Internal differences in Eastern Orthodoxy It is not at all correct that Orthodox Christians are normally free to cut themselves off from bishops who in their private opinions are teaching incorrectly This is nothing more than veiled Protestantism Those who claim this is the correct mindset love to cite certain historical examples Even a cursory examination of the history of the Orthodox Church reveals that these instances are extraordinarily rare I can think of exactly three examples over the past 2 000 years where this kind of action was justified and there are no such modern issues It does not deserve a mention as if it were normative ecclesiology My recently eradicated change to this section reflected the actual Orthodox teaching on the subject I am aware that some do feel that there are modern issues that can justify this kind of action as the article now reflects and as it reflected prior to my edit I think the repeated use of the word jurisdiction is revealing here It s something that only takes on a meaning seperate from a geographically local church in modern America and was not commonly used until the modern uncanonical American situation arose It requires a modern American Protestant mindset for an Orthodox Christian to constantly sit in judgement of his bishops I suggest a re reading of Sts Ignatios of Antioch and Irenaeus of Lyons But this kind of thing is why I generally don t contribute to this article I hate to put it so strongly but it s so slanted in favor of this strange ecclesiology and keeps getting dragged back to it no matter what else is done that it s practically useless I d be embarrassed to send anyone to it for unbiased information on the Orthodox Church