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Orthodox ambivalent on western Christians
IS THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OPENING THE DOOR?
Yelena Shakhova
Pravda, 20 November 2003
The dialogue between Orthodox Christians and Catholics and Christians of other confessions is proceeding on a regular basis but it has its ups and downs. There were two major events in Novembers: the second meeting of President Vladimir Putin with Pope John Paul II, and the visit of a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCA), which began on November 18. The ROCA split with the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1920s, when revolutionary atheists came to power in Russia till the end of times, as they thought.

However, these two events cannot fling the door wide open. Putin's meeting with the Pope was an element of political etiquette. Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and only president of the Soviet Union, and Russia's first president, Boris Yeltsin, visited John Paul II to promote state rather than religious relations. But it was a good sign in our mad world.

Regrettably, the hypothetical reunification of the two Orthodox churches could strengthen their isolation from the rest of the Christian world. The conservative Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has denounced ecumenism as heresy.

Some observers believe that a broader dialogue with the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches could encourage awareness of modern realities in the Russian Orthodox Church.

Why does the Russian church prefer isolation and rapprochement with the ROCA to broad dialogue with other Christian confessions? One of the main reasons is the numerous Russian phobias, in particular the fear that the Roman Catholic Church wants to absorb the Russian Orthodox Church, says Rev. Georgy Chistyakov, priest of the Church of Saints Kozma and Damian (Stoleshnikov Pereulok) and dean of the Church of Virgin Mary in the Pediatric Republican Clinical Hospital. (Chistyakov is also board member of the Russian Biblical Society, rector of the Open Orthodox University, and a prominent historian, theologian and public figure.)

In his opinion, the top hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, though they zealously protect their interests, would nevertheless agree to talk with Roman Catholics. On November 10, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the newly appointed representative of the Holy See in Russia, met Metropolitan Kirill, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church. They agreed to carry on talks to improve relations between their churches and mapped co-operation prospects in the social sphere. But only six months ago the Metropolitan denounced the Roman Catholic Church for unethical attempts to change its structure in Russia. The reason for that accusation was apparent: a struggle for spheres of influence.

No wonder relations between the two churches are so complicated and have more than one layer. On the one hand, members of the Holy Synod and Patriarch Alexy II are children of the era when religion in Russia survived largely thanks to the powerful assistance of the Roman Catholic Church. Besides, there were many more Catholic dioceses and flocks before the Bolshevik Revolution, yet the churches did not clash.

On the other hand, we cannot expect relations to improve rapidly at the level of ordinary people. One can cite numerous examples when local governments, the press and provincial public attack people of other confessions. "The strong rejection of Catholicism by believers exists at the psychological level," says Rev. Chistyakov.

There is one more side to the problem and it does not clash with either of the former two. Polls show that 75% of Russians believe Catholics and Orthodox Christians can coexist peacefully and 60% of the respondents have a positive attitude to the potential visit of John Paul II to Russia.

Regarding the problem from the psychological angle, George Chistyakov believes that Orthodoxy is looking into the past in terms of structure and guidelines. It sees the modern world as an era of degenerating belief, a time when the world is departing from God. Personal will to suffer privations, fast and pray are very important in the Russian Orthodox Church. So, fervent believers who try to apply the principles of Christianity in secular life will resort to Catholic experience simply because there is no such experience in the history of Orthodoxy.

The first groups of young families have appeared in Russia who call themselves the Movement of Cana of Galilee and emulate the Catholic association in France. We now also have the movement Mothers in Prayer, also modelled after a Catholic movement. Monastic life outside the walls of monasteries and nunneries is not widespread in Russia and this is where we can draw on the experience of other confessions, too.

"Contacts between Orthodox believers and Catholics are developing where life is churning, where human beings remain Christian believers in the midst of daily routine," says Rev. Chistyakov. The country has opted for Western guidelines in its secular life and is gradually becoming integrated in international organisations. But religion in Russia is still dominated by anti-Western sentiments. This situation is in serious contradiction with modern realities.

Theologians are coming to believe that the Orthodox Church will have to review its dogmas or else it will lose the public's trust. Sergei Filatov, director of the project the Encyclopaedia of Modern Religious Life in Russia, says the importance of religious rituals will decline under the influence of current processes, but the role of social service to any religion will grow. It should be said that the ritual side of believing is so strong in the Russian Orthodox Church that even non-believers frequently strive to comply with them.

The Russian Orthodox Church joined the Ecumenical Movement in 1961. It energetically supports the peacekeeping actions of the World Council of Churches and maintains a dialogue with its participants also on other issues. "It is believed in Russia that Christians from all churches stand in opposition to the modern a-religious world," says Rev. Chistyakov. When elaborating the European Constitution, Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Protestants joined forces to demand that Christianity be mentioned in it as the spiritual source of the European civilisation. In this age of secular thinking, we should support each other because "we all stand for firm families, against abortion, drugs and mass culture, which makes human beings the slaves of the consumerist civilisation," the priest holds.

"The life of a Christian is not in denying himself or herself meat on fasting days but in carrying on Christian ideals, so that they triumph not only in personal but also in societal life," says Rev. Chistyakov. "When Orthodox Christians come to see this, they will also understand that ecumenism and co-operation of believers of different confessions is the only road for Christians."

So, is the Russian Orthodox Church opening the door? It seems so. But this process will be complicated and slow, owing to internal confessional and national features. And it would be useless to try to speed it up. As the Russian saying goes, "Move slowly but surely." , (�1999-2003 "PRAVDA.Ru" , posted 21 November 2003)

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Dear jbosl,

I don't see how this can be taken as a "door-opening" in any sense - at least right now.

The ROC joined the peace-keeping movement in 1961 as part of the overall peace movement promoted by the USSR at the time.

In fact, the ROC appeared to have been more ecumenical under the USSR than now.

I don't fault the ROC for that. I think the Church in Russia needs to recover itself and its footing in the heart of the Russian people.

It is going through what one may call a "traditionalist/isolationist" phase simply because it feels (quite correctly) that the West doesn't understand Russia.

The West has never really come to Russia in friendship - historically. The proliferation of western missionaries of all kinds coming from the West adds to that dimension of suspicion and distrust.

And even if the RC Church isn't in Russia to proselytize, it is still viewed with suspicion and anger by default - simply because it is a Western institution and everything that is Western is an object of fascination to contemporary Russians who could be drawn to the RC Church on those grounds alone (as have been a number of my relatives in Ukraine and Russia).

I think the fact that the ROCOR has come to the conclusion that it can now seek reunion with its Mother Church speaks volumes in terms of how the two Churches have come to resemble one another closely in terms of their overall conservative Russian spiritual and cultural convictions.

Sinfully yours,

Alex

Alex my friend!

How are you? Included you (along with others) in my prayers as I venerated the relics of St John Maximovitch at the ROCOR Cathedral Sunday before in San Francisco.

As always, your reply above is very honest and fair.

One must remember that under communism the ROC joined organizations like the WCC for many different reasons. Their joining was probably OK'd by the communist governemnt to try and present a propaganda front that there was in fact, freedom of religion in Russia. The Russian church itself joined to have the support of their fellow Christians from the west during the times of persecution and especially after. During that time they were constantly told by these same western Christians that the main purpose of the organzation was to work for Christian unity amongst all Christians. And because they believed this, they were convinced that when the day came where communism was no more, they could count on these same western Christians to help them rebuild what was torn down during the years of persecution. But instead what happened? These same so called Christians that were supposedly working towards a unified Christianity used their weaken state against them to come in droves with money and materials to sheep steal and proseltyze against them.

When I was in Moscow in 1988 we toured the St Danielov Monastery. After the tour we met with the Monks. At that time, the wall of communism was already cracking. One of our people asked the Monks how they were prepared to handle the influx of western Christian missionaries that were just waiting like hungry wolves to come in and proseltyze against them. The monks were unable to comprehend the question. They kept saying - "They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. They will help us." We could not convince them otherwise. Today they are still trying to get over the shock of what happened.

In the early nineties one of my cousins went back. He said there were American Protestant proseltyzers standing on the steps of Orthodox Churches handing out propaganda phamphlets to the people going in and out of the churches. They were even harassing the seminary students on their way to and from classes. The Russians whether believers or not, were disgusted at the way things were going.

By their deeds they shall be known.

OrthoMan

Dear Father in Christ Bob,

Yes, I've gone through a dark night of the soul - but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you very much for remembering me before St John Maximovitch - what a holy Saint of God who is honoured across the board by so many!

Yes, what you say is more than correct and true.

And when we read the websites of the Russian Church, we cannot but help be struck by the strong resurgence of Church life, as if to make up for lost time under communism.

So many saints glorified, and who await glorification, New Martyrs, Venerable Fathers and others!

The fire of new martyrdom that Russia has gone through has truly given shape to new spiritual metal that is stronger than ever before.

Sinfully yours,

Alex

I see an interesting corollary in the west. Things Eastern are held with fascination by many, and it does draw them to the various eastern Christian traditions, including the ROC and ROCA.

It seems that it is part of the human condition, difficult to legislate away.

+T+

Alex, over time we all get to know each other better, we pray for each other and wish them well. Even if we cannot always share perspectives, every voice should be heard and if one feels the need to bend a knee at the name of Jesus, that one belongs here on the forum, thanks for writing in again.

Michael

Dear Michael,

Thank you for your kindness and generosity of spirit - and your understanding of my troublesome personality!

Excellent point!

And with the difference being that while conversions to Western Catholicism is not something the Eastern Churches are happy about, Western Christians may often come to appreciate the Eastern Churches for the very aspects that were once characteristic of Western Christianity and have somehow got lost along the way.

At least I think I understand Irish Byzantines better not as frustrated Tridentinists, but as reaching out to a mysticism hearkening to their Celtic past.

Or so I think right now . . .

Alex

Hey Alex,
Is that you? You're back! Hooray! Usually I am a lurker with occasional forays into the topics. I enjoy your posts (most of the time, and when I don't they usually give me something to think about). I am so glad you are going to participate again. Welcome!
KH

Dear Ken,

If leaving and then coming back gets wonderful new posters like you, perhaps I should work out a routine with the Administrator in this respect?

Thank you!

Alex

In an important way, the Russian Church Abroad has been vindicated. It has become clear that on several important points - including ecumenism - the Russian Church Abroad was articulating the authentic thinking of Russian Orthodoxy, while the Moscow Patriarchate was parroting someone else's . . . er . . . party line. Incognitus
P.S. the next time someone visits the relics of Saint John of San Francisco, please light a candle for me. Saint John will know who I am!

Dear Incognitus,

Even I am changing my views about the ROCOR!

They can keep those Ukrainian Studites that went over to them!

There . . .I've said it and it's off my chest.

Alex

Dear Orthodox Catholic,Ukrainian Studites went over to ROCOR?When did this happen? I heard that the Society of St.Pius X DID pick up some Traditionalist Ukrainian Catholics in Ukraine, also I know that a Byzantine Rite Monastery in Poland(A POLISH Brotherhood, not Ukrainian or Belarusan)went over to the Polish Orthodox Church. In Christ,Fr.Al

I would like to know what THAT is all about. What is it the traditionalist Ukrainians are looking for in SSPX? Monstrances?!?

MichaEL
ICXC
NIKA

Believe it or not, traditionalist SSPX priests in Russia, unlike "modernized" liberal Catholics, are being well received by those Orthodox who oppose the current way Ecumenism is done, and is approaching conservative Orthodox Christians who dislike the Moscow Patriarchate as a result of its collaboration with Communism and his intolarance toward disident elements within the Patriarchate. These Orthodox are being convinced that the enemy is not Catholicism but Protestant sects, and the infiltration of modernism that would also tried to destroy the East as it has destroyed the Western Church. The SSPX in Russia for example, have forgot all about the praestentia ritus latini and support a very ultra-eastern rite in Russia celebrated by MP priests (but just to convert people). In this case the kind of Orthodox who join the SSPX are of the same kind of those who join the ROCOR for example.

In Ukraine the situation is kind of different. I have been reported that Bishops are becoming liberal (pushing toward the new calendar, liturgical modifications, shortened litanies, etc), allowing charismaticism in their parishes, and making the liturgy more similar to the Roman Mass of our times, and not to the Orthodox Liturgy as it was recommended by Vatican II. Although in Ukraine, priests who are part of the Society of St. Josaphat (under the omophor of a French Bishop) are also very Latinized.

I don't know if that happens in Ukraine but not long ago my mother was in Slovakia and she told me that when she visited the Kosice Byzcath Church there were guitars (and even a violin). If that is the case, it's pretty understandable that the ROCOR and the SSPX are getting so many converts from all sides.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I know a ROCOR priest-monk here in the U.S. who is very open to Catholics, and particularily to the traditionalists. He even sent the nun who takes care of him (he is quite elderly) on a retreat with the SSPX. (I should know because I was living in the retreat center at the time.) He was very shocked with the state of the Catholic Church, even the conservative "Mother Angelica" types, and only found a point of solidarity in the Lefebvrist camp. I even saw him reverntly praying his chotki at a decadent, Baroque Latin High Mass. (To be fair, he is a convert, but has been an Orthodox monk for over forty years.) Ecumenism between integrists? I have seen it.

Arturo

Bless, Father Al!

Yes, the Archimandrite of our Studite community here in Orangeville disappeared recently and I've since learned that he, and I understand some others, have gone over to the ROCOR, leaving only two priests there.

It was thanks to Father Deacon Lance who first twigged us to this as everything about it here is very "hush-hush" - it is considered a real scandal.

You might want to contact Deacon Lance about it since he knows all sorts of Church gossip - the mark of a true candidate for the priesthood in our Church, some say . . .

("I never repeat gossip - so listen carefully the first time . . .")

Alex