Council O' Trent And Number O' Sacraments

[mortify]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1859939' date='May 6 2009, 05:40 PM']The Eastern Fathers never enumerated the mysteries (i.e., the sacraments).[/quote]

So theological development stopped with the deaths of the Fathers?

The irony of this is that you say anything beyond the Fathers is innovation, while the Protestants say anything beyond the Bible is innovation. Catholics believes the deposit of faith continues to be unfolded, and for us this is possible because we actually have the teaching authority that permits development to occur.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='mortify' post='1859988' date='May 6 2009, 04:55 PM']So theological development stopped with the deaths of the Fathers?[/quote]
Theological development did not stopped with the death of the Fathers; instead, it stopped with the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, for He fully revealed God the Father, making Him manifest in the Spirit.

I reject any form of progressive revelation or advancement in the experience of the mystery of God. The faith was once for all delivered to the saints.

P.S. - The Church is always patristic, and so there are Church Fathers living today (e.g., the bishops, theologians, mystics, etc.).

Edited May 6, 2009 by Apotheoun

[mortify]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1859979' date='May 6 2009, 05:52 PM']It is not I who said that the East has remained unchanged, that was Cardinal Ratzinger, and obviously any changes to the faith once delivered to the saints will need to be justified.[/quote]

In his book _The Orthodox Church_, Bishop Kallistos Ware, admits the distinction between Essence and Energies was a development, and he further goes on to show some doctrinal statments made since 787 AD. So there has been development in the Orthodox Church.

I don't think any Easterner can defend the idea that the contemporary Orthodox Church is objectively identical to the Church of the first couple centuries.

[mortify]

[quote name='Apotheoun' post='1859994' date='May 6 2009, 05:57 PM']I reject any form of progressive revelation or advancement in the experience of the mystery of God. The faith was once for all delivered to the saints.[/quote]

That doctrine organically develops is seen in history, despite your personal views.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='mortify' post='1860015' date='May 6 2009, 05:09 PM']In his book _The Orthodox Church_, Bishop Kallistos Ware, admits the distinction between Essence and Energies was a development, and he further goes on to show some doctrinal statments made since 787 AD. So there has been development in the Orthodox Church.[/quote]
That is his opinion, a rather uninformed one, but he is free to hold it. That said, Clement of Alexandria, the Cappadocians, St. Maximos, and St. John Damascene, and the Third Council of Constantinople, all make a distinction between essence and energy, and so I must admit that I cannot agree with Vladika Kallistos.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Apotheoun