So the Bishop presents a paper about the Primacy of Rome and the hope for Full Communion with Rome, and Five days later he is disciplined. One wonders what the “politics behind the scenes” were really about? I think the Assyrians and the Chaldeans in One “sui juris” Church is a “good thing” for the Iraqi Christians. It seems to me at least, some Orthodox are not happy that an Eastern Bishop, and one who I repeat, has not been in “Full Communion” with either Rome or Constantinopile for 1,600 years, presented an argument to his fellow Assyrian Bishops that supported communion with Rome, rather than communion with an Orthodox Patriarch. Thus, IMO, this is more about politics, than doctrine.
As for the sharing of the sacraments between the Assyrians and the Eastern Orthdox, that is a good thing, but the Catholic Church has no doctrinal statement preventing Assyrians receiving the Eucharist and other sacraments in the Catholic Church. In fact, the General Instructions of the Roman Missal (GIRM) clearly state that Assyrians and the other Oriental Churches that are not in communion with the Eastern Orthodox are welcome to participate in the Eucharist in the Catholic Church. So, on that point, the Catholic Church’ relation with the Assyrians is no different than the Eastern Orthodox relationship with the Assyrians.
So when we get down to it, is the real problem here that this Bishop has long been an advocate for Full Communion with Rome and thus his actions might result in other Eastern Churches that have not been in Full Communion with either Rome or Constantinopile to seek full Communion wiht Rome rather than Constantinopile?
“So the Bishop presents a paper about the Primacy of Rome and the hope for Full Communion with Rome, and Five days later he is disciplined.”
Did you read the paper? Its the work of theological simpleton. A first year doctoral candidate in theology would be flunked for writing such jejune drivel. I know what he is trying to say, I think, and I think I agree with him at least to a point but that isn’t the “point”. His Synod reviewed the matter (and apparently previous antics on his part, like refusal of reassignment to a see which needed a hierarch more than where he is), gave him a chance to straighten out and in exchange got defiance. They disciplined and he decamped for Rome having taken a number of shots at the presiding hierarch on the way out the door. Very, very bad ecclesiology. Its also very, very bad ecclesiastical politics. It seems that the fact that this is about politics rather than “doctrine” bothers you. C, 99% of this stuff, at Rome or elsewhere is about politics. Don;t be naive.
“So when we get down to it, is the real problem here that this Bishop has long been an advocate for Full Communion with Rome and thus his actions might result in other Eastern Churches that have not been in Full Communion with either Rome or Constantinopile to seek full Communion wiht Rome rather than Constantinopile?”
No, what we have here is a disobedient hierarch avoiding canonically imposed discipline and Rome providing a way for him to do that. C, can you understand that that sort of behavior is precisely what sets the Orthodox off?