Michael Astley wrote:Many thanks to all for your responses, and especially to those who have given answer to my initial question. That is a great help.
As for the question of The St Edward Brotherhood's Communion practices, I thought it was common knoaledge that ROCOR does not give Communion only to those of us on the Church Calendar. As it was explained to me, our clergy do not concelebrate with clergy on the New Calendar, but we do not hold the lay faithful of New Calendarist jurisdictions responsible for the actions of their hierarchies, and so we permit them to share in the Mysteries in our churches. It is often the case that a New Calendar church may be he only one that a person has ready acess to, and as ROCOR (to my knowledge), does not deny that these churches have grace, then we give Communion to their laity.
Regarding the Act on Canonical Communion, I don't wish to cast doubt on the sincerity of your post in any way, Theophan, and I'm very grateful for your concern in this matter. I'm still confused as to how you came by the Act, as it certainly hasn't been published on the ROCOR website, where the last mention made of it was here, on the 6th of September (in the secular calendar).
Now, in light of the understanding that ROCOR, once in communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, will be in communion with the other local churches, is it possible to still not concelebrate with those on the New calendar, or does the state of full communion preclude such an arrangement by definition?
Many thanks.
Michael of course being under the Patriarch of Moscow means being in Communion with the rest of World Orthodoxy. How can you NOT be in Communion with those with whom your Patriarch is in Communion with?
Why would not wish not to be Communion and con-celebrate with Grace-filled Churches of Christ? Pride? Wanting to have your own little pure niche- ROCOR for the elite and the Antiochians for the plebs? Again I am sorry if that sounds harsh but I am trying to figure out where you are coming from.
When I was in the MP I could take "Communion" in each and every World Orthodox Church as I could take the Holy Mysteries in Anastasios's or Iaonnis's parishes now despite what differences we might have because their Bishop recognises my Bishop. Similarly while I have a strong disagreement with Anastasios about the sinfullness of acting ( in which my priest agrees with me) he would be welcome (after going to confession of course) to Commune with us.
No one is being allowed to sit on the fence anymore. When Met Kyprian dies the "Synod in Resistance" will more than likely come down on the side of Orthodoxy as ROCOR has come down on the side of Neo-Stalinism and Ecumenism. Orthodoxy is not something we can play at.
What side are you on?
My advice if you want to save your soul would be either join us or the EP.
Remember what Christ said about those who are neither hot or cold but luke-warm? How he implied that it would be better to be cold rather than luke-warm? Does it not seem that the Most High is spitting ROCOR-L out of his mouth?
Here is where I got the contents of the act from-
http://elmager.livejournal.com/
The english translation I posted is on the Friday 6 th entry.
Theophan.
