One assumes His Holiness is speaking of alleged actions by the Ecumenical Patriarch. It would be hard to envision the Pope of Rome trying to exclude the very group it is trying to speak with (e.g. recent invitation to Rome, numerous meetings with cardinals, etc.). As has been said before by many hierarchs of both East and West the problem with ecumenical discussions today is the stumbling block of internal disputes amongst those in the Orthodox Church. History, clerical organizational structure (view of synodality, plurality of patriarchs, etc.), and other factors have brought the Church to this place and one hopes for a speedy resolution towards church unity.
Moscow, Jan. 22, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has complained that the meeting of a joint Orthodox-Catholic theological commission at Ravenna, Italy in October was "deliberately orchestrated to exclude the Moscow patriarchate."
Speaking to the Serbian newspaper Blic, Patriarch Alexei II said that the seating of an Estonian Orthodox delegation at the Ravenna meeting might have been intended to provoke a reaction from the Russian Orthodox participants. In fact, the Russian delegation walked out of the meeting to protest the Estonians' inclusion.
(The Russian Orthodox hierarchy does not recognize the independence of the Estonian Orthodox Church, which for years had been subject to the Moscow patriarchate. Estonian Orthodox leaders sought recognition as an autonomous body after the collapse of the Soviet empire. But Patriarch Alexei gave Blic a very different interpretation of that event, saying that the Estonian Curch was "created in 1996 by the patriarchate of Constantinople.")
With Russian delegates not involved in the discussions, the Ravenna meeting approved a statement indicating that after the schism of 1054 that divided East from West, the Orthodox churches continued to meet under the leadership of the Constantinople patriarchate. Patriarch Alexei charged that this formula "implies the existence of two equal centers of the Christian world: Rome and Constantinople." Moscow does not share that vision, he insisted.
The Russian Orthodox Church has been increasingly aggressive in contesting the leadership of Patriarch of Constantinople, who is traditionally recognized as the "first among equals" of the patriarchs in the Orthodox world. Patriarch Alexei said that the Russian Church reserves the right to dispute statements approved by other Orthodox leaders without Moscow's consent.
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Agreed; however, how can the Orthodox Christian world unite while outside organizations (R.C.C. mainly) drive a wedge between us?
ReplyDeleteI think there comes a time when it may be best to leave an area if extinction is the only alternative. On the other hand, if the Orthodox Christians in Constantinople are treated as the Armenians were by the Turks they will become martyrs. Their sacrifice might be enough to get the full attention of the rest of us, force the hands of our Church leaders, and bring the Orthodox world together again.
The Patriarch of Constantinople is wrongly called an "Eastern Pope" by Western media. Traditionally Orthodox Christians refer to him as "first among equals". At this time only the Patriarch of Moscow is a true leader. Perhaps it is time for an Ecumenical Council to resolve the current crisis.
In the United States the Orthodox Church is anything but united! We are fractured. Even within some jurisdictions there are or have been divisions. The Serbian Church went through such a crisis. At the moment there are multiple splits away from ROCOR. How many Greek jurisdictions exist in the U.S.A. now? I can't count them.
No matter how well intentioned, SCOBA turned into an elitist club bent on the exclusion of certain jurisdictions instead of looking for ways to include the rest.
Rather than cling to our individual strengths under national flags we ought to come together with all the goodness each variant of Orthodox Christianity holds dear. It's time for us all to leave the comfort of our birth families and move on to create a single English speaking Orthodox Church for the Western world.
To do so, we would all have to be willing to give and take.
Reader Michael Malloy
Good points. I think most people (especially the vocal Antiochian Orthodox in the US) acknowledge the need for a more cohesive and unified Orthodox system in the US. Documents have gone so far as to call it heretical if not at least uncanonical.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how the Latin Church is driving a wedge betwixt the Orthodox. Are we speaking of encroachment into Orthodox "territories"?
Much will indeed need to be given on all sides before anyone can take anything. I was sad to see the Patriarch of Moscow turn down the invitation to Rome, but it hardly broke with his earlier approaches to the situation.
Dear in-Christ Josephus may have missed the comment in the original article which explains why the Patriarch of Moscow believes Rome is deliberately putting the Orthodox Church in a difficult position. Rome invited the rogue Estonian church to meet with recognized Orthodox leaders. This is a blatant provocation on the part of Rome; divide and conquer.
ReplyDelete"...Patriarch Alexei II said that the seating of an Estonian Orthodox delegation at the Ravenna meeting might have been intended to provoke a reaction from the Russian Orthodox participants. In fact, the Russian delegation walked out of the meeting to protest the Estonians' inclusion.
(The Russian Orthodox hierarchy does not recognize the independence of the Estonian Orthodox Church, which for years had been subject to the Moscow patriarchate. Estonian Orthodox leaders sought recognition as an autonomous body after the collapse of the Soviet empire. But Patriarch Alexei gave Blic a very different interpretation of that event, saying that the Estonian Church was "created in 1996 by the patriarchate of Constantinople.")"
Remember, the Orthodox Church follows a COLLEGIAL form of internal governing. No matter who in the West calls the Patriarch of Constantinople an "Eastern Pope", he remains ONE of the Eastern Patriarchs with the honorary title of "first among equals." Those who are truly equal do not make unilateral decisions which affect others.
Reader Michael
Thanks for stopping by the blog again.
ReplyDeleteI certainly understand synodality - it was the main fruit of the Ravenna dialogue. Do we think that the Catholic church seated this grouping? I hadn't heard that they had done so before and all the articles I had read made it seem that they had either seated themselves or at the behest of Constantinople.
Most Latin Catholic articles I read make special mention of the fact that His All Holiness does not have the same role as the Pope of Rome.
It might be interesting to note (as Metropolitan Kallistos Ware has) the special example of collegiality that the Eastern Churches in union with Rome enjoy.
http://byztex.blogspot.com/2007/08/eastern-catholics-not-stumbling-block.html
The seating arrangement has nothing to do with the problem. It may have pushed the Russians over the edge but they would have left anyway.
ReplyDeleteCalling a meeting of what is identified as Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics means that only legitimate members from those religions ought to be present. One would not expect to see a delegation of Southern Baptists to show up as participating members of the conference.
The Patriarch of Constantinople is sometimes called a "General with no army." It may be an insulting thing to say, but sadly it is close to the truth. His situation is out of his hands. The Turks are forcing that issue and have shown no intention of backing down, ever.
I'm baffled by the non sequitur regarding the relationship of Uniats with Rome. Uniats are simply wolves in sheeps clothing. Of course they have a close "collegial" relationship, they're in the same family!
Please don't keep changing the subject to avoid the truth here.
The problem which happened in Ravenna was caused by the Roman Catholic Church calling together what it claimed would be a meeting of Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians. Rome included a heretical group knowing how the Russian Orthodox would react.
Seating arrangements and Roman relations within it's own heirarchy have nothing to do with the correct Russian objection of a heretical splinter group being given full recognition among Orthodox Christians.