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Orthodox and Catholics agree (we both agree that there is only ONE VISIBLE church, we just disagree which one that is), so the division between our two churches is irrelevant.

(((chuckle))) Wow! That's a funny way to sweep the division under the rug. It's like saying "Ignore the man behind the curtain." It may work for you, but I certainly don't see your reasoning.

That's 4 groups, twice what I said (when I said "even if the number of doctrinally divided denominations was only TWO") would at LEAST show that a concept of an "invisible church" falls flat on its face, since, if there is to be an "invisible church", then there shouldn't be MAJOR doctrinal differences in it.

So this disproves the notion of a "doctrinally unified invisible church"...

First, I don't know where you get the idea of a "doctrinally unified invisible church." I've never heard of that idea in all the different Protestant churches I've been in.

Second, I know I have brothers and sisters in Christ in Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, and even one I know of in the SDA. There are definately doctrinal issues that we don't agree on, but we are all of the same body. These issues will be fully cleared up in Glory.

As for now, it is good to give the reasons that you believe what you do, but not so good to imply that all protestants are not of the Body of Christ.

Sincerely

47: Orthodox and Catholics agree (we both agree that there is only ONE VISIBLE church, we just disagree which one that is), so the division between our two churches is irrelevant

ScubieNuc: (((chuckle))) Wow! That's a funny way to sweep the division under the rug. It's like saying "Ignore the man behind the curtain." It may work for you, but I certainly don't see your reasoning

FouretySeven is not sweeping anything under the rug. The disagreement within the Church is not the same as being outside the Church, and Protestants are outside the Church.

Our differences will be reconciled when the next General (Ecumenical) Council meets. The Pope and the Orthodox Patriarchs are working on this to happen.

The disagreement on some points of theology is preventing us to intercommune, as communion is an expression, and not a means of achiving unity. Our bishops receive their authority from Apostolic Succession (and I don't really care to hear what the Protestants think about it; I have already heard it all); the Church in the East and in the West has the same sacraments. It's one Church, in disagreement over some issues.

The Church reconciled its misunderstandings in 1964, and committed the events that took place in 1054 "to oblivion."

If you knew a little bit about this subject you wouldn't be making such sweeping generalizations. Instead you are just shooting from the hip, and this has turned into a shooting gallery.

It's Great Lent and I don't need to be tempted, so I will leave it up to the End of Times List to pat each other on the back and congratulate each other. We don't have much to say to each other anyway.

Someone said a few posts ago that the Catholic Bible smells funny. That's rich.

I wish everyone a blessed Pascha.

I don't know where you get the idea of a "doctrinally unified invisible church." I've never heard of that idea in all the different Protestant churches I've been in.

Ok, then maybe I'm mistaken about the entire thing. It seemed Alex Murphy was rebelling against my list that pointed out differences between some mainstream Protestant denominations, and I thought he was doing so because he believed this "invisible church" had no major doctrinal differences.

But is the point now that the "invisible church" has no doctrinal unity except belief in Jesus Christ as Lord? Is that your point, ScubieNuc? If that's the case then I simply submit that I could never believe in such a concept. I could never believe that God would want His Church filled with confusion on whether or not His Son is God, or whether or not OSAS is true, or whether or not we have free will.

We can agree to disagree if that's the point here. I just could never accept a Church filled with such confusion, personally speaking.