Recently a reader asked about the Catholic Fundamentalism position on the Greek Orthodox.
In a nutshell, the Catholic Fundamentalism position on the Greek Orthodox denomination is:
The Eastern Orthodox Church is the oldest surviving Protestant denomination. Many think the phrase “Close, but no cigar.” seems to describe it. Since it does not recognize Papal authority, it is not following Christ’s organizational plan that He expressed succinctly in “Thou are Peter, and on this rock I build My Church.” Since it does not recognize Christ’s authority in this matter, it is in schism.
As a result of what may seem to be a comparatively mild heresy, the Orthodox Church territories have been thoroughly ravaged. The first big wave of destruction came from the Moslems, who ransacked much of their empire. Later, Communists took over their churches and lands in Russia.
For years, the entire nation of Greece, homeland of the Greek Orthodox, has been on welfare. Funds for its national survival are provided with increasing reluctance by Catholic and more modern Protestant taxpayers in Western Europe. “Will the Greeks ever do anything right? They are such a drain!” complain those forced to subsidize their economic incompetence while writing the endless checks that keep the homeland of the Greek Orthodox afloat.
While God does not appear to have completely abandoned the Greek Orthodox, He certainly has not showered them with as many blessings as have been poured out on the Roman Catholic Church, like the Western Hemisphere. The Greed Orthodox give little indication of noticing.
The root of the problem seems to be the vanity that makes it hard for them to fully understand The Trinity. To them, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit must be re-defined. They avoid having the Son be equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
So, they’re off base at the heart of their faith. The same vanity that keeps them from recognizing Papal Authority keeps them from the clear view of God that’s necessary for complete understanding of Him and His Creation. Their earthly problems reflect the spiritual and intellectual clarity that can only be provided to those with enough humility to obey Christ’s clear injunction, “Thou art Peter, and on this rock Church.”
Of course, since they’ve convinced themselves that Christ is not a co-equal part of The Trinity, they can ignore His promotion of Peter, and Peter’s successors, to the Kingship of The True Church.
It may be that the Greeks have been mad at God and His world since uppity Romans, whom the Greeks believed to be inferior to them in every way, conquered and enslaved them. Now, their nation’s economy is barely bigger than the City of Philadelphia’s. Few see any reason to think about them much longer than it takes to read this short description of the Catholic Fundamentalism position on the Greek Orthodox.
