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Question: Could someone recommend a good online article by an Orthodox writer defending Ecumenism versus those who consider it a heresy? Thanks, Vito

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Vito,
You may find such an article at the following site: //www.oca.org/pages/orth_chri/Publications/TOC/1998/Good-and-Wrong-Ecumenism.html

I think it will provide some answers. You may also find some pro-ecumenical Linkage at the Website of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese site:http://www.goarch.org

Fr. John Meyendorff wrote extensively on Ecumenism
The following seven texts are reproduced from Meyendorff's book Witness to the World (New York, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1987). Written as editorials for the OCA newspaper, The Orthodox Church, between the late 60's and the early 80's, they are as timely today as they were when first published. An extract from each essay follows each link.

Orthodoxy and Ecumenism -- 1: ...First of all the Orthodox Church is neither a "sect" nor a "denomination," but the true Church of God. This fact defines both the necessity and the limits of our evolvement in ecumenism...

Orthodoxy and Ecumenism -- 2: ...Unfortunately, Orthodox thought in the matter is too often polarized between two equally wrong positions: "open" relativism and "closed" fanaticism.... Between these two positions -- which are both unfaithful to the present Orthodox responsibility -- lies the road of a conscious and sober participation in the ecumenical movement, implying no compromise, but much love and understanding. This road is the right one, not simply because it is the "middle" road, but mainly because it reflects the truly catholic spirit of the Orthodox faith. It is also the only truly responsible one: for if Orthodoxy does not bear its witness, who else will?

The Ecumenical Dilemma -- 3: ...The Orthodox Church has participated in the ecumenical movement since its very inception at the beginning of this century. The reason for this participation was not -- as some negativists pretend -- to water down Orthodox witness, to accept a Protestant view of Christianity and to drop the claim of Orthodoxy to be the true Church of Christ. Quite to the contrary, the Orthodox participants simply considered it their duty, and the duty of the Orthodox Church itself, to be present wherever unity in Christ was sought. It is precisely because the Orthodox Church is the true Church, i.e., the Church for all, that it could not escape the responsibility -- and the opportunity -- which was offered to it to be heard and understood...

The Problem of Ecumenical Bureaucracies -- 4: ...In the opinion of this writer, the very comprehensive membership of the World Council, and the wide opportunity which it presents for an articulate Orthodox witness, justifies our membership. (This does not mean, however, that the Council can, in any way, speak for us, or that we should stop protesting against some of the policies endorsed by its majorities!)...

Ecumenism -- A Heresy? -- 5: ...The distinction between a "good" ecumenism, which can be espoused by the Orthodox and is nothing but an obligation of charity, and a "wrong" ecumenism, which confuses rather than solves the issues, is to be understood clearly by all of us. The awareness that "wrong" ecumenism is indeed heresy should not lead us to forget the mission of our Church to the world, to the people around us, to those who sincerely seek the truth, for, as we forget this mission, we cease to be truly "catholic" and "orthodox" and become nothing but an introverted sect...

True and False Ecumenism -- 6: ...It is not, for example, the very idea of ecumenical prayer which should be put in question. If sacramental intercommunion remains, of course, excluded for the Orthodox as long as true union in faith is not achieved, other forms of prayer with the non-Orthodox are certainly possible, for the canons which forbid "prayer with heretics" had in view conscious apostates from the Church and not sincere Christians who never personally left it...

Mission and Ecumenism -- 7: ...Why then participate? The answer to this question is simple: the mission of the Church requires it. As Orthodox we have no right to ignore the world around us; this world requires our presence and our voice wherever it can be heard, precisely because our message is unique and because the Church is the guardian of a universel Truth. We have no right to restrict our witness to situations where "we" feel comfortable...

Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

[ 02-02-2002: Message edited by: Thomas ]

[ 02-02-2002: Message edited by: Thomas ]

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Vito,

Here is an additional article by Fr. John Meyendorff on Ecumenism, dated February, 1969

Orthodox Ecumenism
There is in the Orthodox Church today a growing reaction against "ecumenism." Ecumenism is viewed mainly as clerical pageantry, empty speech-making, futile conference going and inter-ecclesiastical red tape. A vocal and frightened minority invokes the canons forbidding prayer with heretics and proclaims that the Orthodox faith goes down the drain at every ecumenical event.

A similar disappointment--in a different theological context--is visible among many Roman Catholics and Protestants: the radicals among them consider that ecumenism is unnecessary for the simple reason that Christians are already one, and that only Church "structures" and "institutions" divide them. These structures therefore must be phased out. As long as they exist, inter-Church councils, inter-Church conferences, and the like, are only solidifying the "churches," instead of duly liquidating them. For liquidation is indeed the radicals' avowed goal. Conservative Roman Catholics and Protestants, meanwhile, lose interest in superficial ecumenical activity and are fearful of the relativism and doctrinal indifferentism which it creates.

Attacked from the left and from the right, ecumenical agencies and councils try to justify their existence by promoting Christian "action" and by publishing pronouncements on various topics of political concern in the name of Christian witness. They rarely succeed in being either truly relevant or uncompromisingly Christian because, behind these pronouncements, there is actually very little agreement on the nature, the function and the meaning of Christian faith.

The situation is indeed rather bleak and critical. It requires a positive conscious reaction. The greatest mistake the Orthodox can make is to think that they can avoid involvement and responsibility.

In the opinion of this writer, the history of the ecumenical movement has reached--in 1968--a point when it will either become serious and true, or much of contemporary Christianity will dissolve itself through a peculiar polarization between small fanatical fundamentalist sects and a relativistic pseudo-religious humanism. The unique responsibility of the Orthodox is to discover and to define ecumenism as an authentic search for truth in love--a search which is only compromised by solemn assemblies and empty ceremonies, giving a false appearance of unity, fitting nicely into the popular American small talk about pluralism, but actually empty of true Christian content.

It is not, for example, the very idea of ecumenical prayer which should be put in question. If sacramental intercommunion remains, of course, excluded for the Orthodox as long as true union in faith is not achieved, other forms of prayer with the non-Orthodox are certainly possible, for the canons which forbid "prayer with heretics" had in view conscious apostates from the Church and not sincere Christians who never personally left it.

But authentic prayer is inseparable from the search for Truth. While based on a common commitment to Christ, it should also make manifest the unity which does not yet exist--otherwise it can only be construed as a substitute for true unity.

And nothing is more dangerous than a substitute. In the Middle Ages, when medicine was not yet a science, doctors used to dress themselves in fancy robes and impressive hats to impress their clients. Contemporary patients do not need dressed-up doctors because they trust them; they believe in medicine and do not need substitutes.

But perhaps the Orthodox ecumenical witness in America will only become authentic when the Church itself will become American, and thus a challenge to Americans, instead of presenting itself as an exotic, ethnic and irrelevant relic of the Eastern past. And, actually, this has been achieved to a large degree on the parish level. This is why positive guidelines for an Orthodox approach to ecumenism are urgently needed -- for our priests, for our youth, for our brothers who are not members of our Church and are looking for a true image of it, and, ultimately, for the sake of the Christian Gospel itself."

As you can see, in Orthodoxy there is an acceptance of inter-Christian Activities but with specific limitations or parameters much like those that the Roman Catholic Church has imposed upon herself and her sister Byzantine Catholic Churches.


Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Vito,

Here is an Address of His Beatitude Petros VII
Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa
at the 12th International Meeting "People and Religion"

"Ecumenism" 31st August, 1998.

The meaning of the word "Ecumenism" is closely related to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It expresses the universal message of the Gospel and the capacity of the Christian Faith to be accepted by the whole world, regardless of race or language. Therefore, the Byzantine Empire, as well as the Patriarchate of Constantinople, were called "Ecumenical".

These days the word "Ecumenism" is also used in a different way: it expresses the idea of the universal amalgamation of various religions, Christian and non Christian, into one universal Religion. This type of Ecumenism, which is in reality a new "Syncretism", is rejected without any hesitation, completely and unconditionally by the Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox Church of Christ seeks and desires dialogue with all other heterodox Churches, based on equal conditions and provided it be conducted in the fear of God and the witness of the One Divine Truth, which the incarnated Logos and Son of God the Father, our Lord and Saviour has revealed to the world. The Orthodox Church aims for dialogue which seeks the love of man and which will unite all under the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church as one body, the secret Body of Christ.

There is no place in the body of the Church for untruths. The Church does not hold a part of the Truth, but the whole Truth; because Christ, who is the Head of the Church, is the Truth.

The dialogue of the Orthodox Church is conducted in the spirit of love and truth. The Church determines the ecclesiological and moral preconditions and obligations which those who partake in this dialogue must accept, in order that such dialogue will take place without self-serving motivation or hidden purpose. This means that it is impossible, from the Orthodox point of view, to ignore or to sacrifice the true interpretation of the Divine Revelation, simply for the sake of an insincere, superficial and senseless union. Neither can we ignore the element of love as being the highest good in the relationship between men and institutions.

Prudent, honest and effective dialogue takes place at all levels of theological confrontation, debate and conversation, and throughout this intellectual process, the Truth of Christ is projected. All men must accept this Truth. If we wish to proceed to unity of the faith through theological discussion, we must on the one hand, respect the equality of the conditions upon which dialogue is based, and on the other hand, accept the Truth in love and in all its perfection.

The restoration of unity amongst the Churches will be achieved only when full communion is restored. This communion is based upon unity of faith in accordance with the common experience and tradition of the ancient Church. All attempts to restore this unity in the past have failed, and in many cases have served only to reinforce dissension, firstly, because they did not respect the precondition of equality within dialogue, and secondly, because they based the dialogue on self-interest, which is alien to the pure unity of the Church.

The dialogue of Truth and Love is the only way to restore the full communion of Christianity. We must never forget that the communion of faith is the participation of the faithful in the sacrament of Christ in the Holy Spirit. This communion allows those who believe correctly to embrace God the Father, and finds its expression in the experience of holiness and the communion of the saints within the Church which our Lord instituted.

The mystery of salvation is that of being in Christ within the Church, which is the only Ark of Salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Only One Church, the members of which constitute the mystical Body of Christ. Thus, no one has the right to split or divide the unity of this Body or to proclaim teachings alien to the Apostolic Tradition. We, the Bishops especially, must never forget the words of St. Paul: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he had purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28).

The study and deep understanding of the Word of God will greatly assist the true and fruitful continuation of contemporary theological dialogue, as was understood and experienced by the Fathers of the undivided Church. This systematic study will help to bring our communion into the spirit of truth, assisted by simple brotherly love.

The Church of Christ is not static, but diachronic. It moves in time and faces contemporary problems according to the Divine Revelation. The Theology of the Orthodox Church is life, by which the faithful become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).

Theological dialogue is a blessing from God and must be upheld with patience, mutual understanding, and especially, with prayer. For dialogue to be productive, it is not enough just to talk, but also to listen. We must pray to Holy God to grant us all His divine enlightenment, so that we will have the awareness and the ability, not only to distinguish the essential from the unessential, but to comprehend the modifications which have taken place over time. In this way, our conversations will be fair and pragmatic, and based within the historical reality.

On the table of theological dialogue we must clearly place all the facts and experience of our Christian Faith. Only then will we have the right to judge how "bona fide" our discussions and our interlocutors are.

The Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa actively seeks Dialogue. It aspires to and encourages dialogue. It is our heartfelt desire that the paths which lead towards the unity of the faith be open wide to new possibilities and prospects; that the dialogue between the faithful of various religions be carried out in good will and co-operation. Through such dialogue, we hope that we will be able to contribute essentially to the reign of the Divine Revelation of the Glory of our Triune God, Who is worshipped for ever."


Your brother in Christ ,
Thomas

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Vito,

Before I sign off for the night, I also found the original 1920 Patriarchal Encyclical on Ecumenism on the Ecumenical Patriarchate's current website. It follows:

PATRIARCHAL AND SYNODICAL ENCYCLICAL OF 1920

"Unto the Churches of Christ everywhere"

"Love one another earnestly from the heart."
(I Peter 1. 22)

Our own church holds that rapprochement between the various Christian Churches and fellowship between them is not excluded by the doctrinal differences which exist between them. In our opinion such a rapprochement is highly desirable and necessary. It would be useful in many ways for the real interest of each particular church and of the whole Christian body, and also for the preparation and advancement of that blessed union which will be completed in the future in accordance with the will of God. We therefore consider that the present time is most favorable for bringing this important question and studying it together.

Even if in this case, owing to antiquated prejudices, practices or pretensions, the difficulties which have so often jeopardized attempts at reunion in the past may arise or be brought up, nevertheless, in our view, since we are concerned at this initial stage only with contacts and rapprochement, these difficulties are of less importance. If there is good will and intention, they cannot and should not create an invincible and insuperable obstacle. Wherefore, considering such an endeavor to be both possible and timely especially in view of the hopeful establishment of the League of Nations we venture to express below in brief our thoughts and our opinion regarding the way in which we understand this rapprochement and contact and how we consider it to be realizable; we earnestly ask and invite the judgment and the opinion of the other sister churches in the East and of the venerable Christian churches in the West and everywhere in the world.

We believe that the two following measures would greatly contribute to the rapprochement ' which is so much to be desired and which would be so useful, and we believe that they would be both successful and fruitful:

First, we consider as necessary and indispensable the removal and abolition of all the mutual mistrust and bitterness between the different churches which arise from the tendency of some of them to entice and proselytize adherents of other confessions. For nobody ignores what is unfortunately happening today in many places, disturbing the internal peace of the churches, especially in the Exist. So many troubles and sufferings are caused by other Christians and great hatred and enemity are aroused, with such insignificant results, by this tendency of some to proselytize and entice the followers of other Christian confessions.

After this essential reestablishment of sincerity and confidence between the churches, we consider,

Secondly, that above all love should be rekindled and strengthened among the churches, so that they should no more consider one another as strangers and foreigners, but as relatives, and as being a part of the household of Christ and "fellow heirs, members of the same body and partakers of the promise of God in Christ" (Eph. 3. 6).

For if the different churches are inspired by love and place it before everything else in their judgments of others and their relationships with them, instead of increasing and widening the existing dissensions, they should be enabled to reduce and diminish them. By stirring up a right brotherly interest in the condition, the well-being and stability of the other churches; by readiness to take an interest in what is happening in those churches and to obtain a better knowledge of them,and by willingness to offer mutual aid and help, many good things will be achieved for the glory and the benefit both of themselves and of the Christian body. In our opinion, such a friendship and kindly disposition towards each other can be shown and demonstrated particularly in the following ways:

By the acceptance of a uniform calendar for the celebration of the great Christian feasts at the same time by all the churches.

By the exchange of brotherly letters on the occasion of the great feasts of the churches' year as is customary, and on other exceptional occasions.

By close relationships between the representatives of all churches wherever they may be.

By relationships between the theological schools and the professors of theology; by theexchange of theological and ecclesiastical reviews, and of other works published in each church.

By exchanging students for further training between the seminaries of the different churches.

By convoking pan-Christian conferences in order to examine questions of common interest to all the churches.

By impartial and deeper historical study of doctrinal differences both by the seminaries and in books.

By mutual respect for the customs and practices in different churches.

By allowing each other the use of chapels and cemeteries for the funerals and burials of believers of other confessions dying in foreign lands.

By the settlement of the question of mixed marriages between the confessions.

Lastly, by wholehearted mutual assistance for the churches in their endeavors for religious advancement, charity and so on.


Such a sincere and close contact between the churches will be all the more useful and profitable for the whole body of the Church, because manifold dangers threaten not only particular churches, but all of them. These dangers attack the very foundations of the Christian faith and the essence of Christian life and society. For the terrible world war which has just finished brought to light many unhealthy symptoms in the life of the Christian peoples, and often revealed great lack of respect even for the elementary principles of justice and charity. Thus it worsened already existing wounds and opened other new ones of a more material kind, which demand the attention and care of all the churches. Alcoholism, which is increasing daily; the increase of unnecessary luxury under the pretext of bettering life and enjoying it; the voluptuousness and lust hardly covered by the cloak of freedom and emancipation of the flesh; the prevailing unchecked licentiousness and indecency in literature, painting, the theater, and in music, under the respectable name of the development of good taste and cultivation of fine art; the deification of wealth and the contempt of higher ideals; all these and the like, as they threaten the very essence of Christian societies are also timely topics requiring and indeed necessitating common study and cooperation by the Christian churches.

Finally, it is the duty of the churches which bear the sacred name of Christ not to forget or neglect any longer his new and great commandment of love. Nor should they continue to fall piteously behind the political authorities, who, truly applying the spirit of the Gospel and of the teaching of Christ, have under happy auspices already setup the so-called League of Nations in order to defend justice and cultivate charity and agreement between the nations. For all these reasons, being ourselves convinced of the necessity for establishing a contact and league (fellowship) 1 between the churches and believing that the other churches share our conviction as stated above, at least as a beginning we request each one of them to send us in reply a statement of its own judgment and opinion on this matter so that common agreement or resolution having been read, we may proceed together to its realization, and thus "speaking the truth in love; may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Eph.4: 15,16).


In the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the
month of January in the year of grace 1920.


Vito , I hope that these articles form a basis for looking at Ecumenism as the majority of Orthodox Christians view it in the United States and Abroad.

Your brother in Christ,
Thomas

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Dear Thomas, Thanks for all your help. I will need a little time to read through these. Looking forward to other pertinent articles as well. Thanks again Thomas, Vito

--

Ecumenism [ecumenizm.tripod.com]

--

Oh boy...

Dear OOD,

I'm curious...who canonised Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov?

Dear Catholicos,

St Ignatius was glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate in 1988 for the Millenium of Christianity in Rus'.

Others glorified at the same time included: St Paisius Velichkovsky, St Theophan the Recluse, St Xenia of St Petersburg and St Andrei Rubleev.

Alex

Even though I am not Orthodox(not yet at least), that article pretty much sums up what I think of so-called "Ecumenism." I don't go to the extent of proclaiming all non-Catholic and Orthodox Christians Hellbound; but Ecumenism, at least the way most people understand it is nothing more then a modernist, relativist, I'm OK your OK philosophy. A perfect example is the new fad of proclaiming that allah(false god) is the same as the True God(Most Holy Trinity). Christ stated that if you know not the Son, then you don't know the Father. I know its fashionable to say that everybody worships the same god, but Scripture and Holy Tradition states otherwise.

Columcille

...you may not agree with the article, but at least the ones with a keen eye will discover where I got the name I use - OoD

Columcille,

Are you saying the Maronite Catholic community is going to hell?

K.

[ 02-05-2002: Message edited by: Columcille ]

Words of Pope John Paul II on the Division of Christians

In Search of Lost Unity

�What unites us is much greater than what separates us�All of us, in fact, believe in the same Christ�So there is basis for dialogue and for the growth of unity, a growth that should occur at the same rate at which we are able to overcome our divisions-divisions that to a great degree result from the idea that one can have a monopoly on truth.

These divisions are certainly opposed to what Christ had in mind�. But we can also understand how over the centuries contact with different political and cultural climates could have led believers to interpret Christ�s message with varying emphases.

Nevertheless, these different approaches to understanding and living out one�s faith in Christ can, in certain cases be complementary; they do not have to be mutually exclusive. Good will is needed in order to realize how various interpretations and ways of practicing the faith can come together and complement each other. There is also the need to determine where genuine divisions start, the point beyond which the faith is compromised.

�It is necessary�to rid ourselves of stereotypes, of old habits. And above all, it is necessary to recognize the unity that already exists.

�However, no one really believes that the way toward unity is short or free of obstacles. Above all else, much prayer is needed, as well as great commitment to the task of profound conversion�

�Naturally, real unity is not and cannot be the fruit of human forces alone. The true protagonist remains the Holy Spirit, who must determine, even from the human point of view, when the process of unity has developed sufficiently.

When will this happen? It is not easy to predict.

�we need to be more united, more willing to advance along the path toward the unity for which Christ prayed on the eve of His Passion. This unity is enormously precious. In a certain sense, the future of the world is at stake. The future of the Kingdom of God in the world is at stake. Human weaknesses and prejudices cannot destroy God�s plan for the world and for humanity. If we appreciate this, we can look to the future with a certain optimism. We can trust that �the one who began this good work in us will bring it to completion� (cf. Phil I:6)

Why Divided?

God�s plans are often inscrutable. Only in the hereafter will it be truly possible to �see� and, therefore, to understand. But would it be possible to have a glimpse even now of the answer to the question that, for centuries, many believers have asked? Why would the Holy Spirit have permitted so many different divisions and enmities among those who claim to be disciples of the same Gospel, disciples of the same Christ?

�In general, the causes and historical development of these divisions are well known. It is legitimate, however to wonder if there is perhaps a metahistorical reason as well.

There are two possible answers to this question. The more negative one would see in these divisions the bitter fruit of sins committed by Christians. The more positive answer is inspired by trust in the One who is capable of bringing forth good even from evil, from human weakness. Could it not be that these divisions have also been a path continually leading the Church to discover the untold wealth contained in Christ�s Gospel and in the redemption accomplished by Christ? Perhaps all this wealth would not have come to light otherwise�

More generally, we can affirm that for human knowledge and human action a certain dialectic is present. Didn�t the Holy Spirit, in His divine �condescendence,� take this into consideration? It is necessary for humanity to achieve unity through plurality, to learn to come together in the one Church, even while presenting a plurality of ways of thinking and acting, of cultures and civilizations. Wouldn�t such a way of looking at things be, in a certain sense, more consonant with the wisdom of God, with His goodness and providence?

Nevertheless, this cannot be a justification for the divisions that continue to deepen! The time must come for the love that unites us to be manifested! Many things lead us to believe that that time is now here, and as a result, the importance of ecumenism for Christianity should be evident. Ecumenism is a response to the exhortation in the First Letter of Peter to �give an explanation [of] the reason for our hope� (cf. I Pt 3:15). Mutual respect is a prerequisite for authentic ecumenism. �Veritatem facere in caritate (To live the truth in love; cf. Eph 4:15); this is what is always necessary.

-Taken from "Crossing the Threshold of Hope" by
His Holiness John Paul II; translated from the Italian
by Jenny McPhee and Martha McPhee; edited by
Edited by Vittorio Messori; Alfred A. Knopf

Viva Papa!!! Many Year!!!