Principles of Ecumenism - Orthodoxy and the Ecumenical Movement

Ye are the light of the world.. . . Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Mat. 5:14,16).

There is no denying the fact that we moderns do not like being told that one Church is the true Church. It offends our democratic sensibilities. Nevertheless, one cannot understand Orthodoxy without understanding this claim. It is on this basis that the Orthodox Church has participated in the Ecumenical Movement. The raison d'etre of the Orthodox Church's membership in the World Council of Churches (WCC) is of being involved with Ecumenism is that She might bear witness to the light of Christ- to the undefiled doctrine of the Apostles.

For many people, however, Orthodox participation in the WCC creates more confusion than illumination. Many Evangelicals assume that the Orthodox Church shares the liberal theology that is held by the most vocal members of the Ecumenical Movement. Hopefully this book will help to dispel that misconception. More important for us, however, is the confusion that arises over the nature of the relationship between Orthodoxy and other Christian communions. Orthodox participation in ecumenical dialogue seems to imply that the Orthodox somehow "recognize" other churches as equals and that a of "union of churches" is possible.

This confusion arises from the fact that the Orthodox and Protestant members of the WCC participate in the Ecumenical Movement for very different reasons, with very different goals in mind. The late Fr. John Meyendorff was a veteran of ecumenical dialogue. Although he remained dedicated to Orthodox participation in the Ecumenism of the WCC, he was nevertheless keenly aware of the delicate nature of that participation. He wrote:

"It is undeniable that Orthodox ecclesiology or its attitude toward the Church means that it cannot participate in the work of the Council on the same basis as the other communions that have emerged from the Reformation. Orthodox and Protestants simply do not see the same thing in the World Council of Churches."

Protestants, for the most part, see the Church as some invisible entity, or perhaps as an entity that is yet to be fully realized. Many are content to engage in ministerial cooperation and common worship, while leaving long-standing doctrinal disputes unresolved. The "unity of the Church" is something to be achieved through dialogue of Ecumenism.

For the Orthodox, this approach is not merely mistaken, it is decidedly heretical. The Church is not a human institution, She is the Body of Christ. Her unity is the unity of Christ. She can be no more divided than Christ can be divided. The purpose of the Orthodox participation in ecumenical dialogue is to call all men to union with Christ in the one, true Church of Christ.

Given the fact that Orthodox and Protestants have such different understandings of the purpose of ecumenical dialogue, it is not surprising that these dialogues have yielded very little real fruit. Since the formation of the WCC, the mainline Protestant denominations that make up the majority of the Ecumenical Movement have moved steadily away from Orthodox theology rather than toward it. Furthermore, I know of no Protestant churches that have converted and been received into the Orthodox Church as a result of ecumenical dialogue.

Because of this, there are many in the Orthodox Church, myself included, who believe that the Church should cease Her participation in the Ecumenical Movement. At the time of this writing, the Churches of Jerusalem and Georgia have withdrawn from the WCC, and the Church of Serbia is seriously considering doing likewise. Furthermore, there are strong movements in this direction in Russia, Greece, and the United States. Based on a simple cost/benefit analysis, it is evident that Orthodox participation in the WCC has produced very little fruit and a considerable amount of confusion - even among Orthodox.

Although he remained committed to the Ecumenical Movement, Fr. John Meyendorff saw dark clouds on the horizon long ago:

"To be more fruitful and to be able to exercise some influence on the course of the discussions, they [the Orthodox] ought to participate more effectively and be present in greater numbers. If this is not done in the near future, it is certain that the Protestant majority in the Council, by a process if internal logic, will lead the organization more and more in a direction incompatible with Orthodox principles and make their presence impossible."

In spite of increased Orthodox participation since the time Fr. John wrote these words, the "process of internal logic" has continued unabated. For many Orthodox today, Fr. John's prediction has finally come true. On the whole, conservative Evangelicals have either stayed on the periphery or avoided the Ecumenical Movement altogether. I cannot say that I blame them. It is imperative for Evangelicals to understand, however, that the call of the Orthodox Church is not to dialogue or discussion, but to conversion.

The Church does not presume to judge the eternal destiny of those outside Her bosom; judgment belongs to God alone. Yet, in Her love for mankind, She summons all to enter Her loving embrace. The Church alone is the Body of Christ, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:23). To this fulness She summons the world. To this fulness, She summons you: The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come" (Rev. 22:17).

From: The Way - What Every Protestant Should Know About the Orthodox Church by Clark Carlton, Regina Orthodox Press, Salisbury, MA, 1997