The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)

The article is devoted to the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR) to the Ecumenical movement and non-Orthodox Christianity. Although the ROCOR is often referred to as a structure that did not welcome contacts with non-Orthodox people, this is not really true. Social contacts and t...

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Main Author: Andrey Kostryukov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: St. Philaret’s Christian Orthodox Institute 2020-06-01
Series:Вестник Свято-Филаретовского института
Subjects:
Online Access:https://psmb-neos-resources.hb.bizmrg.com/target/sfi/0926a4a16a9f68b47fbece0d5696da4148b01955/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%A1%D0%A4%D0%98_%D0%92%D1%8B%D0%BF35_%D0%94%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%A2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B8_21.09.20-248-269.pdf
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description The article is devoted to the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR) to the Ecumenical movement and non-Orthodox Christianity. Although the ROCOR is often referred to as a structure that did not welcome contacts with non-Orthodox people, this is not really true. Social contacts and theological dialogue took place under metropolitans Anthony (Khrapovitsky) and Anastasy (Gribanovsky). The situation began to change under the third first Hierarch of the ROCOR, Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky), when the “zealots” party began to influence the leadership. At the same time, there was also an attitude to ecumenism formed in the ROCOR. According to the official definitions of the ROCOR, ecumenism is a doctrine that denies the existence of the Church and seeks to create it in the future on the basis of existing Christian movements. The tightening of the ROCOR’s position with regard to non-Orthodox Christianity was expressed in the decree of the Bishops’ Council of 1971 on the acceptance of non-Orthodox Christians by the first rank, that is, through baptism. However, this decision met with objections and was often not implemented at local level. Meanwhile, the ROCOR was preparing to anathematize ecumenism. The Bishops’ Council of 1983 decided to condemn ecumenism, and in 1984, ROCOR published the text of the anathema. It implied that the adherents of the “theory” were condemned, as well as those who denied the apparent existence of the Church. The blurred text of the anathema, as well as the dominance of the “zealots”, subsequently gave the ROCOR leadership a reason to criticize the humanitarian ties and theological dialogue acceptable to the Church. All this led to further radicalization of the Russian Church Abroad. However, such ill-considered decisions were very difficult to make. Already under Metropolitan Filaret, a party of hierarchs and clerics was formed, inclined to reconciliation with the local churches and not welcoming the “zealot” policy.
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spelling doaj.art-5326e4999108447eb6b89c2dc47e60792022-12-21T16:42:54ZengSt. Philaret’s Christian Orthodox InstituteВестник Свято-Филаретовского института2658-75992713-31412020-06-013524826910.25803/SFI.2020.35.3.012The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)Andrey Kostryukov0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4334-1035Doctor of History, Ph.D. in Theology Leading Staff Scientist, Department of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Modern History; Associate Professor, Department of General and Russian Church History and Canon Law, Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox University (Moscow)The article is devoted to the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (ROCOR) to the Ecumenical movement and non-Orthodox Christianity. Although the ROCOR is often referred to as a structure that did not welcome contacts with non-Orthodox people, this is not really true. Social contacts and theological dialogue took place under metropolitans Anthony (Khrapovitsky) and Anastasy (Gribanovsky). The situation began to change under the third first Hierarch of the ROCOR, Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky), when the “zealots” party began to influence the leadership. At the same time, there was also an attitude to ecumenism formed in the ROCOR. According to the official definitions of the ROCOR, ecumenism is a doctrine that denies the existence of the Church and seeks to create it in the future on the basis of existing Christian movements. The tightening of the ROCOR’s position with regard to non-Orthodox Christianity was expressed in the decree of the Bishops’ Council of 1971 on the acceptance of non-Orthodox Christians by the first rank, that is, through baptism. However, this decision met with objections and was often not implemented at local level. Meanwhile, the ROCOR was preparing to anathematize ecumenism. The Bishops’ Council of 1983 decided to condemn ecumenism, and in 1984, ROCOR published the text of the anathema. It implied that the adherents of the “theory” were condemned, as well as those who denied the apparent existence of the Church. The blurred text of the anathema, as well as the dominance of the “zealots”, subsequently gave the ROCOR leadership a reason to criticize the humanitarian ties and theological dialogue acceptable to the Church. All this led to further radicalization of the Russian Church Abroad. However, such ill-considered decisions were very difficult to make. Already under Metropolitan Filaret, a party of hierarchs and clerics was formed, inclined to reconciliation with the local churches and not welcoming the “zealot” policy.https://psmb-neos-resources.hb.bizmrg.com/target/sfi/0926a4a16a9f68b47fbece0d5696da4148b01955/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%A1%D0%A4%D0%98_%D0%92%D1%8B%D0%BF35_%D0%94%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%A2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B8_21.09.20-248-269.pdfrussian orthodox church abroadthe world council of churchesecumenical movementtheological dialogueroman catholic churchprotestantismmetropolitan filaret (voznesensky)atchimandrite panteleimon (metropoulos)hieromonk seaphim (rose)русская православная церковь заграницейвсемирный совет церквейэкуменическое движениебогословский диалогримско-католическая церковьпротестантизммитрополит филарет (вознесенский)архимандрит пантелеимон (метропулос)иеромонах серафим (роуз)
spellingShingle Andrey Kostryukov
The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
Вестник Свято-Филаретовского института
russian orthodox church abroad
the world council of churches
ecumenical movement
theological dialogue
roman catholic church
protestantism
metropolitan filaret (voznesensky)
atchimandrite panteleimon (metropoulos)
hieromonk seaphim (rose)
русская православная церковь заграницей
всемирный совет церквей
экуменическое движение
богословский диалог
римско-католическая церковь
протестантизм
митрополит филарет (вознесенский)
архимандрит пантелеимон (метропулос)
иеромонах серафим (роуз)
title The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
title_full The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
title_fullStr The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
title_full_unstemmed The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
title_short The attitude of the Russian Church Abroad to non-Orthodox Christianity under Metropolitan Filaret (Voznesensky)
title_sort attitude of the russian church abroad to non orthodox christianity under metropolitan filaret voznesensky
topic russian orthodox church abroad
the world council of churches
ecumenical movement
theological dialogue
roman catholic church
protestantism
metropolitan filaret (voznesensky)
atchimandrite panteleimon (metropoulos)
hieromonk seaphim (rose)
русская православная церковь заграницей
всемирный совет церквей
экуменическое движение
богословский диалог
римско-католическая церковь
протестантизм
митрополит филарет (вознесенский)
архимандрит пантелеимон (метропулос)
иеромонах серафим (роуз)
url https://psmb-neos-resources.hb.bizmrg.com/target/sfi/0926a4a16a9f68b47fbece0d5696da4148b01955/%D0%92%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%A1%D0%A4%D0%98_%D0%92%D1%8B%D0%BF35_%D0%94%D0%BB%D1%8F%D0%A2%D0%B8%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%84%D0%B8%D0%B8_21.09.20-248-269.pdf
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