Describing Western Orthodox

At his blog, Ben Johnson has posted a piece that helpfully explains the difference between the Orthodox parishes that employ the Western rite and the Catholic parishes that employ the Byzantine rite. The title captures his point: "The Western Rite is Not "Reverse Uniatism."

In the midst of his explanation, Ben provides the following gem that succinctly articulates the place of the Western liturgical tradition within the Orthodox Church.

Western Rite Orthodox do not have a unique or different approach to theology from our Eastern Orthodox brethren. While we look with understandable affection at forefathers like Pope St. Gregory the Great, St. Ambrose of Milan, the Venerable Bede, and St. Peter Chrysologos, we also kneel at the feet of Sts. Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, and John of Kronstadt. We differ in nothing. We are simply Orthodox Christians who worship according to an approved, Western liturgy that expresses both Orthodox theology and our Western heritage.

The entire post is worth your time.