Comments on: Catholic Herald: In Russia, the path to unity is defrosting

By: Chrys

Chrys — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:38:23 +0000

In reply to Christopher. Christopher, you are probably right. Regarding "entrenched interests and protected privileges" I was thinking of the divisions within Orthodoxy. (Once again, I should have been more clear.)

By: Christopher

Christopher — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:55:40 +0000

In reply to Chrys.

Interesting Chrys, I tend to think joint ventures tends to clarify what the differences are. While it will always aid understanding, it lets the “average” laymen appreciate the theological differences in a way he never did before and thus reinforcing the good reasons why communion does not exist.

Of course, I don’t think communion between the RC and Orthodox does not exist because of “entrenched interests and protected privileges of those at the top”. On the contrary if they thought they could get away with it I think they would rush headlong into a false communion.

By: Chrys

Chrys — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:44:02 +0000

I am not surprised that we are seeing the beginnings of healing in our collaborative ventures. You usually dance together for a good while before you consider marriage. While there remain serious and extensive theological, practical and “spiritual cultural” differences, this is how it must start if it is to be an organic and lasting rather than artificial relationship. I believe this is the same within Orthodoxy among the various jurisdictions. Such things are very unlikely to come about from the top down; in fact, most power structures will work against such efforts. (I am not sure why people expect rapprochement to be a top-down affair; it is more like a marriage than a merger, which is driven by the compelling financial interest of a majority of the shareholders. I can see no parallel in ecclesiastical – or non-profit circles. Rather, union may come about through myriad joint ventures that gain traction. Working together with each other in high value efforts might foster the kind of ties that become meaningful. Once these become meaningful (that is, valuable) and co-formative (that is, forming us together), it just might gain the inertia needed to overcome the entrenched interests and protected privileges of those at the top. That’s my guess anyway.