I remind you again my Brothers and my Sisters - That by the Authority of Peter, you are each invited to love Blessed, Immaculate Mother Mary as your own mother also and as part of your family. Mother Mary's Immaculate state was decreed by God one of His Many good gifts to humanity to Totally make Possible Emmanuel, God With Us incarnation - Humans are not permitted to call this gift unclean or to deny Christ's family or each other which is His Body the Church. She is also the Mediatrix of All Graces - I gently warn you that if you know this and still deny her - You risk a mortal sin and thus dying this way when mortal life ends - Loss of Heaven, Loss of ever being united with God including seeing your departed loved ones again...My brothers and sisters in Christ - please take better care to accept Christ and His family through Blessed, Immaculate Mother Mary in Union with Our Spiritual Father Saint Joseph..!
AMEN
-MATTHEWJAMES klump-pdx.com
ORIGINAL POST FOUND AT https://www.facebook.com/share/p/gcKY89Kg3Jao18Ls/
Bishop Michael CallahanApostolic Western Orthodox Church
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Rome's Dogma of the Immaculate Conception: An Orthodox Perspective -- @everyone
Introduction
A dogma is a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true. In the context of Christianity, dogmas are core teachings that are considered essential beliefs for the faith community, often proclaimed by an ecclesiastical authority and requiring acceptance by all members of the Church. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception declared as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854, asserts that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was conceived without original sin. This belief holds that from the moment of her conception, Mary was preserved by God from the stain of original sin due to her unique role as the Mother of Christ. While this doctrine is a central tenet of Roman Catholic Mariology, it is rejected by the Orthodox Church for several theological and historical reasons.
Preservation of Apostolic Tradition
The Apostolic Western Orthodox Church (AWOC) holds a firm belief in preserving the apostolic faith unchanged and without addition. We assert that the faith and practices of the early Church continue to be observed without the need for new dogmatic definitions. Our emphasis is on a living tradition where the faith is continuously lived and experienced in the same way as the early Christians, without the necessity of later doctrinal developments.
View on Roman Dogmatic Developments
The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is viewed by the AWOC as an innovation that diverges from the original apostolic faith. We reject such later dogmatic proclamations, considering them as theological opinions rather than universal truths necessary for salvation. The AWOC does not recognize the binding nature of post-Great Schism Roman dogmas, seeing them as unnecessary and, at times, distortions of the true faith.
Salvific Inclusivity
For the AWOC, adherence to the original teachings of the apostles as preserved by the early Church councils and the Church Fathers is considered sufficient for salvation. We believe that believers of the first 18 plus centuries who adhered to these teachings were living in the fullness of the faith. Emphasizing the mercy and love of God, we hold that His grace can reach all who earnestly seek Him, regardless of later doctrinal developments.
Historical Context
The AWOC emphasizes an unbroken continuity with the early Church, maintaining the same faith, liturgy, and sacramental life. This continuity assures that past generations were living the authentic Christian faith. We uphold the decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the teachings of the Church Fathers as the final authority on matters of faith, seeing no need for later doctrinal innovations.
Pastoral Considerations
Our pastoral practice is rooted in the consistent application of the ancient faith. Past generations are seen as having lived in the same faith tradition that is practiced today. The spiritual and devotional life of the AWOC remains holistic and unchanged, offering a direct link to the practices of the early Christians.
Authority and Interpretation
The AWOC rejects the Roman Catholic doctrine of papal infallibility and emphasizes conciliarity, where decisions on faith and morals are made collectively by the bishops in council. We hold that Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition together form the deposit of faith, with neither being subject to later innovations or reinterpretations.
Impact on Historical Believers
We believe that the faith of the early Church was complete and sufficient for salvation. Therefore, historical believers are regarded as having lived and died in the fullness of the faith. The liturgical and devotional practices of past generations are respected and continued in the AWOC, viewed as timeless expressions of the apostolic faith.
Conclusion
From the perspective of the Apostolic Western Orthodox Church (AWOC), the Roman Catholic Church’s relatively new dogmatic proclamations, such as the Immaculate Conception, are seen as unnecessary innovations that deviate from the apostolic faith. We maintain that the original teachings and practices of the early Church are sufficient for salvation and have been faithfully preserved without alteration. This continuity assures that believers of the first 18 plus centuries were living in the fullness of the true Christian faith, without the need for later doctrinal definitions.
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