Comments on: Russia Adds Discipline to World Orthodoxy

By: Geo Michalopulos

Geo Michalopulos — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:21:57 +0000

Fr, possibly, but the recent bold overseas overtures by Turkey have caused the Russians to throw some cold water over Turkish ambitions. The thing with Cyprus for instance may cause a dust-up because Russia has significant holdings in Cyprus and doesn’t like the instability of the current status.

I’m more concerned about what the role of the EP is in all this. The fact that the Phanar is beholden to Ankara, essentially is its handmaiden, does not bode well for the furtherance of the Gospel. Nor for that matter the Antiochian’s subservience to the Assad regime. Regardless of what we may think about the recent synaxis of the “ancient” patriarchates, the fact that Antioch’s patriarch couldn’t attend makes a mockery of the concept that the ancient patriarchates (Istanbul and Alexandria as well) are anything but puppets who must kow-tow to their Islamic overlords.

By: Fr. Johannes Jacobse

Fr. Johannes Jacobse — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:04:50 +0000

I can’t help but wonder too if the recent thaw towards the EP by the Turkish government is due in part to pressure from Moscow. More plays into that I know, but Russo-Turkish cooperation is moving ahead briskly.

By: Dean Calvert

Dean Calvert — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:10:59 +0000

George,

Since the Fall of Communism, the new line of confrontation is between the “live” Orthodox churches, and the “dead” ones.

We’ve seen this repeatedly. The attitude of the live churches (Russia, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece) seems to be, “Go ahead and have your meetings – but any decision of consequence will need to include the “live” churches as well as the ancient patriarchates.”

Facts are facts…most of the Orthodox in the world no longer live in the ancient patriarchates. For 70 years, communism allowed us to deny this reality. With the fall of communism and the re-emergence of the national churches, that is no longer the case.

Call is “Realpolitik – Orthodox style” if you like.

This is a great example of that.

Best Regards,
Dean Calvert

By: George Patsourakos

George Patsourakos — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 20:39:42 +0000

Patriarch Bartholomew did not invite Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the September 1-3 meeting as a Synaxis in Constantinople, because there is a rift between the Ecumenical Patriarch and Patriarch Kirill. The fact is that Patriarch Kirill wants Moscow to have a much more significant role in the Orthodox Church — perhaps even being the new location of the Ecunemical Patriarchate or the “Third Rome.”

Patriarch Kirill feels this view is justified, because there are over 200 million Russian Orthodox Christians. That’s more Russian Orthodox Christians than all of the other Orthodox Christians combined from all of the other countries of the world.