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From Catholic News Agency...


Orthodox and Catholic Churches are allies, Bishop Hilarion says

Bishop Hilarion AlfeyevSofia, Bulgaria, Apr 24, 2008 / 02:02 am (CNA).- Bishop Hilarion, the Russian Orthodox Bishop of Vienna and Austria, has said in an interview that the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are allies who could form a strategic alliance to defend Christian values, Interfax reports. He also criticized many Protestants for having a �light version� of Christianity.

Speaking to the Bulgarian magazine Christianity and Culture, Bishop Hilarion said, �We must realize that Orthodox and Catholic believers are no longer rivals. We are allies. The rivalry must be gone once and for all. If we understand that, proselytism will stop.�

The bishop said that �romantic ecumenism,� which he said characterizes the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches, is not viable. He said that many Protestants have created a �light version of Christianity, without apostolic succession, without sacraments, without strict dogmatic teaching and what is also important they don't require sticking to Christian moral norms.�

He said this version of Christianity, when it revises Christian theological or moral teachings to become more �modern� or �politically correct,� becomes �a direct way to spiritual death.� He said this version of Christianity had stopped recognizing centuries-old sins, and now even promotes them.

Bishop Hilarion�s statement comes just days after Pope Benedict addressed an ecumenical gathering in New York where he also denounced versions of Christianity that contradict apostolic teachings. At the gathering of about 300 people, the Pope said that Christian churches which change their beliefs by so-called �prophetic actions,� often use a method of interpretation that is inconsistent with Scripture and Tradition.

The Holy Father added that this causes those interested in Christianity to become �understandably confused about the Gospel message itself� because they see Christians splintering and disagreeing about the beliefs of the faith.

The �message that the world is waiting to hear from us,� the Pope said, is �a clear, convincing testimony to the salvation wrought for us in Christ Jesus�� �based upon the notion of normative apostolic teaching: a teaching which indeed underlies the inspired word of God and sustains the sacramental life of Christians today.�
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12388

According to Interfax, Bishop Hilarion said a joint Orthodox-Catholic �front� is necessary to oppose both the challenges of secularism and dialogue with other world religions. Bilateral, strategic partnerships between the two Churches, he thought, would be the best way to achieve this.

�I don't mean union, administrative merger or compromise in theological teaching, I mean strategical partnership," said Bishop Hilarion, who is also the Russian Orthodox Church Representative to European International Organizations.


Makes sense...

pax
james

Amen to that. Finally, some sense!

I agree & Thank God!

Rachael

which type of secularism is he meaning?

Rachael

The key statement and thought...



The bishop said that �romantic ecumenism,� which he said characterizes the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches, is not viable. He said that many Protestants have created a �light version of Christianity, without apostolic succession, without sacraments, without strict dogmatic teaching and what is also important they don't require sticking to Christian moral norms.�

He said this version of Christianity, when it revises Christian theological or moral teachings to become more �modern� or �politically correct,� becomes �a direct way to spiritual death.� He said this version of Christianity had stopped recognizing centuries-old sins, and now even promotes them.

Excellent...

james

It will be interesting to see how the EP responds to this.

First of all, Christ is Risen!
In my opinion, who cares how the EP responds. Bp. Hilarion (who I was fortunate enough to meet while in seminary, and before he was a bishop) is taking a leadership role in Europe with authority, intelligence, and wisdom.

If the EP is so concerned about Europe, or the rest of the universe he claims jurisdiction over, frankly, he should start doing something about it, rather than simply reacting.

I think it hardly needs saying that Pope Benedict is also very much in favor of this kind of cooperation between Catholics and Orthodox (and Protestants, for that matter) in bringing our culture back from the abyss.

I think that Bishop Hilarion is correct in his point about this kind of cooperation's effect on "proselytism", though I am not convinced that there is a lot of proselytism going on right now anyway. Just the other day I saw an article saying that 25% of Russians, for example, profess to have no religion.

Indeed, the last thing we need is mere reacting. I've always believed that Christians being Christians have a need to be positive in whatever predicament that we have. God is our light and salvation, there is no one or nothing that we should fear. With that, let's do something instead of just making noise from the armchair.

My point is that both Moscow and the EP seem to be locked into a power struggle over dominance in Europe, e.g. Estonia, EU representatives, etc... none of which is particularly edifying. The EP seems to have a "leg up" on Moscow with Rome, e.g. official visits on Feasts of Sts. Peter & Paul and St. Andrew. Moscow has concenived of this other form/way of cooperation with Rome. In my opinion this is very clever and probably a more effective form of ecumenism than the usual visits/photo-ops that the EP engages in with Rome. However, again, part of the backdrop of this, it seems to me is the realpolitik engaged in by both Moscow and the EP. So, I am interested in how the EP responds.

I think he means by "secularism" the attitude that many people govern their lives not on basic Christian values, but on whatever society determines to be the values people should live by at the moment. In other words, they substitute their own laws and rules for conduct as opposed to those given by God.

Yes, and that faith is a "part" of one's life, part of having even a well rounded life, but is not the primary or ultimate orientation of one's life.

Dear Friends,

Nothing new here as historically Christians have come together for a period of time to stave off external, non-Christian enemies. Once those threats subside, it's back to the divisive status quo.

As for proselytism, the most meaningful "hand of friendship" Rome can extend to the ROC is to assist it with the ROC's own mission outreach in Russian society.

When Rome can do that, Rome will have truly crossed the ecumenical Tiber and the term "Sister Church" will mean more than a pious platitude.

And the ROC will have to, one day, come to terms with those Churches who are opting to leave its fold without hurling excommunications at them.

The recent display of the UOC-MP's "Little Russian" mentality with respect to the ROC has, as some have commented, shocked the Ukrainians within its fold. The accusations of "nationalism" against the other Churches by the ROC have become tired in the light of the Great Russian chauvinism that characterizes the MP.

Alex