What is Full communion?
'''Full communion''' is a term used in [[Christianity|Christian]] [[ecclesiology]] to describe relations between two distinct Christian [[Community|communities]] or [[Ecclesia (Church)|Churches]] that recognise that each other shares the same [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] and the same essential [[doctrine]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decree_19641121_unitatis-redintegratio_en.html |title=Dectree on Ecumenism:Unitatis Redintegratio |publisher=the Holy See}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25051995_ut-unum-sint_en.html |title=Ut Unum Sint}}</ref> That does not mean that there would be no differences at all between them. The meaning of full communion is different in, on the one hand, [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] [[Christian]] [[theology]], and, on the other hand, in the theology of other Western Christians. *The [[Roman Catholic Church]] (which follows the so-called [[Latin Rite]]) is in full communion with the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], for example. The Chaldean Catholic Church follows the [[East Syrian tradition]]. In other words: Both churches celebrate mass differently, but they agree completely on all ideas. *The Roman Catholic Church is in partial communion with the [[Protestantism|Protestant Church]]es. There are many things both Churches agree on; but in some things they are different; As an example: a Catholic priest can [[penance|forgive sins]]; a Protestant priest cannot. *All the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]]es are in full communion *All the [[Oriental Orthodox Church]]es are in full communion *All the Churches in the [[Union of Utrecht (Old Catholic)|Union of Utrecht]] are in full communion with the [[Anglicanism|Anglican Church]] ==Related pages== *[[Communion (Christian)]] ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Christian terminology]] [[Category:Church organization]]