6. Orthodox Christians do not define “authority” in quite the same way the Catholic Church would define it in terms of powers, jurisdictions, prerogatives and their interrelationships.
I shall defer to my Orthodox brethren on this one.
It is not a legalistic authority for sure, although in practical terms, Church officials and the "dignity" they hold in the Church amounts to the same. The lower clergy are held to the vow of obedience. Let me just say that I have heard of and witnessed some rather uncharitable excesses of particular bishops.
9. Although Orthodox Christians have at their disposal various institutions of learning such as schools, universities, and seminaries, and do hold “Sunday Schools,” at least in the USA, it is fair to say that the main catechetical vehicle for all Orthodox peoples is the Divine Liturgy
I shall defer to my Orthodox brethren on this.
Teofilo is spot on. The central aspect of the life of Orthodoxy is the Divine Liturgy, but there are Q&A spiritual sessions, and each Orthodox believer should have a spiritual elsder and his confessor who, along with absolution explains what was done and why. Orthodox catechisms exist as something copied form the West, but are not used in a scholastic or institutional manner. Although every convert must be catechized, he or she is given a book to read and above all, to participate in the Divine Liturgy (where the Catechumens are still blessed before they are dismissed).
10. Since the celebration of the Divine Liturgy is overwhelmingly important and indispensable as the vehicle for True Christian Worship – one of the possible translations of “orthodoxy” is “True Worship – and as a teaching vehicle – since another possible translation of “orthodoxy” is “True Teaching” – all the ecclesiastical arts are aimed at sustaining the worthy celebration of the Divine Liturgy
More like Right Praise or Right Glory.
11. There are Seven Sacraments in the Orthodox Church, but that’s more a matter of informal consensus based on the perfection of the number “seven” than on a formal dogmatic declaration. Various Orthodox authorities would also argue that the tonsure of a monk or the consecration of an Emperor or other Orthodox secular monarch is also a sacramental act.
It is true that the Seven are fixed in an artifical manner.
***6. Orthodox Christians do not define “authority” in quite the same way the Catholic Church would define it in terms of powers, jurisdictions, prerogatives and their interrelationships.
I shall defer to my Orthodox brethren on this one.
It is not a legalistic authority for sure, although in practical terms, Church officials and the “dignity” they hold in the Church amounts to the same. The lower clergy are held to the vow of obedience. Let me just say that I have heard of and witnessed some rather uncharitable excesses of particular bishops.***
Fair enough. We still maintain equivalent hierarchical rules.
***11. There are Seven Sacraments in the Orthodox Church, but that’s more a matter of informal consensus based on the perfection of the number “seven” than on a formal dogmatic declaration. Various Orthodox authorities would also argue that the tonsure of a monk or the consecration of an Emperor or other Orthodox secular monarch is also a sacramental act.
It is true that the Seven are fixed in an artifical manner.***
However, many of the doctrines and traditions of the Church are arbitrary, based upon the best judgements of the hierarchs.