[NYer]

Interesting, albeit a tad simplistic. Pinging the Catholics and Orthodox for their input.

[sionnsar]

Oops. Re-posted...

[Iris7]

I have great sympathy for the Orthodox. The Idea of Rome, the Idea of Pope as Pontifex Maximus, is very much rejected by them. Not going to change.

Personally, I believe that the Roman system is a good one. Time tested. It recovered from the Babylonian Captivity, from the Borgias, from worldliness again and again. Also believe that the Pope is guided by the Holy Spirit, but not much, if any, more than anyone else.

It is necessary to pick Popes with strong spiritual lives, men with long devotion to the Word made Flesh. Men who have earnestly and productively sought the Holy Spirit. All too often this is honored more in the breach than in reality - notice many, many American bishops.

Popes are men, not gods, and should not be made into idols. God makes saints. Popes do not.

So, the Orthodox see Roman Catholicism as leaning toward idolatry, if not actively idolatrous. (Personally disagree that idolatry exists, certainly not as an aspect of dogma.)