Is the Orthodox Church the True Church? A Protestant Theologian reacts

Comments · 1.1K

• FR

  @franthonymourad5870 · 4 months ago

  @DrJordanBCooper Fr. Anthony Mourad here, the priest in the video you're reacting to. Thank you for your thoughtful and very respectful response, I appreciate your demeanor and approach very much. There are some points you've made that I genuinely agree with, others I would love to respond to with some clarifications and maybe some historical and theological rebuttal. Regardless, I am open to dialogue and exchange. Let's find a way to connect. I would be very happy to do so! God bless you

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• TA

  @tam11225 · 4 months ago

  Being raised non-denom, when I first heard of Orthodoxy, I thought, "They must be the truest Church, because they follow what the earliest Christians believed." I must thank Orthodoxy, because it led me to Lutheranism.

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• H0

  @H0n3yc0mb7 · 4 months ago

  As a Protestant non denom for 30 years, now slowly inquiring Orthodoxy- I’ve come to teach everyone with insults and superiority.

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• TH

  @theodosios-m1h · 4 months ago

  I'm just here for the "As an Orthodox..." comments. 😄

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• BR

  @BryanBriggs · 4 months ago (edited)

  When the Holy Spirit first led me to faith I listened to a lot of discussion and debate centered around denominational differences and I was attracted to the claims of Orthodoxy as the one true church. But ultimately I found that representatives of EO were mostly unsure of their or anyone else's salvation. Some even went as far as to say there is no salvation outside the orthodox church but still make no claims as to whether anyone in their church is saved. They simply stated they dont know if they are saved.. When I read the bible and seen God's promises to His believers I felt that an insecurity like that should be foreign to a believing baptized Christian. When I studied the Word further and got into Lutheran doctrine I really began to realize the work of salvation has already been done through Jesus Christ. Theres nothing I can do to merit my way into heaven, Christ has done it for me and I can have confidence in God's promises that were made to us in His Word. I am grateful to be a Lutheran and to be sure where I am going when I die. I have no burden of conscience and I no longer spend copious time thinking about things that are tertiary or whether I am in the right church. I know with certainty what Christ has done and place my salvific confidence in His actions and His promises, not in my alliance to a particular niche group of believers nor from my own works. What a gift the true Gospel is. That I a poor miserable sinner can be saved by the grace of God through faith. Amazing. Praise be to the Lord alone, all glory to Him.

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• TH

  @theamericanpotatonamedphil4306 · 4 months ago

  Ah you have mentioned orthodoxy! You must now debate every single Orthodox apologist!!!!

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• ID

  @IdlePeasant · 4 months ago

  As an Orthodox, I appreciate how cordial your critique was, Dr. Cooper.

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• 65

  @654_nosneb · 4 months ago

  As someone from Latin America who lives 330 kilometres away from the nearest Orthodox Parrish, hearing Orthodox apologetics saying no salvation outside the Orthodox church (and even more Ecumenical Orthodox stances) is very depressing.

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• PA

  @paintbynumber9493 · 4 months ago

  I’m not very intellectually minded but as a convert to EO, I can attest that the Church is truly a hospital that healed me spiritually after 40+ years struggling as a Protestant. The Church offers so many things I was missing out on. I was spiritually anemic before. I don’t understand all the history or theology but I do know that the gospel is proclaimed at every service & the Holy Spirit is alive and active (empowering to give up life dominating sins!). Even with an emphasis on staying in repentance and abiding in Christ daily…I have never felt more secure in my salvation. The least secure of my salvation was ironically when I was a reformed Calvinist that had zero power to change sin patterns.

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• OR

  @ora_et_labora1095 · 4 months ago

  If you’re reading this, don’t determine truth by aesthetics or by whatever seems trendy online right now. I almost fell into that trap myself, until God led me to the evangelical catholic faith: Lutheranism. Word and Sacrament. Historic liturgy and the Gospel. You don’t have to choose between them. God bless you on your journey.

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• IE

  @iexistforsomereason76 · 4 months ago

  I do have a fondness for Orthodoxy, and I think there is a lot of practical wisdom within their expiriences (to the point of the Latvian Evengelically Lutheran Church printing Orthodox books sometimes, mostly those of Monks), especially when it comes to fighting sin. I even use a prayer rope my Orthodox friend gifted me. But, I cannot in good faith confess Orthodoxy - their claims hinge on the church being unchanged since it was established, but objective historical evidence shows a lot of facts that are contradictory to their theology.

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• PE

  @pete3397 · 4 months ago

  Orthodox stasis in practice:  introduce a new doctrinal idea or liturgical practice.  After 30 years it becomes "we've always believed this/done it this way."  After another 30 years or so, "it's a traditional teaching/practice of the Church."  After 100 years, "It's Apostolic!"

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