OK, thanks. So while disciplinary canons and the declarations of non-ecumenical councils might not be considered eternally infallible, they are nonetheless considered binding, correct? I'm trying to figure what level of diversity of view is allowed in order to still be a good Orthodox. I'm confused because on the one hand, the seven Councils did not lay out tons and tons of dogma, but on the other hand, all Orthodox Churches believe essentially the same things, implying to me a lot more than a handful of basics. Since the RCs have papal infallibility, it would seem that they have much more in stone, INCLUDING things you (currently) agree with them about.
"I'm trying to figure what level of diversity of view is allowed in order to still be a good Orthodox. I'm confused because on the one hand, the seven Councils did not lay out tons and tons of dogma, but on the other hand, all Orthodox Churches believe essentially the same things, implying to me a lot more than a handful of basics. Since the RCs have papal infallibility, it would seem that they have much more in stone, INCLUDING things you (currently) agree with them about."
OK; all Orthodox believe the exact same things on matters of dogma and doctrine. In matters of Orthopraxis, which include certain disciplines and some minor variations in the way we pray the Divine Liturgy or other devotions there can be and are some differences. None of these differences in praxis say anything about what we believe and profess for our Orthodox Faith.
Part of the problem you may be having with this is your Western religious mindset which tends to be far more "categorical" and "dogmatic" than the Orthodox phronema. For example, in the East bishops have the power and discretion to employ "economia" which is a "pass on the rules" if the application of the rule is more damaging spiritually than the pass. But economia can only be applied with regard to discipline, never on matters of dogma. A bishop could not exercise economia to allow someone to deny the Real Presence, or the Trinity or to say that Mary is not the Theotokos. The same would go for certain disciplines. For example, a bishop could not tell someone its OK to never go to confession or communion or that its OK to sleep with your girlfriend before you are married.
I'll bet that's clear as mud, right?