“Whether he really believes it or whether that was his ‘way out’ is not mine to determine.”
He has written the simpleton’s version of Met. John’s theory of Petrine Primacy and even at that he got it wrong. Whether he believes it or not is neither here nor there. This character was under discipline for a number of acts of disobedience going back some time. Rome rightfully accepted the laity and likely the clergy. They should have sent the bishop packing back to his synod for forgiveness. They didn’t and that’s cause for concern...even in papophile Constantinople.
Well, a bishop can change his views too. I agree that Rome should have refused him, given that he was in hot water already and for no other reason than the fact that such a bishop may find himself in hot water again in the Catholic Church and decide to run to the Orthodox.
Or was it a bad judgment on the part of the Holy See, or perhaps willingness to accept anyone, as long as he accepts papal supremacy as taught by Rome?
If that's the case, then it's nothing new under the sun. That's one red flag that never goes down.
Speaking of papophile Constantinople, there is a number of Serbian bishops who side with the EP and have been quietly subverting the Church.