Alexy II Calls for Catholic-Orthodox Cooperation

Zenit News Agency ^ | June 8, 2005

[NYer]

Russian Patriarch Laments Anti-Christian Trends in Europe

MOSCOW, JUNE 8, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II appealed to Catholics and Orthodox to address together the "negative anti-Christian tendencies" present in Europe.

The patriarch made his plea Tuesday when meeting with Pier Ferdinando Casini, president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

In his exhortation, reported by Vatican Radio, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia presented one of the "crucial" challenges that Catholics and Orthodox must address together: to bring Christian values back to Europe.

Alexy II criticized the "absurd tolerance" that in a secular Europe virtually "impedes Christian from making public profession of their own values."

"It is strange that in a society that presents itself as free, Christians are impeded from expressing the faith freely," lamented the patriarch, who explained to Casini that he followed closely the case of Rocco Buttiglione, Italian candidate for European Commissioner who was "persecuted because he thought in a different way."

"Second-class"

Buttiglione was Italy's nominee to the European Union's executive commission. He stood down last year after he was sharply attacked by Europarliamentarians and the press for his traditional Catholic views about the sinfulness of homosexual acts.

Alexy II said that he counts very much on Benedict XVI to work together "against violence, egoism and moral relativism."

The president of the Italian Chamber summarized his conversation with the patriarch saying that "that there is great fear that, in the new Europe, Christians will be considered as second-class citizens."

Moreover, Alexy II pointed out "the opportunity lost by the European Constitution, in which there is no specific reference to the Christian identity," reported Vatican Radio.

[NYer]

The age of Christian persecution?

[GipperGal]

Alexy II said that he counts very much on Benedict XVI to work together "against violence, egoism and moral relativism."

Amen to that!

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

In his exhortation, reported by Vatican Radio, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia presented one of the "crucial" challenges that Catholics and Orthodox must address together: to bring Christian values back to Europe.

Absolutely. A welcome development.

[ValenB4]

This is amazing. I never expected to see such a positive attitude so quickly from the Russian Orthodox Church to the Catholic Church. Alexi wouldn't even go to John Paul II's funeral. Great news indeed!

[RobbyS]

Well. Benedict is not a Pole.

[Kolokotronis]

"This is amazing. I never expected to see such a positive attitude so quickly from the Russian Orthodox Church to the Catholic Church. Alexi wouldn't even go to John Paul II's funeral. Great news indeed."

Benedict XVI is not John Paul II; he speaks our language, with a bit of an accent, but our language nevertheless. Its called patristics.

[RKBA Democrat]

(chuckle)

Greater ecumenism makes such good sense on so many levels. Spiritual, moral, and political to name but a few.

[RKBA Democrat]

"The age of Christian persecution?"

Yup. And not just in Europe or the east, either.

[Romish_Papist]

Bring. It. On.

[RKBA Democrat]

I don't think we're going to have much choice in the matter.

[hispanichoosier]

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II appealed to Catholics and Orthodox to address together the "negative anti-Christian tendencies" present in Europe.

This is welcome news. Too much unites Catholic and Orthodox to squabble while the world is mired in relativism.

I am perplexed, though, by Orthodoxy's stand on artificial birth control (ABC), even though some forms of "the Pill" are undoubtedly abortifacient. Any articles out there by prominent Orthodox writers regarding ABC?

[redgolum]

Europe needs help, desperately.

Kind of funny, I am reading a book about the Northern Crusades right now. In the 12th century the goal of many a "Latin" was to wipe out the "Greeks".

Now it is to call in reinforcements.

The US is going to need them soon. With mad Mean Dean out there, I just wonder what the next step is.

[NYer]

I am perplexed, though, by Orthodoxy's stand on artificial birth control (ABC), even though some forms of "the Pill" are undoubtedly abortifacient. Any articles out there by prominent Orthodox writers regarding ABC?

Pinging some of the Orthodox to respond.

[Kolokotronis]

Try the search engines on the websites of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Orthodox Church in America. Abortifacient birth control devices are condemned. Other forms of birth control are left to the Spiritual Father and child as a general proposition. This latter position stems from a basic difference between the understandings of the Latin and Orthodox Churches regarding marriage and sexual relations between a husband and a wife.

[NYer]

Other forms of birth control are left to the Spiritual Father and child as a general proposition.

Huh?

I suppose this is yet one more issue that separates catholics and orthodox. Frankly, I am quite surprised. I wasn't aware that the Orthodox approved of any birth control. When did they make this decision? And why?

[SaltyJoe]

Cool. Maybe we'll all start recognizing that the Holy Eucharist is the Head of our Church (and see more interfaith marriages) instead of fighting over Apostolic politics.

Mark 10: 35-45

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
36 He replied, "What do you wish (me) to do for you?"
37 They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
38 Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
39 They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
40 but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
41 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
42 Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
43 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
44 whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/mark/mark10.htm

[Agrarian]

This is something that cannot really be discussed adequately outside of the totality of the Orthodox spiritual life. To the extent that intentional contraception (artificial or natural) is discouraged by individual Orthodox Christians, the rationale is generally tied up with the Orthodox views of children being a blessing and of the general Orthodox approach to the ascetic life -- and not of preoccupations with transgressing a theoretical natural law.

K is right that these things are really ones that are dealt with in confession and in individual spiritual relationships. That has certainly been my experience.

In spite of the low profile approach, Orthodox families are at least as large as Catholic families here in America, and that I'd venture to say that contraceptive use is probably, at the least, no higher than contraceptive use by Catholics in America.

[Romulus]

preoccupations with transgressing a theoretical natural law.

The Catholic prohibition against frustration of the marital act has much less to do with this than with contradicting the sacramental sign. Like all sacraments, Christian marriage is iconic; specifically, it's an icon of Christ's unreserved spousal gift of self to his Church, and the Church's calling to respond in kind. Any admission of contraception mars this icon in a way I'd have thought the Orthodox would find intolerable.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

"We assure you that we remain close to you, above all in these recent days when you have taken the good step of publishing the encyclical Humanae Vitae. We are in total agreement with you, and wish you all God's help to continue your mission in the world." (Patriarch Athenagoras to Pope Paul VI)

---

http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/roc_bioethics.aspx

Bases of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church

XII. 3. Among the problems which need a religious and moral assessment is that of contraception. Some contraceptives have an abortive effect, interrupting artificially the life of the embryo on the very first stages of his life. Therefore, the same judgements are applicable to the use of them as to abortion. But other means, which do not involve interrupting an already conceived life, cannot be equated with abortion in the least. In defining their attitude to the non-abortive contraceptives, Christian spouses should remember that human reproduction is one of the principal purposes of the divinely established marital union (see, X. 4). The deliberate refusal of childbirth on egoistic grounds devalues marriage and is a definite sin.

At the same time, spouses are responsible before God for the comprehensive upbringing of their children. One of the ways to be responsible for their birth is to restrain themselves from sexual relations for a time. However, Christian spouses should remember the words of St. Paul addressed to them: «Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency» (1 Cor. 7:5). Clearly, spouses should make such decisions mutually on the counsel of their spiritual father. The latter should take into account, with pastoral prudence, the concrete living conditions of the couple, their age, health, degree of spiritual maturity and many other circumstances. In doing so, he should distinguish those who can hold the high demands of continence from those to whom it is not given (Mt. 19:11), taking care above all of the preservation and consolidation of the family.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in its Decision of December 28, 1998, instructed the clergy serving as spiritual guides that «it is inadmissible to coerce or induce the flock to… refuse conjugal relations in marriage». It also reminded the pastors of the need «to show special chastity and special pastoral prudence in discussing with the flock the questions involved in particular aspects of their family life».