I thought everyone might profit by being reminded of Pope St. Gregory the Great (Epp. V, ep. xviii ad. Joan. Ep. Const., in P. L., LXXVII, 740), who wrote of: "Sancti ante legem, sancti sub lege, sancti sub gratiâ, omnes hi . . . in membris Ecclesiæ sunt constituti" (The saints before the Law, the saints under the Law, and the saints under grace -- all these are constituted members of the Church).
Yikes, just getting back to this thread. A lot of discussion since my question. Can't really keep up right now, but will save for re-read later. MarMema, it seems your heart, like many other good hearts wishes for God to smile on all good men, even those outside of "the church". I think there are many of us who feel this way, including a few church leaders. However, it is difficult to reconcile that inclusivist thinking with actual church doctrine. I admit i know very little about the Eastern Orthodox church. It just seems to me that when it comes down to the nitty gritty, Constantinian Christianity, is exclusive. I think that thinking ("only Christians are saved" )comes more from the doctrine of the church than it does from the Bible. However, i also recognize the exclusivist claims put in Jesus' mouth by the writer of the 4th gospel. (Noteworthy that those claims are no where in the earliest gospels of Matthew, Mark or Luke.) And once again, i just don't see Jesus and the Constantinian church as having the same focus.
A while back an article came out saying that the Vatican said the Jewish wait for the messiah was valid. (I will see if i can dig it up) What is/was the Orthodox take on this subject?