Orthodox Metropolitan Blasts Anglicans For Renouncing The Faith

[Apotheoun]

Metropolitan Hilarion Blasts Anglicans for Renouncing the Faith

Orthodox and Anglican Churches are on different sides of the abyss, says Russian Orthodox leader

 

By David W. Virtue

www.virtueonline.org 

January 12, 2013

 

 

The future of ecumenism is in great peril with the gap widening between orthodox and progressives, says Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church a noted theologian and church historian.

 

Speaking before an audience at Villanova University, a Catholic institution on Philadelphia's historic mainline and one of the oldest in the US, Hilarion said that when the holy fathers of the first millennium abided in unity and while it was subjected to many serious trials, it was the foundation upon which dialogue between Christians was successful and fruitful. "Fidelity to the Christian tradition is the proper means for the restoration of unity among Christ's disciples."

 

The orthodox leader blasted parts of the Anglican Communion for abandoning the faith and said renunciation of the truth by some Protestant denominations makes it difficult for the Orthodox Church to continue co-operation with them.

 

"I regret this, but dialogues with Protestants and Anglicans which we have had for decades are now under threat because of processes taking place in the Protestant communities of the West and North. I mean the continuing liberalization in the field of theology, ecclesiology and moral teaching. Certain denominations have legitimized the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of people openly declaring their non-traditional sexual orientation."

 

Hilarion said he was obliged to speak about this because he wanted to preserve the good that was being achieved during the years of dialogue between Orthodox, on the one hand, and Protestants and Anglicans, on the other. "In defending the two-thousand-year-old tradition of the Church, we remain true to this dialogue, yet at the same time we see that Protestants and Anglicans are growing away from us by accepting innovations which we find unacceptable.

 

"I am not speaking of this in the walls of a Catholic university because I am afraid to criticize Anglicans and Protestants to their faces. Every time the opportunity arises, I speak openly of our concern in direct dialogue with our brothers from the Anglican and Protestant communities. In 2010 at a festive dinner at the Nicaea Club in London in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams I stated the sad fact that the Orthodox and Anglican Churches are to be found on different sides of the abyss which separate Christians of a traditional direction and Christians adhering to liberal teachings. Recently I spoke of the same things at the old Episcopalian seminary at Nashotah House, a contemporary of your University."

 

The Metropolitan added that dialogue with Protestants and Anglicans has reached a dead end, but dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church has a future because, like the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church does not think of itself as being outside of Tradition and strives to teach and live in accordance with the tradition of the apostles and holy fathers. 

 

"In my view, the significant improvement and strengthening of relations between our Churches that can be seen in recent years is connected to an awareness that we are united by a common heritage, thanks to which both Orthodox and Catholics can and must together bear witness to the world of the eternal values of the Gospel.

 

"The Orthodox and Catholics encounter the same challenges which modern times lay down to the traditional way of life. In this instance we are dealing not with theological problems but with the present and future of humanity. It is in this sphere that Orthodox and Catholics can interact without compromising their ecclesiastical identity. In other words, while not yet being the one Church, being separated by various theological and ecclesiological problems, we can find ways of interacting which would allow us to respond jointly to the challenges of the modern world.

 

"Together we can help people realize what the traditional Christian values are - the family, the worth of human life from conception to death, the upbringing of children, the integrity and indissolubility of marriage. All of these concepts in the modern secular world are subjected to a radical re-evaluation."

 

 

Click here to read the rest of the article

 

[Evangetholic]

"come out of her, my people"

[mortify]

I have little to no respect for the Russian Hierarchs.

 

Here's the famous disapearing $30,000 watch off the Russian Patriarch's wrist, digitally removed from their website. Unfortunately the manipulator forget to remove the reflection off the table:

 

 

[Evangetholic]

If you or I gave an expensive gift to the Pope or our local pastors, would he be wrong to accept it?

[Basilisa Marie]

Wait, I'm confused - why's he complaining? Is it the Anglicans, or the Anglicans that have jumped on the Catholic boat? 

 

Because if he's talking about Anglicans that have approved all kinds of "new" things like gay marriage and female clergy...then, well...duh? Of course it's jeopardizing their relationship?  

[Evangetholic]

He's complaining about the liberalizing (HERETICAL--and yes I know Catholics and the Orthodox already considered "Anglicanism" heretical, lol) tendencies happening in Britain and the Americas.

[Basilisa Marie]

 "I regret this, but dialogues with Protestants and Anglicans which we have had for decades are now under threat because of processes taking place in the Protestant communities of the West and North. I mean the continuing liberalization in the field of theology, ecclesiology and moral teaching. Certain denominations have legitimized the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of people openly declaring their non-traditional sexual orientation."

 

Derp I need to learn to read. :) 

 

I was confused because "liberalization" of theology can mean a ton of different things...but if he's just talking about gay marriage and the ordination of gay people, then yeah obviously it's a punch into the face of ecumenical dialogue

[Selah]

I have little to no respect for the Russian Hierarchs.

 

Here's the famous disapearing $30,000 watch off the Russian Patriarch's wrist, digitally removed from their website. Unfortunately the manipulator forget to remove the reflection off the table:

 

 

 

So...you have no respect for him because he has a watch? Or because it was removed?

[4588686]

So...you have no respect for him because he has a watch? Or because it was removed?

He has an obscenely expensive watch (and apartments and cars) but pretends not to enjoy the use of these gifts. Which is the behavior that Mortify seems to be highlighting. I respect the intellectual and even spiritual tradition of the Orthodox Church quite a bit but I share Mortify's general disdain for the Russian Church's hierarchy. Except to Phillip II. Who was the poo.

[Apotheoun]

I have little to no respect for the Russian Hierarchs.

 

Here's the famous disapearing $30,000 watch off the Russian Patriarch's wrist, digitally removed from their website. Unfortunately the manipulator forget to remove the reflection off the table:

 

 

Nice generalization.  You have little or no respect for Russian Orthodox hierarchs because there is a photograph (altered at some point) showing the Patriarch wearing an expensive watch, and so - somehow for you - all Russian Orthodox hierarchs are suspect?  Interesting.  

 

I suppose my Russian Orthodox friends could apply a similar generalization to the child sex abuse scandal in the Roman Church too, that is, that all Roman Catholic hierarchs are suspect and that they lack any respect for them, but what good would that do?  Let's just lump all Roman Catholic bishops together and say that the actions of a few taints them all.

 

I guess Metropolitan Hilarion should not have spoken so firmly in the article about cooperation between the Roman Church and the Orthodox Churches.

Edited February 20, 2013 by Apotheoun

[Selah]

He has an obscenely expensive watch (and apartments and cars) but pretends not to enjoy the use of these gifts. Which is the behavior that Mortify seems to be highlighting. I respect the intellectual and even spiritual tradition of the Orthodox Church quite a bit but I share Mortify's general disdain for the Russian Church's hierarchy. Except to Phillip II. Who was the poo.

 

So...you're upset because he's not happy enough about the watch?

[4588686]

So...you're upset because he's not happy enough about the watch?

 

I dislike the man because he is a sycophant.  The fact that he wears a $30,000 watch is more of a side issue.  

[Evangetholic]

Further reading suggests a problematic relationship with the Russian state.

[KnightofChrist]

I dislike the man because he is a sycophant. The fact that he wears a $30,000 watch is more of a side issue.

Blah stupid personal attack, but so what, that man isn't Metropolitan Hilarion, whom the article is based upon.

[4588686]

Blah stupid personal attack, but so what, that man isn't Metropolitan Hilarion, whom the article is based upon.

 

 

It's a personal attack that I'm happy to substantiate.  The Russian Orthodox tradition is something to value.  It's a great intellectual tradition.  I think we all see that in Apo's posts.  Not that he's Russian Orthodox but I'm speaking of the Orthodox and Eastern Rite traditions as a whole.  The hierarchy of the Russian Church has been overwhelmingly subservient to whatever authoritarian happens to be in power in Russia since Tsar Peter I and Krill is the logical continuation of that tradition.