Western Christianity
A link to this interesting post crossed my desk this morning. I can’t vouch for many of the comments, but I would have to agree with the content of the article itself. I’ve noticed a distressingly imperialist attitude among many in the West when it comes to the position of Christianity in the East. All too many see it as some Western influence in the East that we must, as Westerners, either promulgate or apologize for. I suspect many Eastern Christians rightfully resent that.
Westerners ought to realize that the West does not own Christianity, whatever role Christianity played in shaping Western culture. It is in the East that Christianity had its beginning, and it has continued there since, reduced by Islamic conquest, but never interrupted.
Catholics, at least, should understand this. While the familiar face of the Catholic Church in the West is the Latin Rite, the Church is catholic in the basic sense of the word (“universal”), including ancient Eastern Rite communities as well. In giving obedience to the Pope, they are not asked to sacrifice their identities or their ancient traditions.