Patriarch of Constantinople’s new encyclical defends Catholic-Orthodox dialogue

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Patriarch Bartholomew I

Istanbul, Turkey, Feb 20, 2010 / 06:14 pm (CNA).- Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are “unacceptably fanatical” in challenging such dialogue. He specifically condemned the false rumors spread about Catholic-Orthodox dialogue.

Patriarch Bartholomew’s patriarchal and synodal encyclical was dated Feb. 21, Orthodoxy Sunday, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the defeat of the iconoclastic heresy.

His letter began by noting the failure of those who tried to suppress, silence or falsify the Orthodox Church. He said that the Ecumenical Patriarchate cares about “protecting and establishing” the unity of the Orthodox Church in order that the Orthodox Christian faith may be confessed “with one voice and in one heart.”

Orthodoxy, he said, must be promoted with humility and interpreted in light of each historical period and cultural circumstance.

“To this purpose, Orthodoxy must be in constant dialogue with the world. The Orthodox Church does not fear dialogue because truth is not afraid of dialogue,” Bartholomew continued, saying that a Church enclosed within itself would no longer be “catholic.”

Dialogue with the outside world must first pass through all those who call themselves Christian, he wrote.

“We must first converse as Christians among ourselves in order to resolve our differences, in order that our witness to the outside world may be credible,” the Patriarch continued, citing Jesus’ prayer that all his disciples “may be one.”

From this source, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has conducted official Pan-Orthodox theological dialogues with the larger Christian Churches to discuss divisions in faith.

He noted that although these dialogues are conducted “with the mutual agreement and participation of all local Orthodox Churches,” they are challenged in “an unacceptably fanatical way” by some who claim to be defenders of Orthodoxy.

Such opponents raise themselves above episcopal synods and risk creating schisms, the Patriarch warned.

He also accused some critics of distorting reality to “deceive and arouse the faithful” and of depicting theological dialogue not as a pan-Orthodox effort, but an effort of the Ecumenical Patriarchate alone.

“They disseminate false rumors that union between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches is imminent, while they know well that the differences discussed in these theological dialogues remain numerous and require lengthy debate; moreover, union is not decided by theological commissions but by Church Synods,” Bartholomew wrote. “They assert that the Pope will supposedly subjugate the Orthodox, because the latter submit to dialogue with the Roman Catholics!”

According to the Patriarch, such critics also engage in condescension towards efforts aimed at achieving Christian unity and wrongly condemn them as representing “the pan-heresy of ecumenism.”

“Beloved children in the Lord, Orthodoxy has no need of either fanaticism or bigotry to protect itself. Whoever believes that Orthodoxy has the truth does not fear dialogue, because truth has never been endangered by dialogue,” the Patriarch stated. “Orthodoxy cannot proceed with intolerance and extremism.”

Patriarch Bartholomew encouraged Orthodox believers to have “utmost confidence” in their Mother Church.

He closed his encyclical letter with a prayer of Lenten blessing, asking that readers become worthy of celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with all faithful Orthodox Christians.

Comments: 7

Subscriber comments:

Published by: djenner
New York 06/05/2010 02:31 PM EST

I rather like this bishop. Learnéd and apparently imprudent in interesting ways — a very special sort of prudence, perhaps. That makes him a troublesome priest, and one can well believe the Turks would like to find a couple of knights just back from Jerusalem.... His openness gives him a shot at convincing the Turkish Islamist elements that survival — participation in a Euro-dominated bloc entails letting the Christians have at least the freedoms granted under the Rashidun caliphs. But he >does< remain a troublesome priest....

Published by: John
Mendham, N.J. =-USA 04/09/2010 07:52 PM EST

How does the Patriarch feel about Our Blessed Mother's appearance at Fatima, Portugal, on May 13, 1917, and on every following month through October 13th, and her request that the pope and the bishops throughout the world should pray for the conversion of Russia? Did he forget about that?

Published by: Fr. George D. Gage
Youngstown, Ohio 02/22/2010 09:28 PM EST

We are called to do everything we can to bring unity to the Universal Church. The Pascha issue should be resolved ASAP, because it is a confusing scandal. The Catholic and the Orthodox must restored the lost unity at all cost. The pride has to be eliminated from both sides. It is a great news to hear His Holiness Ecumencial Patriarch Bartolomew bringing up the necesity of unity for the Church of Christ.

Published by: pete salveinini
sunnyvale CA USA 02/22/2010 02:22 PM EST

The Dialogue about Truth is a Dialogue in Charity and for Charity. It of itself will NOT attain reunion of the Apostolic Churches. BUT IT DOES REMOVE IGNORANCE, BIAS, PREJUDICE AND OTHER OBSTACLES TO REUNION. ONLY A SPECIAL GRACE FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN ACTUALLY ATTAIN THE REUNION OF ALL APOSTOLIC CHURCHES. The non-apostolic Christians will then see the light. It does not appear that this Grace from God will occur except through persecution against Christians. IF ALL APOSTOLIC CHRISTIANS ESPECIALLY BUT NOT ONLY THEM ENTRUST THIS CAUSE TO THE MOTHER OF GOD INSISTENTLY AND PERSEVERINGLY, SHE WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN FROM HER SON THIS GRACE. The desire to remain separate stems from lack of humility. We of this generation did not start all these schisms; but we are the inheritors of previous Christians' sins. We must not treat each other as if we are the actual perpetrators of the divisions of the past, but as believers who love the Lord, unless otherwise given evidence to the contrary. Patriarch Bartholomew's humility is exemplary, as is Benedict's. AD Multos Annos to the both of them and the Protection of the Blessed Mother!

Published by: F P Ubertelli
Toronto 02/21/2010 05:09 PM EST

And may Almighty God, Christ-the-Son, soon unite His Church for Whom He died, using the skills, paternal intelligence and humility of His Beatitude Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. Amen.

Published by: Bob
Queens, NY 02/21/2010 12:08 PM EST

Let us pray, through the intercession of St. Andrew and St. Peter, that the unity of the Church might be restored, that a renewed spirit of fraternal charity might dissolve the estrangement and soothe the bitter memories of the centuries, and that our minds might be opened to a deeper understanding and clearer expression of the sacred realities of the holy Faith that we profess. May the Spirit of God find a welcome in our souls and guide us to the fulfillment in our lifetime of the priestly prayer of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ for the unity of His followers.

Published by: joseph_hostetler
San Francisco, CA USA 02/21/2010 10:47 AM EST

As an Orthodox Christian, it pains me to see this current Patriarch avoid the heart of the matter, the essence of the criticism leveled against him, and instead make his critics out to be against "all dialogue" and "fanatics". This is just plain hypocritical, for while he traverses land and see to speak with everyone from a Buddhist to an Anglican, his own flock he ignores and refuses to open an essential dialogue. For, the heart of the matter, for those who are ignorant, is not IF the Orthodox should converse with the world, but HOW. The Patriarch's critics cite his numerous innovations in dogmatic expression and departures in Patristic methodology. He tramples upons the Holy Canons, he contradicts the Holy Fathers, he even gives as a gift the "holy" Koran! THESE are the real issues, which, however, he never addresses. It is a shame, for this man, cemented in these unacceptable ways, will never lead the Orthodox into a true and lasting cooperation with Roman Catholics or anyone else, but only into an inter-Church schism.

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