Your Eminence,
Given that much
turmoil has been unduly created by certain circles, on
the subject of the official theological Dialogue between
Orthodox and Roman Catholics, and that views have also
been expressed, which often range between inaccuracy and
open falsehood and slander, I am hereby addressing Your
affection in order to clarify the following:
1. The
aforementioned theological Dialogue does not constitute
a concern of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and much less,
that of a specific person, but is something that is
taking place upon the decision of all the autocephalous
and autonomous Orthodox Churches without exception.
Specifically with regard to the present period of the
Dialogue, during which the undersigned has the
co-chairmanship from the Orthodox side, the agreement of
all the Orthodox Churches for the continuation of the
Dialogue has been recorded in Memoranda signed by the
venerable Primates of the Orthodox Churches, which are
hereto attached in photocopy. As Your Eminence
will see when reading these Memoranda, even the most
holy Church of Greece - and in fact with a Synodical
decision - has admitted that "despite the existing
difficulties, which spring from the provocative
activities of Unia to the detriment of the flock of the
Orthodox Church, the said Theological Dialogue must
continue." Consequently, those opposed to the
said theological Dialogue are doubting and judging
pan-Orthodox decisions, which have been reached
synodically. By claiming solely as their own the genuine
conscience of Orthodoxy, these people are in essence
doubting the Orthodoxy not only of certain persons - as
they misguidedly insist - but of the very Primates and
sacred Synods of all the most holy Orthodox Churches.
2. The same
things apply in the case of the said Dialogue. We
are informed that a certain professor in his letter to
the Reverend Hierarchs is censuring the topic of primacy
as a chosen topic for the theological Dialogue, and
believes that the Dialogue should be concerning itself
with other matters. But the said professor is
either ignorant of, or indifferent to, the fact that -
again - the topic of the Dialogue was decided on at a
pan-orthodox level. The attached Memoranda, signed by
all the Primates of the Orthodox Churches, testify to
and verify this. The most holy Church of Greece
thus accepts that "this
discussion
(regarding Unia)
can, for the sake of facilitating the course
of the Dialogue, be
conducted within the framework of ecclesiology through
the prism of the primacy".
This is precisely what we
normally intend to do, during the forthcoming discussion
of the subject "The Primacy during the 2nd Millennium",
which is also when Unia first appeared. The remaining
topics that the said professor referred to will by no
means be overlooked by the Dialogue. However, during the
present phase, as decided at an inter-orthodox level
from the beginning of the Dialogue, the focal point of
the discussion is Ecclesiology. It is duly respected and
legitimate, for the said professor - or anyone else - to
have a different point of view, but it is inadmissible
to be crying out that Orthodoxy is in danger because the
Primates who are shepherding Her do not share his
opinion. Where are we heading as a Church, my
Reverend holy brother?
3. It is being
propagated very falsely and conspiringly that the
signing of the union of the Churches is imminent! A
professor emeritus of Theology, who is well known for
his ill-will towards my person, had visited a Hierarch
of the Church of Greece and had told him that he knew
with certainty (!) that the union had already been
signed (in Ravenna!) and that the relative announcement
was a matter of time!!! Clergy and laity have
approached me and asked me if it is true that the union
is to be signed in Cyprus, in October! Obviously,
a feeling of unrest is being attempted among the people
of God through this behaviour, with unpredictable
consequences for the unity of the Church. However,
those who are disseminating these things are fully aware
(as long as they have not been blinded by empathy,
fanaticism or a mania for self-projection), firstly,
that the ongoing theological Dialogue has yet to span an
extremely long course, because the theological
differences that have accumulated during the one
thousand years of division are many; and secondly, that
the Committee for the Dialogue is entirely unqualified
for the "signing" of a union, given that this right
belongs to the Synods of the Churches. Therefore,
why all the misinformation? Can't the disseminators of
these false "updates" think of what the consequences
will be for the unity of the Church? «He
who agitates (God's people) shall bear the blame,
whoever he may be» (Galatians 5:10)
Your Eminence,
The
responsibility of all of us, and mostly of the bishops
who have been appointed by God to cater to the
safeguarding of the canonical unity of their flock, is
an immense one.
What is being
jeopardized is ecclesiological: What is the authority
and the prestige of Conciliar decisions? Do we conform
to the Conciliar decisions as we are already doing - and
being attacked for doing so - or do we conform to the
"zealots" of Orthodoxy? Can there be an Orthodoxy
and Dogmas without any Conciliar rulings?
We ask you to
please place yourself on the matter, before we are led
to a complete demerit of Conciliar decisions, and before
Your flock disintegrates because of negligence on our
part.
In humility and
in awareness of episcopal responsibility, we submit the
above to Your affection and judgment and remain
in Athens the
26th of September 2009
With Respect,
honour and love in the Lord
+ John of
Pergamon
Orthodox
Co-Chairman
of the Committee
for the Theological Dialogue
between Orthodox
and Roman Catholics