This is a great distortion of what the Orthodox church teaches.
This is a great distortion of what the Orthodox church teaches.
No it isn't. The article says that the pious of other religions are saved by Christ, even if they don't believe in him. Example: "It cannot be assumed that salvation is denied non-Christians living in true piety..." Examine this statement. It claims that piety ie, religious lifestyle is what is important for salvation. It does not say that belief in Christ is necessary. In fact, it discounts belief in Christ.
The implications of the article are that a pious Hindu who doesn't believe in Christ, who doesn't trust Him, who doesn't hold to the doctrines of the atonement, the resurrection, the Holy Trinity, the Virgin Birth or even the basic monotheism of Christianity, will nevertheless be saved by Christ, even in his unbelief.... because he is a pious Hindu. He believes in Lakshmi, the cow god, Hannuman, the Monkey God. He does not believe in Christ. He may drink milk out of a dish from which rats have drunk because of his respect for the rat god. But he is pious. The article tells us that God is inclusive and will reach out to save that individual who is worshipping other gods because he is pious.
The implications of this are grave because the Orthodox Church now teaches that piety is that which gains favor with God, not faith. This is an alteration of everything The Savior says in the Gospel of John. Frightening, the eagerness of the Orthodox Church to change the words of the Savior, who said "...whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life."