(Christian Today) - More than 1,000 Orthodox scholars have urged the primates of the Orthodox Churches to continue with the Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete.
The council, scheduled to begin on Saturday, has been hit by the withdrawal of five of the 14 autocephalous Churches, including the powerful Russian Orthodox Church. Among their concerns are the tone of some of the documents to be addressed at the council and unresolved issues about procedures and precedence.
The scholars, who include members of the Churches that have withdrawn, say in their letter: "We believe that there are no insurmountable difficulties to beginning the Council in June, despite the significant questions that have been raised regarding the drafts of the conciliar documents and conciliar proceedings."
It acknowledges the "legitimacy of some questions", but says: "Nevertheless, we are convinced that the best venue for settling significant disputes today, as in the times of old, is the Council itself. To postpone the Council once again, is to fail to live up to the principle of conciliarity on a global level."
It continues: "Nobody can expect the Council to settle all important questions and to heal all jurisdictional disputes in 10 days. But we hope that this Council will be a beginning of the healing process and that it will usher in a new era of global conciliarity and unity."
The letter accuses some Churches of attempting to intimidate the Orthodox leaders who wish to continue the council. It says: "The Holy and Great Council occasions an opportunity to commence a new phase of Orthodox witness. As the eyes of the whole world are upon the Orthodox Church, we beseech all of our leaders to hear the Spirit's call to conciliar unity."
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
And by scholars they mean anyone who clicked on a link
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The petition itself does not purport to be composed by "1,000 Orthodox scholars." That reflects confused reporting on the part of the EP's press office, and negligence on the part of those who have been reposting or propagating the story.
ReplyDeleteNonetheless, it is a petition with 1,000 signatures, many of whom are noteworthy Orthodox personalities in academia and elsewhere. But I doubt there is even "1,000 Orthodox scholars" (if by that we mean credentialed doctors from institutions with a commensurable and high-level accreditation) in the entire world.
Yes, but some of the organizers of the petition are working for the EP's press office in Crete...
Delete"As the eyes of the whole world are upon the Orthodox Church...". What "world" is this? Walk out onto the street in as many cities and towns in the West as you can and ask as many people as you can what they think of the latest developments within world Orthodoxy and tell me what you find out. To improve your chances of getting some responders who have the vaguest idea what you're talking about, you need not ask the hundreds of thousands who have abandoned Christianity already because they find it insignificant. "The whole world"! What a laugh!
ReplyDelete"As the eyes of the whole world are upon the Orthodox Church...". What "world" is this? Walk out onto the street in as many cities and towns in the West as you can and ask as many people as you can what they think of the latest developments within world Orthodoxy and tell me what you find out. To improve your chances of getting some responders who have the vaguest idea what you're talking about, you need not ask the hundreds of thousands who have abandoned Christianity already because they find it insignificant. "The whole world"! What a laugh!
ReplyDelete