This level of intercommunion, though limited, do pose some interesting theological questions. If the RCC and the OC are allowing a limited number of their faithful to receive the sacraments in each other's Church, up to and including the Eucharist, then, are we really "two churches"? Are we "one" at one level but "two" on another? Isn't that like being "just a little bit pregnant"? IOW, nonsense?
Rome is not asking Orthodox priests to accept papal supremacy for them to minister to Catholics under these circumnstances; Orthodox are not forcing Catholics to convert before they receive the Eucharist from one of their priests.
What are we seeing here?
-Theo
" If the RCC and the OC are allowing a limited number of their faithful to receive the sacraments in each other's Church, up to and including the Eucharist, then, are we really "two churches"? Are we "one" at one level but "two" on another? Isn't that like being "just a little bit pregnant"? IOW, nonsense?
Rome is not asking Orthodox priests to accept papal supremacy for them to minister to Catholics under these circumnstances; Orthodox are not forcing Catholics to convert before they receive the Eucharist from one of their priests.
What are we seeing here?"
What we are seeing is a de facto, if not de jure, intercommunion but this isn't involving Roman Catholics. Its among the Orthodox, Melkites and Maronites. What it means is that especially the Melkites really are Orthodox in their theology and mindset already, and if they aren't fully Orthodox in their ecclesiology, they will be very, very soon. Just what the Maronites are up to is a puzzlement to me. My suspicion is that their relatively recent rediscovery of their ancient Eastern theological and liturgical heritage is leading them in the same direction as the Melkites.
If Roman Catholics and the Orthodox were doing this, I would agree, utter nonsense.