The Word 'Uniate' (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.

And if thy hand cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life maimed, rather than having thy two hands to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire. where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot cause thee to stumble, cut it off: it is good for thee to enter into life halt, rather than having thy two feet to be cast into hell, where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye cause thee to stumble, cast it out: it is good for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell; where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Christian Portal

Christian Resources

Vote!


	The Word 'Uniate' (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)

QUESTION:

I edit crossword puzzles. Within the last two years, someone complained that I had permitted the answer word UNIAT (or UNIATE) in a puzzle. The complaint said that the term is now considered to have a negative, even derogatory, connotation.

Since receiving that letter I have refused to allow the term in a puzzle; it now occurs to me to ask: Did that letter express an "official" viewpoint?

ANSWER:

The term commonly refers to those Orthodox Christians who left Orthodoxy and acknowledged the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome while retaining the rites and practices observed by Orthodoxy. There have been several movements of this type throughout Church history.

The term "uniate" is seen as negative by such individuals, who are more commonly referred to as Catholics of the Byzantine Rite, Greek Catholics, Eastern Rite Catholics, Melkite Catholics, or any number of other titles.

Published in January 2011.

Read more Christian articles

Recommend this page to your friend!