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RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH LEAVES WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
Protest against the "Westernizing" of Ecumenical Institution

MOSCOW, DEC 31 (ZENIT).- The Russian Orthodox Church has decided to leave the World Council of Churches (WCC), at least for the time being. As the Patriarch of Moscow explained, the measure is due to differences of a theological and moral nature with the Directors of the organization.

The decision was made known after a meeting held by the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, at which the Patriarch of Moscow, Alexis II, presided. The suspension will last until the publication of a document prepared by a mixed commission of members of various Orthodox churches and the World Council of Churches. The document will confront a series of dogmatic questions.

At the General Assembly for the World Council of Churches that was held at the beginning of December in Harare, Zimbabwe, to celebrate the institution's 50th anniversary, Rev. Hilarion Alfeyev of the Russian Orthodox Church, alerted: "If there aren't changes, other Orthodox churches will leave the World Council of Churches. This is not blackmail, but a painful reality that we cannot put up with. We want to continue on, but we also want a transformation in the WCC to make it a home for everyone."

The Russian Orthodox Church, with its 123 dioceses, located principally in territories of the old Soviet Union, is not the first Christian confession to abandon the Council. The Georgian Orthodox Church has already taken a similar measure.

Among the 332 Christian churches that belong to the WCC are the Anglicans, the Lutherans, the Reformed Churches and the Orthodox. The Catholic Church, however, has never been a member.

Rev. Alfeyev mentioned two essential problems making an understanding between the Orthodox and the ecumenical institution difficult: the ordination of women and the use of inclusive language. The positions adopted by the World Council of Churches on these issues contrast greatly with the Orthodox tradition.
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Great news.

Just a little late reading it.

The World Council of Churches had become a liberal organization, full of neo-protestant sects which hijacked the WCC. Now these sects are everywhere (in Eastern Europe).
Nothing succesful came from the WCC dialogues, it is impossible to reach unity with people who believe in an invisible Church, that would be indifferentism.

It speaks well for the Catholic Church that it never joined. I could never appreciate the arguments some Orthodox Churches made for being in the organization, and am happy to see some of them leaving.

Dan Lauffer

The RCC did not join after Vatican II because it knows and appreciates, and the WCC knows and appreciates, that its size and scope would dwarf and swamp the organization. But the RCC maintains an official representative presense in the WCC offices, and still takes a very active part in WCC endeavors by contributing advice and perspective in numerous WCC theological and service initiatives.
The Orthodox were a founding spirit of the ecumencial movement. (See "The Orthodox Church in the Ecumenical Movement: Documents and Statements 1902-1975," ed. Constantin Patelos, WCC, 1978.)True, during the cold war the Moscow Patriarchate used international platforms provided by the WCC to spew forth Soviet propaganda, but the fact that the WCC expresses sincere regret after each Orthodox leave-taking is itself an ecumenical accomplishment.

Slava Isusu Christu!

Didn't the MP leave the WCC a couple times or am I mistaken? I think it would help MP/ROCOR relations/unity if they did. I think it is good that the Orthodox Churches join in the ecumenical movement; it gives Protestants exposure to Orthodox teaching and praxis and is a good way to evangelize the non-Orthodox in these groups. As far as charges of syncretism et al; that's a bunch of hoowey. No Orthodox Church could be charged with unionism or syncretism. The Orthodox presence, as one Greek priest explained to me, at the WCC is to reach these groups in charity and lead them to the true Faith. This Old Caledarist/Non-Canonical "Orthodox" attack of the Canonical Orthodox is just slander-based propaganda.

durak,

You may be correct and if you are I am disappointed. Nevertheless, for whatever reason, the Catholics did not join. For that I am thankful.

Dan Lauffer

The Pope and other high Catholic officials have repeatedly praised the work of the WCC and called its effort "essential". The Catholic Church has joined various national and local counterparts to the WCC. It also serves on various commissions of the WCC and the financial contributions the Catholic Church makes to the WCC and its various organs actual EXCEEDS what its dues would be if it was a member.

If you wish to point out that the Catholic Church is not a member, you are accurate. If you wish to suggest that the Catholic Church has any ill-will towards the WCC, you are mistaken and inaccurate.

The sects in Eastern Europe are almost entirely outside the WCC.

OCA has no plans to leave and an Orthodox Christian leads the US National Council.

Cardinal Francis Arinze, Roman Prefect of the Congregation of Divine Worship, was very close to the WCC if I am not mistaken, and had praised the labour of good will Christians who participate in the WCC.

It is also my understanding that the RC didn't join the WCC not because of any special reason but because its npresence would lessen the "importance" of the other communities that are part of the Council and who are less powerful. If things were different the RC would have joined the WCC for sure.

It's music to my ears! And a fine start to the Lenten season during which we should abstain from all manner of uncleanliness.

Of course the other Orthodox Churches will be following suit over time. This is especially true of the OCA, still beholden to the Church of Russia for its autocephaly.

Perhaps the WCC will changes its positions, but cows don't fly.

In Christ,
Andrew

Dear Reader Andrew,

If so, perhaps the Moscow Patriarchate shouldn't stop with the WCC, but make a public act of penance for "ecclesiacide" with respect to the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1946 as well?

That would truly be a blessed Lent!

Alex

Whatever the reasons and motivations, the point is that the Catholic Church never joined in WCC, as did the Orthodox Churches. Since the reasons for this action (of refusing to enter the WCC) will never be known, I think it's safe to say that this will probably help the Catholic Church's image...at least maybe a little.

Logos Teen

But isn't intent important from a Latin point of view? :p

They should stay in the WCC but finally take the long-standing invitation of the Greek Catholic Ukrainian CHurch to make a gesture of mutual forgiveness for the terrible events of 1946-47 during the Stalinist period. It is long overdo on the part of the MP.

Dear Alex,

I noticed that the (Ecumenical) Patriarch of Constantinople didn't excommunicate the Patriarch of Moscow for this "ecclesiacide," so it must have been canonical.

Technically, from the Eastern Orthodox perspective, what Stalin did was just "church growth." It must have been his seminary training showing through. But not all growth is good.

In Christ,
Andrew.