Metropolitan Kirill defends WCC membership

Moscow, January 23, (Interfax) - Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Kirill says that accusations of the Russian Church leaders in betrayal of Orthodoxy are groundless.

"I can't understand those who repeat old, long ago disproved myths about "betrayal of Orthodoxy," "confusion of confessions" and so on," the Metropolitan said in his interview published by the Rossiiskaya Gazeta on Friday.

Thus, he commented on the opinion of some Orthodox believers who speak against participation of the Russian Church in work of the World Council of Churches and any contacts with representatives of other Christian confessions.

"I would like to assure everyone interested that I am rather critical about this organization and I see both positive and negative sides of our participation in it. We carefully monitor all recent developments in the World Council of Churches, especially in the field of its contacts with extremely liberal wing of modern Protestantism," Metropolitan Kirill said.

He noted that until now the Moscow Patriarchate together with other Orthodox Churches "has managed to keep the World Council of Churches from sliding to this dangerous side."

"However, we should be ready to make decisive steps any moment, including to suspend our membership. It's important that decisions on our membership in international Christian organizations are taken on basis of wide theological discussion among those who know the discussed subject very well and are capable of making responsible decisions," the Patriarchal Locum Tenens summed up.