www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West What More is Required for Unity?

In response to Alex's reference about the Poles, I think it's important to check out this link, from the official website of the Ukranian Greek Catholic Church:

http://www.ugcc.org.ua/eng/press-releases/article;3508/

Now, if this has been posted before, I'm sorry, but I think it's important. Poles, Belorussians, Ukranians, and Russians - for that matter, all the Slavs - have been at each others' throats for far too long. At least now there is a level of understanding and forgiveness between Poland and Ukraine that did not exist in any history that I have read.

There will, one day, be a unity of faith betwen East and West. Will any of us live to see it? I kinda doubt it, but with prayer and forgiveness, it will happen when God wills it. The Ukranian Greek Catholic Church is in a unique position to make this happen.

Is it not true that Ukraine first received the Holy Faith first among all the Slavic peoples? A Faith, from the tradition of Constaninople, but in union with Rome?

Yesterday in the Latin Church was the Feast of the Visitation, Mary visiting her kinswoman Elizabeth.
It is important to remember that with God, all things are possible.

Thank You Michael_Thoma for the excellent link!

Perhaps www.byzcath.org should have a matrimonial section such as http://malankara.net/

Imagine the headlines Seeking Future Matushka.....

It'll happen someday, if we wish to withstand Islam. If anything we might be brought together so that way we're not crushed by it.

When God wills it? He does will it! It is us who remain unfaithful to His will.
Stephanos I

Gee wiz - someone on this site is finaly getting it. But in addition to Islam, you may also want to add fundamentalists, atheists, Post
Soviet 'biz-nissmen', and others.

I.F.

Let's not forget...the Lord worked through Pharaoh as well as our own personal crosses that we bear.

Perhaps Islam was allowed to form so that we Christians would finally be able to recognize Christ in each other, as well as our enemies.

I agree that there is much that unites us orthodox with roman - catholics. But, in my opinion, there is much more that unites us with oriental orthodox.
There are not so much differences between us and ronam - catholics, but they are crucial. Only, if we manage to return to the faith of first Seven Councils, the unity can be accomplished.

Bulgaria was actually the first Slavic country to accept Christianity.

I think we are all in prayer that we can become one - it will be difficuly and rocky but we must put our trust in God.

Anton

I think Vladimir Lossky was right in his introduction to "The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church" that 'the union of the Churches is not made but we discover it.'

I think the union of the Churches is Jesus Christ. So, I think our Churches will only be united when we recognize Jesus Christ: directly and in the neighbor.

Yes, doctrine is important. But, Jesus Christ is a Person, not a doctrine. So, unless we can meaningfully recognize Christ in the neighbor, there will no union in Christ.

For example, inter-communion. Some of the Protestants allow it. The Episcopalians / Anglicans invite any baptized Christian to receive communion at their services. But, how much unity do they have with other denominations of Christianity? How much unity do they have within themselves ? And how closely are they following Christ and His commandments ? The answer is "not much" on all three points. Inter-communion isn't the answer.

The answer to unity is not in doctrine or dogma but in selfless love: for Christ and for the neighbor. Reunion of the Churches won't come from inter-communion unless we are already communing with Christ: directly and in the neighbor.

It's not a question of forms of worship, doctrinal formulae, or who we share the Eucharist with. Those things are important, but they are only tools for doing the "work" of real Christian unity. Church unity is a question of how much we allow Christ into our hearts and our lives.

In Heaven, there won't be any denominations or doctrinal formulae. In Heaven, there will be only Jesus Christ and those who have responded to Him with selfless love.

If we want to work at Church unity, we should practice theosis.

my two cents.

-- John

I had always been positive about unity of the Churches. I, right now, can't see it happen. Let's face it, it will never happen. None of the two sides will ever admit they were wrong at anything. Those few brave enough to do so, will be condemned by their sides as heretics.

Each Church will exist on its own for the rest of time.

All things are possible with God. We need to cooperate with God and pray. Good and surprising news is coming out of Moscow, of all places, every single day! If that doesn't show us God's hand in softening the hearts of man, and if that doesn't show us the Holy Spirit's Divine enlightenment upon the minds of man, then I don't know what else does!

We can cooperate with God in making this happen by saying a little prayer for unity every time we pray the Nicene Creed when it says 'in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church'...it is at that line that I pray 'Blessed Theotokos reach out your arms from West to East and make it so'.

In Christ,
Alice, Moderator

I think you will find that is not correct Amadando. There have been acknowlegments that they did not treat each other as they should have.

I think there is a real opportunity for reunion of the Catholics and the Orthodox in the relatively near future. It might not happen in my lifetime, but it might happen by the time my nephews (age 18 now) see their grandchildren born. There has been more progress toward mutual repentance and real reunion in the last 40 years than in the last 1000 years.

The key, in my opinion, will be repentance and holiness --theosis-- in the lives of the members of the Church. Without that, any agreement won't be worth the paper it's printed on. But with the practice of theosis, the repentance between the Churches will simply be the outgrowth of the repentance of our own lives. If we want reunion with other Christians, we need to be reunited to Christ: directly and in the neighbor.

my two cents.

-- John