction to the New Testament. Many Orthodox theologians argue that there are many metaphors in the Bible that can help Christians understand salvation.
While the Bible is indeed a great source of information, it does not contain all the answers. There are numerous documents that circulated in Christian communities before the advent of the Bible. Among these are Gospel accounts, epistles, and a variety of other materials. Some of these documents were read out loud in congregations, and others referred to the Scriptures.
The Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed is an important statement of Christian orthodoxy. It is used as the standard of Christian faith in most mainline Protestant denominations, as well as in the Orthodox Church and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief in the Trinity. Originally, it was composed in AD 325. It was written as part of the process of ecumenical councils. Several ecumenical councils were held during this period, and the first one was the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea.
Eventually, the Nicene Creed was expanded at the Second Ecumenical Council in Constantinople in AD 381. The wording of the Creed changed to “Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son.” This change became official in the Roman Catholic Church in 1274.
Some people believe that the filioque clause is a part of the Nicene Creed. Others consider it to be a scribal fix. However, most Christians agree that the Nicene Creed is the final ecumenical statement.
