www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Will the first-ever Orthodox council occur this year?

According to the Office of the Ecumenical Patriarch: The Holy and Great Council.

An update from Phil Lawler on an update from the MP:

Earlier this week I wrote about the prospects for a pan-Orthodox council: an unprecedented meeting of all the world’s Orthodox churches. Whether the ambitious plan for such a meeting is successful could be decided by a preparatory session next week, and it’s noteworthy that Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill himself will be attending that session. Perhaps even more noteworthy (for those who are following closely), the delegation from Moscow will include Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev, who has expressed serious misgivings about the pan-Orthodox council. The participation of the Russian Orthodox Church—by far the largest of the world’s Orthodox bodies—is critical to the success of any worldwide Orthodox council. Next week’s meeting could be a make-or-break session. - See more at: http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?id=1220#sthash.S3KOx3QL.dpuf

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH KIRILL TO TAKE PART IN SYNAXIS OF PRIMATES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN CHAMBÉSY

Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
20.01.2016
https://mospat.ru/en/2016/01/20/news126983/

In compliance with a pan-Orthodox decision, the Synaxis of the Primates and representatives of all Local Orthodox Churches will begin its work at the Orthodox Centre of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Chambésy, Switzerland, on 22 January 2016. The participants in the week-long meeting will discuss the preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council.

The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church will include His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; and archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR vice-chairman.

The Russian Orthodox Church has always taken and continues to take an active part in the Pre-Council process, notwithstanding a number of difficulties pertaining to the preparation of the Pan-Orthodox Council. Since the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church needs to participate personally in the Synaxis over the whole period of its work, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will not be able to lead the opening ceremony of the Christmas Readings on January 25.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill is expected to take part in the Christmas parliamentary meetings, due to be held at the Council of the Federation on January 29.

On January 25, the opening day of the Christmas Readings, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna will officiate at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow upon the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church conveys his blessing to all the participants in the Christmas Readings, a public forum of Church-wide importance.

The following link from another thread expresses that other view.

That's a historically untenable position- if we were to take it seriously, we would have to rule out any councils as ecumenical that did not include both sides of a schism. In that case the last ecumenical council was Ephesus (or perhaps even Constantinople I). I am not aware of any respected Orthodox theologian who would consider the presence of Rome today to be essential for an ecumenical council.

In any case the main argument from the Catholic side seems to be, "Look, those Orthodox can't make any united dogmatic decisions apart from Rome." Whether one considers the Palamite synods to be ecumenical or something else, they and subsequent councils at Jassy, Jerusalem, etc. disprove that argument.

Finally, I don't think the terminology of "ecumenical councils" is very important. A council doesn't need this label to be authoritative or catholic. The fact is that "ecumenical" is tied to the ecumene, ie the Roman Empire which no longer exists. Unfortunately too much of our ecclesial politics is hung up on the residue of dead empires.

These are well-argued points; not unexpectedly there are other, differing opinions, some being very prevalent though not necessarily correct. May the true explanation prevail.

The "true" explanation would depend on whether you are Catholic or Orthodox.

Both consider theirs to be the true explanation.

Alex

Both explanations were Orthodox.

Another Orthodox view, differently nuanced, by John Chryssavgis, Archdeacon and theological adviser to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. ON THE GREAT COUNCIL OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH [risu.org.ua]

My point is that one's Ecclesial loyalty will colour one's view of. . . everything.

There is a lot that both sides hold in common, as we know. That doesn't prevent them from being separated and having different views on what that separation means.

Alex

As we know, even Local Councils in the Orthodox Church can affirm canons and teachings that become "universal" within Orthodoxy. The so-called "Ninth Ecumenical Council" on hesychasm and St Gregory Palamas is a case in point. Some Churches accept it as an Ecumenical Council, others, probably the majority, do not. That doesn't prevent all of Orthodoxy from universally adopting its teachings and canons.

Alex

If I understand you Alex, here you have created the sides, as Catholic and Orthodox, that in fact do not exist in the stated context. Both viewpoints are from Orthodox not Catholic proponents.

Father Deacon,

Actually, you don't understand me and it was not my intention to do what you said you thought I did.

Alex

"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

Robert McCloskey, State Department spokesman (attributed)

Dear Rev. Fr. Deacon,

You are a man of obvious great intellectual, cultural and spiritual depth!

That is a brilliant statement!

Forgive me a sinner at the beginning of the Gregorian Lent!

Love you!

Alex

I haven't heard or read anything about the Orthodox Church in America being invited to the preparations or to this Great Council. Does anyone know anything about this? And, if not, what does that say about her place in the Orthodox world? The OCA is considered canonical, so why is she not represented?

Bob