A History of Christian Doctrine #3 - Online Christian Library

Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
Theologically, Eastern Orthodoxy has remained relatively
static, in part because the Muslims conquered its
ancient strongholds in the Middle East. When the
Byzantine Empire fell in 1453, the Turks took control of
Constantinople (now Istanbul), the imperial capital and
the traditional seat of Orthodoxy.
The Orthodox churches are members of the World
Council of Churches, and they exert a conservative influence
on both doctrine and social ethics. In many ways,
their stance is similar to that of the Roman Catholic
Church. Moreover, there were Orthodox observers at
Vatican II, and in recent years Catholic and Orthodox
leaders have engaged in dialogue as “separated brethren.”
In the 1980s and 1990s, a number of Evangelicals
converted to Eastern Orthodoxy. Notable examples are
Franky Schaeffer, son of a well-known Evangelical author
and teacher, Francis Schaeffer; and Michael Harper,
Anglican Charismatic pioneer. Converts explained that
they were attracted by several features: (1) ancient heritage
and tradition, (2) liturgical worship, (3) conservative
morality, and (4) authoritative voice yet without the difficult
Roman Catholic position of papal supremacy and
infallibility. It appears that these Evangelicals were looking
for a more meaningful, mystical, awe-inspiring worship
experience in contrast to simple, unemotional, rational
Evangelical forms, and a more certain doctrinal sound in
the face of Evangelical fragmentation and liberal trends.
Conclusions
Roman Catholicism, with almost 1.1 billion adherents,
and Eastern Orthodoxy, with about 200 million adherents,
are major forces in world Christendom, encompassing
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