wfn.org | Russian Orthodox bishops clarify role in ecumenical movement and with state

[ENS@ecunet.org]

2001-17

Russian Orthodox bishops clarify role in ecumenical movement and with state

by James Solheim
jsolheim@dfms.org

     (ENS) Despite some strong reservations about the direction of the ecumenical 
movement, the Russian Orthodox Church has officially committed itself to the 
continuing quest for church unity--and warned that it was prepared to serve as 
critic of the state.

     The Very Rev. Hilarion Alfeyev, secretary for inter-Christian affairs for 
the Russian Orthodox Church, has clarified his church's role in the ecumenical 
movement, based on a document adopted by its bishops recently.

     "The Basic Principles of the Attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to 
Other Christian Confessions," now available in English, emerged from the Jubilee 
Council of Bishops, a council that Father Hilarion thinks was "the most 
productive council of the Russian Orthodox Church since the famous local council 
of 1917-18."

     The document also makes it clear that "the quest for unity is something very 
essential to our Christian being and that it would be a sin to underestimate the 
necessity to work for Christian unity."

Controversial involvement

     Ecumenical relations have been controversial in the Russian church, 
especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union. "Many people within the church 
questioned the necessity of such activities--of bilateral dialogues, of the 
Russian Orthodox presence in the World Council of Churches (WCC) and other 
ecumenical organizations," he said in an interview with Karin Achtelstetter, 
media relations officer of the WCC.

     Hilarion said that there are those who are "sincerely preoccupied with the 
present state of affairs in the ecumenical movement," convinced that the 
involvement of the ROC and its ability to influence the agenda of the ecumenical 
movement are "quite insufficient." He said that it is "very important for the 
church to adopt a balanced, official position on why it is necessary to continue 
to participate in inter-Christian dialogue."

     The Basic Principles document, according to Hilarion, makes it clear that 
"the fact that we participate in discussions and dialogues with other Christian 
churches and communities does not undermine the importance of the intrinsic 
conviction of Orthodox Christians" that their church "identifies itself with the 
true church of Christ, established by Christ himself." 

Speaking and listening

     The Russian Orthodox make distinctions among the different denominations, 
based on a conviction that "some Christian confessions, in our view, are closer 
to the truth than other Christian confessions," Hilarion said in the interview. 
The distinctions are based on how close other traditions are to "the true 
tradition of one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church," he said, noting that "we 
would claim that some other Christian confessions have departed in one way or 
another from this tradition."

     The Russian Orthodox Church enters dialogue with other churches on an equal 
footing, Hilarion said, based on "the fact that both partners in the dialogue 
consider themselves as bearers of truth." The document also said that, in a 
dialogue, the churches are "involved not only in order to speak and to see 
whether what we say is acceptable, but also in order to listen."

     When asked if the Russian Orthodox Church has doubts about its membership in 
the WCC, Hilarion said that some believe that the WCC does not adequately 
represent them, even calling for withdrawal. "All the Orthodox sense that there 
is a great need not simply for improvement and adjustments of existing 
structures, but for introduction of a new structure and a new ethos," he said, 
creating "an ample space for the Orthodox."

     A special commission was created at the WCC Assembly in Zimbabwe in 1998 to 
address Orthodox concerns. It will report to the Central Committee at its meeting 
in Germany at the end of January and expects to present a final report to the 
Central Committee in September 2002.

      "I think that the decision of our church on whether to remain, withdraw 
completely, or seek observer or any other status will depend on the final results 
of the work of the Special Commission," Hilarion predicted.

Church as critic of state

     The bishops also adopted a document called "The Bases of the Social 
Conception," dealing with issues related to the life of a Christian in 
contemporary society. "It touches upon the issue of the church and state, for 
example, and constitutes a major breakthrough in the relations between them 
because it proclaims the complete independence of the church," Hilarion said.

     The document also claims that the church has "the moral authority and right 
to influence decisions taken by the state," he added. "It further specifies that 
in cases where the state or government undertakes some action, or calls to some 
activities that go against Christian morality and spirit, the church may call its 
faithful to protest and even to civil obedience. I think it is the first time in 
the history of the Russian Orthodox Church that such a radical statement is 
made," he said.

--James Solheim is director of the Office of News and Information for the 
Episcopal Church.