ROCOR publishes documents about union with the MP!

[尼古拉前执事]

The Commissions took into account that the Hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia of November 17, 2004, addressed the so-called "Synod in Resistance" in Greece with a proposal for them to normalize relations with their Local Churches. To date, a positive response to this letter has not been received. However, in a letter from the "Synod in Resistance" dated October 24, 2004, it is stated that actual canonical communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia had already ceased and cannot be restored while the path of peacemaking with the Moscow Patriarchate continues. The final settlement of this question is expected before the enactment of the Act on Canonical Communion.

Still, a significant portion of the Protestant world in the course of its development embarked upon the path of humanist liberalism and is losing its bond with the Tradition of the Holy Church more and more, changing by whim the divinely-established norms of morality and dogmatic teachings and placing itself at the service of the interests of the consumerist society, subjecting themselves to notions of earthly comfort and political goals.

The passage of time showed that communities refusing communion with the church hierarchy headed by Metropolitan Sergius were deprived of the possibility of survival under persecution, and those remnants that did survive could not openly confess Christ's teachings and influence the spiritual life of the people. After the Church Council of 1945, a significant portion of the "non-commemorating" clergy and laity entered the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. Among those who remained separated from communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, the danger arose of veering into sectarianism

The activity of the bishops and pastors of the Russian Orthodox Church during the years of World War II, blessing the people in their self-sacrifice in the battle against fascism, became a shining example of the fulfillment of Christian and patriotic duty.

The martyrs and confessors who gave their lives for Christ and His Church were numerous, both among those who accepted the "Declaration" and among those who rejected it. From among one group and another, many are now among the host of saints. The actions of Metropolitan Sergius, which spurred and continue to spur so many arguments, were without a doubt dictated by the search for a way to preserve church life in the coming crucial epoch, in difficult circumstances theretofore unsee.

At the same time, a critical view of the above document does not equate to a condemnation of His Holiness Patriarch Sergius, and does not express an effort to besmirch his person and mitigate his First-Hierarchical service in the difficult years of the Church's life in the Soviet Union.

[T]he persecuted Church is also called to endure the persecution with patience, without refusing to be loyal to the state persecuting her. Legal sovereignty in the territory of a state belongs to its authorities. Therefore, it is they who determine the legal status of a Local Church or her part, either giving her an opportunity for the unhampered fulfilment of church mission or restricting this opportunity. Thus, state power makes judgement on itself and eventually foretells its fate. The Church remains loyal to the state

[Jean-Serge]

A condition of the participation of the Orthodox Church in inter-confessional organizations, including the World Council of Churches, is the exclusion of religious syncretism.

It seems that those who wrote the document have not realized yet the WCC promote religious syncretism?

[Priest Siluan]

The Orthodox Church excludes any possibility of liturgical communion with the non-Orthodox. In particular, it is considered impermissible for Orthodox to participate in liturgical actions connected with so-called ecumenical or inter-confessional religious services. In general, the Church should determine the forms of interaction with the heterodox on a conciliar basis, stemming from its teachings, canonical discipline and ecclesiastical expediency.

Now they are forgetting Sergianism heresy, then they will forget Ecumenism... This way many ones have fallen in heresy and they fell from the church.

Everything is question of time, let us wait

I seriously am saying this, I don't make fun of your situation,maybe you are saying that I do it, but definitively is "no", it is really sad.

To conclude and I don't want to speak more in this respect, sincerely I ask you that try to hear to Holy Canons, Holy Fathers, Holy Tradition... Not to a group of bishops that they have forgotten the above-mentioned.

[Priest Siluan]

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to join Moscow Patriarchate
12:59

MOSCOW, June 21 (RIA Novosti, Olga Lipich) - The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) is set to join the Moscow Patriarchate as a self-governed branch, similar to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Good. It was always supposed to be a temporary split.

Of course, but there is a small detail... ROCOR was a temporary split of true and genuine Russian Mother Church and it is not this current false "Patriarchate"

[尼古拉前执事]

Russian Orthodox Church looks for allies from Vatican to New York
15:04

MOSCOW, June 23. (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Orthodox Church has recently shown its ability to come to terms with difficult partners, such as the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Catholics, as well as being able to maintain contacts with the most powerful international union of denominations, the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Today's issue of Gazeta, a popular daily, reported that this week four conciliatory documents had been published on how the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia understood problems. This coincided with a Moscow visit made by Cardinal Walter Casper, the chief negotiator between the ROC and the Vatican, and a delegation of the WCC. Yesterday Metropolitan Kirill, the head of the Moscow Patriarchate's external relations department, met him to discuss the problem of Catholic activity in Ukraine and Russia.

An obstacle to reconciliation between the two Russian churches after a split of 80 years remained the attitudes to Metropolitan Sergy's declaration of 1927 that recognized the Bolsheviks and the ROC's participation in ecumenical international organizations. The adopted documents say that the Church's rejection of the declaration is a fait accompli and this "opens the way to full fraternal communication."

As to the ROC's ecumenical contacts, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, the Patriarchate's secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, says that the Church has defined "the borders and spheres of justified and desirable cooperation with Christians of other denominations."

Experts believe this diplomacy reflects the struggle between two groups in the Church determining internal church policy. "Metropolitan Kirill remains responsible for the Catholic and Protestant areas of the ROC's policy, as well as for relations with other canonic churches," said Maksim Shevchenko, the director of the Center for Strategic Studies of Modern Religion and Policy. "In this respect, peace with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia is a PR move, whereas the steps of the external relations department comprise the real policy. An alliance with the ROCOR will lead to the inclusion in the episcopate of opponents of Catholics and ecumenists fighting for power in the interests of a small group. Meanwhile Metropolitan Kirill works in the interests of the Church and Russia."

[Jean-Serge]

"In this respect, peace with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia is a PR move, whereas the steps of the external relations department comprise the real policy. An alliance with the ROCOR will lead to the inclusion in the episcopate of opponents of Catholics and ecumenists fighting for power in the interests of a small group. Meanwhile Metropolitan Kirill works in the interests of the Church and Russia."

What is PR?

[SouthernOrthodox]

This topic seems to be stirring up very interesting passions. Since this is my first post to this group and the topic that finally got me to register. I am a member of ROCOR-L a "cradle" orthodox. I grew-up in a "priestless" parish where English was introduced in the 80's. I say this because there was a split in the church and on a much smaller scale the argument is similar. Luckily, my family saw the inspiration of the priest and stayed. The priesthood was restored and we where brought into ROCOR, being able to partake of the full blessings that makes the Russian Orthodox Church is something I hold dear.

I am asked allot, what is my take of this reunion with "Moscow" and I have to say, I am one that is for it. Living in the South and seeing devoted Orthodox, many of who are converts to the faith, living the way I only wished I could made me realize that change in the Orthodox church is a good thing. I say this because not long ago the only converts where one who were marring a member.

Now many of you are probably saying to yourself what does this have to do with the topic. My point is that our faith and the direction of our church is lead and guided by our Lord through the faithfulness of our Bishops and who am I to call there faith into question. Yes bad things happened but isn't one of the tenants of our faith, forgiveness and being able to ask forgiveness to others. Debates will go on for generations to come, but to have a unified Russian Orthodox Church is something we can partake of in our life-time.