|
Adopted
by the Jubilee Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church - August
14, 2000
1. The unity of the Church and the sin of human divisions
1.1. The Orthodox Church is the true Church of Christ established
by our Lord and Saviour Himself, the Church confirmed and sustained by
the Holy Spirit, the Church about which the Saviour Himself has said:
"I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it" (Mt. 16:18). She is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church, the keeper and provider of the Holy Sacraments throughout the
world, "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3:15). She
bears full responsibility for the proclamation of the truth of Christ's
Gospel, as well as full power to witness to "the faith which was
once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).
1.2. The Church of Christ is one and unique (St. Cyprian of Carthage,
On the Unity of the Church). The unity of the Church, the Body of Christ,
is based on the fact that she has one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph.
5:23), and that working in her is one Holy Spirit Who gives life to the
Body of the Church and unites all her members with Christ as her Head.
1.3. The Church is the unity of a "new humanity in Christ".
By His incarnation the Son of God "commenced afresh the long line
of human beings"(St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Adversus Haereses, 3, 18),
creating a new grace-bearing people, the spiritual posterity of the Second
Adam. The unity of the Church is above every human and earthly union,
for it has been given from above as a perfect and divine gift. The members
of the Church are united in Christ like vines, rooted in Him and gathered
in one eternal and spiritual life.
1.4. The unity of the Church overcomes all barriers and frontiers,
including racial, linguistic and social differences. The message of salvation
is to be proclaimed to all nations in order to bring them into one fold,
to unite them by the power of faith and the grace of the Holy Spirit (Mt.
28:19-20; Mk. 16:15; Acts 1:8).
1.5. In the Church, enmity and alienation are overcome, and humanity,
divided by sin, is united in love in the image of the Consubstantial Trinity.
1.6. The Church is the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace
(Eph. 4:3), the fullness of uninterrupted grace-filled life and spiritual
experience. "Where the Church is, there is the Spirit of God; and
where the Spirit of God is, there is the Church, and every kind of grace"
(St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Adversus Haereses, 3, 24). This unity of grace-filled
life is the foundation of the unity and changelessness of the Church's
faith. Always and without change "the Holy Spirit teaches through
the holy fathers and doctors. The Catholic Church cannot transgress or
even err or utter falsehood instead of truth: for the Holy Spirit, who
always acts through the faithfully serving fathers and doctors of the
Church, guards her against every mistake" (The Letter of Eastern
Patriarchs).
1.7. The Church is universal, but she exists in the world in the
form of various Local Churches This does not diminish the unity of the
Church in any way. "The Church, illumined with the light of the Lord,
sheds forth her rays over the whole world, yet it is one light which is
everywhere diffused, nor is the unity of the body separated. She spreads
her branches, laden with fruit, over the whole world. He freely flowing
streams extend to the farthest regions, and yet throughout all this her
head is one, her source one, and she is one mother, rich in the abundance
of her fruitfulness" (St. Cyprian of Carthage, On the Unity of the
Church).
1.8. Church unity is bound up inseparably with the Sacrament of
the Eucharist, in which the faithful, partaking of the one Body of Christ,
are really and truly joined in the one and catholic Body, in the mystery
of Christ's love, in the transforming power of the Spirit. "Indeed,
if 'we are all partakers of that one bread', then we all comprise one
Body (1 Cor. 10:17), for Christ cannot be divided. That is why the Church
is called the Body of Christ, while we are 'members in particular', according
to the understanding of the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 12:27)" (St. Cyril
of Alexandria).
1.9. The One, Holy, Catholic Church is the Apostolic Church. Through
the divinely instituted priesthood the gifts of the Holy Spirit are communicated
to the faithful. The apostolic succession of the hierarchy, beginning
from the holy apostles, is the basis of the communion and unity of grace-filled
life. Any deviation from the lawful Church authority is a deviation from
the Holy Spirit, from Christ Himself. "See that you all follow the
bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you
would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution
of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop.
<…> Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude of
the people also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic
Church". (St. Ignatius of Antioch, To the Smyrnians, 8).
1.10. It is only through relationship with a particular community
that each member of the Church realises his communion with the whole Church.
By breaking canonical relations with his Local Church a Christian damages
his grace-filled unity with the whole Church body, tearing himself away
from it. Any sin distances a person from the Church to a greater or lesser
degree, but it does not cut him off from her altogether. In the understanding
of the Early Church, excommunication was exclusion from the eucharistic
assembly. Those excommunicated, however, were never re-admitted to Church
communion through re-baptism. Faith in the indelible nature of baptism
is confessed in the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed: "I acknowledge
one baptism for the remission of sin". Apostolic Canon 47 reads:
"Let a bishop or presbyter who shall baptise again one who has rightly
received baptism… be deposed".
1.11. In this way the Church bore witness that those who have been
excommunicated retain a certain "seal" of belonging to the people
of God. By accepting them back the Church brings back to life those who
have already been baptised by the Spirit into the one Body. Even while
excommunicating one of her members, sealed by her on the day of his baptism,
the Church hopes for his return. She considers excommunication itself
to be a means of spiritual rebirth for such person.
1.12. Throughout centuries Christ's commandment of unity has been
repeatedly violated. Contrary to the catholic unanimity enjoined by God,
differences and divisions have arisen in Christianity. The Church has
always shown a strict and principled attitude towards those who have challenged
the purity of her saving faith and those who have brought division and
confusion into the Church: "Why are there strifes, and tumults, and
divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not [all] one God
and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And
have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear to pieces
the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have
reached such a height of madness as to forget that we are members one
of another?" (St. Clement of Rome. First Letter to the Corinthians,
46).
1.13. Throughout Christian history, not only individual Christians
but also entire Christian communities moved away from the unity with the
Orthodox Church. Some of them have perished in course of history, while
others have survived through the centuries. The most fundamental divisions
of the first millennium, which have survived to this day, took place after
the Third and Fourth Ecumenical Councils, when some Christian communities
refused to accept their decisions. As a result, the Assyrian Church of
the East and the non-Chalcedonian Churches, including the Coptic, Armenian,
Syrian Jacobite, Ethiopian and Malabar Churches, are separated even today.
In the second millennium, the separation of the Roman Church was followed
by internal divisions in Western Christianity, brought about by the Reformation,
which resulted in the continual formation of different Christian denominations
outside of communion with the Roman see. There were also breakaways from
the unity with Local Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Church.
1.14. Delusions and heresies result from a person's desire to assert
himself and set himself apart. Every division or schism implies a certain
measure of falling away from the plenitude of the Church. A division,
even if it happens for non-doctrinal reasons, is a violation of Orthodox
teaching on the nature of the Church and leads ultimately to distortions
in the faith.
1.15. The Orthodox Church, through the mouths of the holy fathers,
affirms that salvation can be attained only in the Church of Christ. At
the same time however, communities which have fallen away from Orthodoxy
have never been viewed as fully deprived of the grace of God. Any break
from communion with the Church inevitably leads to an erosion of her grace-filled
life, but not always to its complete loss in these separated communities.
This is why the Orthodox Church does not receive those coming to her from
non-Orthodox communities only through the Sacrament of Baptism. In spite
of the rupture of unity, there remains a certain incomplete fellowship
which serves as the pledge of a return to unity in the Church, to catholic
fullness and oneness.
1.16. The ecclesial status of those who have separated themselves
from the Church does not lend itself to simple definition. In a divided
Christendom, there are still certain characteristics which make it one:
the Word of God, faith in Christ as God and Saviour come in the flesh
(1 Jn. 1:1-2; 4, 2, 9), and sincere devotion.
1.17. The existence of various rites of reception (through Baptism,
through Chrismation, through Repentance) shows that the Orthodox Church
relates to the different non-Orthodox confessions in different ways. The
criterion is the degree to which the faith and order of the Church, as
well as the norms of Christian spiritual life, are preserved in a particular
confession. By establishing various rites of reception, however, the Orthodox
Church does not assess the extent to which grace-filled life has either
been preserved intact or distorted in a non-Orthodox confession, considering
this to be a mystery of God's providence and judgement.
1.18. The Orthodox Church is the true Church in which the Holy
Tradition and the fullness of God's saving grace are preserved intact.
She has preserved the heritage of the apostles and holy fathers in its
integrity and purity. She is aware that her teaching, liturgical structures
and spiritual practice are the same as those of the apostolic proclamation
and the Tradition of the Early Church.
1.19. Orthodoxy is not a national or cultural attribute of the
Eastern Church. Orthodoxy is an inner quality of the Church. It is the
preservation of the doctrinal truth, the liturgical and hierarchical order
and the principles of spiritual life which, unchangingly and uninterruptedly,
have been present in the Church since apostolic times. One should not
yield to the temptation to idealize the past or to ignore the tragic shortcomings
and failures which marked the history of the Church. Above all the great
fathers of the Church themselves give an example of spiritual self-criticism.
The history of the Church in the IV-VII centuries knew of not a few cases
when a significant proportion of believers fell into heresy. But history
also reveals that the Church struggled on principled terms with the heresies
that were infecting her children and that there were cases where those
who had gone astray were healed of heresy, experienced repentance and
returned to the bosom of the Church. This tragic experience of misunderstanding
emerging from within the Church herself and of the struggle with it during
the period of the ecumenical councils has taught the children of the Orthodox
Church to be vigilant. The Orthodox Church, while humbly bearing witness
to her preservation of the truth, at the same time remembers all the temptations
which arose during her history.
1.20. Due to the violation of the commandment of unity which has
led to the historical tragedy of schism, divided Christians, instead of
being an example of unity in love in the image of the Most Holy Trinity,
have become a source of scandal. Christian division has become an open
and bleeding wound on the Body of Christ. The tragedy of divisions has
become a serious visible distortion of Christian universality, an obstacle
in the way of her witness to Christ before the world. For the reality
of this witness of the Church of Christ depends to a considerable degree
on her ability to live up to the truths preached by her in the life and
practice of Christian communities.
2. The quest for the restoration of the unity
2.1. The essential goal of relations between the Orthodox Church
and other Christian confessions is the restoration of that unity among
Christians which is required of us by God (Jn. 17:21). Unity is part of
God's design and belongs to the very essence of Christianity. It is a
task of the highest priority for the Orthodox Church at every level of
her life.
2.2. Indifference to this task or its rejection is a sin against
God's commandment of unity. According to St. Basil the Great, "all
who are really and truly serving the Lord should have this one aim - to
bring back into union the Churches that have been severed from one another"
(Letters,114).
2.3. Nevertheless, while recognising the need to restore our broken
Christian unity, the Orthodox Church asserts that genuine unity is possible
only in the bosom of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. All
other "models" of unity seem to us to be unacceptable.
2.4. The Orthodox Church cannot accept the assumption that despite
the historical divisions, the fundamental and profound unity of Christians
has not been broken and that the Church should be understood as coextensive
with the entire "Christian world", that Christian unity exists
across denominational barriers and that the disunity of the churches belongs
exclusively to the imperfect level of human relations. According to this
conception, the Church remains one, but this oneness is not, as it were,
sufficiently manifest in visible form. In this model of unity, the task
of Christians is understood not as the restoration of a lost unity but
as the manifestation of an existing unity. This model repeats the teaching
on "the invisible Church" which appeared during the Reformation.
2.5. The so-called "branch theory", which is connected
with the conception referred to above and asserts the normal and even
providential nature of Christianity existing in the form of particular
"branches", is also totally unacceptable.
2.6. Orthodoxy cannot accept that Christian divisions are caused
by the inevitable imperfections of Christian history and that they exist
only on the historical surface and can be healed or overcome by compromises
between denominations.
2.7. The Orthodox Church cannot recognise "the equality of
the denominations". Those who have fallen away from the Church cannot
re-unite with her in their present state. The existing dogmatic differences
should be overcome, not simply bypassed, and this means that the way to
unity lies through repentance, conversion and renewal.
2.8. Also unacceptable is the idea that all the divisions are essentially
tragic misunderstandings, that disagreements seem irreconcilable only
because of a lack of mutual love and a reluctance to realise that, in
spite of all the differences and dissimilarities, there is sufficient
unity and harmony in "what is most important". Our divisions
cannot be reduced to human passions, to egoism, much less to cultural,
social and political circumstances which are secondary from the Church's
point of view. Also unacceptable is the argument that the Orthodox Church
differs from other Christian communities with which she does not have
communion only in secondary matters. The divisions and differences cannot
all be reduced to various non-theological factors.
2.9. The Orthodox Church also rejects the assumption that the unity
of Christendom can only be restored through common Christian service to
the world. Christian unity cannot be restored through agreement on earthly
matters, in which case Christians would be united in what is secondary
but still differ in what is fundamental.
2.10. It is inadmissible to introduce relativism into the realm
of faith, to limit unity in faith to a narrow set of necessary truths
so that beyond them "freedom in what is doubtful" may be allowed.
Even a position of tolerance towards differences in faith is unacceptable.
At the same time, however, one should not confuse unity of faith and the
form of its expression.
2.11. The division of Christendom is a division in the experience
of faith itself, not just in doctrinal formulations. Formal doctrinal
unity does not exhaust what is meant by the unity of the Church, though
it is one of its essential conditions.
2.12. The unity of the Church is first of all a unity and communion
in the Sacraments. True communion in the Sacraments, however, does not
have anything to do with the practice of so-called "inter-communion".
Unity can be realized only in an identical grace-filled experience and
life, in the faith of the Church, in the fullness of sacramental life
in the Holy Spirit.
2.13. The restoration of Christian unity in faith and love can
come only from above as a gift of Almighty God. The source of unity is
in God, and therefore merely human efforts to restore it will be in vain,
for "except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build
it" (Ps. 127:1). Only our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has commanded us
to be one, can give us the power to fulfill his commandment, for He is
"the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn. 14:6). The task of Orthodox
Christians is to be co-workers with God in the task of salvation in Christ.
As the holy fathers have said: God saves us, but not without us.
3. Orthodox witness before the non-Orthodox world
3.1. The Orthodox Church is the guardian of the Tradition and the
grace-filled gifts of the Early Church. Her primary task, therefore, in
her relations with non-Orthodox confessions is to bear continuous and
persistent witness which will lead to the truth expressed in this Tradition
becoming understandable and acceptable. According to the Third Pre-Conciliar
Panorthodox Conference (1986): "The Orthodox Church, in her profound
conviction and ecclesiastical consciousness of being the bearer of and
the witness to the faith and tradition of the One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church, firmly believes that she occupies a central place in
matters relating to the promotion of Christian unity within the contemporary
world…It is the mission and duty of the Orthodox Church to transmit, in
all its fullness, the truth contained in the Holy Scripture and the Holy
Tradition, the truth which gives to the Church her universal character.
The responsibility of the Orthodox Church, as well as her ecumenical mission
regarding Church unity, were expressed by the Ecumenical Councils. These,
in particular, stressed the indissoluble link existing between true faith
and sacramental communion. The Orthodox Church has always sought to draw
the different Christian Churches and confessions into a joint search for
the lost unity of Christians, so that all might reach the unity of faith…"
3.2. The task of the Orthodox witness is entrusted to every member
of the Church. Orthodox Christians should clearly realise that the faith
they preserve and confess has a global and universal character. The Church
is not only called to teach her children, but also to witness to the truth
before those who have left her. "How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
(Rom. 10:14). The duty of Orthodox Christians is to bear witness to the
truth that has been entrusted to the Church for ever, since, according
to St. Paul, "we are labourers together with God" (1 Cor. 3:9).
4. Dialogue with the non-Orthodox
4.1. The Russian Orthodox Church has carried on theological dialogue
with non-Orthodox Christians for over two centuries. This dialogue has
been characterised by the combination of a principled dogmatic approach
and a fraternal love. This principle was formulated in the "Response
to the Letter of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate" [?]
(1903) as a method of theological dialogue with the Anglicans and the
Old Catholics. With regard to non-Orthodox confessions, it was said, "there
must be fraternal readiness to help them by explanations, normal consideration
for their best wishes, all possible forbearance towards their natural
perplexities, given the age-old division, but at the same time the firm
confession of the truth of our Universal Church as a sole guardian of
Christ's heritage and a sole saving ark of divine grace… Our task with
regard to them should be… without putting before them unnecessary obstacle
for union by being inappropriately intolerant and suspicious… to interpret
for them our faith and unchangeable conviction that it is only our Eastern
Orthodox Church, which has preserved intact the entire pledge of Christ,
that is at present the Universal Church, and thus to show them in fact
what they should consider and decide upon if they really believe that
salvation is bound up with life in the Church and sincerely wish to be
united with her…"
4.2. Characteristic of the dialogues conducted by the Russian Orthodox
Church with other Christian confessions is their theological nature. The
task of theological dialogue is to explain to her partners in dialogue
the ecclesial consciousness of the Orthodox Church, the foundations of
her doctrine, canonical order and spiritual tradition, and to dispel perplexities
and existing stereotypes.
4.3. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church conduct dialogues
with non-Orthodox confessions on the basis of faithfulness to the apostolic
and patristic Tradition of the Orthodox Church and the teaching of the
Ecumenical and Local Councils. Any dogmatic concessions or compromises
in the faith are excluded. No document or paper adopted in theological
dialogues and talks is obligatory for any of the Orthodox Churches until
it is adopted by the Orthodox Church as a whole.
4.4. From an Orthodox perspective, the way to reunification for
the non-Orthodox lies through the transformation and healing of their
dogmatic consciousness and experience. Along this path, the issues discussed
in the era of the Ecumenical Councils should be thought through once more.
An important part of the dialogue with the non-Orthodox confessions is
the study of the spiritual and theological heritage of the holy fathers,
the mouthpieces of the faith of the Church.
4.5. Witness cannot be a monologue, since it assumes the existence
of listeners and therefore of communication. Dialogue implies two sides,
a mutual openness to communication, a willingness to understand, not only
an "open mouth", but also a "heart enlarged" (cf.
2 Cor. 6:11). That is why the problem of theological language, comprehension
and interpretation should become one of the most important issues in the
dialogue of the Orthodox theology with other confessions.
4.6. It is gratifying and inspiring that non-Orthodox theological
thought, as expressed by its best representatives, has shown a sincere
and profound interest in studying the patristic heritage and the faith
and order of the Early Church. At the same time, it must be admitted that
between Orthodox and non-Orthodox theology there are still many unsolved
problems and differences of opinion. Moreover, even the formal similarities
existing in many aspects of the faith do not point to authentic unity,
since the doctrinal elements are given different interpretations in the
different theological traditions.
4.7. Dialogue with non-Orthodox confessions has revived the understanding
that the one catholic truth and norm can be expressed and embodied in
a variety of cultural and linguistic contexts. In the course of dialogue
it is essential for Orthodox theologians to be able to distinguish between
a specific context and an actual deviation from catholic plenitude. It
is also necessary to investigate the question of the limits of diversity
in the one catholic tradition.
4.8. Joint study centres, groups and programs should be established
within the theological dialogues. It is important that joint theological
conferences, seminars and scholarly meetings, exchange of delegations,
exchange of publications and information as well as joint publishing projects
should be held on a regular basis. The exchange of experts, teachers and
theologians is also of great significance.
4.9. It is especially important for the Russian Orthodox Church
to send her theologians to the major centres of non-Orthodox theological
scholarship. It is also necessary to invite non-Orthodox theologians to
the theological schools and other educational institutions of the Russian
Orthodox Church to study Orthodox theology. The theological schools of
the Russian Orthodox Church should pay more attention in their curricula
to study of the progress and results of theological dialogues and to the
non-Orthodox confessions.
4.10. Along with theological themes proper, dialogue should also
be conducted on a wide range of problems involved in the relationship
between the Church and the world. Among the important areas in the development
of relations with the non-Orthodox confessions is joint work in the service
of society. In situations where it does not come into conflict with Orthodox
faith and spiritual practice, joint programs of religious education and
catechism should be developed.
4.11. The bilateral dialogues conducted by the Russian Orthodox
Church differ from her multilateral relations and participation in inter-Christian
organisations in that they are structured in size and form as she thinks
most suitable at the time. The yard-stick and criterion here is the success
of a dialogue itself and the readiness of the partner in dialogue to consider
the position taken by the Russian Orthodox Church on a broad (not only
theological) range of ecclesiastical and social problems.
5. Multilateral dialogue and participation in the work
of inter-Christian organisations
5.1. The Russian Orthodox Church conducts dialogues with non-Orthodox
confessions not only on a bilateral but also on a multilateral level,
while also participating in pan-Orthodox delegations and in the work of
inter-Christian organisations.
5.2. With regard to her membership in various Christian organisations,
she adheres to the following criteria. The Russian Orthodox Church cannot
participate in international, regional or national Christian organisations
in which (a) the constitution or rules require the renunciation of the
doctrine or traditions of the Orthodox Church; (b) the Orthodox Church
has no opportunity to bear witness to herself as the One, Holy, Catholic
and Apostolic Church; (c) the decision-making process does not take into
account the ecclesiological consciousness of the Orthodox Church; and
(d) the rules and procedures make a "majority opinion" obligatory
upon the members.
5.3. The level and forms of the Russian Orthodox Church's participation
in an international Christian organisation should take into account its
internal dynamics, agenda, priorities and general nature.
5.4. The scope and extent of the Russian Orthodox Church's participation
in an international Christian organisation is determined by the Church
authorities on the basis of its usefulness for the Church.
5.5. While stressing the great importance of theological dialogue
and discussion concerning the norms of faith, Church order and the principles
of the spiritual life, the Russian Orthodox Church, like the other Local
Orthodox Churches, considers it possible and beneficial to participate
in the work of various international organisations in such spheres of
service to the world as diakonia, social service and peacemaking. The
Russian Orthodox Church maintains co-operation with various Christian
denominations and international Christian organisations in the task of
common witness before secular society.
5.6. The Russian Orthodox Church maintains working relations on
the level of membership or co-operation with a wide variety of international
Christian organisations, as well as with regional and national Councils
of Churches and Christian agencies specialising in diakonia, youth work
and peacemaking.
6. Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church with the
non-Orthodox on her canonical territory
6.1. The relations of the Russian Orthodox Church with non-Orthodox
Christian communities in the CIS and Baltic states should be carried out
in the same spirit of fraternal co-operation in which the Orthodox Church
works with other traditional confessions in order to co-ordinate social
work, promote social harmony and put an end to proselytism on the canonical
territory of the Russian Orthodox Church.
6.2. The Russian Orthodox Church maintains that the mission of
the traditional confessions is possible only if it is carried out without
proselytism and not at the expense of "stealing" the faithful,
especially with the aid of material benefits. The Christian communities
in the CIS and Baltic countries are called to unite their efforts for
reconciliation and the moral revival of society and to raise their voice
in the defence of human life and human dignity.
6.3. The Orthodox Church draws a clear distinction between the
non-Orthodox confessions which declare their faith in the Holy Trinity
and the divine-human nature of Jesus Christ, on the one hand, and the
sects which reject fundamental Christian doctrines on the other. While
recognising the right of non-Orthodox Christians to witness to their faith
and conduct religious education among the population groups that traditionally
belong to them, the Orthodox Church is against any destructive missionary
activity on the part of sects.
7. Internal tasks in relation to dialogue with non-Orthodox
confessions
7.1. While rejecting views which are erroneous from the point of
view of the Orthodox doctrine, the Orthodox are called to treat with Christian
love those who confess these views. In their relations with the non-Orthodox,
the Orthodox should bear witness to the holiness of Orthodoxy and to the
oneness of the Church. In bearing witness to the Truth, however, the Orthodox
should be worthy of their witness: causing offence to non-Orthodox Christians
is inadmissible.
7.2. It is essential to give the members of the Church competent
and trustworthy information about the progress, tasks and prospects of
the contacts and dialogue of the Russian Orthodox Church with non-Orthodox
confessions.
7.3. The Church condemns those who, by using inauthentic information,
deliberately distort the task of the Orthodox Church in her witness before
the non-Orthodox world and consciously slander the Church authorities,
accusing them of the "betrayal" of Orthodoxy. These people,
who sow seeds of temptation among ordinary believers, should be subject
to canonical sanctions. In this regard, guidance is given by the decisions
of the pan-Orthodox meeting in Thessaloniki in 1998: "The delegates
unanimously denounced those groups of schismatics, as well as certain
extremist groups within the local Orthodox Churches themselves, that are
using the theme of ecumenism in order to criticise the Church leadership
and undermine its authority, thus attempting to create divisions and schisms
within the Church. They also use non-factual material and misinformation
in order to support their unjust criticism. The delegates also emphasised
that the Orthodox participation in the ecumenical movement has always
been based on Orthodox tradition, on the decisions of the Holy Synods
of the local Orthodox Churches, and on Pan-Orthodox meetings... The participants
are unanimous in their understanding of the necessity for continuing their
participation in various forms of inter-Christian activity. We have no
right to withdraw from the mission laid upon us by our Lord Jesus Christ,
the mission of witnessing the Truth before the non-Orthodox world. We
must not interrupt relations with Christians of other confessions who
are prepared to work together with us… Durine Orthodox participation of
many decades in the ecumenical movement, Orthodoxy has never been betrayed
by any representative of a Local Orthodox Church. On the contrary, these
representatives have always been completely faithful and obedient to their
respective Church authorities, and acted in complete agreement with the
canonical rules, the Teaching of the Ecumenical Councils, the Church Fathers
and the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church". A threat to the Church
is also presented by those who participate in inter-Christian contacts,
speaking on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church without the blessing
of the Church authorities, as well as by those who bring temptation into
the midst of Orthodoxy by entering into canonically inadmissible sacramental
communion with non-Orthodox communities.
Conclusion
The twentieth century now drawing to a close has been marked by
the tragedy of divisions, enmity and alienation, but in it divided Christians
have shown a desire to achieve unity in the Church of Christ. The Russian
Orthodox Church has responded to this desire with a readiness to conduct
a dialogue of truth and love with non-Orthodox Christians, inspired by
the call of Christ and by the goal of Christian unity as ordained by God.
And today, on the threshold of the third millennium after the Nativity
according to the Flesh of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Orthodox
Church again lovingly and persistently calls all those for whom the name
of Jesus Christ is above all other names under heaven (cf. Acts 4:12)
to seek blessed unity in the Church: "Our mouth is open unto you,
our heart is enlarged" (2 Cor. 6:12).
Communication service of the Department for External Church Relations
of the Moscow Patriarchate
Adress:
22, Danilovsky val, Danilov monastery DECR, 113191 Moscow, Russia
Telephone:
(7-095) 2302439 Fax: (7-095) 2302619
E-mail: commserv@mospat.dol.ru
|
