Dear Fr. Deacon Nicholas,
Deacon Nikolai wrote: I may be wrong, but I thought the definition of "World Orthodox" is any church in communion with the Patriarchates that have fallen into one heresey or another.
Am I therefore wrong when I say that the definition of "World Orthodox" keeps changing? Only 2 short months ago, when you started the "World Orthodox" section, you gave the following definitions:
Deacon Nikolai wrote: Here is how we define some of the words we use in the forum's description:
New Calendarists: Those Churches that are using the new calendar rather than the traditonal Orthodox Calendar. This would include the Ecumenical Patriarchate, OCA, GOA, OCA, The Greek State Church, etc.
Ecumenists: Definitely the churches involved in the WCC and other univerasalist organizations. Churches that have established some form of communion with other denominations or accept mysteries outside the Church as having grace. The Antiochian, Alexandrian & Moscow Patriarchates would be included here.
"World Orthodox": The groups above or those in communion with the above groups.
http://euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/viewto ... 3130#23130
So 2 months ago, "World Orthodox" meant "being in Communion with Ecumenists and New Calendarists". Today, only two months later, "World Orthodox" means "being in Communion with any Patriarchate".
Where does the Georgian Patriarchate stand? It is niether Ecumenist nor New Calendarist. It therefore has the same status that ROCOR has in that it is not currently in heresy itself, but is in Communion with so-called 'heretics'- so why is the Georgian Patriarchate "World Orthodox" and ROCOR not? By this definition, ROCOR is already "World Orthodox" by virtue of being in Communion with the Patrirachates of Jerusalem and Serbia is it not? Why then must you wait for the rapprochment of ROCOR and the MP before requesting that ROCOR related posts be moved to the "World Orthodox" section?
Deacon Nikolai wrote:when ROCOR-L does go in to union with the MP I will ask that new threads will go in this thread. The old threads would not be moved as it was a bout a ROCOR before they succumbed.
By your own definition above, they are already "World Orthodox".
And why is it that you say:
when we are in Communion with ROCOR and therefore in defacto Communion with the Jerusalem and Serbian Patriarchates?
Despite the apparently clear definition of "World Orthodox" you give above, there appears to be an arbitrary assignment of the term "World Orthodox" to juristictions, even when they meet the criteria of the definition.
Deacon Nikolai wrote:Again, I do not see why you object to the term if your own synod uses it George.
Could you please quote a Synodal Decision or Decree of the Synod in Resistance which uses this term? I personally object to making divisions where there are no divisions. I do not accept that all of those in Communion with the Patriarchates are in heresy. A local Church is not 'heretical' simply because they are in Communion with a Patriarchate. And please do not tell me that you don't equate the term "World Orthodox" with heresy when you have said:
Deacon Nikolai wrote:George Australia wrote:If those who use the term "World Orthodox" were indeed sincere and guiless, they would use the term "UNORTHODOX" or "HETERODOX" to describe those they disagree with and consider 'heretical'.
The term is just a more gentle way of saying that.
George