As much as I would love to see any improvement in Orthodox-Catholic relations, I still tend to have a cynical attitude regarding full union. As most of you know, the Orthodox and Roman Catholic view of ecclesiatical authority if quite different. I need not pontificate (bad choice of words) on that, but I ask the question if a geopolitical undercurrent is happening as well. With the exception of the Patriarch of Moscow, the traditional patriarchates are in Muslim countries—Jerusalem (through under Israel, has to deal with depleted Christian population strangled by a sea of radicalized Muslim Palestinians—and a clergy that is largely Greek. Antioch; the seat located in Damascus, although Christians are not specifically persecuted for their faith by the Assad government, who knows what is going to happen there. Constantinople; we all know Bartholomew is a prisoner in the Phanar. Alexandria—both the Coptic church and the small Orthodox church (mostly Greeks who lived in Egypt) are definitely not having a sun-shiny day with the Muslim Brotherhood shuckin & jivin in the land of the Pharoahs.
The Roman Catholic Church, even with all its problems still represents a bulwark of strength to many. Is it possible the Orthodox (at least part of them) will forsake their disagreements with the Latin Church so it can be under its protection. Under Benedict XVI, I believe the RC Church offers a superior intellectual standing that it hasn’t had in a while as well. JP II was a rock star—Benedict is an intellectual who is willing to get in the boxing ring mind against mind.
“I still tend to have a cynical attitude”
—
It’s going to take grace to overcome all the problems.
“Is it possible the Orthodox (at least part of them) will forsake their disagreements with the Latin Church so it can be under its protection.”
NO.
Never.