On 22 February 2011, the Inter-Orthodox Preparatory Commission, convened to consider the agenda of the Pan-Orthodox Council, began its work at the Orthodox Centre of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Chambesy, Switzerland.
The last session took place in December 2009. The results of the Commission’s work should be submitted to the 5th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference. The time of its convening will be fixed after the preparatory work is completed. The Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conferences were held in 1976, 1982, 1986 and 2009.
The session is chaired by Metropolitan John of Pergamon, Patriarchate of Constantinople. The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Led by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), includes Archbishop Mark of Berlin, Germany and Great Britain, Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; and the interpreter Anatoly Churiakov.
Delegations of the fourteen Autocephalous Orthodox Churches take part in the session.
The Commission began its work with a prayer; Metropolitan John presented an introductory report; and a cable requesting blessing and prayers was sent to the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches. Heads of the delegations greeted the participants.
Metropolitan Hilarion conveyed wishes of successful work in the spirit of love and mutual understanding from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
Metropolitan Jeremiah of Switzerland presented a report on the questions on the agenda.
The Commission, which is to consider the contents of the Tomos on Autocephaly and the manner of its signing, as well as the topic of diptychs, will work till February 26.
8 comments:
Forgive my ignorance in all things Orthodox, but for those of us unable to see the connection between the title of the post and the article, could you perhaps fill in the blank?
No forgiveness necessary. Essentially the provisional Tomos for the OCA and other jurisdictions are under review. This is a reality which the OCA wishes to refute and it also seeks to deny the very legitimacy of such undertakings.
LOL. Hmm. No.
The Tomos of the OCA isn't provisional, something that the Patriarchate of Moscow has made clear, unofficially and officially, and even liturgically (the EP was in Moscow when the North American Episcopal Assembly opened, and had to hear Met. Jonah being commemorated, the vice chairman of the EA, Abp. Justinian,, also commemorating Met. Jonah). The Phanar doesn't want the OCA's Tomos reviewed, it wants it revoked/withdrawn/voided. Not going to happen.
No other jursidication is being discussed, so the Greek Church(es) is trying to talk about the OCA while avoiding manetioning it by name. But being on the list of canonical bishops on North America, seperate from the Patriarchate of Moscow and without a reference to a Mother Church, per the protocols signed by all 14 of the other Orthodox Churches, the Phanar has trapped itself into securing recognition of the OCA as a canonical body with no reference to a "Mother Church," i.e. autocephalous.
Isa it is very hard no actually impossible to have a dialogue with you as you refuse to hear anyone other then yourself. Your facts are tweeked demonstrating your bias and obvious misinformation. It is easier for you to bash the "Greek Churches" then to look at the reality. You quote Moscow Pat. only when it suits your position. To listen to you the Orthodox Community is the most corrupt institution.
"Isa it is very hard no actually impossible to have a dialogue with you as you refuse to hear anyone other then yourself."
Au contraire, I listen to what Met. Philip, Met. Jonah, Pat. Alexei, Pat. Kirill, etc. and Abp. Demetrios. I also hear what EP Bartholomew, his newest Met. Elpidophoros, Met. Sotirios, etc. say.
"You quote Moscow Pat. only when it suits your position."
Feel free to quote the Moscow Pat. contradicting my position. Since it's not my position, but rather that of the Russian Church and others, I'll admit that is going to be hard.
More important than Tomos or rank on the dyptics are the words of our Lord in Mark 10:42-45.
42 But Jesus called them [to him], and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Also the words of St Peter from his First General Epistle Chapter 5:1-4;
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
The point Christ and Peter are making is clear, but what am I getting at? While the Holy Orthodox Church does not exercise the same overt authoritarian rule over its people as Rome, these issues brought up at the preparatory counsels is disobedience to the words of Scripture.
I get that there are a lot of practical issues that need to be sifted through. In the end though, the command is to be the servant of all. You never read of anyone in the New Testament who had the mentality, "I should be in charge." spoken well of. In fact, that is condemned in no uncertain terms. That is true subversion. Not against a Patriarchate, but Christ Himself. This goes for Patriarchs, Metropolitans, etc.
This doesn't mean the Orthodox Church is somehow more sinful than anyone else. We are human and should not be surprised by these kinds are wranglings. We are sinners. But, as followers of Jesus, we are obligated to repent when we become aware of such sin. That is when we will experience healing.
In my daily prayers when I come to the words, "Be mindful, Oh Lord, of Thy Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church..." I make it a point to pray not only for God's blessing, but for the humility to repent of the sin of division and disunity. For the grace of forgiveness one toward another and the healing of complete unity (not just liturgically).
Maybe I'm a crazy idealist, but it seems that screaming "It's their fault!" hasn't worked in 2000 years. Why would it work now?
Isa your response is so typical. You are very selective in what you hear. Jeremy, i trust the church to interpret the scriptures the church which compiled the Bible. too many people have an idolatrous relationship with the Bible.
And too many Orthodox have no relationship to it whatsoever and are far too ignorant of it, though it is read at every service throughout. St John Crysostom had much to say about Orthodox Christians being ignorant of the Word.
I too trust the Church to interpret the Scriptures which are of her Holy Tradition, which she compiled. As fallible humans we tend to ignore Scripture when it suits us. Yes, our patriarchs are holy men and icons of Christ, but alas, they are fallible.
I trust the Church, but not all of her leaders have made the best decisions. This is one of those times.
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