Eastern Orthodox Church

=== Relations with other Christians ===

In 1920, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, published an encyclical "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]]".<ref name="Ware1993">{{harvnb|Ware|1993|p=322}} "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."</ref> This gesture was instrumental in the foundation of the [[World Council of Churches]] (WCC);<ref name="Fuchs2008">{{cite book|last=Fuchs|first=Lorelei F.|title=Koinonia and the Quest for an Ecumenical Ecclesiology|year=2008|publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing|isbn=978-0-8028-4023-3|page=162|quote=Addressed "to all the Churches of Christ, wheresoever they be", the letter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate opens the words anticipating the spirit of the ecclesial bodies which would later form the World Council of Churches.}}</ref> as such, almost all Eastern Orthodox churches are members of the WCC and "Orthodox ecclesiastics and theologians serve on its committees".<ref name="Benz2008">{{cite book|last=Benz|first=Ernst|title=The Eastern Orthodox Church|date=31 July 2008|publisher=Transaction Publishers|isbn=978-0-202-36575-6|page=197|quote=A large number of Orthodox Churches are members of the World Council of Churches; Orthodox ecclesiastics and theologians serve on its committees and attend its conferences.}}</ref> [[Kallistos Ware]], a British metropolitan bishop of the Orthodox Church, has stated that [[ecumenism]] "is important for Orthodoxy: it has helped to force the various Orthodox churches out of their comparative isolation, making them meet one another and enter into a living contact with non-Orthodox Christians."{{sfn|Ware|1993|p=322}}

[[Hilarion Alfeyev]], then the Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and head of external relations for the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, stated that Orthodox and [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical Protestant]] Christians share the same positions on "such issues as [[pro-life|abortion]], the [[Family values#Conservative definitions|family]], and [[Christian views on marriage|marriage]]" and desire "vigorous grassroots engagement" between the two [[Communion (Christian)|Christian communions]] on such issues.<ref name="Communions">{{cite magazine|url = http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/may/fromrussialove.html?start=1|title = From Russia, with Love |quote = Many evangelicals share conservative positions with us on such issues as abortion, the family, and marriage. Do you want vigorous grassroots engagement between Orthodox and evangelicals? Yes, on problems, for example, like the destruction of the family. Many marriages are split. Many families have either one child or no child. |magazine = [[Christianity Today]] | access-date = 31 December 2007}}</ref>
    
In that regard, the differences between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox communions have not been improved in any relevant way. Dogmatic and [[liturgical]] polarities have been significant, even and especially in recent times. A pertinent point of contention between the monarchically papal, administratively centralised Catholic Church and the decentralised confederation of Orthodox churches is the theological significance of the [[Virgin Mary]].<ref>Orthodox Christian Information Center. [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/theotokos.aspx ''An Orthodox View of the Virgin Mary'']. Retrieved 10 November 2016.</ref> During his visit to [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] in October 2016, [[Pope Francis]] was snubbed by most Orthodox Christians as he led mass before a practically empty [[Mikheil Meskhi Stadium]] in [[Tbilisi]].<ref>[http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/orthodox-church-snubs-pope-francis-georgia-161001161658569.html Orthodox Church snubs Pope Francis in Georgia]. ''Al Jazeera News''. Retrieved 10 November 2016.</ref>

The Oriental Orthodox Churches are not in [[Communion (Christian)|communion]] with the Eastern Orthodox Church, despite their similar names. Slow dialogue towards restoring communion between the two churches began in the mid-20th century,<ref name=Common>{{cite web|url=http://sor.cua.edu/Ecumenism/20010317oomtg4.html|title=Middle Eastern Oriental Orthodox Common Declaration – March 17, 2001|last=OONS|website=Syrian Orthodox Resources}}</ref> and, notably, in the 19th century, when the Greek Patriarch in Egypt had to absent himself from the country for a long period of time; he left his church under the guidance of the Coptic [[Pope Cyril IV of Alexandria]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://suscopts.org/stgeorgedaytona/coptic_church.html |title=Saint George Coptic Church |publisher=Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States |access-date=3 April 2014}}</ref>

In 2019, the Primate of the [[Orthodox Church of Ukraine|OCU]] [[Metropolitan of Kyiv and all Ukraine|Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine]] [[Epiphanius I of Ukraine|Epiphanius]] stated that "theoretically" the [[Orthodox Church of Ukraine]] and the [[Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church]] could in the future unite into a united church around the Kyiv throne.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://espreso.tv/article/2019/05/11/epifaniy|title = Предстоятель ПЦУ Епіфаній: Найперше мусимо зберегти свою незалежність}}</ref> In 2019, the Primate of the UGCC, [[Lists of leaders of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church|Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia]] [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk|Sviatoslav]], stated that every effort should be made to restore the original unity of the Kyivan Church in its Orthodox and Catholic branches, saying that the restoration of Eucharistic communion between [[Catholic Church|Rome]] and [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|Constantinople]] is not a utopia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://synod.ugcc.ua/data/blazhennishyy-svyatoslav-vidnovlennya-vharystiynogo-spilkuvannya-mizh-rymom-i-konstantynopolem-ne-utopiyu-315/|title = Блаженніший Святослав: "Відновлення євхаристійного спілкування між Римом і Константинополем не є утопією"}}</ref>

Notwithstanding certain overtures by both Catholic and Eastern Orthodox leaders, the majority of Orthodox Christians, as well as Catholics, are not in favour of communion between their churches, with only a median of 35 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively, claiming support.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>