General Articles
Introductions and Overviews
Ecumenism: by Metropolitan Vitaly; presented
to the Sobor of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. This is
not just another diatribe against ecumenism. Met. Vitaly offers a very
unique and historically-based perspective that is highly worth reading.
"The attempt to align the Orthodox Church with such a movement does not benefit
the Orthodox in any way. With the disdain that the 'Orthodox' Ecumenists
show for Tradition and the very provocative manner in which they trample
on the sacred Canons, they scandalize the Orthodox people and cast many
down into the abyss of unbelief and perdition."
Orthodox Tradition and Modernism (Etna, CA: The Center for Traditionalist
Orthodox Studies, 1992), p. 34.
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Ecumenism as an Ecclesiological Heresy, translated
from the Greek periodical Hagios Kyprianos.
Orthodox Ecumenism As A Divisive Force,
an excerpt from Ecumenism Examined, by Dr. Constantine Cavarnos.
What Are the Goals of Ecumenism?, by
Hieromonk Savva (of Serbia).
Hope - Chapter 99 from Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works, by
Hieromonk Damascene.
A Sorrowful Epistle: (1969), the first of three
by Metropolitan PHILARET of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
(a.k.a. the ROCA). This is especially helpful for tracing the historical
development of the Ecumenical movement. Fr. Alexander Schmemann, in his
1970 reply to this epistle, called it a "perfectly canonical and
traditional stand."
The Price of Ecumenism: How Ecumenism
Has Hurt the Orthodox Church, by Fr. John Reeves, an OCA priest. A clarion
call to Orthodox about the dangers inherent in mid-1990's Ecumenism as
expressed by the WCC and the NCC. Fr. John Reeves writes how it is a shock
to see how the original Protestant Christian emphasis on traditional Trinitarian
theology has devolved into a catch-all of current trends in earth-goddess,
great spirits, non-Trinitarian, undoctrinal, eclectically mixed "liturgical"
communion services that evidently mean something different to each participant.
Behind his gentle and restrained presentation of degrading incidents toward
Orthodox clergy, one senses a heartfelt call that Orthodox clergy should
withdraw completely and at once from these organizations that have given
up all pretense of being Christian. Fr. John also gave a similar
version of this article as a talk at the 2004 conference in Thessaloniki entitled Ecumenism: Origins,
Expectations and Disenchantment.
The Orthodox Church and
the Ecumenical Movement: this article first appeared in the November 1996 edition of "Diocesan
News For Clergy and Laity" (Volume 4, Number 11), printed and distributed
by the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver. As you can see, there are many
in the GOA who take issue with ecumenism and the Balamand Agreement, though
the latter is defended on the official GOA website (see Balamand section).
The 70th Anniversary of the Pan-Orthodox Congress in Constantinople:
A Major Step on the Path Towards Apostasy (Part I), by Bishop Photius
of Triaditsa. Part II. This is a lengthy and
scholarly treatise outlining the historical road of Constantinople's fall
to the heresy of ecumenism.
BEM and Orthodox Spirituality: by [Arch]bishop
Chrysostomos. This is one of the most important articles about ecumenical
issues and orientation that I have ever read. He clearly and patristically
lays the foundation for true ecumenical outreach and argues that
first and foremost this outreach must be grounded in an authentic
Orthodox self-awareness. It is a must-read for anyone interested
in the problem of ecumenism.
Eucharistic Ecumenism: an Orthodox Tradition
Q&A, Vol. XV, No. 1.
A Letter to Thomas Merton, by Eugene [Fr. Seraphim
of Platina] Rose. A critique of Merton's views on Christianity and "social
mission," the Apocalypse, and Antichrist. A profoundly insightful
work that is related to the ecumenistic spirit of our age and the true
practice of Orthodox Christianity.
Two Significant Articles on Orthodoxy and Ecumenism:
contrasting views on the contemporary Ecumenical Movement.
More Articles on Ecumenism and Modernism
On Compromise in the Hierarchy During the Communist Yoke: Excerpts from Two Books by Fr. Roman Braga.
The Epistles of Metropolitan Philaret, a collection
of these classic open letters to various Orthodox hierarchs
Should the Church Be In Step With the Times?, a classic essay by the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky.
The Psychological Anatomy of Ecumenism: a powerful
and insightful article by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Etna.
The Psychology of Ecumenism: an Orthodox Tradition
Q&A.
Ecumenical Delusion: The Vicious Lie of False Love, an
insightful article from Orthodox Tradition, Vol. X, No. 2.
Concerning "Super-Correctness": A Word of Warning to
Christians of the West, by Metropolitan Cyprian.
"Super-Correctness": Chapter 63 from Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works, by Hieromonk Damascene.
Orthodox Unity Today, by Bishop Photios of Triaditza
(trans. from French by Abp. Chrysostomos)
Holy Zeal, by Archbishop Averky of Jordanville.
A classic sermon for our times.
Zeal and Love, by Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos
and Fili.
The Unity of Dogma and Love, trans.
by Hieromonk Patapios.
Orthodoxy and Fundamentalism: The Fundamentalism
of the Orthodox Ecumenists, by Archimandrite Cyprian Agiokyprianites
A "Reality Check" on Cults and Fundamentalism,
by Archbishop Chrysostomos.
The Royal Path: True Orthodoxy in an Age of Apostasy,
by Fr. Seraphim Rose Platina.
"For There Must Be Also Heresies Among You...",
by Archbishop Averky.
A Vesperal Homily of Patriarch Diodoros I: at the Monastery
of Sts. Cyprian and Justina in Fili (Athens), Greece, 1989.
The Sunday of Orthodoxy and the Current State of Affairs,
by Photios Kontoglou.
Does the Orthodox Church Proselytize?: A
Q&A from The Shepherd.
The Tragedy of Our Uniate Brothers, by Hieromonk
[now Bishop] Auxentios
Comments on Current Events
The Church of the Fathers:
Reflections of American Clergy and Others on Orthodox Ecclesiology
Synodal Announcement (1994),
concerning a dubious Encyclical of the Orthodox Church of Crete. An instructive
exposé of ecumenical politics.
Towards the "Eighth" Ecumenical Council: St.
Herman of Alaska Monastery (1976).
Letter from the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Diodoros
I: to the Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatios IV, May 17, 1997. See
also his Firm Declarations presented at a meeting of all the Patriarchs
at the Phanar in 1992.
"A result of [modernism] is the confusion and disturbance which exist among
the Orthodox, the disregard and disdain for Tradition on the part
of many, and the projection of mistaken, dangerous and subversive
views. It is urgent, then, that this topic be studied very attentively.
Only when this happens, and the correct answers are given and
passed on, will it be possible for mutual understanding, unanimity
and peace to come about among the Orthodox, and for the great danger,
which Orthodoxy faces today from all kinds of plotters against her,
to be put off."
—Dr. Constantine Cavarnos, Orthodox Tradition
and Modernism, p. 7.
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Video
Report #1: From Ecumenism to the "New
Age" Vision of a World Religion and the Responsibility of the Orthodox.
Video Report #2: The Role of the Vatican in the Continuing Inter-Religious Movement
and the Great Fall of the Orthodox Ecumenists.
A Short Response to Father
Thomas Hopko's Defense of Ecumenism,
by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Etna.
"Branch Theory" Openly Preached
at Recent Ecumenical Gathering. A report from L'Osservatore Romano,
30 June-1 July, 1998.
Concerning the Pope's Historic Visit
to Romania, a compilation of items. May 10, 1999.
Contemporary Orthodoxy: Some Observations,
by an Anonymous Traditionalist Orthodox Clergyman. June 10, 1999.
Ecumenism and the New Calendar Orthodox Church of Greece. From Orthodox Tradition,
Vol. XVII, Nos. 2 & 3 (2000).
Looking Back on Harare: The Eighth General Assembly of the World Council of
Churches in Harare, Zimbabwe: The Presence of Orthodox Ecumenists a Disappointment. (Fall, 2000)
The
Peace of Assisi and the Peace of Christ: Internal and External
Peace and the Loss of the Organic Unity of Worship, Ethos, and Dogma.
(January, 2002)
Letter to Traditionalist Clergy
Concerning the Recent Gathering in Assisi. (January, 2002)
The Serbian Church and Ecumenism
Uneasiness About Modernism and Ecumenism in the
Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate. Included in this section because of
two main sections in the article: The Origin of the WCC, and The Relation
of the Serbian Orthodox Church to the WCC.
Ecumenism Marches On: The World Council of Churches:
A Visible Expression of the Una Sancta?: The Patristic Position
and the Witness of Archimandrite Justin (Popovich)
On A Summoning of
the Great Council of the Orthodox Church: by
the Blessed Justin (Popovich).
Bishop Artemije's Answer to the Synod: of the Serbian Orthodox Church concerning their letter informing
him of the decision of Patriarch Bartholomew to refuse to grant him permission
for entrance onto Mount Athos.
The Serbian Orthodox Church Vis-á-Vis Ecumenism, by Bishop Artemije. A talk delivered
at the September, 2004 conference "Ecumenism: Origins, Expectations, Disenchantment", sponsored by the School of Pastoral Theology, The Aristotelian University,
Thessaloniki, Greece.
The Official Conclusions of the September, 2004 conference "Ecumenism: Origins, Expectations,
Disenchantment", sponsored by the School of Pastoral Theology, The Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece. Among the concluding proposals of the conference
participants we read:
"That it be made manifest to church leaders everywhere that, in the event that
they continue to participate in, and lend support to, the pan-heresy of
Ecumenism - both inter-christian and inter-religious - the obligatory salvific,
canonical and patristic course for the faithful, clergy and laity, is
excommunication: in other words, ceasing to commemorate bishops, who are
co-responsible for, and co-communicants with, heresy and delusion. This is not a
recourse to schism but rather to a God-pleasing confession, just as the ancient
Fathers, and bishop-confessors in our own day have done, such as the esteemed
and respected former Metropolitan of Florina, Augustinos, and the Fathers of the
Holy Mountain (Athos)."
The Georgian Church and Ecumenism
Georgian Orthodox Church to leave WCC and CEC: from
the GOARCH World News web site.
Open Letter of the Georgian Orthodox Monastics,
to Patriarch Ilia II, upon their breaking communion with him over the
heresy of ecumenism. This God-pleasing act of resistance, sanctioned by
Holy Tradition (esp. Canon XV of the First-Second Synod) led to the Georgian
Church's recent separation from the World Council of Churches.
Commentary from Greece on the Departure of the Georgian
Church from the WCC: a very insightful article that helps put the
events in a proper perspective.
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