Moscow, November 12, (Interfax) – The Russian Orthodox Church is ready to suspend the dialogue with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany after woman bishop Margot Kaessmann has become its leader.
“We planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our dialogue with the Lutheran Church in Germany in late November or early December. The 50th anniversary of the dialogue will become the end of it,” head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk was quoted as saying by the Kommersant daily on Thursday.
Archbishop Hilarion reminded that Orthodoxy did not accept female priesthood.
“We can develop the dialogue, but there raise lots of simple protocol questions. How will the Patriarch address her or meet with her?” the Russian Church representative said.
Kaessmann, 51, a divorced mother of four daughters, was elected head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Germany, which unites over twenty Lutheran and Reformed Churches, during the Synod held on October 28.
Russian Lutherans supported the Moscow Patriarchate official’s statement and agreed that female episcopate is a sign of crisis in the Western society.
“We don’t have women bishops as introducing such an institute is not a Biblical action,” general secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria (Russia) Fr. Alexander Prilutsky said.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue to be suspended
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
It's too bad that the Russian-Lutheran dialogue is ending after 50 years.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches do not accept women clergy -- while many Protestant denominations do accept them -- is the reason for this dialogue coming to an end.
I hope and pray that one day, Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Churches will reach a harmonious Christian resolution of this dilemma.
"The fact that the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches do not accept women clergy -- while many Protestant denominations do accept them -- is the reason for this dialogue coming to an end."
ReplyDeleteAs it should!!!. There is no place for "Women Priests" in Christianity at all. Can I be a "Male Nun" if I want to?. Men and Women have different roles in the Church but are equal. Protestants seem to think they can have the same role. Wrong!.
You will find, or at least I have, that calling a woman a priestess will get you angry stares. I am both amused and confounded at the response.
ReplyDelete