Posted on 04/24/2008 2:55:06 AM PDT by markomalley
.- Bishop Hilarion, the Russian Orthodox Bishop of Vienna and Austria, has said in an interview that the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are allies who could form a strategic alliance to defend Christian values, Interfax reports. He also criticized many Protestants for having a light version of Christianity.
Speaking to the Bulgarian magazine Christianity and Culture, Bishop Hilarion said, We must realize that Orthodox and Catholic believers are no longer rivals. We are allies. The rivalry must be gone once and for all. If we understand that, proselytism will stop. He said this version of Christianity, when it revises Christian theological or moral teachings to become more modern or politically correct, becomes a direct way to spiritual death. He said this version of Christianity had stopped recognizing centuries-old sins, and now even promotes them. Bishop Hilarions statement comes just days after Pope Benedict addressed an ecumenical gathering in New York where he also denounced versions of Christianity that contradict apostolic teachings. At the gathering of about 300 people, the Pope said that Christian churches which change their beliefs by so-called prophetic actions, often use a method of interpretation that is inconsistent with Scripture and Tradition. The Holy Father added that this causes those interested in Christianity to become understandably confused about the Gospel message itself because they see Christians splintering and disagreeing about the beliefs of the faith. The message that the world is waiting to hear from us, the Pope said, is a clear, convincing testimony to the salvation wrought for us in Christ Jesus
based upon the notion of normative apostolic teaching: a teaching which indeed underlies the inspired word of God and sustains the sacramental life of Christians today. According to Interfax, Bishop Hilarion said a joint Orthodox-Catholic front is necessary to oppose both the challenges of secularism and dialogue with other world religions. Bilateral, strategic partnerships between the two Churches, he thought, would be the best way to achieve this.
I don't mean union, administrative merger or compromise in theological teaching, I mean strategical partnership," said Bishop Hilarion, who is also the Russian Orthodox Church Representative to European International Organizations.
The bishop said that romantic ecumenism, which he said characterizes the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches, is not viable. He said that many Protestants have created a light version of Christianity, without apostolic succession, without sacraments, without strict dogmatic teaching and what is also important they don't require sticking to Christian moral norms.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12388
One such thing would be to simply note that the late dogmas are a product of councils that did not include the Orthodox, and therefore are local Latin beliefs, consistent with Orthodoxy but not detailed with such precision by it. I wouldn't even call it concession.
The Orthodox, on the other hand, would be well advised to note that the body of scholastic thought produced in the West, -- I am talking of the procession of the Holy Ghost, original sin, limbo, venial/mortal sin distinctions, -- is not strictly speaking dogmatic, and can be assessed critically by the Orthodox in light of their own theological tradition.
That would depend on what needs to be decided, wouldn't it?
A council of local Bishops is all that is needed to deal with local issues.
Questions that concern the entire Church and that have not previously been answered by the Seven Ecumenical Councils would require an Ecumenical Council comprised of the 5 ancient Patriarchates at the very least.
Luther never wanted to split from the Catholic Church or create his own denomination. Our liturgy is essentially the same the as the Catholic liturgy, so are our hymns. We also believe in the real presence (though not transubstantiation - we leave it more open than that, as the presence of Christ "in, with, and under" the bread and wine - without specifying in what manner). However, we have only two Sacraments - those with visible, outward signs - Baptism and Communion.
I think Lutherans would come back into the fold before any of the other Protestant denominations because as you have noticed, some of them are completely out there and reject any and all trappings of the Church or the Sacraments.
Christians need unity, and I believe that means a single head of the Church, too, in some fashion, to speak for "Christendom". I think that it is effective to have such a figurehead (though as I said, I see a downside to it, as well). But one thing that "shames us" in front of the world, is our disunity. I'm just not sure how the Christian world would ever achieve such unity.
those with visible, outward signs - Baptism and Communion
But you have marriages and confessions, do you not? On the other hand, annointment of the sick and confirmation are with the visible signs, and marriage has a physical sign as well, even though it is usually done in private...
As to the Sacraments, we see Baptism as having the visible sign of the water, and Communion has the visible sign of the bread and wine. Confession is not a sacrament because there is no visible sign. Marriage...well, okay, maybe you have a point...but that part doesn't happen in the Church...
I don't know if we have anointing of the sick, but if we do, I don't believe it's considered a sacrament.
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