www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Orthodox leaders predict improved relations

How far will Pope Benedict XVI go to improve relations with the Eastern Orthodox Church? How will this impact the Byzantine Catholic Church? Has the BCA made any efforts to reach out to any of the Orthodox Churches in the U.S. (i.e. OCA)?

i think our bishops need to push harder for full communion. now is the time. i think the breaking of the ice period is over, with vatican II and the lifting of excommunication between the bishop of rome and archbishop of constantinople, it led to dialogue and good relations since then but we can not settle for only this. I believe the unity of christians starts with those closest to our beliefs and that starts with eastern orthodox, anglo-catholics, lutherans, episcopalians etc. with the rise of the american-brand "evangelical" movements,and islamic expansion in europe, the time is now for catholics and orthodox to be serious abt full communion and to be ONE.

Mateusz,
Describe how it would look if the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church were one. By that I mean how do you envision church structure? What do you mean by union and what terms does each side have to meet in order for a union?

Anamnesis not Amnesia [saintelias.com] by Fr Robert Taft SJ

Myles,

Thank you for digging that article out from the St Elias site.

That is now bookmarked

One of the best proposals I've seen for improvement in relations was given by Bishop Hilarion here [orthodoxeurope.org] . What he says and what I agree with is the two sides should concentrate on social issues and confronting secularism. I think this should take precedence over any sort of theological dialogue which I think is unlikely to achieve much.

I personally don't see the value of trying to re-establish some sort of communion between the churches given how different they are. Though I think it's wise to have pastoral provisions in place if they are needed.

Andrew

Value? Unity in the Church is the WILL OF CHRIST, christianity is not some sort of free for all and believe whatever you want on personal preferance.
Stephanos I

There is no value in sacrificing practicial cooperation when there are two separate and conflicting visions of what unity is in the ecclesial sense.

I apologize if my previous post implies some other interpretation.

Andrew

As a loyal son of the MP who is no fan of +Bishop Hilarion, I do think that social concerns and combatting secularism can be a fruitful means of cooperation, but they don't promote unity so much as provide a rejoinder to secular humanism. I also think the theological consultations have lost sight of goals and seek least common denominator solutions and/or whitewashes which ignore the history of the Church and the Patristic mind. I think that Orthodox input can be crucial and beneficial in such things as engaging in dialogue which helps the West restore the Liturgy, puts together an ontology of askesis centering on prayer & fasting, reconsidering the administration of certain Sacraments such as Communion, in both Species, even leavening, restoring Christian initiation as Baptism-Chrismation-Holy Communion, resacralizing the West's concept of the Priesthood and monasticism, helping them get over the hurdle of a married Priesthood, deflating hierofeminism, etc. Moreover, I think such participation might indeed improve the lot of Eastern riters who could work as equal partners moreso in the decision making process and be more active in implementation of this type of reform than the Orthodox. There are hurdles which haunt relations with Rome which are pretty high and will take a long time to surmount, but the things I mention are doable and a better and equitable use of our energies and resources, for they can immediately remove differences with little opposition or threat of division...

Dear Friends,

In my humble view, we are looking at church unity from a "universal" perspective when we should be focusing on the "Local Church" - the original way the Church was envisioned.

And I really believe that the views of Archbishop Zoghby should be front and centre here.

What would happen if Rome asked the EC Churches to reintegrate with their Mother Orthodox Churches?

Is that something that will just have to happen to get the reunion ball rolling?

(and for Rome to mind its own business in some Orthodox countries . . .)

Alex

Dear Friends,

People ask about 'structures' and 'administration'. Who cares? That is all meaningless if we don't learn to get along, understand each other, and finally establish Communion. Administrative 'order' will come with time, but Communion is the goal, the rest is secondary.

Oυτις ημιν φιλει ου φροντιδα | Nemo Nos Diliget Non Curamus

Well, tossing the young in the water and yelling "swim" is only going to exacerbate the issue, and some will drown...

Kobzar, I agree that we should all learn to get along and live in a way respectful of each other. That is one of the main reasons why I think the Orthodox and Catholic churches should concentrate on areas where they have common interests that aren't all contingent on structural unity.

Ultimately however communion is the last step on the road to unity. It cannot be a stepping stone. There remain serious, and I would say insurmountable obstacles, that will preclude any sort of formal Eucharistic unity from ever happening.

Andrew

Well, lets see, we could ask the Orthodox to cease and desist from any operations in "Catholic" lands that might be condusive to unity.
And there is NO way that the Eastern Catholic should be humilitated into a forced union with the Orthodox, remember they tried that once in Stalinist Russia.
Eastern Catholics have a "right" to live in the truth and that truth includes the necessity of being in union with the Apostolic See of Rome.

Stephanos I