Evidence of Dialogue
Dialogue between Roman Catholics and Orthodox
Roman Catholics have always been in communication with other denominations of Christians. The Roman Catholics and the Orthodox Catholics separated during the 11th century, then known as the Western Church (Roman Catholic) and the Eastern Church (Orthodox). Eastern Catholics are still very closely associated and are in harmony with the Western Churches and the Pope.
A commission has been created to ensure there is dialogue between the Catholic and the Orthodox traditions. This commission is known as the “Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church”. This group of people have met periodically since the year 1980, the most recent meeting being from the 15-23 September 2014. During these meetings the Church leaders discuss worldly issues and concerns within their communities and the issues that concern both the Catholic and Orthodox people. Overall it appears that through the dialogue that takes place between the Catholics and the Orthodox tradition, the two are mostly in harmony and have very much learnt to coexist with each other. In the Second Vatican Council’s Decree Unitatis Redintegratio ecumenism between the Western and Eastern Churches is discussed. The document states that the Orthodox tradition is a fully recognised and valid Christian tradition. It is acknowledged that they are proper churches and have justified and valid sacraments. The document is considered the foundation of communion between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, acknowledging that they are ‘sister churches’. In the document it explains one of the key goals of the Second Vatican Council, Unitatis Redintegratio states, “The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council” During the Year 1964 Pope Paul IV and Athenagoras I of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinople, at the time, met to discuss the barriers between the Eastern and Western Church and ignited the effort to find unity between these two Churches. 50 years on, On May 25, 2014, Pope Francis and Bartholomew I met together to celebrate and uphold this unity between the Orthodox and the Catholic Church. Bartholomew I is the current Archbishop of Constantinople and Ecumenical Patriarch. The meeting was mostly symbolic, however it showed the ongoing acceptance between the two denominations. Oliver Ashby |
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• Burger, J. (2015). Catholic-Orthodox Communion: The Goal of Francis and Bartholomew - Aleteia. [online] Aleteia: The news of the world from a Catholic perspective. Available at: <http://www.aleteia.org/en/religion/article/catholic-orthodox-communion-the-goal-of-francis-and-bartholomew-5346435033726976> [Accessed 28 Aug. 2015].
• Vatican.va, (2015). Unitatis redintegratio. [online] Available at: <http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html> [Accessed 1 Sep. 2015].
• Wikipedia, (2015). Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_International_Commission_for_Theological_Dialogue_Between_the_Catholic_Church_and_the_Orthodox_Church> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2015].
• Vatican.va, (2015). Unitatis redintegratio. [online] Available at: <http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html> [Accessed 1 Sep. 2015].
• Wikipedia, (2015). Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_International_Commission_for_Theological_Dialogue_Between_the_Catholic_Church_and_the_Orthodox_Church> [Accessed 24 Aug. 2015].