Ecclesiology

I became Orthodox because of authority and history. At first, I wanted an authoritive interpretor of Scripture. The verses on different topics can be understood in variety of ways. I wanted someone to be able to say, "This interpretation is correct."

Now the reasons why I'm Orthodox have to do more with the canonization of the New Testament and Church history. The Church that canonized the New Testament had a lot more in common with the Orthodox Catholic Church than the Protestant one I group up in. How can I use the NT they assembled and than deny they are Christians? That idea doesn't make sense.

Church history is important because Jesus Christ said His Church wouldn't die (Matthew 16:18.) If the Protestant church I grew up in is right, than the church disappeared from history about AD 100. It didn't reappear until, at earliest, 1500. One could argue some little group had survived but didn't leave any historical record. However, that argument is by definition impossible to support.