Communion from a Priest Outside Your Own Church

[PeterTheAleut]

How would you know he is a heretic?

I am not sure. Anyway, I saw a posted sign at an Orthodox Church indicating that they had adult catechism classes on Thursday nights at 7:30. I indicated to the Orthodox priest there that I was interested in attending and learning more about the Orthodox Church. He said that I was a heretic and that he did not allow heretics to attend his classes, but only those who had been baptised and chrismated in the Orthodox church. So I guess he had some criteria to determine who was and who was not a heretic.

Wow...that souns a bit absurd...

Yes, that does sound absurd. I think of a catechism class as something intended specifically for those who have NOT yet been baptized and chrismated.

[Severian]

Can we please get back on topic?

[PeterTheAleut]

Can we please get back on topic?

How has this discussion veered off topic? The discussion of heresy and the heresies one sees in communions outside one's own is important to the topic of whether one would receive Communion from a priest outside one's own church.

[Severian]

^Okay, good point, I guess you're right. When I said "get back on topic" I eant discussing whether you would commune in these other Churches if you were isolated from a parish of your own faith tradition.

[celticfan1888]

How would you know he is a heretic?

I am not sure. Anyway, I saw a posted sign at an Orthodox Church indicating that they had adult catechism classes on Thursday nights at 7:30. I indicated to the Orthodox priest there that I was interested in attending and learning more about the Orthodox Church. He said that I was a heretic and that he did not allow heretics to attend his classes, but only those who had been baptised and chrismated in the Orthodox church. So I guess he had some criteria to determine who was and who was not a heretic.

Wow...that souns a bit absurd...

Yes, that does sound absurd. I think of a catechism class as something intended specifically for those who have NOT yet been baptized and chrismated.

Exactly, I hope he misheard the priest...

[stanley123]

How would you know he is a heretic?

I am not sure. Anyway, I saw a posted sign at an Orthodox Church indicating that they had adult catechism classes on Thursday nights at 7:30. I indicated to the Orthodox priest there that I was interested in attending and learning more about the Orthodox Church. He said that I was a heretic and that he did not allow heretics to attend his classes, but only those who had been baptised and chrismated in the Orthodox church. So I guess he had some criteria to determine who was and who was not a heretic.

 

Please tell me that this priest was from a group that has a name like: True-Blue Super-Orthodox Dogmatically and Canonically Perfecto Supremo Uber-Right Believing Greek Hellenic Ancient Greek Orthodox Catholic Greek Orthopraxical Church...?

Antioch Orthodox Church. BTW, the Orthodox priest was a convert from the Baptist group. He was not Orthodox from childhood, but Baptist.  When he saw me flinch at his comment, he tried to soften his statement by saying that even his father, who was a Baptist minister, was a heretic. Anyway, no, he would not allow me to attend his class. My guess is that he did not like Roman Catholics, or he did not like my discussion in which I was talking about Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. BTW, he said that St. Augustine was not a Saint, but was Blessed.   I was slightly acquainted  with a girl who was  a student at the local college, and she was an Anglican. In a casual conversation with her,  she told me that she was attending his evening class on thursdays. He did belong to a canonical Orthodox Church, the Antiochan Orthodox Church, which I believe had accepted a certain number of people from the Baptist group in the past. 

[stanley123]

Can we please get back on topic?

OK. I apologise, but the question came up as to who was and who was not a heretic.

[Severian]

Can we please get back on topic?

OK. I apologise, but the question came up as to who was and who was not a heretic.

^No problem, nevermind.

[PeterTheAleut]

How would you know he is a heretic?

I am not sure. Anyway, I saw a posted sign at an Orthodox Church indicating that they had adult catechism classes on Thursday nights at 7:30. I indicated to the Orthodox priest there that I was interested in attending and learning more about the Orthodox Church. He said that I was a heretic and that he did not allow heretics to attend his classes, but only those who had been baptised and chrismated in the Orthodox church. So I guess he had some criteria to determine who was and who was not a heretic.

 

Please tell me that this priest was from a group that has a name like: True-Blue Super-Orthodox Dogmatically and Canonically Perfecto Supremo Uber-Right Believing Greek Hellenic Ancient Greek Orthodox Catholic Greek Orthopraxical Church...?

Antioch Orthodox Church. BTW, the Orthodox priest was a convert from the Baptist group. He was not Orthodox from childhood, but Baptist.  When he saw me flinch at his comment, he tried to soften his statement by saying that even his father, who was a Baptist minister, was a heretic. Anyway, no, he would not allow me to attend his class. My guess is that he did not like Roman Catholics, or he did not like my discussion in which I was talking about Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. BTW, he said that St. Augustine was not a Saint, but was Blessed.   I was slightly acquainted  with a girl who was  a student at the local college, and she was an Anglican. In a casual conversation with her,  she told me that she was attending his evening class on thursdays. He did belong to a canonical Orthodox Church, the Antiochan Orthodox Church, which I believe had accepted a certain number of people from the Baptist group in the past. 

Shows you how much he knows if he says St. Augustine is not a saint.

[LBK]

St Augustine of Hippo is listed on every Orthodox calendar I have encountered (Greek, Russian, Serbian, and others). His feastday is June 15. Orthodox saints are not required to be infallible, only holy and God-pleasing.

[Peter J]

How would you know he is a heretic?

I am not sure. Anyway, I saw a posted sign at an Orthodox Church indicating that they had adult catechism classes on Thursday nights at 7:30. I indicated to the Orthodox priest there that I was interested in attending and learning more about the Orthodox Church. He said that I was a heretic and that he did not allow heretics to attend his classes, but only those who had been baptised and chrismated in the Orthodox church. So I guess he had some criteria to determine who was and who was not a heretic.

 

Please tell me that this priest was from a group that has a name like: True-Blue Super-Orthodox Dogmatically and Canonically Perfecto Supremo Uber-Right Believing Greek Hellenic Ancient Greek Orthodox Catholic Greek Orthopraxical Church...?

Antioch Orthodox Church. BTW, the Orthodox priest was a convert from the Baptist group. He was not Orthodox from childhood, but Baptist.  When he saw me flinch at his comment, he tried to soften his statement by saying that even his father, who was a Baptist minister, was a heretic. Anyway, no, he would not allow me to attend his class. My guess is that he did not like Roman Catholics, or he did not like my discussion in which I was talking about Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. BTW, he said that St. Augustine was not a Saint, but was Blessed.   I was slightly acquainted  with a girl who was  a student at the local college, and she was an Anglican. In a casual conversation with her,  she told me that she was attending his evening class on thursdays. He did belong to a canonical Orthodox Church, the Antiochan Orthodox Church, which I believe had accepted a certain number of people from the Baptist group in the past. 

Shows you how much he knows if he says St. Augustine is not a saint.

I've heard of that, Orthodox calling him "Blessed Augustine" but not "St. Augustine".

[Michał Kalina]

I've heard of that, Orthodox calling him "Blessed Augustine" but not "St. Augustine".

"Blessed" is a type of "Saint" like "Martyr", "Confessor", "Apostle" etc.

[celticfan1888]

I've heard of that, Orthodox calling him "Blessed Augustine" but not "St. Augustine".

He is called Ό Αγίος Αυγουστίνος - "Saint Augustine"

[PeterTheAleut]

Okay, now that we've gone down this rat hole of whether St. Augustine is a saint or not, a subject we have discussed on other threads, could we get back on the topic of the OP?

[zekarja]

I would commune in an Oriental Church.

[Severian]

I would commune in an Oriental Church.

But not in an RC parish, I assume?

As I have said, I wouldn't feel comfortable communing in any Church besides the EOC or the OOC.

[stanley123]

I would commune in an Oriental Church.

But not in an RC parish, I assume?

As I have said, I wouldn't feel comfortable communing in any Church besides the EOC or the OOC.

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

[Severian]

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

Please define "emergency situation".

[stanley123]

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

Please define "emergency situation".

You are at the point of death. The doctor has given you one hour to live and there is no E. Orthodox priest or OO priest within one thousand miles. You are in a hospital bed and the Melchite Catholic priest is next door.

[Severian]

You are at the point of death. The doctor has given you one hour to live and there is no E. Orthodox priest or OO priest within one thousand miles. You are in a hospital bed and the Melchite Catholic priest is next door.

I must say, that is an excellent question... Let me think about it/sleep on it and I'll tell you later.

[Severian]

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

Please define "emergency situation".

You are at the point of death. The doctor has given you one hour to live and there is no E. Orthodox priest or OO priest within one thousand miles. You are in a hospital bed and the Melchite Catholic priest is next door.

I would say this, I would only commune from the Melkite Priest if my Orthodox Priest/Spiritual Father gave me permission to do so. In which case, if I have sinned against God by communing from the Melkite, the responsibility would be on my Priest's shoulders and not on mine. A part of me does want to say that the RC eucharist is 'valid', but I, as of yet, cannot say for sure if it is.

God bless.

[celticfan1888]

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

Please define "emergency situation".

You are at the point of death. The doctor has given you one hour to live and there is no E. Orthodox priest or OO priest within one thousand miles. You are in a hospital bed and the Melchite Catholic priest is next door.

I would die knowing I did the right thing.

[zekarja]

I would not commune at any rite in communion with the Vatican (no offense).

[PeterTheAleut]

Not even in a Melchite Catholic Church in an emergency situation?

Please define "emergency situation".

You are at the point of death. The doctor has given you one hour to live and there is no E. Orthodox priest or OO priest within one thousand miles. You are in a hospital bed and the Melchite Catholic priest is next door.

I would say this, I would only commune from the Melkite Priest if my Orthodox Priest/Spiritual Father gave me permission to do so. In which case, if I have sinned against God by communing from the Melkite, the responsibility would be on my Priest's shoulders and not on mine. A part of me does want to say that the RC eucharist is 'valid', but I, as of yet, cannot say for sure if it is.

God bless.

So, because you exercise your free will by doing something your priest has permitted--note that I don't say instructed--you to do, you are no longer responsible for your action? Unless he instructs you to do something, the decision to do something is still yours, and you would not be disobeying your priest to refuse. Therefore, the responsibility would still be on your shoulders, would it not?

[celticfan1888]

So, because you exercise your free will by doing something your priest has permitted--note that I don't say instructed--you to do, you are no longer responsible for your action? Unless he instructs you to do something, the decision to do something is still yours, and you would not be disobeying your priest to refuse. Therefore, the responsibility would still be on your shoulders, would it not?

AGREED!

[Severian]

So, because you exercise your free will by doing something your priest has permitted--note that I don't say instructed--you to do, you are no longer responsible for your action? Unless he instructs you to do something, the decision to do something is still yours, and you would not be disobeying your priest to refuse. Therefore, the responsibility would still be on your shoulders, would it not?

I'm sorry let me clarify, if he insisted I would commune, in fact, that was the meaning I was trying to convey in my previous post.

[Tags:]

OrthodoxChristianity.net > Moderated Forums > Orthodox-Other Christian Discussion > Topic: Communion from a Priest Outside Your Own Church