That my friends is why I converted to orthodox from Protestantism, everything this father said was right on the dot and gave the fullness of the Christian faith, it’s not just a couple of verses creating this one mind set formula that saves you, it’s all of it in a whole. No one eats one slice of pizza and claims he ate the whole pizza, he ate a whole slice but not a whole pizza.
Yikes. These answers gave you that feeling? Please listen to Fr. Truebennach, Lynch, Mahfouz or anything from Roots of Orthodoxy. God bless this priest but he gave answers that kept him in good standing with all crowds.
Good for you… I left EO for the same reasons didn’t find the gospel there nor any real Christians. I suggest people go to where the truth and full gospel is being preached, not old dead religion and praying to Mary/Theotokos and saints and smells and bells.
@@zealousideal If you actually really were baptized or chrismated Orthodox you’d realize the Gospel is lived out. It’s also sung every Divine Liturgy, and the homily given by the priest is always in regard to the Gospel reading of the day. The Divine Liturgy is 99% chanting/singing the Scriptures
I've only gotten a little into it the only part that I've gotten to that's really wrong is using the false pronouns. I get what he's saying on the voting thing though both parties are evil.
One point about the question you asked about the titles of Father, Paul refers to himself as Father. 1 Corinthians 4:15 Paul explicitly refers to himself as a spiritual father in his relationship with the Corinthian church: "For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." 1 Timothy 1:2 "To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord." Titus 1:4 "To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour." Philemon 1:10 "I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds." Also the verse you quoted also says not to call someone teacher, if you go to Bible Study what do you refer to your Bible teacher? etc etc
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. SHALL NOT PERISH This is what changed the whole conversation for me. Also I would often get Protestant answers that Jesus talked down to His mother. They cite passages in the gospels like “look at how he treated his mother” as if Jesus said anything terrible to her…. They specifically quote things like “Here are my mother and brothers” or “Nay, rather blessed is the one who …” in responses. But these are taken WAY out of context by Protestants. But if he actually did something like that…if Jesus ACTUALLY disparaged his mom…it means Jesus would be breaking the commandment about honoring his father and mother…right? But Jesus is clearly without sin. So the Protestant answers to these questions don’t work at all.
Priest using biologically false pronouns for his family member is not loving or truthful, it's acquiesing to Worldly ideas that are directly antithetical to God's word. Poor kid is desperate for a role model and he's being played by his own family and church representatives Let's step it up Priest, we are here to carry the cross not cosplay "Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ" - Eph 4:15
Out of fairness, neither person in the video is related to this channel. I am looking to help others understand Eastern Orthodoxy and, by doing so, help facilitate a conversation between an Orthodox priest and a non-Orthodox person.
Crazy to see so many priests in the comments section correcting Father Nick. I mean what layman would exalt themselves to such a level to aim correct an ordained priest????
“ correcting an ordained priest” lol😂as if he’s God!?! Dude get a grip! These guys are not God there’s many priests and bishops all throughout history that were even known heretics, so you’re living in delusion! there’s a lot of priests that are incorrect or are liberal or whatever the case that are not priests, but Bishop’s, metropolitans, and patriarchs. I hope you know that. Wow it Is beyond mind blowing the level of gullibility and naivety here. Geez.
I have been vegan since age 19. I am also orthodox Christian. Veganism and Christianity have common values like compassion and I don't think Jesus would be happy about what He sees in the slaughterhouses, but even as a vegan I fast. My priest guides me in my fasting and the Orthodox fast has reinforced my veganism as well. Deny ourselves, crucify ourselves and in the denying of self we also help animals who are enslaved for human gluttony.
A priest is a sinner just like the rest of us. Although should be respected they shouldn’t be able to say who can and can’t take communion. Let God be the judge. A lot of priest will not be saved they say. What’s his view on this?
What the hell is wrong with this priest I mean I am absolutely no one to judge but the way he answered the first question just reeked of modernity. He seems like he’s on muddy waters smh I don’t like it
This is exactly what I keep telling everyone.. I’m glad you noticed it. It’s not just that one priest, many priests if not most of them, are like that.. and some of the jurisdictions and seminaries are also infected with it now. I disagree with a lot about orthodoxy, which is why I left it after many years of being in it.
We, including the laity, are called to righteously judge. Otherwise how can you discern if one is preaching heretical garbage? I think people assume judging these interactions and discerning whether what someone is saying is confessing falsehood and conflate it with judging the state of one’s soul and their salvation. One factor with this priest is he’s part of world orthodox Greek synod. Look at Archbishop Elpidophoros, he’s likes to toe the line and speaks about things like “all religions are on a path up the mountain to God but you can’t see the other paths” nonsense. He basically preached perennialism/universalism. Also he sent one of his bishops to go pray and bless a Hindu temple. He got caught and said he wouldn’t do it again but that he was “forced” but a few weeks later was praying with Protestants and Roman Catholics. Honestly, this is a big problem of world orthodoxy, as it’s steeped in modernity and the heresy of Ecvmenism. ROCOR-MP can claim, and my former priest was very traditional, to reject modernity and preaches traditional values but at the end of the day, they’ve chosen to capitulate to the Sergianist and ecvmenist MP/ROC. They’re members of the WCC, and by virtue of remaining in communion, they’ve fallen to their own anathema against ecvmenism of 1983 at the local council headed by St Philaret the New Confessor. Archbishop Averky of blessed memory spoke about this core issue which you find in Orthodox Word magazine Vol. 5 No. 130, back in the 70s and how ecvmenism will grow worse and people will for the sake of “unity and love” want to join not only with Roman Catholics and Protestants but to all other faiths as well and many will adopt Papist ecclesiology and blind obedience to heretical bishops.
Good interview. The priest is the most liberal orthodox priest i have ever heard. Almost concerning actually. You probably don't even notice it. It could also be nervousness but your constant head nodding throughout the interview is quite distracting. I don't mean to take away your from your good work, just a note for future videos.
There is no hope in the pope. You need to understand that you are the sinner for whom Christ died. No penitent works, turning-from-your sins work, self sacrificial works, religious works, or confessional works can forgive a single sin in your life. Only by faith, and by faith only, in the finished work of Calvary’s cross can we receive forgiveness and imputed righteousness by God’s grace.
To add clarity, there is no Papal Supremacy in Orthodoxy. Faith without works is dead, otherwise it's just lip-service. The good works come naturally with faith.
Just become Orthodox so you don’t waste the effort of trying to justify modern innovations and continue to appeal to Scripture that belong to the one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
@@MatthewMetanoiaThe Arians and Nestorians also proclaimed many things. A profession is one thing, while the actual reality of being the one Church is another. Learning real Church History (not as Protestant camps teach it, Rome corrupt, Reformer hero’s come in to save the day) is necessary to understand who is who. I was a Protestant for 25 years and became Orthodox joining the Orthodox Church. I am part of a Greek Orthodox Church, but visit Russian, Romanian, churches and monasteries. They share in communion. They are all Orthodox.
"Learning church history" as the Eastern Orthodox teach it to you. But what about the Oriental Orthodox? Or the Assyrian church of the East? Their history (and everyone not Eastern Orthodox) doesn't agree with the EO history. @@ProtestantismLeftBehind
@@MatthewMetanoiaAgreed. The modern day Arian heretics (Jehovah Witnesses) likewise would disagree. The Orientals are miaphysites, this is why they got the boot long ago. The Ancient Church of the East are Nestorians. Both maintain heretical ideas that are departures from the Apostolic Tradition. Reading the Church Fathers and what happened during the Ecumenical Councils and understanding the Creed of Nicene-Constantinople is important to understand this. The faith had to be preserved by the Church. Yet, some departed taking with them their heresy. They can claim to be Orthodox or part of the Church, but historically and theologically, they are not.
@@MatthewMetanoia No you learn church history first from all angles and then you discern between churches. You believe the Assyrian church is the true Church? So you believe that Christ is split between a divine person and a human person? Or do you believe the OO are correct so you hold to MiaPhysitism, that Christ has one nature that's fully human fully divine? Protestants love to talk abt Catholic innovations but you guys hold to the Fillioque a completely bogus claim and also Scholasticism/Absolute Divine Simplicity that was fully fledged out by Aquinas. The only Churches that could even be in the debate are EO, OO, RCC and possibly the Anglicans. Just because multiple groups disagree doesn't mean that there isn't a correct answer. That's like saying "multiple groups claim that they know how to be saved Sola Fide, Pelagianism, EO salvation theory so since people disagree there's no way to know"
While I can appreciate the discussion, you guys just don't understand the Papacy and how it developed. Ignatius of Antioch affirmed that the church Rome had the authority to teach others. Irenaeus of Lyon states The Roman church because of its superior origin, all the churches must agree, that is all the faithful of the world. Yes, Christ is the head of the Church, he left us with a Prime Minister to exercise His authority on earth (Isiah 22). If the Orthodox would have obeyed the Popes instead of the Emperors a lot of issues and heresies would have been avoided.
Rome caused the schism. St. Augustine: “He had not the primacy over the disciples (in discipulos) but among the disciples (in discipulis). His primacy among the disciples was the same as that of Stephen among the deacons." St. Ambrose: ” “As soon as Peter heard these words, “Whom say ye that I am?” remembering his place he exercised this primacy, a primacy of confession, not of honour; a primacy of faith, not of rank."
Friend, the Pope had special primacy because Sts Peter and Paul both started that church and died there. The Pope didn't have supremacy, nor did the power come from some Petrine Keys doctrine.
Epistle 59 of St. Cyprian (written around 256 AD) "The Church is one, and it is in the Church that the bishops are equal, for all are successors of the apostles. No one bishop has more power or authority than another, and the primacy which Rome claims is merely a custom that has grown over time." St. Ambrose’s letter to the Emperor Theodosius (written in 390 AD) “The Church is not the domain of one man, but the property of the bishops who are equal in dignity and have their power from the same Christ. No bishop can be superior to another; no bishop can be in authority over the whole Church, for there is one Church and one authority, that which is held by all bishops in communion with one another.” Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon "Following in all things the decrees of the holy Fathers, we recognize the primacy of the most holy see of Rome, because of its having been placed by the divine word as the first of the Churches, and the authority of the apostolic chair. And the most holy see of Constantinople, the new Rome, is to have equal privileges with the ancient imperial city, and the bishops of Constantinople are to be honored with the same privileges as those of Rome, because Constantinople is the new Rome." Apostolic Canon 34 4th century "Let a bishop not dare to do anything without the consent of the synod of bishops, for in this way the unity of the Church will be maintained." Apostolic Canon 35 "Let no bishop dare to depose a bishop from his office without the consent of the synod of bishops, for it is a matter concerning the whole Church." Apostolic Canon 36 "Let every bishop know that he has no authority over the entire Church, but only over his own flock. Let him govern in his own diocese, and not extend his power beyond his boundaries." Council of Nicaea Canon 6 The ancient customs of Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis shall be maintained, according to which the bishop of Alexandria has authority over all these places since a similar custom exists with reference to the bishop of Rome. Similarly in Antioch and the other provinces the prerogatives of the churches are to be preserved. In general the following principle is evident: if anyone is made bishop without the consent of the metropolitan, this great synod determines that such a one shall not be a bishop. If however two or three by reason of personal rivalry dissent from the common vote of all, provided it is reasonable and in accordance with the church’s canon, the vote of the majority shall prevail.
@mollyporium5086 No, that is not true. Rome remained independent and placed itself above earthly rulers. Just look at the investiture controversy and see how Henry II repented. No western Emperor every promoted heresy, unfortunately the east can't say that. Arianism was the biggie, and it was the Pope and St Athanasius who saved Christianity. Eastern Emperors imprisoned Popes, Patriarchs who disagreed with them. The east had a long long time problem of sucking up to the Emperors. Their are some today who think the Emperor must return, that is nuts!
That my friends is why I converted to orthodox from Protestantism, everything this father said was right on the dot and gave the fullness of the Christian faith, it’s not just a couple of verses creating this one mind set formula that saves you, it’s all of it in a whole.
No one eats one slice of pizza and claims he ate the whole pizza, he ate a whole slice but not a whole pizza.
Yikes. These answers gave you that feeling? Please listen to Fr. Truebennach, Lynch, Mahfouz or anything from Roots of Orthodoxy. God bless this priest but he gave answers that kept him in good standing with all crowds.
@ he answered perfectly. Everyone that’s orthodox knows about roots. What didn’t you like?
@@JLAV1985roots of orthodoxy is ran by a Catholic. Don’t watch them.
Good for you… I left EO for the same reasons didn’t find the gospel there nor any real Christians. I suggest people go to where the truth and full gospel is being preached, not old dead religion and praying to Mary/Theotokos and saints and smells and bells.
@@zealousideal If you actually really were baptized or chrismated Orthodox you’d realize the Gospel is lived out. It’s also sung every Divine Liturgy, and the homily given by the priest is always in regard to the Gospel reading of the day.
The Divine Liturgy is 99% chanting/singing the Scriptures
Gonna watch it later. First video of this RUclips channel. My algorithm is neat. God bless you
Beautifully said Fr. Nicholas about Holy Communion and everything In General. My mind is swirling now though...
Great video man!! ❤️✝️ bless your soul
I have NEVER seen an orthodox priest be so liberal and Luke warm on clear topics.
He needs to be corrected by his elders
He's Greek. It's common for that jurisdiction.
Yes this is a big problem
I've only gotten a little into it the only part that I've gotten to that's really wrong is using the false pronouns. I get what he's saying on the voting thing though both parties are evil.
I have! Most them are which is another reason I left it. Most priests I know are very liberal, or woke or lukewarm,
Thank you Father. ☦️❤️
Would be awesome if you could add chapters to this
One point about the question you asked about the titles of Father, Paul refers to himself as Father.
1 Corinthians 4:15
Paul explicitly refers to himself as a spiritual father in his relationship with the Corinthian church:
"For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."
1 Timothy 1:2
"To Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."
Titus 1:4
"To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Philemon 1:10
"I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds."
Also the verse you quoted also says not to call someone teacher, if you go to Bible Study what do you refer to your Bible teacher? etc etc
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
SHALL NOT PERISH
This is what changed the whole conversation for me.
Also I would often get Protestant answers that Jesus talked down to His mother. They cite passages in the gospels like “look at how he treated his mother” as if Jesus said anything terrible to her….
They specifically quote things like “Here are my mother and brothers” or “Nay, rather blessed is the one who …” in responses. But these are taken WAY out of context by Protestants.
But if he actually did something like that…if Jesus ACTUALLY disparaged his mom…it means Jesus would be breaking the commandment about honoring his father and mother…right?
But Jesus is clearly without sin. So the Protestant answers to these questions don’t work at all.
I know how my priest would answer the first question. 2. Male and female. Hard stop. Love my priest.
Priest using biologically false pronouns for his family member is not loving or truthful, it's acquiesing to Worldly ideas that are directly antithetical to God's word.
Poor kid is desperate for a role model and he's being played by his own family and church representatives
Let's step it up Priest, we are here to carry the cross not cosplay
"Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ" - Eph 4:15
You seem full of wisdom, why don’t you go correct the priest in person after the liturgy during coffee hour ?
@livelearnevolve You run a eastern mysticism meditation channel you aren't Christian.
@@haydentrent101where is he?
@@TunicThule he says it at the very beginning
@@haydentrent101there is many parishes that have the exact name brother.
I left Protestantism once sola Scriptura and sola Fide were clearly incoherent, ahistorical, and unbiblical. Soon to be Orthodox God willing*
Glory to God! ☦️
i was curious to see the debate as per the title, but this guy starting out being edgy talking about genders made me just not want to keep watching.
It’s the conservative zoomer brain rot sadly
As a default settings Protestant, I can appreciate the quality and effort put into this.
Why is Protestantism the default?
Thank you. Please share this video with others in your family and friend circles.
Interview my Serbian priest 😂 he is all about protecting children and making it known what’s right and wrong
Bro really walked in with zoomer broccoli hair and basic questions and titled the video, “let’s solve the debate” 😹😹😹
Cracked me up 😭
Out of fairness, neither person in the video is related to this channel. I am looking to help others understand Eastern Orthodoxy and, by doing so, help facilitate a conversation between an Orthodox priest and a non-Orthodox person.
Crazy to see so many priests in the comments section correcting Father Nick. I mean what layman would exalt themselves to such a level to aim correct an ordained priest????
“ correcting an ordained priest” lol😂as if he’s God!?! Dude get a grip!
These guys are not God there’s many priests and bishops all throughout history that were even known heretics, so you’re living in delusion! there’s a lot of priests that are incorrect or are liberal or whatever the case that are not priests, but Bishop’s, metropolitans, and patriarchs. I hope you know that. Wow it Is beyond mind blowing the level of gullibility and naivety here. Geez.
I go to holy assumption in canton oh. I think I may have visited a year ago.
That's great to hear. You are welcome anytime at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Canton, Ohio (where we filmed this video).
Subbed
I have been vegan since age 19. I am also orthodox Christian. Veganism and Christianity have common values like compassion and I don't think Jesus would be happy about what He sees in the slaughterhouses, but even as a vegan I fast. My priest guides me in my fasting and the Orthodox fast has reinforced my veganism as well. Deny ourselves, crucify ourselves and in the denying of self we also help animals who are enslaved for human gluttony.
A priest is a sinner just like the rest of us. Although should be respected they shouldn’t be able to say who can and can’t take communion. Let God be the judge. A lot of priest will not be saved they say. What’s his view on this?
People read Gavin Ortlund's What it means to be protestant. Book of the year -24. Worth it.
What the hell is wrong with this priest I mean I am absolutely no one to judge but the way he answered the first question just reeked of modernity. He seems like he’s on muddy waters smh I don’t like it
“I am absolutely no one to judge” - proceeds to judge anyway.
This is exactly what I keep telling everyone.. I’m glad you noticed it.
It’s not just that one priest, many priests if not most of them, are like that.. and some of the jurisdictions and seminaries are also infected with it now. I disagree with a lot about orthodoxy, which is why I left it after many years of being in it.
@@zealousidealWhat about the Orthodox Church did you disagree with? And were actually received into the Church?
We, including the laity, are called to righteously judge. Otherwise how can you discern if one is preaching heretical garbage? I think people assume judging these interactions and discerning whether what someone is saying is confessing falsehood and conflate it with judging the state of one’s soul and their salvation.
One factor with this priest is he’s part of world orthodox Greek synod. Look at Archbishop Elpidophoros, he’s likes to toe the line and speaks about things like “all religions are on a path up the mountain to God but you can’t see the other paths” nonsense. He basically preached perennialism/universalism. Also he sent one of his bishops to go pray and bless a Hindu temple. He got caught and said he wouldn’t do it again but that he was “forced” but a few weeks later was praying with Protestants and Roman Catholics.
Honestly, this is a big problem of world orthodoxy, as it’s steeped in modernity and the heresy of Ecvmenism.
ROCOR-MP can claim, and my former priest was very traditional, to reject modernity and preaches traditional values but at the end of the day, they’ve chosen to capitulate to the Sergianist and ecvmenist MP/ROC. They’re members of the WCC, and by virtue of remaining in communion, they’ve fallen to their own anathema against ecvmenism of 1983 at the local council headed by St Philaret the New Confessor.
Archbishop Averky of blessed memory spoke about this core issue which you find in Orthodox Word magazine Vol. 5 No. 130, back in the 70s and how ecvmenism will grow worse and people will for the sake of “unity and love” want to join not only with Roman Catholics and Protestants but to all other faiths as well and many will adopt Papist ecclesiology and blind obedience to heretical bishops.
@@zealousidealinteresting, where did you go?
Good interview.
The priest is the most liberal orthodox priest i have ever heard. Almost concerning actually.
You probably don't even notice it. It could also be nervousness but your constant head nodding throughout the interview is quite distracting. I don't mean to take away your from your good work, just a note for future videos.
There is no hope in the pope. You need to understand that you are the sinner for whom Christ died.
No penitent works, turning-from-your sins work, self sacrificial works, religious works, or confessional works can forgive a single sin in your life.
Only by faith, and by faith only, in the finished work of Calvary’s cross can we receive forgiveness and imputed righteousness by God’s grace.
To add clarity, there is no Papal Supremacy in Orthodoxy. Faith without works is dead, otherwise it's just lip-service. The good works come naturally with faith.
Something about young Protestants just crack me up 🤣
Just become Orthodox so you don’t waste the effort of trying to justify modern innovations and continue to appeal to Scripture that belong to the one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
There are many self proclaimed "one true catholic and apostolic church" even within Orthodox
@@MatthewMetanoiaThe Arians and Nestorians also proclaimed many things. A profession is one thing, while the actual reality of being the one Church is another. Learning real Church History (not as Protestant camps teach it, Rome corrupt, Reformer hero’s come in to save the day) is necessary to understand who is who. I was a Protestant for 25 years and became Orthodox joining the Orthodox Church. I am part of a Greek Orthodox Church, but visit Russian, Romanian, churches and monasteries. They share in communion. They are all Orthodox.
"Learning church history" as the Eastern Orthodox teach it to you. But what about the Oriental Orthodox? Or the Assyrian church of the East? Their history (and everyone not Eastern Orthodox) doesn't agree with the EO history. @@ProtestantismLeftBehind
@@MatthewMetanoiaAgreed. The modern day Arian heretics (Jehovah Witnesses) likewise would disagree. The Orientals are miaphysites, this is why they got the boot long ago. The Ancient Church of the East are Nestorians. Both maintain heretical ideas that are departures from the Apostolic Tradition. Reading the Church Fathers and what happened during the Ecumenical Councils and understanding the Creed of Nicene-Constantinople is important to understand this. The faith had to be preserved by the Church. Yet, some departed taking with them their heresy. They can claim to be Orthodox or part of the Church, but historically and theologically, they are not.
@@MatthewMetanoia No you learn church history first from all angles and then you discern between churches. You believe the Assyrian church is the true Church? So you believe that Christ is split between a divine person and a human person? Or do you believe the OO are correct so you hold to MiaPhysitism, that Christ has one nature that's fully human fully divine? Protestants love to talk abt Catholic innovations but you guys hold to the Fillioque a completely bogus claim and also Scholasticism/Absolute Divine Simplicity that was fully fledged out by Aquinas. The only Churches that could even be in the debate are EO, OO, RCC and possibly the Anglicans. Just because multiple groups disagree doesn't mean that there isn't a correct answer. That's like saying "multiple groups claim that they know how to be saved Sola Fide, Pelagianism, EO salvation theory so since people disagree there's no way to know"
the shoes of the protestant says it all
Is that a fruit of the Spirit ?
@@jgeph2.4 i highly doubt vanity is a fruit of the Spirit
@@proxile_ I was speaking of your comment , not the shoes .
How is this a Protestant vs orthodox debate?
The word "debate" is used more loosely here to highlight the differences. For some hardcore debates, I would recommend you to watch Jay Dyer.
Came up on my youtube feed. In Just starting the video.
Awesome, thank you for watching and I hope you learned something new.
While I can appreciate the discussion, you guys just don't understand the Papacy and how it developed. Ignatius of Antioch affirmed that the church Rome had the authority to teach others. Irenaeus of Lyon states The Roman church because of its superior origin, all the churches must agree, that is all the faithful of the world. Yes, Christ is the head of the Church, he left us with a Prime Minister to exercise His authority on earth (Isiah 22).
If the Orthodox would have obeyed the Popes instead of the Emperors a lot of issues and heresies would have been avoided.
Rome caused the schism.
St. Augustine:
“He had not the primacy over the disciples (in discipulos) but among the
disciples (in discipulis). His primacy among the disciples was the same as
that of Stephen among the deacons."
St. Ambrose:
”
“As soon as Peter heard these words, “Whom say ye that I am?”
remembering his place he exercised this primacy, a primacy of confession,
not of honour; a primacy of faith, not of rank."
Friend, the Pope had special primacy because Sts Peter and Paul both started that church and died there. The Pope didn't have supremacy, nor did the power come from some Petrine Keys doctrine.
Epistle 59 of St. Cyprian (written around 256 AD)
"The Church is one, and it is in the Church that the bishops are equal, for all are successors of the apostles. No one bishop has more power or authority than another, and the primacy which Rome claims is merely a custom that has grown over time."
St. Ambrose’s letter to the Emperor Theodosius (written in 390 AD)
“The Church is not the domain of one man, but the property of the bishops who are equal in dignity and have their power from the same Christ. No bishop can be superior to another; no bishop can be in authority over the whole Church, for there is one Church and one authority, that which is held by all bishops in communion with one another.”
Canon 28 of the Council of Chalcedon
"Following in all things the decrees of the holy Fathers, we recognize the primacy of the most holy see of Rome, because of its having been placed by the divine word as the first of the Churches, and the authority of the apostolic chair. And the most holy see of Constantinople, the new Rome, is to have equal privileges with the ancient imperial city, and the bishops of Constantinople are to be honored with the same privileges as those of Rome, because Constantinople is the new Rome."
Apostolic Canon 34 4th century
"Let a bishop not dare to do anything without the consent of the synod of bishops, for in this way the unity of the Church will be maintained."
Apostolic Canon 35
"Let no bishop dare to depose a bishop from his office without the consent of the synod of bishops, for it is a matter concerning the whole Church."
Apostolic Canon 36
"Let every bishop know that he has no authority over the entire Church, but only over his own flock. Let him govern in his own diocese, and not extend his power beyond his boundaries."
Council of Nicaea Canon 6
The ancient customs of Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis shall be maintained, according to which the bishop of Alexandria has authority over all these places since a similar custom exists with reference to the bishop of Rome. Similarly in Antioch and the other provinces the prerogatives of the churches are to be preserved. In general the following principle is evident: if anyone is made bishop without the consent of the metropolitan, this great synod determines that such a one shall not be a bishop. If however two or three by reason of personal rivalry dissent from the common vote of all, provided it is reasonable and in accordance with the church’s canon, the vote of the majority shall prevail.
Also thats a pretty silly comment considering the western church was the toy of many Holy Roman Emperors for a longg long time.
@mollyporium5086 No, that is not true. Rome remained independent and placed itself above earthly rulers. Just look at the investiture controversy and see how Henry II repented. No western Emperor every promoted heresy, unfortunately the east can't say that. Arianism was the biggie, and it was the Pope and St Athanasius who saved Christianity. Eastern Emperors imprisoned Popes, Patriarchs who disagreed with them. The east had a long long time problem of sucking up to the Emperors. Their are some today who think the Emperor must return, that is nuts!