The Consensus of Greek and Latin Fathers | Pater Noster

The famous dialogue between the Greek Nicetas and the Latin Anselm in 1136 divided strongly over the papacy, the Filioque and other things, but concluded that (1) these divisive matters did not hinder salvation (implying that the schism did not exist and they were still one church) and (2) these problems could be resolved by a consensus of the Greek and Latin Fathers.

At Florence, the Greeks were apparently surprised to find that the Latin fathers taught things that appeared to support the Filioque. St. Mark of Ephesos, who famously opposed the union, wrote an entire treatise against the Latin consecration of the elements, in direct opposition to the Latin father St. Ambrose of Milan (d. 397). St. Mark of Ephesos, nor the other Greek detractors of Latin dogmas (such as St. Photios) DID NOT KNOW LATIN, thus their understanding of these teachings is at best inadequate and at worst ignorant.

On the other hand, Latin Christians have for centuries (esp. since Trent) deeply prejudiced the Greek tradition and sought to subsume it into the Latin milieu which is somehow “more Catholic.” Despite great efforts at Vatican II to rectify this sin, Eastern Catholics still feel like second class citizens, as even their priests in large areas of the diaspora are restricted from following the Greek tradition of married priests. Thus the Orthodox who refuse communion with Rome are in some sense justified in their caution.

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The Consensus of Greek and Latin Fathers | Pater Noster