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by go_to_hellas on August 23rd, 2006

go_to_hellas

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What are the main differences between the Catholic and Orthodox churches?

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Answers. 4 helpful answers below.

  • by Perryman on August 23rd, 2006

    Perryman

    Here are some of the main differences.

    "The Eastern Orthodox Churches reject the teaching of the surplus merits of the saints and the doctrine of indulgences. The use of carved images, except for the crucifix, is forbidden. Purgatory is denied. In the Roman Catholic Church all beneficed clergy must be celibate, whether they are in monastic order or not. In the Orthodox Church those who are engaged in parochial work must be married, though they are debarred from the higher offices. Another striking difference is found in the administration of the mass, for the Roman Catholic Church allows the laity to partake of the bread only, the wine being reserved for the clergy, while in the Orthodox Church both elements are received by the laity. Further, in the Orthodox Church the elements may be administered to infants immediately after baptism, while in the Roman Catholic it is postponed till adolescence, though not necessarily till after “confirmation”. Also Orthodox Church worship may be conducted in the vernacular; the Roman Catholic service is often read in Latin".

    source: Handbook of Denominations; The Byzantine Patriarchate, by George Every.

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  • by Anonymous on January 1st, 2009

    Anonymous

    Where did you get your information on the Catholic Church? There are at least two things i noticed you have the wrong information on. The first being that the laity are not allowed to partake of the wine in communion. This is not true. The laity are allowed to partake of both the bread and the wine during communion just as the clergy are. The other thing was that children are not allowed to partake of communion untill adolecense. This also is not true. While it is true that infants do not recieve communion, a child does not have to wait untill adolecense. In the Catholic Church a childs first communion usually takes when the child is around the age of 7 0r 8. Of course this can vary. i know of one child who had his first communion at age 5.

    -Angie-

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  • by kiwimac on January 13th, 2009

    kiwimac

    The major differences revolve around matters of polity and around matters of doctrine.

    The Orthodox churches generally do not accept the Pope as head of the Church (apart from the few in communion with Rome.)

    The Orthodox churches reject the filioque clause in the Nicene Creed.

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  • by Seamus_M on July 10th, 2011

    Seamus_M

    In my opinion, Their is no difference between Orthodox and Catholics,after all the Orthodox are part of the Catholic Church and were amongst its founders!
    Their is a difference between the Orthodox and the Traditional Anglicans in that the Roman Catholic Church have added to the Deposit of Faith as Paul refers to Revelation, Scripture and Tradition. They have added in the course of their long history, first the Universal Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome. This was by inference at Trent 1545/64 and followed this by claiming the Infallibilty of the Pope at the First Vatican Council.1870 AD. Neither of these claims are supported in either Scripture of Holy Tradition. There are other differences, but these to my mind are the greatest .

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