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Do not fill this in! ==={{Anchor|Opposition from some Orthodox Christians}}Eastern Orthodox Christians=== {{See also|Sobornost}} Practically, "the whole of Eastern Orthodoxy holds membership in the World Council of Churches".<ref name="Fey2009">{{cite book|last=Fey|first=Harold C.|title=A History of the Ecumenical Movement, Volume 2: 1948–1968|date=1 December 2009|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|isbn= 978-1-60608-910-1|page= 304|quote= With the exception of the Orthodox Church of Albania the whole of Eastern Orthodoxy holds membership in the World Council of Churches.}}<!--|access-date=23 April 2015--></ref> [[Germanus V of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarch Germanus V of Constantinople]]'s 1920 letter {{' "}}To all the Churches of Christ, wherever they may be', urging closer co-operation among separated Christians, and suggesting a 'League of Churches', parallel to the newly founded League of Nations" was an inspiration for the founding of the World Council of Churches. As such "Constantinople, along with several of the other Orthodox Churches, was represented at the Faith and Order Conferences at Lausanne in 1927 and at Edinburgh in 1937. The Ecumenical Patriarchate also participated in the first Assembly of the WCC at Amsterdam in 1948, and has been a consistent supporter of the work of the WCC ever since."<ref name="Ware1993">{{cite book|last= Ware|first= Kallistos |title= The Orthodox Church|date= 29 April 1993|publisher= Penguin Adult|isbn= 978-0-14-014656-1 |page=322|quote=From the beginning of the twentieth century the Ecumenical Patriarchate has shown a special concern for Christian reconciliation. At his accession in 1902, Patriarch Joachim III sent an encyclical letter to all the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, asking in particular for their opinion on relations with other Christian bodies. In January 1920 the Ecumenical Patriarchate followed this up with a bold and prophetic letter addressed 'To all the Churches of Christ, wherever they may be', urging closer co-operation among separated Christians, and suggesting a 'League of Churches', parallel to the newly founded League of Nations. Many of the ideas in this letter anticipate subsequent developments in the WCC. Constantinople, along with several of the other Orthodox Churches, was represented at the Faith and Order Conferences at Lausanne in 1927 and at Edinburgh in 1937. The Ecumenical Patriarchate also participated in the first Assembly of the WCC at Amsterdam in 1948, and has been a consistent supporter of the work of the WCC ever since.}}<!--|access-date=23 April 2015--></ref> Many Orthodox Christians support the cause of ecumenism as espoused by the Patriarch of Constantinople and their autocephalous Churches.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Demacopoulos |first= George |date=2016-03-22 |title=Innovation in the Guise of Tradition |url= https://publicorthodoxy.org/2016/03/22/innovation-in-the-guise-of-tradition-anti-ecumenist-efforts-to-derail-the-great-and-holy-council/ |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=Public Orthodoxy |language= en-US}}</ref> However, some of the Eastern Orthodox laity vehemently oppose ecumenism with other Christian denominations. Such people view ecumenism, as well as interfaith dialogue, as potentially pernicious to Eastern Orthodox Church tradition—as a "weakening" of Eastern Orthodoxy itself.<ref>{{cite web|title= Ecumenism Awareness Introduction|access-date= 2008-12-30|url= http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/|author=Patrick Barnes|publisher=Orthodox Christian Information Center}}</ref> In the Eastern Orthodox world, the Theological Committee of the Sacred Community of [[Mount Athos]], arguably the most important center of Orthodox spirituality, has voiced its concerns regarding the ecumenist movement and has expressed opposition to the participation of the Eastern Orthodox Church.<ref>{{cite web|title= Memorandum on the Participation of the Orthodox Church in the World Council of Churches|date=2007-02-18|access-date=2008-11-01|url= http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/memorandum-on-the-participation-of-the-orthodox-church-in-the-world-council-of-churches.aspx|author= The Theological Committee of the Sacred Community of Mount Athos|publisher= orthodoxinfo.com}}</ref> They regard modern ecumenism as compromising essential doctrinal stands in order to accommodate other Christians, and object to the emphasis on dialogue leading to intercommunion rather than conversion on the part of participants in ecumenical initiatives.{{cn|date=November 2022}} [[Greek Old Calendarists]] also claim that the teachings of the [[Seven Ecumenical Councils]] forbid changing the church calendar through abandonment of the [[Julian calendar]].{{citation needed|date=February 2014}} The Inter-Eastern Orthodox Theological Conference entitled "Ecumenism: Origins, Expectations, Disenchantment",<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/thess_conclusions.aspx |title=Conclusions of the Inter-Orthodox Theological Conference "Ecumenism: Origins Expectations Disenchantment"|publisher= orthodox.info|access-date= 2008-11-03}}</ref> organized in September 2004 by the [[Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki]], drew negative conclusions on ecumenism. Russian Orthodox bishop [[Tikhon (Shevkunov)]] has strongly criticised ecumenism, especially with the Catholic Church, saying "Catholics are not even a church and as a result not even Christian."<ref>{{cite news|title= The Vatican's secretary of state visits Moscow for the first time in 19 years|url= https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2017/08/religious-diplomacy |access-date= 26 August 2017|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|date=25 August 2017}}</ref> Fr. Timothy Evangelinidis of the [http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/ Orthodox Research Institute] notes, "Orthodoxy also sees itself in a fragile position within the Ecumenical Movement. It is neither completely at home within ecumenism, nor is closed to other Christian groups wishing to dialogue with it."<ref>{{Cite web |last= Evangelinidis |first= Timothy |date= 2017 |title= Orthodox Research Institute |url= http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/ |access-date= 2022-06-17 |website= Orthodox Research Institute}}</ref> Opposition to ecumenism in the Orthodox Church has its roots in the teachings of many{{quantify|date=November 2022}} modern-day saints{{cn|date=November 2022}} and monastics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Holy Synod - Encyclicals - On Christian Unity and Ecumenism |url= https://www.oca.org/index.phpholy-synod/encyclicals/on-christian-unity-and-ecumenism |access-date= 2022-06-17 |website=www.oca.org}}</ref>{{qn|date=November 2022}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rausch |first= Thomas P. |date= 2019-05-14 |title= Will a New Gathering of Orthodox Scholars and Leaders Push Ecumenism Forward? |url= https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/05/14/will-new-gathering-orthodox-scholars-and-leaders-push-ecumenism-forward |access-date= 2022-06-17 |website= America Magazine: The Jesuit Review |language= English}} | quote = In spite of the fact that a number of Orthodox churches took part in the founding of the World Council of Churches at Amsterdam in 1948, there remains a strong anti-ecumenical spirit among many in the laity and monastic communities.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title= The Orthodox Church and the Ecumenical Movement |url= http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/denverreport.aspx |access-date= 2022-06-17 |website= Orthodoxinfo.com | quote = Some groups within the Orthodox Church even "wall themselves off" from those segments of the Church which dabble with the Ecumenical Movement. Even certain monastic communities struggle with their hierarchy over this very same issue. }}</ref> For example, the popular [[Greece |Greek]] Saint, [[Ephraim of Katounakia |Elder Ephraim of Katounakia]] (died 1998), said when asked about ecumenism, "I went to my cell and prayed, asking Christ to inform me what Ecumenism is. I received his reply, which was that Ecumenism has a spirit of wickedness and is dominated by unclean spirits."<ref>{{Cite web |last= Tseleggides |first= Demetrios |title= Elder Ephraim of Katounakia: Ecumenism is Dominated by Unclean Spirits |url= https://www.impantokratoros.gr/C54EBF09.en.aspx?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=85604d57dc8d638502fffa3f3def9e4fecd641b5-1615935784-0-AaqW_unwnDE2wx599T4ySJBPKTcxde4PHTO-pFe0eTo2eFVoXRnjso_xRUTviMN5U9wdLk4YKqjFjsVbKlxhcpnockf7oua_sVqFsmXk32Xj5iPboBkrrLWIcu3CjMw8TGHS_eOIDdK-uH0rVzTfjRs0UBm8mVYkrKRKn1kFZ8MIZV29I31OAFLARaC-6m9lSrhjk2mhKo2qUKxxoiQ9MD3AtE4z8mQ5DqSRzJoJbpLQvs6sz-5ia3sR32-2Lqo2g4pqgKP9JMd2eishHK6vXVGqAgi4GaiTGgkdrXuNKcsFG9FSJpUskE6a6GJCXtkW_-fcjy3gJK4jrgy-ml9cSR0yXh-NJWJiIrSIL-JreTcDKgNZ9A401a2rjTMT9Luaf_vbZrnEaSyqrDYqvZ6gwrA |website=Impantokratoros Monastery}}</ref> Similarly, the well-known Saint [[Paisios of Mount Athos]] (died 1994) gave many teachings about ecumenism. In a private letter to a priest named Fr. Haralambos on 23 January,1969, Elder Paisios wrote, "With sadness I must write that among all the unionists [ecumenists] I've met, never have I seen them to have either a drop or shred of spirituality."<ref>{{Cite web |title= Blessed Elder Paisios the Athonite's Private Letter Concerning Ecumenism |url= http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/elder-paisios-the-athonite-letter-on-ecumenism.aspx |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=Orthodoxinfo.com}}</ref> Opposition to ecumenism comes not only from the laity and from monastics, but also from the [[Clergy|Orthodox clergy]]. The popular [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia |ROCOR]] metropolitan [[Philaret (Voznesensky) |Philaret]] of [[New York (state)|New York]] (died 1985) wrote a series of three "sorrowful" [[epistle]]s from 1969 to 1975 against ecumenism, in which he called ecumenism an "error".<ref>{{Cite web |title= The First Sorrowful Epistle of Metropolitan Philaret |url= http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/sorrow.aspx |access-date=2022-06-17 |website= Orthodoxinfo.com}}</ref> The anti-ecumenical words of such prominent and highly-respected figures in the Orthodox Church garners attention from many members of the clergy and laity.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Ecumenism |url= https://www.orthodoxwitness.org/ecumenism/ |access-date= 2022-06-17 |website=Orthodox Witness |language=en-US}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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