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OrthodoxEurope.org

Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev: Orthodox Participation in the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches

In the opinion of Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima (Patriarchate of Constantinople), the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil, was an “Orthodox assembly”. Metropolitan Gennadios, one of the leading activists of the ecumenical movement, voiced this opinion at the inter-Orthodox meeting which took place during the course of the assembly.

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Ed. Now this . . .

Thessaloniki, 28 February 2006 (13:55 UTC+2)

Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania was unanimously elected World Council of Churches President in the 9th general
assembly meeting held at the Roman Catholic University of Porto Alegre in Brazil.

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Note how an Orthodox leader presumes to speak for all Orthodox.

Institute on Religion and Democracy Alan Wisdom

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil-Delegates representing U.S. denominations at the Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches issued a letter February 18 begging God’s forgiveness for their nation’s policies relating to war, the environment, and poverty. “From a place seduced by the lure of empire we come to you in penitence,” they said, “eager for grace, grace sufficient to transform spirits grown weary from the violence, degradation, and poverty our nation has sown, grace sufficient to transform spirits grown heavy with guilt, grace sufficient to transform the world.”

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Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2005 Posted: 5:20:31PM EST

Delegates to the 55th National Council of Churches (NCC) General Assembly nominated an Orthodox bishop as president-elect and reconfirmed the need to strengthen ties with Orthodox churches within the Council.

Bishop Vicken Aykazian, a Turkish-born priest who represents the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America in Washington, was nominated on Tuesday – the first day of the Nov. 8-10 General Assembly in Hunt Valley, Md. If confirmed, he will serve for two years as president-elect and be automatically confirmed as president for the next term.

Also on Tuesday, former NCC president Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky of the Orthodox Church in America encouraged members to become “better acquainted with one another to avoid misrepresentation and miscommunication.
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Subject: [OrthodoxNews] Kishkovsky calls upon NCC member communions to avoid misunderstandings by getting to know one another

2005.11.09 NCC:

Kishkovsky calls upon NCC member communions to avoid misunderstandings by getting to know one another

Hunt Valley, Md, Nov. 9, 2005 — The unexpected withdrawal last summer of the Antiochian Orthodox Church from National Council of Churches USA membership is a reminder to the remaining 35 communions that they must become “better acquainted” with one another, a former NCC president said.

The Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky of the Orthodox Church in America, chair of the Council’s Membership and Ecclesial Relations Committee, also cited the World Council of Churches improving relations with its Orthodox members and suggested the NCC study its approaches.
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Jim Brown August 9, 2005

(AgapePress) – A spokesman for a church reform group believes the recent decision by the Antiochian Orthodox Church to leave the National Council of Churches (NCC) may prompt the larger Russian and Greek Orthodox churches to follow suit.

Late last month, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America became the first denomination in several years to quit the NCC. Antiochian Orthodox spokespersons cited concerns over the NCC’s liberal stance on homosexuality and the group’s political outspokenness as among the church’s reasons for leaving.

Mark Tooley is with the Institute on Religion and Democracy, an ecumenical alliance of Christians working to reform their churches’ witness in society. With regard to the Antiochian Orthodox Church’s departure from the NCC, Tooley says the handwriting was on the wall.

“Eastern Orthodox churches are still very traditional theologically and on moral issues,” the IRD spokesman points out. “And, interestingly, although they tend to be fairly wealthy churches, they give no money to the National Council of Churches.”
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Terry Mattingly email newsletter

Summer is the season for church conventions that talk about hot issues.

Last week’s 47th convention of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America passed a resolution that addressed both sexuality and the Iraqi war. But this time the lofty words led to an historic change.

The assembly voted to oppose “divisive and dangerous” positions taken by “left-wing” and “right-wing” groups. To be specific, it rejected “support for same-sex marriage, support for abortion, support for ordination of women to Holy Orders, support for the concept of war that is ‘pre-emptive’ or ‘justifiable’ and the labeling of other faiths and their leaders with hateful terminology.”

The archdiocese — a blend of Arab-Americans and many converts — vowed to avoid groups that “promulgate these extreme positions” and renewed its commitment to seek Orthodox unity in North America.

Then the delegates cheered as Metropolitan Philip Saliba announced his decision to withdraw from the National Council of Churches USA.
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