Posted on 05/23/2007 7:25:59 AM PDT by kawaii
23 May 2007, 17:29 ROCOR priest proposes World Orthodox Council in Moscow or Novy Ierusalim
Moscow, May 23, Interfax - Fr. Andrew Phillips from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia proposes a special inter-Orthodox consultative body - World Orthodox Council with the central office in Moscow or Novy Ierusalim near Moscow.
‘Today is the beginning of the 21st century, but some representatives of certain Local Orthodox Churches are still under the crapulent illusions of the previous century’s ecumenism. We think we should revive an Orthodox Russia and establish a World Orthodox Council to confront this scandal and solve many real problems,’ said Fr. Andrew in the article published by Pravaya.ru website.
According to him, the council might become ‘an Orthodox forum, a center for meetings and reflections’ for Orthodox Churches. ‘It is absurd that to meet with each other the Orthodox need any non-Orthodox bodies as the WCC or the Conference of European Churches.’
Fr. Andrew suggested to locate the World Orthodox Council in Moscow or near it. ‘It seams there is no other place on earth where the council could get the required support and infrastructure,’ he said.
The reviving Russian Orthodox Church, he opined, is not just ‘the only potential power able to bring to an end the steps’ towards liberalism in some Orthodox Churches, but also ‘a source of power and authority that could help to restore order and harmony in the currently chaotic ecclesiastical jurisdictions of the Orthodox diaspora.’
interesting...
crap·u·lent /ˈkræpyələnt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[krap-yuh-luhnt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –adjective sick from gross excess in drinking or eating.
A priest with an agenda. As the Greeks would say, “Beeeg Suurprise!” :)
As for such a location for this group in Moscow, I’d suggest that Moscow’s agendas are as well known as those of Constantinople. Maybe Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Nicosia or Sofia would be a better place. My own thoughts would be Belgrade or Athens.
I guess some ROCOR guys are only happy when schism is afoot.
i think it should be central to the majority of beleivers.
i don’t think belgrade would be a bad spot at all. i think the important thing would be what players show up though.
Plus, I really don’t want to give any of my hard-earned money to any of the temporary occupants currently in possession of Constantinople.
All things considered, the Russians probably have the most resources at their disposal to host such an event but they aren’t the only ones who could do it. Belgrade would probably be a good compromise location so far as any political considerations go.
Not at all. If you look at the history of the Church, it is apparent that such councils can be held nearly anywhere.
I honestly think you could only make such an assertion through papist eyes, perhaps through a misconception that the Ecumenical Patriarch is some sort of Eastern Pope, with a Western understanding of what being an Eastern Pope might entail.
Epithet yawn.
I thought the usual Orthodox procedure for councils was for the Orthodox to take their cue from the Ecumenical Patriarch for church-wide councils or the patriarch of an autocephalous church for a local church council - that if an individual priest wanted to suggest a council he would move repectfully through consultation with his ecclesiastical superiors rather than issuing a unilateral press release.
Is respect and obedience only a value among "papists"? Or does the Ecumenical Patriarch not deserve Philips' respect? Nor Philips' patriarch deserve his obedience?
methinks the translation is at issue here.
i didn’t and don’t get the impression that Fr. Andrew Phillips wants to call for a pan orthodox or ecumenical council, i think council is being used here in the sence of a group where the Orthodox can come together to chat informally about stuff, as opposed for instance to meeting up at the World Council of Churches.
“So, basically an attempt to hijack the Ecumenical Patriarchate from Constantinople to Moscow.”
Oh, this wouldn’t accomplish that at all. Ecclesiastical Order was set by the Ecumenical Councils before there was even a Patriarchate of Moscow. That’s not going to change absent another council.
What it might lead to, given the aspirations of Moscow on the one hand or Constantinople on the other, would be a sort of Orthodox Vatican...and that’s antithetical to Orthodoxy. Personally I don’t really trust either Moscow or Constantinople when it comes to that stuff which is why I thought the other locations would be better. Actually the seat of the Pat. of Antioch might be the best place...but who wants to go to Damascus these days! :)
Honestly though I sincerely doubt that Fr. Andrew Phillips has an ‘Orthodox Vatican’ in mind.
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