How do the other branches of Christianity regard Eastern Orthodoxy?

[JSojourner]

I believe the Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican Communion have formal relations with the various branches of Orthodoxy.  Though many differences still separate us, we consider each other brothers and sisters in Christ.

However, in the Episcopal Church, any baptised Christian can receive the sacrament of Holy Communion...regardless of age or denomination.  An Episcopalian or Anglican may not receive the sacrament in  any Orthodox Church.

[JSojourner]

I believe the Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican Communion have formal relations with the various branches of Orthodoxy.  Though many differences still separate us, we consider each other brothers and sisters in Christ.

However, in the Episcopal Church, any baptised Christian can receive the sacrament of Holy Communion...regardless of age or denomination.  An Episcopalian or Anglican may not receive the sacrament in  any Orthodox Church.

Heck I was invited to receive the sacrament in your let-us love-everyone-no-matter-how-vile sect JS, as a godless one (I think maybe that outfit that hosted that fund raiser for Hagan got their name from reading my posts actually), and accepted.   I like ritual for its own sake. Belief is beside the point - for me.

That's a sticking point in the Anglican Communion...Holy Communion for the unbaptized or for those who do not profess faith in Jesus Christ.  The way it is supposed to be done is this -- EVERYONE is welcome to come to the altar, the baptized and professing believers to receive the sacrament and the unbaptized to receive a blessing from the priest.

But many Episcopal and Anglican clergy rebel against this.  I actually come down fairly conservative on this point...I want everyone to feel welcome, but I would reserve the sacrament for those who profess faith in Christ.  Ironically, this is not splitting the church.  It should be splitting us, but we're too busy wringing our hands over homosexuals to think about much of anything else.

Please know -- I do not consider myself or any Christian to be superior to, preferable to or in anyway better than you or any Atheist or member of another religion.  Few things among Christians trouble me more than the "we're the saints and you're the ain'ts so neener neener" attitude.

But I do think the sacrament should be reserved for those who actually believe in it. 

[JSojourner]

Perfectly reasonable JS. I fully appreciate that your big tent might be a bit more constricted than mine, on this matter. My mind has a somewhat different hard wiring, due to our profoundly different experiences in life, even though in the end, we have a rather similar  temperament  I strongly suspect. It is amazing isn't it? If I ever get to the Hoosier state for some unfathomable reason I cannot imagine, I will be sure to look you up.  Do you drink?  Best. 

Single Malt, 18 years or better...  you're buying.  :-)

(I am a redistributionist!)  LOL

[JSojourner]

I'll throw in one thing that is probably untrue. 

At one point, I considered joining one of the Orthodox sects...largely because their theologians are intellectually strong and their liturgy is so beautiful.  I opted against it because I am committed to the ordination of women and other doctrinal differences.  But I maintain a deep affection for both Roman Catholocism and Orthodoxy.

So when I mentioned this to a Greek friend, she said..."Jim, you would always be a welcome guest in an Orthodox Church.   They would treat you really well.  But you would always be a guest.  Your name needs to end in "opoulos" to really be a member."

She was overstating, but suggesting that no church is quite so culturally closed.  I wonder if that is really true.