I am feeling the need to take up again questions of Catholicism and Orthodoxy. I understand there’s a new blog out there (or a newly advertised one). I haven’t explored it yet, and I’m somewhat skeptical; Catholic/Orthodox dialogue is tough, even with the best intentions. I also discovered this old essay by Hart (yes, Hart again) regarding the pope. It’s pretty good. I am told, though, that the ecclesiastical issue is whether Christ is there on that altar. If He is, then there should be — in fact, there IS — unity, whether we sinful humans recognize it, or submit to it, or not.

Given that I don’t believe Christ abandons anyone, and certainly not those who profess to seek Him, then I’m inclined to believe He IS where believers see(k) Him to be. And yet, what about historical schism, heresy, and all kinds of “breaks in communion” between the churches? It seems possible that even heretics seek Christ. They merely seek Him wrongly in some fashion. Is “breaking communion” — when Christ is really there on that altar — a proper form of discipline or “protest”?

Good questions, to which I do not have adequate answers.