Jean-Serge wrote:The text about ecumenism is in entire contradiction with former ROCOR's position... Nothing about the anathema against those who think the church is divided in branches. I am disappointed...
This is not new. They have changed during these last years original text of Anathema of 1983.
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.
The union was envisaged by a draft act on canonical communication, which was published Tuesday on the official Web sites of the foreign ties department of the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR, along with other documents adopted by the cross commissions for the bilateral dialogue.
"These documents cover the key issues that ROCOR considered to be major obstacles on the way to a full dialogue," said Protopope Nikolai Balashov, the secretary for Orthodox ties of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Under the draft act, ROCOR will retain independence in terms of organization, but will still become part of the Moscow Partriarchate. By way of example, he cited the Ukrainian, Latvian, Moldovan and Estonian Orthodox Churches, all branches of the Moscow Patriarchate.
According to the draft act, "ROCOR is independent in terms of pastoral, enlightening, administrative, economic, property and secular issues."
The document also states that ROCOR bishops are members of the Local and Bishop Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, and can participate in the Holy Synod sessions. ROCOR will also receive its holy oil from the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.
The cross commissions for dialogue between the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR were established in December 2003. Metropolitan Laurus, the ROCOR Protohierarch, visited Russia in May 2004. Then the sides decided to begin the work of the commissions, and determined the range of issues to be discussed.
Since then, four joint sessions have been held.
"We are hopeful that the commissions will finish their work before the all-Foreign Council next May," Balashov said.
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.
Ekaterina wrote:Consequently, these joint documents do not express the viewpoint of only one side or another. Rather, they reflect the opinions of both sides. Certain formulations, if taken out of context, may trouble some who do not fully grasp the process of the discussions or their methodology.
This seems to be a cop-out by the ROCOR web site's editor saying, if you do not agree, you just do not understand it correctly. Not unlike what liberals try to argue in reinterpretuing the Constitution and Bible to make it say things it was never intended to. The words seem rather clear to me.
Ekaterina wrote: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.
This the problem Ekaterina : the Orthodox church excludes any possbility of liturgical communion : a definition of liturgical communion would be welcome. One can say praying with a heretic is not liturgical communion so far there is no communion (at the same calice). The text is enough inaccurate to allow joint prayers or Orthodox worships in catholic churches as a sign of brotherhood...
Moreover, saying that "the Church should determine the forms of interaction with the heterodox on a conciliar basis, stemming from its teachings, canonical discipline and ecclesiastical expediency"
is entirely utopical. There will be not Orthodox council until many years : the local churches are consequently responsible for defining this form of interaction as ROCOR did with ecumenism and the anathema against it
Priidite, poklonimsja i pripadem ko Hristu.
Νικολάος Διάκ wrote:Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to join Moscow Patriarchate
12:59MOSCOW, 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.
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They say that I am bad news. They say "Stay Away."
