www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Greece takes a stand against EU/homosexual marriage

To say he is outspoken on ecumenism is an understatement. He borders on the extreme Old Calendarist position. While he may have respect within the Church of Greece, and other local Orthodox Churches, his anti-Catholic rhetoric is not the official position of the Orthodox Churches, including his own Church, who are committed to dialogue with the Catholic Church.

It pains me to see Orthodox Christians be so uncharitable to their fellow Christians. At least we Catholics state, unequivalently now, that the Orthodox are True Particular Churches and that their Holy Mysteries give them Life and communion with the Holy Trinity. Are there differences that need to be over come? Yes, absolutely and I am not trying to down play them.

I would think a Bishop would be a little more charitable, and prudent in his statements, and I pray you don't hold his opinion the Catholics are unbaptized.

Old Metropolitan Philaret would not have been this extreme. BTW, I believe "unbaptised layman" is an oxymoron...at least one must be confirmed to be lay.
One wonders if people like this are given a forum, or encouraged to expatiate like this in order to discredit by extension any hierarch or cleric or anyone opposing, say, gay marriage. I have wondered if Ian Paisley was such a rhetorical convenience for his opponents. We in the US still have plenty of fundementalist Protestant bogeymen, even though that movement is now largely "seeker friendly" or Oprahfied.

Indeed.


He is a canonical bishop in communion with Holy Orthodoxy and he has not been censured in any way.


I think most of the Orthodox in the world support his positions. You call it anti-Catholic....but it is not. He sees Holy Orthodoxy as the fullness of truth, and he yearns for the Catholics to return to the fold. You see anti-Catholic.....many others see great compassion.


There are multitudes who are unhappy with the recent activity of the EP. There is a petition that is circulating....and Mt. Athos just came out with a 128 page document expressing their disappointment.



I think that hurling insults at a Metropolitan is uncharitable. I do not agree with many things that Latin and Eastern Catholic bishops do and say....but I do not call them names.


There are many differences. These differences will not be resolved unless one side compromises their dogmatic beliefs. Dialogue and cooperation on such matters as gay "marriage," abortion, euthanasia, feeding the poor, and other issues is wonderful. But we will not see union any time soon.


My opinions are not the subject here. I am a staunchly traditional Orthodox Christian. The Metropolitan spoke the truth against sodomy....and the Christians here promptly put him on trial because they don't like statements he has made in the past about other issues. So they started spouting ad hominems against him....during the Holy Nativity Fast.....how truly sad.

Metropolitan Philaret liked to quote St Theophan the Recluse:

“You ask, will the heterodox be saved… Why do you worry about them? They have a Saviour Who desires the salvation of every human being. He will take care of them. You and I should not be burdened with such a concern. Study yourself and your own sins… I will tell you one thing, however: should you, being Orthodox and possessing the Truth in its fullness, betray Orthodoxy, and enter a different faith, you will lose your soul forever.”