Will Rome and Constantinople become one Church again prior to 2054 A.D.?

[trifecta]

A thought occurs to me...

When a church split in two - it multiplies itself.  It now has two bases from which to build.  Is that necessarily a bad thing?

(I suppose it is if the two sides fight and devour each other, but that isn't necessarily the case now, is it?)

Jarrod,

Schisms are bad. John 17 says the people should be united, as God is united. 

Today we apply the enterpreneural model to everything.  Shame on us!
If the church is the body of Christ, how can the body of Christ be divided?

If not saying we (Orthodox) don't have problems in this area, but if we denied this was a problem, we'd be hopelessly divided.

I also think what a poor witness to the world our divisions made.  It says "We believe in the love of God, but can't stand each other."

[trifecta]

When a church split in two - it multiplies itself.  It now has two bases from which to build.  Is that necessarily a bad thing?

The last research that I saw, was that both RC and 'Dox are actually shrinking year to year.

Actually, I read the opposite.  The fastest growing church in America is the RCC.  We're maintaining our numbers, and the Prots are declining.   However, the newer Prot churches are growing at a higher rate, but that's just what happens with small numbers.  If I converted you to the Church of Trifecta, my (now our) church would enjoy a 100 percent growth rate.

About 90% of all their baptisms are the children of existing members, very few off the street. 

Since we have infant baptism, this will be more likely. 

The overall trend in all three groups is we are getting adults (converts) into the church, but children are leaving all churches for secularism.

[stevehut]

Actually, I read the opposite.  The fastest growing church in America is the RCC. 

Can you send me a link to this info?  I would be interested to know.

[HRoberson]

In 2005, Gallup posted this:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/16459/tracking-us-religious-preferences-over-decades.aspx

[ex cathedra]

This is not my favorite topic, but one which I have thought about more than most.

Orthodox Christians:  It has been almost 1,000 years since the joint excommunication of 1054 and although said excommunications have been cancelled, the break still remains.  Two issues pop into my mind with frequency re: Catholic-Orthodox relations.  (1) Is it realistic to expect that a reunion can be achieved in the near future?

This is really up to the RCC.  I am more optimistic than most.  Pope Benedict XVI, for example, has a great amount of respect for the Orthodox Church.  More below.

(2) It seems that Catholics favor a merger much more so than Eastern Orthodox, at least based upon my survey of numerous posts on a variety of websites.  If this is true, why would the Orthodox be more opposed to a reunion than Roman Catholics?

Desire is not the only issue; it's not even a major one.  Father Thomas Hopko has put together a good list of what it would take to reunite the churches.   Google and you will find.   

The main issue is: does the Pope (or Bishop of Rome) have universal authority over the church?  This is a binary question.   Until the Pope says "No," we cannot have unity.  The previous pope invited Orthodox (and Protestants) to come to the RCC and accept his authority.  Well, we could do something similar: renounce your claim to universal authority and we'll be back together.  In fact, the Bishop of Constantinople had said this, just less formally than John Paul II.  Personally, I prefer Bartholomew's approach.  If the answer is going to be no, don't trumpet it.   

Admittedly, the mechanics of reunification would be more difficult under the Orthodox Church (because we have 4 Patriachates and lots of independent churches) than the Catholic (just one man needs to approve).   But, if the Pope (of Rome) denounces his claim to universal authority, unity would take about a generation to happen (IMHO).

Because in history the greek orthodox have  identified the papacy with the seat of the Anti Christ.

and the pope He is not Going to step down as the vicar of Christ and ruler of the church.

At times, but not really.   We have not objected to the title of "Patriachate of the West" given to the Bishop of Rome.   Strangely, Pope Benedict XVI recently renounced this title which was in place for some 1500 years or so.

Can unity happen by 2054?  I think it can, and I hope and pray so.

Sure it will happen i also have no doubt . He has already ALMOST won you over hasnt he? And he still claims to have authority over your churches at the same time.

[Francis of Assisi]

I appreciate all the responses.   Having studied the matter more, I am only slightly more optimistic that a reunion will occur by 2054.  The bottom line is that either side still must concede on the issue of authority.  There does not seem to be a way to have a middle ground.  Either the Pope is the head of the Church or he is not. 

[DCR]

If the Catholic and Orthodox ever do reunite, I'm sure the End-Timers will have a heyday over that. 

[trifecta]

I'm sure that they will!   I think they would die out, and most Christians would join the one church.  On the other hand, traditions are strong (even Protestant ones  ) and they would hold their ground.

I'd like to think that the uniting of Catholic and Orthodox would unite Christianity, but changing hearts is not easy!