Tuesday, January 07, 2014

Constantinople Responds to Moscow on Primacy

The Ecumenical Patriarchate has posted a response to the position paper from the Holy Synod of the Russian Church on primacy. As I noted in an earlier post, the Russian paper seemed to be directed more towards Constantinople than Rome, to whom it was ostensibly addressed.

6 comments:

Lawoski said...

John-

Is it me, or was Constantinople's response lightning fast given the way these things usually work? Perhaps Constantinople was given an advance copy and had a little head start, but even so, it seems like a really quick response.

In any event, you deserve a pat on the back for your insight regarding the intended audiences of the position paper of the Holy Synod of the Russian Church.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Do note the attempt to justify Constantinople's position via an appeal the the Doctrine of the Trinity.

To my (admittedly very rustic!) understanding, this is straightforward Filioquism, of the type Patriarch St. Photius condemned over a thousand years ago.

This is no longer just a political dispute. This is explicit heresy. All the other patriarchates need to synodically condemn this document.

Anathema to Elpidolphoros the heretic!

John (Ad Orientem) said...

Michael,
Conceding that there is a great deal in this which I find problematic, I cannot find any suggestion of Filioqueism. Perhaps however you have some insight or hold a position of authority within the Church. Are you a bishop? The abbot of a great monastery? Perhaps a professor at a theological seminary?

Absent one of those, and even among such persons, I think one should take a very deep breath or three, before calling the Ecumenical Patriarch a heretic and calling down anathema on him. I give thanks that I have been spared the dreadful responsibility for judging others.

But then again, I have enough sins of my own to worry about.

Anonymous said...

OK, that was over the top. I apologize.

How do i remove a comment?

John (Ad Orientem) said...

I think there is a little icon on the comment page that you can click on. But don't worry about it. If I had a nickel for every time I had suffered an attack of keyboard in mouth disease I could retire in luxury. It happens to us all.