[boatbums]

Okay, a few notes then. According to this, the Orthodox do NOT believe that salvation is a gift of God by his grace through faith, but that one must earn, merit, deserve eternal life through their own actions and are condemned to hell based on sinful actions. Faith in Jesus Christ, according to this documents is NOT what saves anyone. Do you believe in a place called Purgatory? Next, do the Orthodox use leavened or unleavened bread and wine in the Eucharist? Is the cup given to the laity or withheld? How often is this sacrament held? Every day or once a week? How about fasting before? One hour or different? When is the precise moment the juice and bread changed literally (transubstantiated) into the blood and body of Christ, when the words "This is my body ... This is my blood" are spoken as in Roman Catholicism - or do you believe the precise moment the juice and bread change literally (transubstantiated) into the blood and body of Christ, is in the prayer of thanksgiving - as the Orthodox?

It seems that throughout this thread you have been eager to be thought a "Catholic" and you have posted multiple times stating that there is little difference between the Western/Latin and the Eastern Catholic/Orthodox. Yet we know that there ARE multiple differences. You asked CB if he believed the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father or from the Son. This is one of the many differences between you. It is called the Filioque and is why you use different Creed wordings. You also refuse to obey the Pope of Rome as your head and when I asked you about the statements in Roman Catholic documents that condemn those who refuse obeisance to the Pope, you never answered. You also don't agree about the Immaculate Conception, do you?

This thread has been used a lot to accuse the "Protestants" of a million different "interpretations" and being their own Popes, but so far, we have been pretty consistent on what we recognize as the Gospel, the person of Jesus Christ, the sufficiency of Holy Scripture. Most of the REAL differences are between the two groups that are buddying up against the Non-Catholics. I just think it is not very honest to pretend such unity when you should know there isn't in everything.

[rzman21]

I don’t have time at the moment to go point by point, but the difference between the interpretations and theological approaches between East and West are more matters of terminology and approach.

The difference with Protestants is they throw the baby out with the bathwater, and they can’t even agree among themselves about matters of fundamental Christian dogma.