Eastern Catholic Theology PART 1 with Fr. Abbot Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Monastery

Catherine Alexander speaks with Father Abbot Nicholas of Holy Resurrection Romanian Catholic Monastery in Newberry Springs, CA about Eastern Catholic theology.

Questions Asked:
1. The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches say in Canon 28 that "a rite encompasses the liturgical, theological, spiritual, and disciplinary patrimony, culture, and circumstances of history of a distinct people by which its own manner of living the faith is manifested in each Church sui iuris." What does each rite having a different theological patrimony mean in this context?

2. Is there a multiplicity of theologies then accepted among the different Catholic Churches?

3. How can two churches in communion with each other have different theologies?

4. Do Eastern and Oriental Catholics have to affirm dogmas proclaimed by Rome?

5. Do Eastern and Oriental Catholics have to accept all Roman Catholic teachings and theology?

6. May Eastern and Oriental Catholics reject dogmas proclaimed by Rome as being outside their theological patrimony?

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[carolking]

"yes, they can say they (the scholastic latin) are not the categories that we have used in our theological (byzantine apophatic) patrimonony"

The most politically correct way of disagreement I have ever heard. Clearly it is very awkward to be an Eastern Catholic. There remain many unreseolved areas of theological conflict which I am certain will never be discussed.

For example the existence of the three different catholic anti-patriarches of antioch. (melkite, maronite and syriac)

[YourWordFromTheWise]

The conflicts are being discussed at length and bearing much fruit. Zenit has an article on it today: /article-24854?l=english

Perhaps because of the overlapping Orthodox jurisdictions in the US, overlapping Catholic jurisdictions doesn't seem to be a point of contention being discussed.

May the Eastern Catholics' longing for unity among the apostolic churches continue to be a witness to the discomfort all faithful Christians should feel over the lack of unity among God's people!

[Hosea22]

The terms Byzantine Catholics and Greek Catholic are used of those who belong to Churches that use the Byzantine liturgical rite. The terms Oriental Catholic and Eastern Catholic include these, but are broader, since they also cover Catholics who follow the Alexandrian, Antiochian, Armenian and Chaldean liturgical traditions.

[Hosea22]

The Eastern Catholic Churches were located historically in Eastern Europe, the Asian Middle East, Northern Africa and India, but are now, because of migration, found also in Western Europe, the Americas and Oceania to the extent of forming full-scale ecclesiastical structures such as eparchies, alongside the Latin dioceses. One country, Eritrea, has only an Eastern Catholic hierarchy, with no Latin structure.

[mikelunz]

who is the patriarch of eastern Catholic churches?

[TonyAlwell]

Some excellent points from those that are commenting. Thankyou for your input as it is offering me a greater understanding of the various churches within the Catholic community.

[IAMJESUSmovie]

Jesus Christ has returned. I AM.

[Hosea22]

Most Eastern Catholic Churches have counterparts in other Eastern Churches, whether Assyrian or Oriental Orthodox, from whom they are separated by a number of theological concerns, or the Eastern Orthodox Churches, from whom they are separated primarily by differences in understanding of the role of the Bishop of Rome within the College of Bishops.

[Hosea22]

They preserve the special emphases and illuminations that Eastern Christianity has developed over the centuries, some of which Pope John Paul II illustrated in his apostolic letter Orientale Lumen of 2 May 1995.

[Hosea22]

They thus vary with regard to forms of liturgical worship, sacramental and canonical discipline, terminology, traditional prayers and practices of piety. But they recognize that their faith is not at variance with that of the other constituent Churches of the one Catholic Church, including the Latin or Western Church, all of which are of equal dignity. In particular, they recognize the central role of the Bishop of Rome within the College of Bishops.

[Hosea22]

The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous (in Latin, sui iuris) particular Churches in full communion with the Bishop of Rome - the Pope. They preserve the liturgical, theological and devotional traditions of the various Eastern Christian Churches with which they are associated, and between which doctrinal differences exist, in particular between the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodoxy and the Assyrian Church of the East.