Eternal Christendom Podcast Why Eastern Orthodoxy Falls Short (Ben Bollinger) | Ep. 59
Jan 29, 2026
Ben Bollinger, a Catholic layman and former Eastern Orthodox convert who writes on biblical theology and church history. He explains why Orthodoxy felt close but incomplete. The conversation centers on the papacy, Peter’s role in Scripture, patristic evidence for Roman primacy, and debates over Purgatory. Short, sharp takes on typology, councils, and historical succession.
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How Ben First Embraced Orthodoxy
- Ben recounts discovering Seraphim Rose and Father Laurent Cleenewerck after becoming Eastern Orthodox and finding their arguments compelling.
- Those sources shaped his early Orthodox convictions before he later moved toward Catholicism.
Peter As Archetype Vs. Juridical Head
- Orthodox apologists accept Peter as 'the rock' but interpret Matthew 16 as instituting the episcopacy not a unilateral papacy.
- They treat Peter as archetype of all bishops rather than as a singular jurisdictional head.
Keys Imply Dependence, Not Just Archetype
- Ben argues Matthew 16 and Matthew 18 create an intra-apostolic dependence because Peter has the keys while the apostles receive binding/loosing.
- That distinction implies Peter's primacy beyond mere sacramental archetype.
