[Kolokotronis]

"And finally, fourth, when the Council was in error Paul didn't hesitate to call Peter, James and others out on the carpet to show them their heresy; this isn't the norm under a strict hierarchy as you suggest."

Sounds remarkably Orthodox to me, HD! :)

By the way, as a favor, would explain to the various Calvinists and assorted other Protestants here, in terms they understand (because its evident I can't) what the basic differences are between Orthodox and reformed theology and why an Orthodox would say that Orthodoxy needs to be experienced not explained. Thanks; I have confidence in you! You're the one Protestant I know who has studied Orthodoxy thoroughly and rejected it! :)

[HarleyD]

By the way, as a favor, would explain to the various Calvinists and assorted other Protestants here, in terms they understand (because its evident I can't) what the basic differences are between Orthodox and reformed theology and why an Orthodox would say that Orthodoxy needs to be experienced not explained.

I'm flattered that you think I so highly qualified as to explain Orthodoxy to Protestants. However, I find it difficult to explain Protestantism to Protestants. Everyone's running around shouting "Praise the Lord" and waving their hands hoping to be "slain in the Spirit", you know. If I say it all boils down to synergism and monergism they look at their monitors like deers staring at headlights, drooling all over their keyboards. Someday, someone is going to get electrocuted and I'll be blamed.

Here is an excellent article on problems with Orthodoxy in America that I came across by Fr. Alexander Schmemann. I think it is rather fitting here because it discusses the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church and its problems in America. I especially like this phrase:

We are constantly told that something is "canonical," because it is "recognized" as canonical by such or such Patriarch or Synod. But, once more, in the Orthodox teaching canonical is that which complies with the canons and the canons express the truth of the church. We must openly reject the "romanizing" theory that something is true because some infallible authority has decreed that it is true. In the Orthodox Church truth itself is the supreme authority and criterion. Problems of Orthodoxy in America

Doesn't sound very Catholic to me. In fact it explains how the Orthodox have a more loosely defined hierarchy than the Catholics. One that I happen to believe is more biblically based.