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Rating: 
Summary: tired and paltry efforts to avoid Roman Primacy
Review: Besides the obvious distortion of Pope Gregory's remark about the term "universal priest" of which was referencing an eastern bishop who overstepped his bounds. Pope Gregory carried out Universal Jusrisdiction in numerous cases, including deposing eastern prelates. I won't belabour the point any further. To get an objective view on this issue read JESUS, PETER, AND THE KEYS and Soloviev's classic THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AND THE PAPACY. God Bless.
Rating:
Summary: tired and paltry efforts to avoid Roman Primacy
Review: Besides the obvious distortion of Pope Gregory's remark about the term "universal priest" of which was referencing an eastern bishop who overstepped his bounds. Pope Gregory carried out Universal Jusrisdiction in numerous cases, including deposing eastern prelates. I won't belabour the point any further. To get an objective view on this issue read JESUS, PETER, AND THE KEYS and Soloviev's classic THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AND THE PAPACY. God Bless.
Rating: 
Summary: Two Paths: my view
Review: In Two Paths, author Michael Whelton chronicles the fall of the Church from the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic church into the mess we see today, with over 22,000 denominations of Christianity. Aided by a �life-long interest in history�, the author takes the reader on a journey of the history of the Church up to and slightly after the Great Schism in 1054. For those unversed in the history of the church, the Great Schism refers to the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. While there were many complicated social, cultural, and geographic variables that aggravated the situation, there were two key issues internal to the church at issue. These two were Papal ..., the view that the pope is the head of the Church, and the Filioque, or the insertion of the phrase �and the Son� into the Creed. The book is well documented and researched, and the conclusions that Whelton draws were apparently difficult for him to come to terms with. He describes his struggle and feelings of alienation when he first began attending Orthodox Liturgy. He uses quotes to effectively support his thesis, and limits footnotes to citing sources rather than explaining material. The book is a sort of chronicle of his personal journey of eventually converting to Orthodoxy. Writing from the perspective of a convert, Whelton offers the alternative to Rome. He saves his conclusions for the last two chapters, where he shows resistance to the Papal Monarchy within the ranks of Roman Church herself. He then brings in the Orthodox Church and it�s form of government, and how that cohesion has prevented Her from sharing the torrid history of the Roman Church, from the time of the Protestant Reformation, to the Counter Reformation, to the more modern changes in Vatican II. In Two Paths, Whelton relies �on the best scholarship available on early church history to illustrate Rome�s role in the early church, specifically in the ecumenical councils and how she was perceived by the Church at large.� Also, he relies �heavily on Roman Catholic historians as they comment on the major issues such as Papal Infallibility.� (Whelton, 24) In the Chapter III �The Seven Ecumenical Councils�, Whelton systematically illustrates the historical role of the Roman Church in these councils. He then goes on to discuss the Filioque and it�s insertion into the Nicene Creed by the Roman Church. He shows how the Roman Church was opposed to its insertion even as late as 880 C.E. Whelton builds on this foundation, arguing that if the Roman Church would eventually allow the insertion of the Filioque �because it was firmly entrenched in the West�, then it is no big step to �communion in the hand, alter girls, and liturgical dance� because they too are �firmly entrenched in our own day.� (Whelton, 91) The author attributes the �assimilation of Protestant ideas�, �liturgical innovations� and this predisposition to change to the elevation of the Primacy of the Pope, which he argues has weakened the Roman Catholic Church. The part of the book I found most interesting was his evaluation on the evolution of the claims of the Papacy. An example: while certainly not the first, he debunks the Donation of Constantine. This supposed �donation� of the east to the pope by Constantine is an argument for the ... of Rome. Commencing his attack on the Pope, Whelton quotes Pope Gregory the Great who wrote �Whosoever calls himself, or desires to be called, Universal Priest, is in his elation a precursor of Antichrist.� (Whelton, 109) The conclusion Whelton draws is stated in the end of Chapter I, �The claims of the Papacy did not stand close historical analysis, which ultimately called into question the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.� (Whelton, 24) Whelton explains that �The Orthodox Church during those first thousand years of union, always recognized Rome as having a Primacy of Honour i.e. primus inter pares - first among equals.� (Whelton, 16) But abuse of that duty mutated into �supreme jurisdiction and infallible judgment over the entire church.� Whelton goes on to say that �It may come as a surprise to some Catholics that before the defining of the definition [papal infallibility] in 1870, many of the church�s most respected historians roundly denounced it as untenable.� (Whelton, 24) While Whelton brings forth no new information in Two Paths, the value in this book lies in its careful scholarship and concise nature made easily available and understandable. Two Paths is of greatest value to students of Church history, or those wanting to know more about Her. Whelton, as a Roman Catholic, was disturbed by the changes that are happening within the church. The book is intended to persuade Roman Catholics investigating the claims of the Papacy of the glass foundation on which it rests. Two Paths is a well-reasoned Orthodox argument as to why collegial tradition is superior to Universal Jurisdiction. To the Protestant reader, there is much historical value to be found. Two Paths can server as a primer containing a convincing argument of why the Orthodox Church is the historical manifestation of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and remains so today. Even if the reader does not fall into one of the prescribed categories above, the education that can be gleaned from the pages are well worth the read. A background in church history would be a good supplement to this text, as the writer does dive in quite rapidly and presupposes the reader is minimally versed in this topic. While sticking to his resultant convictions, Whelton is nonetheless sensitive to the Roman Catholic reader, being careful not to insult those in its fold. As a Protestant convert to Orthodoxy myself, I felt his treatment of Protestantism as less sensitive, but perhaps necessarily so. In the words of Kimberley Patton, associate Professor in the Comparative and Historical Study of Religion, Two Paths �...will surely-and ought to-provoke a Roman Catholic response...�
Rating:
Summary: Two Paths: my view
Review: In Two Paths, author Michael Whelton chronicles the fall of the Church from the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic church into the mess we see today, with over 22,000 denominations of Christianity. Aided by a 'life-long interest in history', the author takes the reader on a journey of the history of the Church up to and slightly after the Great Schism in 1054. For those unversed in the history of the church, the Great Schism refers to the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. While there were many complicated social, cultural, and geographic variables that aggravated the situation, there were two key issues internal to the church at issue. These two were Papal ..., the view that the pope is the head of the Church, and the Filioque, or the insertion of the phrase 'and the Son' into the Creed. The book is well documented and researched, and the conclusions that Whelton draws were apparently difficult for him to come to terms with. He describes his struggle and feelings of alienation when he first began attending Orthodox Liturgy. He uses quotes to effectively support his thesis, and limits footnotes to citing sources rather than explaining material. The book is a sort of chronicle of his personal journey of eventually converting to Orthodoxy. Writing from the perspective of a convert, Whelton offers the alternative to Rome. He saves his conclusions for the last two chapters, where he shows resistance to the Papal Monarchy within the ranks of Roman Church herself. He then brings in the Orthodox Church and it's form of government, and how that cohesion has prevented Her from sharing the torrid history of the Roman Church, from the time of the Protestant Reformation, to the Counter Reformation, to the more modern changes in Vatican II. In Two Paths, Whelton relies 'on the best scholarship available on early church history to illustrate Rome's role in the early church, specifically in the ecumenical councils and how she was perceived by the Church at large.' Also, he relies 'heavily on Roman Catholic historians as they comment on the major issues such as Papal Infallibility.' (Whelton, 24) In the Chapter III 'The Seven Ecumenical Councils', Whelton systematically illustrates the historical role of the Roman Church in these councils. He then goes on to discuss the Filioque and it's insertion into the Nicene Creed by the Roman Church. He shows how the Roman Church was opposed to its insertion even as late as 880 C.E. Whelton builds on this foundation, arguing that if the Roman Church would eventually allow the insertion of the Filioque 'because it was firmly entrenched in the West', then it is no big step to 'communion in the hand, alter girls, and liturgical dance' because they too are 'firmly entrenched in our own day.' (Whelton, 91) The author attributes the 'assimilation of Protestant ideas', 'liturgical innovations' and this predisposition to change to the elevation of the Primacy of the Pope, which he argues has weakened the Roman Catholic Church. The part of the book I found most interesting was his evaluation on the evolution of the claims of the Papacy. An example: while certainly not the first, he debunks the Donation of Constantine. This supposed 'donation' of the east to the pope by Constantine is an argument for the ... of Rome. Commencing his attack on the Pope, Whelton quotes Pope Gregory the Great who wrote 'Whosoever calls himself, or desires to be called, Universal Priest, is in his elation a precursor of Antichrist.' (Whelton, 109) The conclusion Whelton draws is stated in the end of Chapter I, 'The claims of the Papacy did not stand close historical analysis, which ultimately called into question the doctrine of Papal Infallibility.' (Whelton, 24) Whelton explains that 'The Orthodox Church during those first thousand years of union, always recognized Rome as having a Primacy of Honour i.e. primus inter pares - first among equals.' (Whelton, 16) But abuse of that duty mutated into 'supreme jurisdiction and infallible judgment over the entire church.' Whelton goes on to say that 'It may come as a surprise to some Catholics that before the defining of the definition [papal infallibility] in 1870, many of the church's most respected historians roundly denounced it as untenable.' (Whelton, 24) While Whelton brings forth no new information in Two Paths, the value in this book lies in its careful scholarship and concise nature made easily available and understandable. Two Paths is of greatest value to students of Church history, or those wanting to know more about Her. Whelton, as a Roman Catholic, was disturbed by the changes that are happening within the church. The book is intended to persuade Roman Catholics investigating the claims of the Papacy of the glass foundation on which it rests. Two Paths is a well-reasoned Orthodox argument as to why collegial tradition is superior to Universal Jurisdiction. To the Protestant reader, there is much historical value to be found. Two Paths can server as a primer containing a convincing argument of why the Orthodox Church is the historical manifestation of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and remains so today. Even if the reader does not fall into one of the prescribed categories above, the education that can be gleaned from the pages are well worth the read. A background in church history would be a good supplement to this text, as the writer does dive in quite rapidly and presupposes the reader is minimally versed in this topic. While sticking to his resultant convictions, Whelton is nonetheless sensitive to the Roman Catholic reader, being careful not to insult those in its fold. As a Protestant convert to Orthodoxy myself, I felt his treatment of Protestantism as less sensitive, but perhaps necessarily so. In the words of Kimberley Patton, associate Professor in the Comparative and Historical Study of Religion, Two Paths '...will surely-and ought to-provoke a Roman Catholic response...'
Rating:
Summary: The Central Issue
Review: The role of the papacy in the church is the central issue which has separated Roman Catholicism from the Orthodox Church. I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in the debate. The work shows that many of the fathers held interpretations of the Petrine passages and the role of the papacy that are in complete contradiction to what Catholicism teaches. Read it for yourself.
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