ROCOR Anathema Against ecumenism (1983)

[Joseph]

Your head, sir, is buried deep in the sand and no amount of truth will change you.

[George Australia]

Your head, sir, is buried deep in the sand and no amount of truth will change you.

Yes it will- just present some truth instead of extremist propaganda (like the Islamists do).
Doesn't the burden of proof lie with those who make such accusations of heresy? Or, like the Islamist extremists, do you believe your "cause" to be beyond the need for truth or evidence? You cannot just "wall off" from a Bishop because you claim he said something with no evidence that he said it. That is nothing less than schism- which is even worse even than heresy.....particularly "imaginary heresy", such as the Balamand Agreement and Archbishop Hilarion of Vienna and other Orthodox Bishops are falsely accused of on this thread.
If you (whose head is apparently not stuck in the sand like mine) are so sure Archbishop Hilarion is an "Ecumenist heretic" then why don't you just present your evidence instead of just accusing me of having my head in the sand. And if you have no evidence, then I expect your next post on this thread to read: "I agree with George that Archbishop Hilarion has been falsely accused."

[Kollyvas]

..On Praying with Heretics
Canon XLV of the Holy Apostles
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St. Theodore of Studios on Canons and Schism

"Let any Bishop, or Presbyter, or deacon that merely joins in prayer with heretics be suspended, but if he had permitted them to perform any service as Clergymen, let him be deposed."

Canon LXV Of the Holy Apostles:
"If any clergymen, or laymen, enter a synagogue of Jews, or of heretics, to pray, let him be both deposed and excommunicated."

Canon IX of Laodicia (Also approved by the Ecumenical Synods)
"Concerning the fact that those belonging to the Church must not be allowed to go visiting the cemeteries or the so called martyria of any heretics, for the purpose of prayer or of cure, but, on the contrary, those who do so, if they be among the faithful, shall be excluded from communion for a time until they repent and confess their having made a mistake, when they may be readmitted to communion."

Canon XXXIII of Laodicia
"One must not join in prayer with heretics or schismatics."

The Extraordinary Joint Conference of the Sacred Community on Mount Athos
April 9/22, 1980 | Full Text

1. Theological dialogue must not in any way be linked with prayer in common, or by joint participation in any liturgical or worship services whatsoever; or in other activities which might create the impression that our Orthodox Church accepts, on the one hand, Roman Catholics as part of the fulness of the Church, or, on the other hand, the Pope as the canonical bishop of Rome. Activities such as these mislead both the fulness of the Orthodox people and the Roman Catholics themselves, fostering among them a mistaken notion as to what Orthodoxy thinks of their teaching.
   ...

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/video1.aspx

Video Report #1
From Ecumenism to the "New Age" Vision of a World Religion and the Responsibility of the Orthodox
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Video Report #2: The Role of the Vatican in the Continuing Inter-Religious Movement

Part I
I will describe here only a very small portion of Part I, over 20 minutes of actual video footage from the Seventh General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Canberra, Australia, 1991. The footage was supplied by the WCC. Please forgive the misspelling of any names or places. They were not printed on screen, only spoken.

The scene begins with footage from the opening ceremony. On stage and under a huge tent, with literally hundreds of people in attendance, the opening "worship service" is beginning, led by Aborigines. They are half-naked and full of mud, dancing about the stage in what clearly looks like a pagan ritual while others make hideous growling noises with blowpipes. This goes on for a few minutes. Then the "Orthodox" arrive: Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra and Metropolitan Bartholomew of Chalcedon (which the commentator states became the Patriarch of Constantinople!). The latter is leading a procession of eighteen delegates from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Representatives from all the local Orthodox churches in Australia are participating in the assembly. The Church of Greece has twelve delegates led by two metropolitans. There is also a delegation of forty, the largest at this WCC Assembly, from the Patriarchate of Moscow, led by Metropolitan Kyril of Smolensk.

After the procession Metropolitans Chrysostomos and Bartholomew appear on stage along with the Aborigines and other "worshippers" and continue singing "Hallelujah songs." The Archbishop of Australia, Stylianos (representing the Patriarchate of Constantinople), then led heretics from all over the world in reciting the Creed. Between him and Metropolitan Chrysostomos, at center stage, stands a Protestant clergywoman named Lois, in full vestments.

I can't stress enough that these were official WCC worship services and expressions of an already assumed unity in spirit. In fact, the service is called the "Lima Liturgy," which has been described by Met. Chrysostomos as "sacred, with a divine majesty" (according to the commentator). The same Metropolitan then led the "worshippers" in the Lord's Prayer. This was followed by the kiss of peace, which, as the commentator stated, "expresses complete ideological unity and agreement of faith." You will undoubtedly note that many parts of the Orthodox liturgy have been included in this "Lima Liturgy." A Serbian Orthodox priest then led an eighty-person ecumenical choir in further singing . . .of the Trisagion!

After the gospel reading a black feminist clergywoman preached the "sermon." It was a joke. Throughout the service Protestant clergywomen took leading roles, and often beside Aborigines. In the concluding ceremony of the multi-day convocation, special place was given to eastern mysticism. During all these events the "Orthodox" delegates were present, often playing a prominent role. During the procession out of the tent at the last "worship service" the Orthodox bishops were seen at the front of the procession, behind the aforementioned clergywoman named Lois.

One thing the video does not show, but states is that all the participants walked through Aboriginal ceremonial smoke prior to entering the tent at Canberra. There are Orthodox martyrs who were martyred precisely because they refused to walk through the purification smoke of the Khan.

After watching this I sat there in shock. It was completely obvious to me that the WCC has strayed greatly from its Pan-Christian goals for [largely Protestant] unity, now having an agenda that is fixed upon unity of world religions (there were official representatives from thirteen world religions at this convocation). This is satanic syncretism.

Part II
December 6, 1987: Vatican

Pope John Paul II celebrates mass and Patriarch Dimitrius of Constantinople participates in full vestments in an official way (though not behind the altar). Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (then, the Metropolitan of Chalcedon), headed the Orthodox delegation of clergy who participated in the common prayers.

During the liturgy the Pope and Patriarch Dimitrius sat on equal sides of the altar, in identical chairs. They would also do many things in unison, including the recitation of the Creed in Greek (without the filioque) and blessing the people. On more than one occasion they exchanged mutual liturgical kisses, an act that has deep significance and traditionally connotes a common bond in faith and in peace. A Greek deacon (Dimitrios) also participated and did many of the readings. Shortly after this joint service he was promoted to the episcopal rank of Metropolitan of the Titular See of Sebaste.

None of the Orthodox received communion. However, their presence there, and joint participation, was a complete violation of Holy Tradition (see Canons Related to Ecumenism).

August 22, 1993: Uppsala, Sweden (400th Anniversary of the adoption of the Lutheran Confession)

In 1593, at a council in Uppsala, the Swedes adopted the Lutheran Confession. In 1993 they celebrated the 400th anniversary of this event. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was officially invited. He attended with Metropolitan Constantine from Constantinople, Metropolitan Irenaeus from Crete, and Metropolitan Paul from the Exarchate of Constantinople in Sweden. It should be noted that this Lutheran confession is very similar to the one that was soundly refuted by Patriarch Jeremiah II in his "Three Answers" to the Tubingen scholars.

During the elaborate service in the Cathedral of Uppsala, the Orthodox fully participated, beginning with the entrance of the Gospel. Patriarch Bartholomew led the Orthodox bishops in the entrance procession. The first of three sermons was given by Patriarch Bartholomew in English. He spoke about the Church as containing all divided Christians (as the WCC speaks of it), and called all in attendance "brothers and sisters in Christ." He was followed by Cardinal Edward Cassidy, who gave the second sermon. The third was given by the Lutheran "Archbishop" of Uppsala.

Patriarch Bartholomew then presented the Lutheran "Archbishop" with a silver chalice, which was to be used for worship in the Lutheran Cathedral. Kind words were exchanged about the coming hopeful reunion between the two "churches." They then gave each other liturgical kisses. The chalice was immediately used in worship by the "Archbishop." During the "anaphora", the Lutheran celebrant (no Orthodox were behind the altar) came down from the altar, and together with all the other Lutherans and Roman Catholics, exchanged the kiss of peace with the Orthodox. After communion, the Cardinal, Patriarch Bartholomew, the Lutheran "Archbishop" and another Lutheran clergyman stood together in front of the altar. Patriarch Bartholomew gave the standard liturgical blessing in Greek and then all four in unison made the sign of the cross and blessed the congregation.

There were many other things on this video which I will not report here (esp. the expose on Dr. Hiung Kiung Chang, the Korean Presbyterian theologian who called down eighteen evil spirits during a talk at the WCC convocation in Canberra in 1991). The Orthodox commentator on this video made these important observations (among other things):

All of these decisions [referring to high-level theological agreements (e.g., Balamand)] were made by Orthodox ecumenists at so-called "pre-conciliar consultations". No subsequent counsel has been called to discuss them, or make decisions concerning them. Orthodox ecumenists have systematically put their decisions into practice. This is a typical tactic of Orthodox ecumenists. They work out projects which are supposedly to be put before a future council; but these projects totally ignore a basic principle of the Orthodox Church—that no conciliar decision is adopted simply in and of itself. Everything must be in harmony with the Church and must express the Church's divinely revealed conciliar Faith. Orthodox ecumenists choose to ignore this and generate theological monstrosities that are completely heretical.

Furthermore, it should be noted, Orthodox ecumenists vigorously carry out "dialogues of love" with the heterodox, but refuse to talk with those in the Church who disagree with their subversive and innovative activities. They "love" the heterodox with a false love (because they do not speak the truth), and show disdain for their own brothers and sisters who disagree with their actions and attempt to call them to account for their violations of Holy Tradition.

Let us who are aware of what is going on not be silent. Constantine Cavarnos concluded his monograph "Orthodox Tradition and Modernism" (p. 37) with this quote from St. John of Damascus: "Brethren, let us stand on the rock of faith and the Tradition of the Church, not removing the landmarks which our holy Fathers set, nor giving any place to those who want to innovate and destroy the structure of the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God." (from Concerning Images, 3.41; PG 94:1356C).

To order this video contact The Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies. For further reading, I cannot too highly recommend Fr. Seraphim Rose's Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996). This profound and prophetic book is in its seventh printing (fourth edition) and is one of Fr. Seraphim's most important and popular books, esp. in Russia. In the preface we read, "The present book is about the 'spirituality' of Ecumenism, the chief heresy of the 20th century." A very important work for our times and directly related to this video report.

[George Australia]

The following was posted on this very thread 2 days ago here: http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/vi ... 1504#31504
(Not that anyone ever listens to anything but their own rants.)

This may be uncanonical, but it's hardly an endorsement of the Branch Theory. Praying with people outside of the Church doesn't mean you consider them inside the Church- especially considering the fact that certain heirarchs have prayed with those who are not even Christian. Uncanonical: yes, heretical: no.

I have acknowledged two days ago that uncannonical practices have taken place. So please don’t give me more of the same. Just show me how someone undertaking uncannonical practices is an heretical doctrine.

[Kollyvas]

Firstly, defying the Canons in such a way as to merit deposition is in and of itself SCHISMATIC...an ecclesiology based upon such lawlessness being HERETICAL.

The anathema reads:
...who do not distinguish the Priesthood and Mysteries of the Church from those of the heretics, but say that the baptism and Eucharist of heretics is effectual for salvation; therefore, to those who knowingly have communion with these aforementioned heretics or who advocate, disseminate, or defend their heresy of ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love or the supposed unification of separated Christians, Anathema!...

http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/Orth-Cath_Agreed.aspx

...The Orthodox and Catholic members of our Consultation acknowledge, in both of our traditions, a common teaching and a common faith in one baptism, despite some variations in practice which, we believe, do not affect the substance of the mystery. We are therefore moved to declare that we also recognize each other's baptism as one and the same. This recognition has obvious ecclesiological consequences. The Church is itself both the milieu and the effect of baptism, and is not of our making. This recognition requires each side of our dialogue to acknowledge an ecclesial reality in the other, however much we may regard their way of living the Church's reality as flawed or incomplete. In our common reality of baptism, we discover the foundation of our dialogue, as well as the force and urgency of the Lord Jesus prayer "that all may be one." Here, finally, is the certain basis for the modern use of the phrase, "sister churches." ...

...2. That our churches address openly the danger that some modern theories of "sacramental economy" pose, both for the continuation of ecumenical dialogue and for the perennial teaching of the Orthodox Church;...

[Kollyvas]

http://www.goarch.org/en/news/NewsDetail.asp?id=1474

...the inclusion of two Greek Catholics in the “Synaxis of the Carpathian Saints” issued by Metropolitan Nicholas of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--heretics and apostates enrolled as "saints"?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The members of the Consultation attended a Catholic Mass in Dahlgren Chapel at noon on October 21, presided over by Archbishop Pilarczyk. After the Mass, the Orthodox members of the Consultation celebrated a memorial service in memory of the late John Long, SJ.

Four new members of the Consultation were welcomed at this meeting. The two new Orthodox members are Dr. John Barnet, Associate Professor of New Testament at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in Crestwood, New York; and Rev Dr Theodore Pulcini, Associate Professor of Religion at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The two new Catholic members are Sr Susan K. Wood, SCL, Professor in the Department of Theology at Marquette University; and Mr Vito Nicastro, Associate Director of the Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the Archdiocese of Boston.

In addition to the two co-chairmen, the other Orthodox members of the Consultation include Father Thomas FitzGerald (Secretary), Father Nicholas Apostola, Prof. Susan Ashbrook Harvey, Father James Dutko, Prof. Paul Meyendorff, Father Alexander Golitzin, Dr. Robert Haddad, Father Paul Schnierla, Father Robert Stephanopoulos, and Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, General Secretary of SCOBA (staff). The additional Catholic members are Father Brian Daley, SJ (secretary), Prof. Thomas Bird, Father Peter Galadza, Msgr. John D. Faris, Father John Galvin, Father Sidney Griffith, ST, Father Joseph Komonchak, Father David Petras, and Father Ronald Roberson, CSP (staff)....

[CorpusChristi]

Kollyvas, Shame ,shame on you..you wroth as follows "(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!--heretics and apostates enrolled as "saints"?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)" now is that anyway to treat a group of sick individuals? as long as we identify them and not join there schism, we will be o.k.,even if we are just little pockets of True believers and carrying on a dieing tradition for instance, when we start accusing and judging ,we fall in that same spirit that put them outside The long and Narrow path.........I know your writing ,but honestly from a caring Brother in Christ ,we must help each other out-RIGHT?
Forgive me if i offended you, "SPRAZNEKAN"