Why no Orthodox pope?

[Dracula Girl]

If the Orthodox church was the same as the Catholic before they split, then they would have had a pope. What happened that caused them to not have an actual pope?

Is the lack of Orthodox pope all theological or could church politics have played any sort of role?

[furay]

If the Orthodox church was the same as the Catholic before they split, then they would have had a pope. What happened that caused them to not have an actual pope?

Is the lack of Orthodox pope all theological or could church politics have played any sort of role?
Hmm? I'm not sure I understand you here... they did have a Pope, the Bishop of Rome.

[jason]

If the Orthodox church was the same as the Catholic before they split, then they would have had a pope. What happened that caused them to not have an actual pope?

Is the lack of Orthodox pope all theological or could church politics have played any sort of role?
They sort of do (oh boy, i'm never going to here the end of this).

The Orthodox Church is organised into (If I understand this correctly) different (usually national) bodies (think of them as similar to protestant denominations, although they are split nationally rather than doctrinally AFAIK) that come together into a sort of "super denomination" called the Orthodox Church. Each of the "denominations" is headed by a Metropolitan (I think that is what they are called, basicaly a supreme bishop) and the metropolitan is sort of like the pope.

Prior to the split there where 7 of these, with the Roman Bishop being 1 among equals.

After the split, in the west you have 1 bishop, the Pope, but in the Easy you still had the other head bishops ruling there seperate regional bodies.

So essentially they do have a sort of pope (or several of them) but they don't have the same sort of unlimited power as the Pope of the RCC.

No doubt that is a little wonky and my orthodox brothers will take me to task for this, but I think it is basically right.

Jason

[spl_cadet]

The Patriarch of Constantinople does his best to try and be a pope. Everything, according to him, depends on him. Hence, the confusion of whether the Orthodox Church of America is an autonomous church or not. Russian Orthodox Church says "Yep, we gave them autonomy", Constantinople says "Nope, we don't recognize that."

[furay]

The Patriarch of Constantinople does his best to try and be a pope. Everything, according to him, depends on him. Hence, the confusion of whether the Orthodox Church of America is an autonomous church or not. Russian Orthodox Church says "Yep, we gave them autonomy", Constantinople says "Nope, we don't recognize that."
:lmbo: You crack me up sometimes.

[James Peter]

Of course there is also the fact that the Bishop of Rome wasn't real a pope in the sense that we think of until a long time after the schism. A lot of his powers and 'abilities' have their origins in 12th-15th century decrees and his infallibility wasn't actually codified until the 19th century.

The Pope, as the Bishop of Rome, was just really 'first amongst equals' for a long time. He wasn't actually really the superior of the other Bishops and each Bishopric was pretty independent and neighbouring bishoprics kept an eye on each other for the most part...

[spl_cadet]

The Pope, as the Bishop of Rome, was just really 'first amongst equals' for a long time. He wasn't actually really the superior of the other Bishops and each Bishopric was pretty independent and neighbouring bishoprics kept an eye on each other for the most part...

The popes disagree with you :tongue:

Pope St. Zosimus "Quamvis Patrum traditio" 418
Although the tradition of the Fatherse has attributed such great authority to the Apostolic See that no one would dare to disagree wholly with its judgment...

Pope St. Boniface I "Retro maioribus tuis" 422
To the Synod [of Corinth]... we have directed such writings that all the brethren may know...that there must be no withdrawal from our judgment. For it has never been allowed that that be discussed again which has once been decided by the Apostolic See.

The Sources of Catholic Dogma 109,110.