www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Questions about the Treaty of Brest

^You know what I mean.

The colonists were tied to the English Crown by far more than a "mere" 169 years. For the MOST part they were of UK stock and shared a cultural past with Great Britain going back prior to Magna Carta. Not unlike the shared culture of the three Rus which naturally diverged over the centuries.

Of course no historically based analogy is ever anything more than an analogy. But, those who forget the past are condemned to repeat its mistakes.

Orthodoxy has the mechanism to resolve all of these vexing problems. It is our leaders who lack the courage and wisdom to use them. They are accountable for placing The Faith in the position she finds herself.

We Orthodox need the Great Council.

Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.

The solutions of the past are instructive, but in the end they are of the past. It is 2013.

And don't forget, the one thing most who culturally identify as Ukrainians or Rusyns agree upon, whether Greek Catholic or Orthodox is our distrust of the Russian bear. It's a love hate thing though and complex at best.

It's time to put these old battle lines behind us; time for the Church to lead and not be led. The young, quite justifiably, look on and ask, "Who cares?" I find it beyond criminal.

Not so well under Poland either. One can have more than one opponent (as you have yourself found out here on the Forum - but I'm not one of them sir!).

You make a great friend, but a very dangerous enemy!! (Which can be a good thing.)

Alex

There are those who care and those who don't.

Parish priests with parishioners in both camps find they need to walk a fine line. That too is our Eastern Church reality.

Alex

“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Proverbs 23:10

The principle embraced by the Fathers of every Ecumenical Council.

What battle lines are you speaking of? I only know of the front lines against heresy.

Well, you should see some of the 18th century land deeds in Maine. "Five rods, 2 links from the old apple tree..." The problem is, nature herself has taken care of the old landmarks,and it is up to us modern folk to set new ones based on Gospel Truth, not on the Edict of Nantes. Come on, brother, mountain ranges and national borders have little to do with heresy. That resides in the heart and will, deep within.

And you want "the Great Council"?

The Phanar might think it 451, but, as you pointed out, it is 2013.

I for one can die a happy man, never seeing "the Great Council." Unless new leadership takes over.

Like Protestantism?

Dear Peter,

And also the Papacy and you and I.

You Papist you!

Alex

Including Cardinal Umberto's bull, yes.

[quote=IAlmisry]
And ya'll did so well under Poland. [/quote]

Better than under Russia - Ukrainian identity and language was preserved mostly on the territories which have never been occupied by Russia, except 50 years of bolshevik occupation 1939-1991

Yes indeed. The problem with Russian hegemony is that it completely denies Ukrainians any identity or culture that is independent of Russia.

The Poles simply tried to beat it out of us.

Alex

Did Taras Shevchenko ever set foot in Poland, or even the Austrian Empire?
Who "occupied" Kiev when the Brotherhood of SS. Cyril and Methodius was founded?
In whose empire did Nikolay Kostomarov operate?
Mykhailo Hrushevskyi was born and raised in what is now Poland, but who ruled it in his lifetime? And against whom did he speak during his career in Galicia under the Austrians (or rather, the Poles)?