Appeal to the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church concerning Pan-Orthodox Council

June 6, 2016

    

Following the intiative of commentary and announcements from several theologians, hierarchs, and holy synods, an online petition has recently appeared, addressed to the Patriarch and Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church, concerning the quickly approaching Pan-Orthodox Council.

The authors of the petition point to both the organizational, as well as the theological and canonical issues that have been raised by the Synods of the Bulgarian, Antiochian, Greek, Georgian, and Russian, etc Churches, and call upon their hierarchs to reconsider attending the Pan-Orthodox Council in Crete later this month, or at the least to strive for a postponement of the Council.

The text of the petition reads:

To the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church

In light of the Holy and Great Council, intended for June 16-27, 2016

Christ is Risen!

Although the time which has passed since the publication of the documents proposed for approval by the “Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church,” which is intended to take place in two weeks on Crete, was incredibly short, there has already been numerous debates on a Pan-Orthodox level about them. Thus it was noted that some dogmatic, canonical, and doctrinal aspects, as well as rules of organization and functioning for the council, caused great questions and disputes.

That those who have made such reports are Church personalities (high-ranking clergy, monks, theologians, laity), and, moreover, even the Holy Synods of a few Patriarchates and autocephalous or autonomous Churches (including that on June 1, 2016 the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church decided to abandon the “Holy and Great Council of the Church,” if it will not be postponed in order to revise its organization, and theological documents subject to adoption), gives us substantial reasons to join in their apprehensions, and with filial love to beseech you not to attend this meeting and to fight for its postponement until every issue raised, as relating to the organization and functioning of the Council, and to its documents, will be clarified (we emphasize here that in comparison with the many decades, during which theologians, called to prepare the documents, analyzed and discussed their contents, it is deeply flawed and extremely dangerous to give the fullness of the Church only a few months in which to analyze them and express their objections, and only a few days for the Local Churches to receive and consider these objections and observations of the fullness).

If for some reason you still consider yourselves obligated to travel to Crete, we believe the best, as far as is possible, and most faithful position is to secure a postponement and reorganization of the Council and reformulation of its eventual decisions, including by refusing to sign the proposed documents.

We want the “Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church” to be free of contradictions and blemishes, because only thus can it serve to benefit the Church, our children, and the whole world, and not to become an unnecessary occasion for schisms and apostasies from the holy fathers.

Signs, a portion of the fullness of the earthly Church, which prays that the Holy Spirit would abide with Your Graces and strengthen you in every good and Orthodox deed of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, June 2, 2016
Feast of St. Nicephoros the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople
and St. John the New of Suceava

Translated by Jesse Dominick

6/6/2016

See also
Statement of the Chancellery of the Bulgarian Holy Synod Concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council Statement of the Chancellery of the Bulgarian Holy Synod Concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council Statement of the Chancellery of the Bulgarian Holy Synod Concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council Statement of the Chancellery of the Bulgarian Holy Synod Concerning the Pan-Orthodox Council
The decision of the Holy Synod is categorical: the Bulgarian Orthodox Church will not participate in the Pan-Orthodox Council due to reasons already announced.
ROCOR HOLY SYNOD on Pan-Orthodox Council Texts ROCOR HOLY SYNOD on Pan-Orthodox Council Texts
Communication of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to the Clerics and Faithful—13 April 2016.
ROCOR HOLY SYNOD on Pan-Orthodox Council Texts ROCOR HOLY SYNOD on Pan-Orthodox Council Texts
Communication of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to the Clerics and Faithful—13 April 2016.
The process of addressing the pastoral needs of any given age is one which requires both tremendous prayer and ascetical devotion from all Christians, but also the dedicated, deliberate work to ensure, in any document the Church may put forward, the faithfulness to the Gospel we have inherited. All such texts, now as throughout history, go through many stages of preparation and revision; and the fact that we, together with others, have identified serious problems with some of the documents pending consideration by the forthcoming Council should be a cause for neither fear nor anxiety. The Holy Spirit Who always guides the Church in love, is not far from us today; and the Church is not in our times, nor has she ever been, without the active headship of her True Head, Christ our God, Whom we trust with full faith will guide His Body in all truth.
Georgian Church Responds to Ecumenical Patriarchate Cleric's Accusations Georgian Church Responds to Ecumenical Patriarchate Cleric's Accusations
Metropolitan Andrew of Ghori and Ateni
Georgian Church Responds to Ecumenical Patriarchate Cleric's Accusations Georgian Church Responds to Ecumenical Patriarchate Cleric's Accusations
Metropolitan Andrew of Ghori and Ateni
The texts which are being prepared for the Great and Holy Council must stress clearly and without ambiguity that the Orthodox Church is the unique One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in which there is Apostolic Succession, true Baptism, the Divine Eucharist and the other Holy Mysteries of the Christian Faith.
Comments
Emanuele6/11/2016 4:04 pm
Although the time which has passed since the publication of the documents proposed for approval by the “Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church,” which is intended to take place in two weeks on Crete, was incredibly short, there has already been numerous debates

there HAVE already been numerous plural

Please delete my comment from your site.
E.
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