Sermon on Eastern Orthodoxy

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
JohnH
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Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:00 pm
Affiliation: Mennonite Church

Re: Sermon on Eastern Orthodoxy

Post by JohnH »

Just a slight tweak… Greek Catholic Churches often have bearded priests, don’t require celibacy for priests, and there’s no requirement for Latin Catholic priests not to have beards either.

I think another thing to consider is the great deal of unusual clothing worn only by the clergy.
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Ernie
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Affiliation: Anabaptist Umbrella

Re: Sermon on Eastern Orthodoxy

Post by Ernie »

JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Jun 17, 2025 7:44 am Just a slight tweak… Greek Catholic Churches often have bearded priests, don’t require celibacy for priests, and there’s no requirement for Latin Catholic priests not to have beards either.
you are right. I should have researched that a bit more.
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JohnH
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Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2024 5:00 pm
Affiliation: Mennonite Church

Re: Sermon on Eastern Orthodoxy

Post by JohnH »

Ernie wrote: ↑Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:16 am
JohnH wrote: ↑Tue Jun 17, 2025 7:44 am Just a slight tweak… Greek Catholic Churches often have bearded priests, don’t require celibacy for priests, and there’s no requirement for Latin Catholic priests not to have beards either.
you are right. I should have researched that a bit more.
In practical terms... the overwhelming majority of Catholicism is the Latin Rite. So it's sort of like observing that most plain Anabaptists are horse and buggy, even though the small fraction that are conservative Mennonites etc. do drive cars.

There is another major difference in both Orthodoxy and Catholicism: a strict episcopal hierarchy means there is no congregational autonomy, so your parish that you grew up in could just one day suddenly be closed. Your priest whom you appreciate could suddenly be reassigned to a parish 4 hours away. Your bishop could be recalled and moved into a diocese on the other side of the world, or the other side of the country. You have zero say in these matters (unless you are a person of high influence inside the EOC or RCC).
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JayP
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Affiliation: RCC

Re: Sermon on Eastern Orthodoxy

Post by JayP »

Someone mentioned celibacy in the orthodox churches.
In most of these churches bishops must be unmarried and celibate.
Once ordained as a priest they cannot marry and remain celibate.

If married before full priestly ordination they may be ordained.

I once had a friend who was a Catholic priest who studied in Hungary. The seminary shared facilities with the orthodox.
Later in their studies the RCC and Orthodox students moved to different buildings.

The Orthodox ones called the building where the Roman priests were “the house for unwed fathers”. LOL
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