Frederica Mathewes-Green explains some of the reasons why we Orthodox look like such fusspots on the question of Catholic and Orthodox unity H E R E .

So we’ve got two different definitions of “unity.” Is “unity” membership in a common institution or a bond of shared belief?

As Frederica tells it, the Catholics have no problem with the places where the Orthodox beliefs don’t align, because they use a different set of determinants for what qualfies us to be in communion:

Thus the Orthodox hesitate at a phrase like the pope’s “multiform fullness.” Catholic diversity makes it easy for Catholics to embrace us: When they look at us, they see the early church. We fit right in. But when the Orthodox look at Catholics, we see an extra thousand years of theological development, plus rebellion in the pews. What kind of unity do Catholics have, at present, that we could enter?

It all elicited many interesting comments at this Catholic blog, and it’s worthwhile reading some Catholic rebuttals, since they’re done politely and thoughtfully (for the most part). But also worth considering this one from a reader who felt like Frederica had it right:

At my parish, and I bet at yours too, there is literally no telling what the folks in the pews next to you really believe, except that they should be at mass today. In America today, “profession of one faith” is meaningless, because we Catholics assert the right to submit the teachings of the faith to our own judgment, not submit ourselves to it. If I were Orthodox, that would unnerve me.

Although I had to smile at the same commenter’s later sentiment:

I think the legitimate and (to my mind) insurmountable obstacles to reunion are often obscured by the obnoxious cussedness of some Orthodox polemicists.

Wellll, yeah. That’s possible too.