Eastern Orthodox Q&A

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It really depends on what you mean by home churches, do you mean churches that meet in someones home or do you mean churches established by one family with another or a few like minded families that have no affiliation with anyone else? Because if you just mean meeting in someones home, I see nothing wrong with that. The ideal is having a church buildings since that allows you to do so much more but meeting in someones home is not inherently wrong. 

As for youth groups and small groups, nothing wrong with that. My parish has both. I think the problem becomes when those become a substitute for communal worship.

You're using Protestants in a very broad sense, I think there are some Protestant circles that emphasize no accountability too much.

You sorta answered my theology question, so I don't have that anymore. But, I do have a question about Bible translations. 

What Bible do you use? So EO's can use any Bible?

I use the Orthodox Study Bible which is a translation of the Septuagint. When I use Bible Gateway I use the NKJV. Yes, we aren't told which Bible to use. EO is actually a lot less strict and controlling that you think and than some Protestant denominations I belonged to before.

By home churches I basically meant Small Groups, so you answered that. 

What would be the three main things that Catholics would have to "change" in order to be in communion with the Orthodox?

Do EOs doing anything on December 25th?

Did the Jews pray to their "Saints"? (since you claim that's what Hebrews is, a book of Saints)

The pope, the Immaculate Conception, and Original Sin. 

We celebrate Christmas  

I don't believe they did.

What are your beliefs on the Immaculate conception and original sin?

That they are innovations of the RCC and aren't true

You don't believe in original sin?

What are you beliefs on Mary?

No, EO believe in Ancestral Sin not Original Sin. 

Do you mean on the Assumption specifically? Here is an article on the Dormition: http://oca.org/saints/lives/2013/08/15/102302-the-dormition-of-our-most-holy-lady-the-mother-of-god-and-ever-v

Do you have any pictures/icons of Mary by herself?

What do you call Mary?

Why do you say "Mary save us"?

What is Ancestral sin?

I mean what are your beliefs on Mary in general.

I have one, the icon of my parish which is Protection of the Holy Mother of DC. 

Mary, Mother, Theotokos 

Would it be terrible blasphemous to name your daughter *gasp* Mary or Theotokos?

Mary is a fine name but since Theotokos means birthgiver of God, yes very

So, you wouldn't call her the "Holy Lady" or some such? It's almost always "Mother of God"? 

If Mary is so important, why don't we have any of her genealogies? Even if the father was more important, wouldn't Matthew and Luke have thought to put Mary's genealogy in instead, since she is so much more important compared to Joseph? Is there even any Tradition about him?

Are there certain things a person must do in order to become a member of the Church? For example, can an actively gay person become a Catechumen?

We call her a variety of things, Theotokos is the most common. 

The homily today was on Joseph and Mary and the genealogies actually. So the genealogies of Joseph are important because they explain his family, which is important to Jesus since Jesus' family includes Joseph and Joseph is of the line of David. Mary's story is told in more detail in the Protoevangelion of James: http://orthodoxwiki.org/Protoevangelion_of_James

It's up to the priest who is catechizing you.

What is the worst thing, historically, that the Eastern Orthodox have done?

What is the purpose of fasting?

Is "street preaching" not something the Apostles did?

The pogroms in Eastern Europe and Russia

The purpose of fasting has many aspects, self disciple, obedience to God, and a reminder of what our diet was like in the Garden. 

That's a good question and I don't actually believe so, they taught in the synagogues and at the Temple. St. Paul when he went to Athens taught in the area where the philosophers met and discussed the issues of the day. The outreach done to others was to give them food or medical treatment.

So, you're a picture-worshipper?

Nope, don't worship icons.

Icons?

Don't you pray and bow to them?

Nope, I ask the Saints in Heaven for prayers just like you ask others for prayer.

Sola Scriptura wrote:So, you're a picture-worshipper?

Of course, for as the Apostle proclaims: He is the Icon of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation.