[Mrs. Don-o]

Thank you for sending me this beautiful post.

I've got a question for you about St. Gregory Palamas. What do you know about his doctrine about God's energies and His essence? Is this considered an essential dogma in the Orthodox Church? And is it considered a permissible belief for Catholics?

[Siobhan]

That is such a good question. I know Orthodox Christians who are not Palamite in their theology, so I do not think it can be called dogma -- especially without a proper Council. I do know Eastern rite Byzantine Catholics whose theology is distinctly Palamite -- perhaps the new Ukrainian Catholic catechism will illuminate this question.

[gscc]

Should you not be relying on Holy Scripture to decide whether or not this is "permissible" to believe. God inspired scripture and the Holy Spirit should be your guide.

[kosta50]

Palamite Orthodoxy is Orthodox doctrine of the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is based on patristic teachings of the Desert and the Cappadocian Fathers, and a triumph of monastic spirituality over scholasticism. As such it would be alien to scholastic and legalistic teachings of the Latin Church. While I don't think it is not permissible (because it is orthodox), it is very likely not compatible with Western thinking.