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Posted on 12/13/2009 7:05:06 PM PST by markomalley
The Vatican and the Russian Orthodox are looking towards more ecumenical cooperation to reverse what they consider to be the tide of secularism in Europe:
VATICAN LETTER Dec-11-2009
Ecumenical allies? Orthodox, Catholics take aim at European secularism
By John Thavis
Catholic News ServiceVATICAN CITY (CNS) — For years, the Vatican has suggested that a promising area of ecumenical cooperation was a joint struggle by Christian churches against the moral and social challenges posed by a predominantly secular society.
Now the Russian Orthodox Church has come forward to propose a strategic alliance with the Catholic Church aimed, in effect, at saving Europe’s soul from “Western post-Christian humanism.”
The offer came in an introduction written by Russian Orthodox Archbishop Hilarion to a book of speeches by Pope Benedict XVI on Europe’s spiritual crisis, published in Russian by the Orthodox Moscow Patriarchate. In an unusual move, the Vatican newspaper published almost the entire introduction in its Dec. 2 edition…
“For religion, militant secularism is just as dangerous as militant atheism was. Both tend to exclude religion from the public and political sphere, relegating it to a ghetto, confining it to the area of private devotion,” he said.
The archbishop added that in modern Europe the “unwritten rules of political correctness” are increasingly applied to religious institutions, to the point that believers can no longer express their religious convictions publicly because it would be considered a violation of the rights of non-believers.
Archbishop Hilarion said Europe’s political unification had brought with it the risk of a new pan-European “dictatorship” that would impose a single model of secular humanistic values on all European countries. http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0905462.htm
The Bible clearly warns of a dictator rising up in Europe (Daniel 9:26-27; 11:27-39; Revelation 13), but contrary to the implication of the Orthodox Archbishop Hilarion, this dictator will feign some type of religious background (Daniel 11:36-38). Both Catholic and Orthodox prophecies tell of a time when an ecumenical dictator (sometimes referred to as “the Great Monarch”) will rise up–we are getting closer to that time.
It is the tendency of the ecumenical religious movement to look to politics that will help lead to the rise of a political dictator who is destined to arise in Europe.
A news report shows that the Vatican was pleased with the Lisbon Treaty (for information on that treaty see European empire formed yesterday, but few in America seemed to notice) as it gives churches like it the opportunity to influence Europe:
Catholic Church reminds EU that Lisbon Treaty gives it arm-twisting statusDec 4, 2009The Lisbon Treaty came into effect this week, and first to celebrate was the Catholic Bishops Conference (COMECE) which issued a press release reminding EU members that religious groups — particularly the Vatican — are coming to claim the privileges that the Treaty promises them.
The Press Release says: “The Treaty introduces into EU primary law an Article of notable importance for the Churches. By means of Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, the EU recognises the identity and specific contribution of Churches and engages on this basis an ‘open, transparent and regular’ dialogue with them. Thanks to this Article, Churches and religious communities will be able to strengthen their Dialogue with the European Commission, Council and Parliament and so contribute more efficiently to reflecting on European policy. Inspired by Catholic social teaching and strengthened by their background experience, Churches will be enabled to pursue a critical and constructive Dialogue with EU decision makers on the policies put forward by the EU.” http://www.secularism.org.uk/116177.html
The Bible warns of a coming European Beast power ridden by an ecumenical church (Revelation 17:1-3). Events are lining up on a regular basis for these and other prophecies to be fulfilled.
Russian and other Orthodox should not try to unite with the Vatican and Catholics should not try to unite with the Orthodox as the Bible warns against this upcoming ecumenical religious power.
Furthermore, private prophecies from both Orthodox and Catholic mystics suggest dire consequences as well.
For more information, please check out the following:
Why Should American Catholics Should Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? What do the prophecies show will happen?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics as unifying will make them part of the final Babylon. Dire prophecies show will happen.
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
European empire formed today, might it become Babylon? An examiner article about some of the ramifications of what happened on December 1, 2009 one the Lisbon Treaty became effective.
Note: The only confessions mentioned in this article are Catholic and Orthodox; therefore, it is an appropriate "caucus" thread.
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One thing that the roman catholic church ought to be worried about is whether the russian orthodox church is an independent church with a Christian mission or effectively just an organ of the Russian state that’s headed by KGB recruits with long white beards.
The formation of an ecumenical alliance would be a good thing. The void created by the secularization of Europe is what has drawn the Muslims in. This is the counterattack of Christianity!
Forget that ten-nation world Beast stuff — it’s all Evangelical hype. What we’re seeking here is the revival of Christendom — not a anti-Christian dictatorship, but a new Holy Roman Empire, marked by orthodoxy, subsidiarity, and the centrality of Christian faith to culture.
When the Antichrist comes, he’s not going to be pointing to Jesus and Mary as the Church does. He will proclaim Himself to be God.
That's the salient point. As soon as the Catholics and the Orthodox recognize the changed political reality, they will be drawn together by the logic of history, just like the logic of history a thousand years ago drove us apart. The Orthodox do not need to change a thing in their beautiful faith and praxis. As far as we Catholics are concerned, they are already Catholic.
Indeed, that is what Europe needs.
A similar path is working well in parts of Asia. They don’t have the history between the Catholics/Orthodox/ Lutherans/ whatever, and the sister congregation of my old Lutheran parish in South Korea frankly didn’t care about it. They did a lot with the local Catholic congregations, and would often hope for some sort of reunion.
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