[quote:1qztxsdg]Hmmm…

James, I can see that it will be quite impossible for me to discuss anything with you guys…. is it impossible to discuss EO theology without mention of the Roman Catholic Church? I can refer you to 2500+ posts of mine about RCC doctrine that never mention the EO Church…. I just don’t get it. I’m trying to understand EO teachings, and it seems that the everyone on your side can only teach by bring up the “errors” of Rome.

As far as the anti-Latin flavor of the post:
[quote:1qztxsdg]Indeed, this was part of the seed of the Latin schism – when the western portion of the Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century[/quote:1qztxsdg]
If I hear Latin schism one more time I’m gonna puke…. if you don’t understand that calling it so will bring up ill feelings, I can’t help you or Augustine.
[quote:1qztxsdg] (it’s a mistake to say the entire Empire fell then – this betrays an incredible ignorance of the reality that the Emperor and supreme senate had moved to Constantinople some centuries earlier),[/quote:1qztxsdg]
I never said the entire Empire fell then….. did Augustine copied this from another site, or can he read my mind>?
[quote:1qztxsdg]with grotesque manifestations like …… clear, and disturbing, summary of these teaching.) [/quote:1qztxsdg]
Rrrrrright…… no polemics there…. :rolleyes:
[quote:1qztxsdg]The idea of these Councils issuing clearly infallible edicts in the sense that Roman Catholics have, is anachronistic and involves a caricture of ecclessiastical authority which history does not bear out. [/quote:1qztxsdg]
Again…. is it quite impossible for any of you to answer a question without ending with a reason why I am wrong?

I give up…. thanks for the chat James.[/quote:1qztxsdg]

Scott,

I’m really not quite sure why I received this reply. I will admit that I overlooked the phrase ‘Latin schism’ in Augustine’s post, presumably because it makes no impact on me whatsoever. I dare say the phrase ‘Photian schism’ would pass you by unremarked also though, given the position of Photios as a saint in my Church, I think I could legitimately find that insulting. The thing is, while you may find it insulting I’d hardly say it was polemical. There [i:1qztxsdg]was[/i:1qztxsdg] a schism and from our point of view it was the Latin church that fell away. I would agree that it might be more sensitively phrased on an RC forum, however.

All the other things you’ve brought up seem to be reactions to Augustine’s post, not mine. Just because i endorsed his view of who authorised the councils doesn’t mean that I’m privy to his thoughts when he posts, so I’m not sure why you’d think I would be able to explain his comments. Perhaps some of Augustine’s language was less than tactful but I really can’t see that it is wrong for him to criticise extremist interpretations of RC teachings any more than I would think it was wrong for you to criticise, for instance, the phyletism that some have read into our teachings (and which was condemned as heresy at a council, by the way).

As for talking about Orthodox teachings, you’re right, I can tell you of them without referring to your teachings and I try to do so as far as possible (I’m pretty sure that with one exception my references to the RC teachings in this thread were all questions – most of which remain unanswered, by the way). Sometimes, however, I need to know what you teach because so often I’ve told RCs one thing only to have them understand something quite different. I’m possibly over-hasty with regards to you in this respect and if so I apologise, but given the fact that my answers get reinterpreted so often by RCs in forums to mean whatever they want to hear, I’m naturally wary.

I’ll make you a deal if you like. Why don’t we continue this conversation, leaving any ill feelings behind us (because it started fairly well and you are certainly one of the most open-minded RCs I’m acquainted with) and I’ll agree not to contrast Orthodox teachings with those of the RCC if you agree to answer my questions when I don’t understand RC teachings? If that isn’t acceptable to you then I’m afraid I’ll have to call this a day and quit the forum, as you are the only person here I can get anything approaching a civilised discussion out of, and I can do that elsewhere (on religiousforums).

I sincerely apologise if anything I wrote either in this post or previously has upset you as that was not my intention.

James