Catholic v. Orthodox
Posted by Eric (September 15, 2006 at 3:50 pm)
Karen, a Byzantine Catholic who blogs at ByzFaith, recently commented on my thread on “The Orthodox & Contraception” with some of her concerns about the Catholic Church. With her permission, I will respond to those concerns here, since she raises some important issues on the tension between East and West.
I wouldn’t say that Orthodoxy has changed her position over time, but rather has always been more reluctant to speak out on certain issues, whereas the Catholic Church has positions on EVERYTHING. Most Catholics simply ignore them.
There’s something to what you say, and I wonder if on the whole proportionally more Orthodox actually use contraception than Catholics. I wouldnt’ be surprised if the percentages were pretty close.
The Value of Clarity
But you have to ask why Catholics ignore certain Catholic teaching. For the most part it isn’t because they’ve heard it explained, thought about it, and rejected it. Rather it’s because they’ve either never heard about it, or hearing about it they lack the spiritual or intellectual maturity to really consider it.
Nothing is more tedious to read than a blog entry on why the blogger hasn’t bothered to post anything in a while, except possibly the list of ingredients on the side of cereal box. Then again, the dubious substances disclosed therein might produce a degree of anxiety in the reader that is incompatible with tedium.
When it comes to me and Eastern Christianity, I’m something like a newlywed: I’m in giddy with love and most sincerely committed, but still have a lot to learn about this mysterious Other. This is especially true when it comes to Eastern theology, particularly on the issue of marriage and the related questions of divorce and contraception.
Here is pictured one of the towers of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, a sight I cannot behold without some feeling of sorrow.