The Western Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church are church separated by a common religion and religious fervor – obedience. Both agree obedience is more important than prayer. Both realize that if you cannot obey men you do see, how can you obey God who you don’t see?[1]
Some trace the arguments back to Saint Basil the Great, but it is evident in the Holy Gospels and was foretold by Isaiah and David and all the prophets. And you can throw the Protestants in the mix when speaking of Holy Scripture, and perhaps the rest of the Oriental Churches as well.
Authority is always The Issue. Whether it is a nation, a corporation, a legal matter, a family or two children arguing over a toy; possession is nine tenths of the law.[2]
Orthodox believe that the authority of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church is rooted in the Seven Great Ecumenical Councils and is not embodied solely in the Bishop of Rome. That is an ancient tradition. The Pope of the Orthodox Church is Jesus Christ who is truly and really present. His presence is ever known in and through the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.
Particularly since Vatican II and especially with the pontificate of Francis, it is difficult to see how the Roman See is consistent even with its own recent traditions, let alone the Great Councils. Orthodox do not worship earthquake goddesses as Francis venerated. Nor do Orthodox worship in circles of spirits as Francis did with native Americans in Canada. And Francis does these outrages while persecuting those who wish to worship using the traditional Liturgy of Saint Gregory the Great.
This really is something for weeping, not gloating. One weeps for Francis, for those who follow his ecclesiology down to the pit. One weeps for the poor native Americans who are filled with pride and errors affirmed by Francis behavior, and for the whole Catholic Church because the western Catholics were once with us, and one day again God willing, they may be with us again forever.
The ills that Western Catholicism has suffered, particularly with homosexual predation of children, have roots in the West deviating from the Great Councils. These deviations were pointed out by Saint Photios the Great in the 9th century, including and especially in the safeguard of a married clergy that has proven to be stabilizing. The eighth Ecumenical Council of 879 AD was to correct these errors, which were formalized by what the Western Catholics call the eighth Ecumenical Council that met in 869 AD.
The problems of an unmarried clergy were argued at the first Great Ecumenical Council, and married clergy were permitted. That is not radical, it is as the Lord said,
His disciples said to Him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But He said to them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.[3]
The western tradition of a celibate clergy has proven historically problematic from the time of Saint Benedict when an insane clergyman, Florentius, polluted Saint Benedict’s first monastery in Subiaco. And this insanity continued through Peter Damian who wrote the book of Gomorrah thousand years ago, and it has continued on to today. Saint Photius[4] the Great warned about these things. The temporal problem had become manifest in changing customs.
The authority of the Great Councils is rooted in Christ and in David in the Psalms:
Help, LORD; for the godly man ceases; for the faithful fails from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffs at him. The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.
The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.[5]
Through the Councils the poor are set in safety from the rich, even rich prelates and powerful vain-glorious men. And this includes not only the Roman Pope, but also men such as the current Moscow Patriarch that has blessed a foolish war to mass murder neighbors and engage in blood thirsty conquest.
We live in a time where rich powerful men in authority abuse that authority. They abuse the Commandments of God, prey on or destroy innocent children, acquit the guilty, make common cause in war with cultural barbarians or in war with militarist kleptomaniacs. Their time is short.
In times when the vilest of men are exalted, the Seven Great Ecumenical Councils are a stabilizing force against the rich, vainglorious and lawless.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.[6]
[1] 1 John 4:20, 4:1-21, Obedience proceeds to Love, Love of neighbor proceeds to Love of God, John 20:29, Romans 10:1-21
[2] So say the possessed possessors or their covetous enviers
[3] Matthew 19:10-12
[4] Saint Photius is terribly slandered by the Roman Catholics, by his own parents through report. He is cast as illegitimate and this the Western Catholics hold as something special, though David confesses, “in sin did my mother conceive me.” And so do we all when we pray David’s psalm. And so-too the Western Catholics say his father and mother wished to murder him as they had dreams about him being a “demon.” What sort would murder their own child? Is that not what the abortionists do? And who, with spiritual experience, follows dreams? Certainly Joseph, but Joseph had discernment and did not consider homicide of his children! This report is the lowest form of folly. One must watch and be very careful about dreams and visions and casting aspersions based on the reports of those who considered homicide of their own child based on dreams and visions. “Thou shalt not kill.”
[5] Psalm 11/12
[6] Psalm 18/19:7-11
The Two Pillars 