Posted on 09/19/2006 6:45:40 AM PDT by montyspython
Catholic and Orthodox churches seek unity
September 18, 2006 3:54 PM
BELGRADE, Serbia-Top Roman Catholic and Orthodox dignitaries declared Monday that the time has come to close the ages-old rifts between the ancient branches of Christianity and bring East and West closer together.
Representing the world's 1.1 billion Catholics and more than 250 million Christian Orthodox, sixty bishops, metropolitans and cardinals, 30 from each side, convened in the Serbian capital Belgrade for a renewed "theological" dialogue while acknowledging that much wider issues are involved.
"East and West have been estranged from each other since the 11th century," said Orthodox Metropolitan John Zizioulas, referring to the historic schism in 1054 when the spiritual leaders in the Vatican and in Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey, severed ties over the rising influence of the papacy.
That split was sealed then with an exchange of anathemas, spiritual repudiations, which were lifted in the 20th century but only with halting progress toward restoring bonds.
"We experience in our time that European nations unite and create one family," he said. "It is time to recover the ancient unity. ... East and West meet now not only on the theological level, but also on the political level."
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the Vatican's most senior figure on Christian unity, said the long-separated branches should turn to their "unity in God, one faith, one baptism."
"We look to the future to build unity for Europe," he added.
The week-long gathering in Belgrade is intended to re-start the top-level dialogue after formal talks broke off six years ago.
It is also a fresh start under Pope Benedict XVI, who has appealed to all Christians to unite against what he considers rampant secularism and declining faith in the West.
The Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox, however, have a long history of disputes and rivalry. Issues include the extent of papal authority and alleged attempts by Vatican to poach followers and encroach on historically Orthodox territory, particularly Ukraine and other areas of the former Soviet Union.
"As Christians, we ask our Lord to give us strength to put behind the past," Zizioulas said.
Cardinal Kasper responded praising "forgiveness, purification of our memory of bad things, from both sides."
The last such dialogue was in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 2000, when the representatives put together a draft document examining the issues. That effort, however, fell apart and the text was never formally debated.
The venue of the present talks, the participants said, has symbolic importance. Belgrade was the capital of the former Yugoslavia, which broke up violently in the 1990s, including battles between Roman Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs. But its ethnic groups now strive for reconciliation.
"We have gathered in a country which is recovering from great difficulties, a country that is trying to resurrect itself," Zizioulas said after Serbia's Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica greeted the guests at the opening ceremony.
bump
In 2004 the Pope also suggested Catholics begin uniting with the protestants and evangelicals, p[articularly in the US.
The Pope has a plan.
He knows Islam is a scourge on humanity. he has said as much (in diplomatic language).
He knows Christianity must come together and that politcally we must also unite with the free and democratic governments.
The battle is looming. It will be a spiritual and politcal battle, though the muslims will of course make it violent/ (they cannot withstand the truth so they must try to kill it or islam will die as a mediaval cult.)
The theological differences between the Catholic Church and most Protestant denominations are not that great. The primary difference is that the Catholic Church is steeped in tradition. Originally, the split came about primarily because some like Martin Luther did not think the traditions had a Biblical foundation. But hundreds of years later there are Protestant denominations that now have their own traditions.
There's nothing like a good crusade to bring a family together.
Then I read this from Wikipedia:
The idea of Moscow being the Third Rome was popular since the early Russian Tsars. Within decades after the Fall of Constantinople to Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire on May 29, 1453, some were nominating Moscow as the "Third Rome", or new "New Rome."
Stirrings of this sentiment began during the reign of Ivan III, Grand Duke of Moscow who had married Sophia Paleologue. Sophia was a niece of Constantine XI, the last Eastern Roman Emperor and Ivan could claim to be the heir of the fallen Eastern Roman Empire(Byzantine Empire).
The pope's choice of that particular quote from Manuel II Paleologos was obviously chosen to elicit many different, unexpected, and seemingly unrelated responses.
Amen to that. If this happens, can we attribute this "miracle" to Marytr Sister Leonella Sgorbati in Somalia?
Wholeheartedly agree.
Christians, generally, look upon their Church and faith as they would their golf and tennis club! We need to get serious about our faith because the timer is running out on our time here on earth. We aren't promised 72 virgins if we martyr ourselves by blowing up a busload of babies and mothers. Rather, our religion, given to us by Jesus Christ, founded upon Godly principals, isn't given to "comic book" substance.
No wonder cartoons are drawn depicting the perverted founder of this warped religion. Our religion promises everlasing life for those who obey the handy, simple guide to life: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Further, it isn't just a schismatic group of "militants" who dedicate their meaningless lives to killing us, it's the whole muslim gang who reads the Koran. The muslim is either active in killing and plotting or he is complicit.
The muslims who are domiciled in America are Trojan Horses awaiting their call and the sooner our foolish, politically correct government wakes up and realizes this fact the better off we'll be.
Actually, we'd probably be better off if the PC posturing politicians would take a long swim down the Potomac.
Bad news for Muslims...
Ping!
The Communique was issued by Bishop Iriney of Bachka, and I added empahsis in bold.
The Joint Commission for Official Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church will begin its work in Belgrade on Monday, 18 September 2006.
The Official Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church has been in existence for many years, and is lead by the Commission for Dialogue, composed of 30 members each from the respective two Churches. The Orthodox part of the Commission consists of distinguished professors of Theology, mostly hierarchs, two from each local Church. The Catholic part of the Commission is, in all matters concerned, parallel to its Orthodox counterpart.
The Commission has two equally ranked co-presidents, Metropolitan Dr. John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Cardinal Dr. Walter Kasper.
The Orthodox and Catholic Churches alternately host the convocations. The most important theologians of these two great Christian Churches previously had met in 2000 in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
During the course of the convocation in Belgrade, which will conclude on 25 September, the Commission will deliberate on theological themes from the discipline of Ecclesiology (teachings on the Church).
Any other forms of media explanation or interpretation, from alleged informal or confidential sources, represent self-willed guessing or suspicious speculation.
From the Office of the Holy Synod of Bishops submitted by Bishop Irinej of Backa
I think you're on to something. Muslim communities belong in Muslim countries. Not here.
Absolutely!
Speaking of which, I have to call my priest and see when our tee time is. :-)
Pre-eminence of any pratical Church in the undivided Church (until 1054) was based on the pre-eminence of the city in which it was located, which was based on imperial and government institutions (i.e. senate, etc.).
That is clear from the proceedings of the Council of Chalcedon.
The "ranking" (i.e. first, second, third, etc.) in protocol was based on other factors (i.e. historical precdence, dignity of the Bishopric, etc.). Thus, the Old Rome was always first in honor.
Given that the Moscow Patriarchate accounts for more than 80% of the world's Orthodox Christians, it should have been made into a "Third Rome" long ago based on the system established by Ecumenical Councils.
The fact that you have non-existent episcopates of "Constantinople" (fewer than 2,000 parishioners) in Turkey officially being the Ecumenical center for all Orthodox shows how out-of-touch the Church has become for sentimental and other reasons.
Together with Ukrainian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox, Slovak Orthodox, and Polish Orthodox, it is safe to say that Orthodoxy is a pre-eminently Slavic religion, making up close to 90% of world's Orthodoxy.
Yes, Moscow should be the Ecumenical Capital of Orthodoxy, and HH Alexei II should be the Ecumenical Patriarch of world's Orthodox Church. It's long overdue.
Now the ELCA elite are obsessed with the topic of homosexuality so the subject seems to be back burner-ed.
Naturally, liberal Roman Catholics must be tossed aside for this to work and actually be meaningful.
I would like to caution everyone here not to expect "miracles" (no pun intended) with this meeting. The few days of the meeting is long enough to compile a list of things that each side needs to look into and prepare for the next meeting wherever and whenever it may be.
Orthodox and Catholic theologies are very, very close, but where differences exist they are a matter of dogma and as such not subject to change or relativism. So, be mindful that dogmatic issue that divide the two Churches are few but very difficult if not impossible to solve and that no premature "reunion" will be announced.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.