MP leads Dali Lama behind Iconostsis!

[lmurianka@hts.edu]

Dear Fr. Nikoali,
How can I access the article about the Dalai Lama directly?
Archimandrite Luke

lmurianka@hts.edu

[尼古拉前执事]

Dear Father Luke,

The pictures themselves can be found at http://www.phayul.com/news/photos.aspx

The article itself was sent to me, but one of the sources, http://www.afp.com seems to be down today for some reason. I think ABC News had some coverage at this link however.

[romiosini]

Ah! Has anyone noticed who is Father Luke? I sure have, and glad to see that he noticed this! He is one of the priests who are responsible of the dialogue between the MP and the ROCOR. He is responsible with Blessing (permission) of Metropolitan Laurus for this case of having proposed in the Synod. There might be a positive outcome from this, thanks to Father Luke. Father Luke, I ask your blessings of course!

Indeed this sure can clear out many things betweent the Priests who are in dialogue. By the way, Father Luke, do you mind if I write to you (to your email?), if you aren't busy?

[joasia]

As far as ROCOR is concerned, there has been NO OFFICIAL statement that they have joined with the MP. But, people will talk, just the same.

Yes, many unfortunate circumstances have occurred to make it look that way, but until we read the official report on the Synod site, it ain't happening.

I wish people would keep that in mind. Even the worldly justice system practices the ideology of innocence before PROVEN guilty... not RUMORED guilty and the heck with the rest of it.

[Joshua F]

The position of the ROCiE has always been that you don't have to explicitly be in communion with the MP to get into trouble.. ie. changing the meaning of "persecuted russian church" from the catacomb church to the MP is something that the Synod has already done, a re-interpretation that corrupts the traditions of the Church Abroad and puts them into the unsustainable position of schism from a legitimate church. It's not so much imminent reunion that ROCiE objects to, though that would be objectionable, but the re-thinking of the position of the Church Abroad that's taken place over the last few years has made continued separation untenable from a canonical perspective, and whether or not there's a reunion the Lavrites have thought themselves into a schismatic position (vis-a-vis the MP) that really can't be justified. They have often said so themselves...

In other words, the problem isn't so much the issue of whether the Synod has de facto unity with the MP, but the new, flawed, theological and ecclesiological reasoning that makes such union canonically necessary regardless of whether they have it or not.

[A n i a ?]

Joshua,
Just want to let you know that as a daughter and grandaughter of ROCOR clergy, having grown up in Jordanville, I gotta tell ya that amoung quite a few of the ROCOR clergy considered both the members of the MP & Catacombs persecuted. Now as facts become more known about persecutions amoung the MP, including the clergy, more people are prone to be more understanding. I remember 15 years ago, when I started to pay attention to church politics (barely off my father's knee, but still, little ears...) there was talk about it even then.

[joasia]

With all due respect Joshua,

There are many priests in ROCA that don't accept any re-interpretations. Time will tell if these priest will go with the flow or stand up for the true suffering Russian Orthodox.

Don't clump everybody in one basket. The division of the ROCIE is problematic enough. As a laity, I don't need anymore rebel priests and monks to contend with. They are just confusing the issue.

I'm sick and tired of these divisions. Why do grown men have to act like such selfish children?? I wish St. John Maximovich was here. He would be a true guiding light.