Protestantism

[ad_orientem]

And the difference between the Orthodox and Catholic Church is what exactly?

There are many differences (such as the Filioque or Church governance) which I'm sure wouldn't interest you, but if I had to mention one it would be how we approach the faith. One is cerebral, the other mystical. An RC learns the faith by someone telling them We teach this and that, and he says Yes. The Orthodox learns the faith through participation in the Divine Liturgy and the Mysteries, a revealed faith. That is why, for instance, we have a much deeper theology of iconography.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theological_differences_between_the_Catholic_Church_and_the_Eastern_Orthodox_Church

It is incomprehensible as far as I am concerned.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

[floo]

But Orthodox or Catholic it is only mere tradition with absolutely no benefit to human kind, more often than not it is to the detriment of its worshippers, imo.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Ad,

There are many differences (such as the Filioque or Church governance) which I'm sure wouldn't interest you, but if I had to mention one it would be how we approach the faith. One is cerebral, the other mystical. An RC learns the faith by someone telling them We teach this and that, and he says Yes. The Orthodox learns the faith through participation in the Divine Liturgy and the Mysteries, a revealed faith. That is why, for instance, we have a much deeper theology of iconography.

Essentially doctrinal differences, but as I understand it there are big areas of foundational agreement too – the various Councils for example. I can absolutely see that the narratives of, say, “revelation” make perfect sense to you, but can you see too why someone not steeped in it would find that bewildering?

If, say, I just landed from Mars (as theology-wise I suspect you pretty much think I have) and said, “what’s this revelation stuff, and why do you think "mysticism" is any better a guide to objective truths than just guessing?” what answer would you give me?

Oh, and about those hats by the way… 

[bluehillside Retd.]

Floo,

But Orthodox or Catholic it is only mere tradition with absolutely no benefit to human kind, more often than not it is to the detriment of its worshippers, imo.

That may be true (and I'd go further given the human cost of some religious beliefs) but it has nothing to do with the truth or otherwise of a proposition. Harmful, beneficial or somewhere in between would only be an argumentum ad consequentiam for epistemological purposes.

[Shaker]

It makes rationality or intelligibility the measure of credibility.

Fear not: none of those are things of which you'll ever be accused, whatever God's final dispensation is this week 

Eventually everything is so broken down, wittled away until you're left with nothing except atheism.

But then of course, some of us get it right the first time, without all the faff of fifty shades of wrong beforehand

[Walt Zingmatilder]

Floo,

Hats. Definitely hats.

New Atheists have hats too. White, pointy and with a D on.

[Shaker]

There are many differences (such as the Filioque or Church governance) which I'm sure wouldn't interest you, but if I had to mention one it would be how we approach the faith. One is cerebral, the other mystical. An RC learns the faith by someone telling them We teach this and that, and he says Yes. The Orthodox learns the faith through participation in the Divine Liturgy and the Mysteries, a revealed faith. That is why, for instance, we have a much deeper theology of iconography.

But do you have a deeper colonoscopy of proctology? Your posts certainly suggest as much.

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[Shaker]

Oscar Wilde and Dorothy Parker, where are you now?

Oh. Dead. Never mind. Comes to us all.

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Eh?

[Shaker]

Eh?

If you have no understanding of intelligent and sophisticated wit (a given, in your case) I wouldn't expect you to understand.

[Bubbles]

And the difference between the Orthodox and Catholic Church is what exactly?

One has icons and no Pope, the other a Pope and crucifixes and relics.

They are set up differently

http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/religion-miscellaneous/differences-between-the-roman-catholic-and-greek-orthodox-churches/

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Didn't even mention the Filioque

[Shaker]

Didn't even mention the Filioque

Nobody with more than two brain cells to rub together would.

[Nearly Sane]

Didn't even mention the Filioque

I mentioned it once but I think I got away with it

[Anchorman]

And what on Earth do you know about the early Church, eh? Bugger all, I'd bet.

What you display here is exactly what I dislike about Protestantism the most. Reducing everything down to what you believe are bare essentials. Now we get to my signature. The rationalism of Protestantism raises human reason above Scripture and tradition. It accepts them only as far as they come within the limits of human comprehension. It makes rationality or intelligibility the measure of credibility. That has been the problem with western Christianity since the Middle-Ages: scholastic, cerebral even though we have a revealed faith. Eventually everything is so broken down, wittled away until you're left with nothing except atheism.

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If you want a bit of REAL info on early church practice, read the Didache.
A remarkable lack of bells, smells, robes, icons, statues and stuff......

[ad_orientem]

Yeah? Well, do you fast on Wednesdays and Fridays? I thought not.

[torridon]

The rationalism of Protestantism raises human reason above Scripture and tradition. It accepts them only as far as they come within the limits of human comprehension. It makes rationality or intelligibility the measure of credibility.

Isn't that a good thing ?  If something is incomprehensible or logically contradictory that means also that it is not credible, literally.

[ad_orientem]

Isn't that a good thing ?  If something is incomprehensible or logically contradictory that means also that it is not credible, literally.

No. Christianity is a revealed faith.

[Bubbles]

Ad o

Wonder what set him off 

[floo]

No. Christianity is a revealed faith.

What does that mean?

[Anchorman]

What does that mean?

God revealed Himself in Christ.

[Bubbles]

What does that mean?

It means you heard it from someone else 😀

[torridon]

No. Christianity is a revealed faith.

I don't think we can disentangle reason from experience.  All humans are twin-hemispheric, we all integrate experience with abstraction, we cannot shut down our instinct to reason, our instinct to see a broader picture that goes beyond our own personal experience, this is fundamental to the essence of being human.  Scripture itself is full of contradictions that requires reason to sort through in order to come to something vaguely coherent surely ?