wfn.org | "Impolite" Love Story Continues Between Orthodox and Evangelicals

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16-December-1998 
98418 
 
    "Impolite" Love Story Continues 
    Between Orthodox and Evangelicals 
 
    by Martha M. Cruz, WCC Newsroom 
    and Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
HARARE, Zimbabwe-The dialogue among Orthodox and evangelical Christians, 
described by an Orthodox spokesperson as a "funny alliance" and an 
"impolite conversation," continued at the Eighth Assembly of the World 
Council of Churches (WCC) here. 
 
    Orthodox and evangelical participants in the Assembly met several times 
during the Dec. 3-14 Assembly and evangelical participants, including a 
six-member "team" of U.S. evangelicals that included "Presbyterian Layman" 
editor the Rev. Parker Williamson and his wife Patricia, frequently voiced 
support for Orthodox positions on such issues as homosexuality, biblical 
authority and reform of the WCC. 
 
    Diane Knippers, an Episcopalian who heads the Washington-based 
Institute on Religion and Democracy, asserted that the vast majority of the 
members of the U.S. Protestant churches in fact hold to a biblical 
Christian faith that is closer to Orthodox and `two-thirds world' 
evangelicals than our liberal denominational delegations here in Harare. 
 
    The Rev. George Tsetsis of the (Orthodox) Ecumenical Patriarchate of 
Constantinople and one of the leading Orthodox figures in the WCC, admitted 
that while there are many areas of difference between the two groups, "we 
manage to find our way together on a few things." 
 
    A ground rule for the initial conversations, said Tsetsis, was the 
understanding that "we shall not be polite.  Politeness hides realities and 
does not solve anything."  He admitted that proselytism was a "very painful 
issue" for dialogue, "in part because of the aggressive presence of 
uncontrolled (evangelical) groups" in Eastern Europe. 
 
    "The gospel is already powerfully present in the Orthodox liturgy," 
said Tsetsis.  "It is nonsensical for these groups to say that they will go 
and proclaim Christ to godless Russia or godless Georgia." 
 
    According to Tsetsis, the "love story between Orthodox and 
evangelicals" had its beginnings in the late 1980s, but it was at the WCC's 
1991 Assembly in Canberra, Australia, that a small group of evangelical and 
Orthodox leaders met informally out of concern for "the controversial way" 
the assembly theme, "Come Holy Spirit, Renew the Whole Creation," was 
presented by Korean theologian Chung Hyun Kyung. 
 
    Formal conversations among key leaders have since been held in 
Alexandria, Egypt, in 1995 and Hamburg, Germany, in 1998. 
 
    Kosta Milkov, an evangelical from Macedonia, affirmed the "real need 
for representatives of evangelical Christians from countries where the 
Orthodox Church is predominant" as the dialogue between the two groups 
continues. 
 
    "We acknowledge that there are no easy solutions to solve all the 
problems ... the dialogue is an ongoing, slow and painful process in which 
both sides have to commit themselves to the ultimate cause of Christian 
unity." 
 
    A letter from evangelicals handed to Assembly participants as they left 
the University of Zimbabwe's Great Hall -- the main venue of the Assembly - 
following adjournment both praised and criticized the WCC. 
 
    The letter praised Assembly actions calling for debt relief for poor 
nations, for a decade-long program to overcome all forms of violence, for 
efforts to combat negative impacts of globalization, for its human rights 
stands and statements opposing religious persecution and for efforts 
undertaken by this and previous Assemblies to initiate and extend dialogue 
between the WCC, the Orthodox churches and evangelicals. 
 
    The letter criticized the WCC and the Eighth Assembly for "theological 
input into the African plenary" which "did not represent the theology and 
vision of many African churches," for not basing its statements on such 
issues as HIV/AIDS "on a Christian sexual ethic and understanding of 
family," for "largely absent" theological reflection at the Assembly, and 
for an overall lack of emphasis on "mission, evangelism and the church." 
 
    The letter was signed by Assembly participants from Rwanda, Uganda, 
Macedonia, Australia, Romania, Philippines, England, India, Germany and the 
U.S.  Knippers signed the letter.  Parker Williamson did not. 

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