Comments on: Archbishop Hilarion makes appeal for Christian unity

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:58:12 +0000

Michael, as always, the voice of theological reason. And optimism. Thanks.

By: Michael Bauman

Michael Bauman — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:05:20 +0000

George, perhaps some of us destroy ourselves but the eschaton will still occur and those who worship Christ will still be saved. That is the future of humanity. To preach otherwise is an abandonment of the hope of Christ as is confusing hell with modern environmental policy.

To speak of ‘the environment’ is anthropologically and Christological incorrect anyway. It is at once arrogating humanity to the measure of all things, denigrating our true role as microcosom by the Grace of the Holy Spirit and denying the Incarnation.

By: George Michalopulos

George Michalopulos — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:40:30 +0000

Michael, just a small quibble: although God promised to never destroy man again, there is an implication that man could destroy himself.

By: Michael Bauman

Michael Bauman — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:14:34 +0000

One major red flag here:

only together can we affirm our concept of social justice, of a more equal distribution of goods

Another piece that seems hyberbolic and against the promise of God in Holy Scripture:

The future of humanity depends on our response, as Christians, to this challenge, and maybe even whether life continues on our planet.

Life is a gift from God and as long as He chooses for life to continue, it will. He promised after the flood that He would not act in such manner again.

Again, it seems the reason for unity lies not in projecting the ‘Christian vision’ on the world. The escatological nature of the Christian life and the Cross are not really spoken of. The Holy Martyrs are of the past.

Finally, Robert, it seems to me that Bp. Hillarion is nostalgic for the past glories of Christendom–which was never as unified as he implies nor as glorious.

Even if genuine unity were achieved by the Pope changing all of the wrong theology, schismatic ideas and sincerely repenting–the RC church would be in a shambles; effectively neutered in the fight against secularism and Islam. Much the same would occur if our bishops suddenly decided to reverse our 2000 year course and submit to the Pope.

What would actually happen is that those loyal to the two divergent positions would re-constitute organizations formed around those theologic principals. Then we would have three discreet organizations. The ‘Unified Church of Christ’ would be anathematized by both the reconstitued Orthodox Church and the reconstituted Roman Catholic Church.

IMO the quest for unity at all costs is a delusion which only leads to a weakening of our witness. Where we can reach common cause, let us do so but let the delusion go. The act of reaching a common conclusion despite our differences actually strengthens our witness to a secular world. To Muslims we are all the same anyway.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:45:25 +0000

Archbishop Hilarion is one of the few Orthodox bishops in the world who understands the present moment with great clarity. Most Orthodox bishops are flying aloft in some type of nostalgic fantasy land. Not so with Archbishop Hilarion. His work is a refreshing gift to all of us.