Controversy as of Late...
Can we look at current events and receive a historic understanding of where we came from, yes... As a Reformed believer, I accept history as a balanced whole that tells us much more than what to believe. I can't speak for my Presbyterian brethren, but the Baptist church has always seen the logical end of Church history as the things that are not justifying are as "non-issues" to the Gospel. But, we must be careful with this belief. There are heresies that we should not allow in that aren't directly relevant to the Gospel, but that is a topic for another day.
As of late there has been plenty of talk about the Eastern Orthodox line of churches (Coptics included), and the talks aren't slowing down. The intensity of these talks are only building and it seems that the EOs are starting to pay attention to the Reformed position more closely.
Of course, this all started with Hank Hanegraaff's recent conversion to the EO tradition (particularly of the Greek Orthodox flavor) and Pulpit and Pin's coverage of it... I am in appreciation of the Zeal that Jeff Maples and JD Hall brought to the conversation and thank them for covering this event...
But the question is; is the EO church a true church, or are they apart of the same antichrist as Rome? I retracted my belief in the Roman church not being antichrist after I studied the Roman doctrine of Justification in detail... But is the EO any better? No.
Though, for the most part, their canon of Scripture is the same... they deny the fundamentals of the Gospel that the Reformation entailed such as Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura. Which we have said for a while that the five solas are not definitions of protestantism, but of the Gospel, and when you deny the Gospel, you are, at that point at heterodox, if not heresy. The denial of Sola Fide places the EO tradition at Heresy. Adding the Iconography, idolatry of Mary, and the denial of Penal Substitutionary atonement (which is heresy itself). This church is no better than the Roman Church and in many ways, there is no difference between them.
Resources:
For resources on these recent controversy, I will turn you to Pulpit and Pen for Jeff Maples and JD Halls coverage and views of the EO Church:
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/21/damning-doctrines-the-orthodox-churchs-denial-of-christs-imputed-righteousness/
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/21/an-apology-to-the-eastern-orthodoxy-community/
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/18/visiting-hank-hanegraaffs-new-greek-orthodox-church/
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/14/why-we-cant-assume-hank-hanegraaff-is-saved-and-evangelize-him/
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/11/hank-hannegraf-greek-orthodoxy-and-patterns-in-the-cults/
http://pulpitandpen.org/2017/04/10/the-bible-answer-man-hank-hanegraaff-leaves-the-christian-faith/
Soli Deo Gloria!
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