Dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholics.
Letter by Professor of Dogmatics, Demetrios Tseleggidis of the Theological School of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, at the Holy Community of the Holy Mountain. 10-9-09
Following with a deep sense of
responsibility the ecclesiastic condition of our time, as a simple faithful member
but also as a University Professor of Dogmatic Theology of the Church, I would
like to respectfully address you on a most serious theological topic.
In October of the current year, will take
place in Cyprus, as it is well known, the most critical, perhaps up to now,
Conference of the International Joint Commission of the Theological Dialogue
between the Orthodox and the Roman-Catholics. This is because the Joint
Communiqué which would arise at the Conference will have a catalytic effect in
the development of relations between the two select parties. I consider it my
duty to ardently ask you to consider this serious topic and particularly to
become engaged with keen attention with the actual content of the Theological
Dialogue.
The International Joint Commission will be
specifically occupied with the "role of the Bishop of Rome in the community of
all the Churches" (bk : Article of Ravenna, para. 45). I humbly believe that if
you discuss theologically the topic and be explicitly placed in it, it will
perhaps invariably influence the final form of the Joint Communiqué of the
International Conference. In this way the Holy Community will act in time and
with forethought, thus avoiding later intervening therapeutically, as it
should, judging from hindsight the possible theological and ecclesiastical
errors of the Joint Communiqué.
Moreover, permit me to express with all
possible brevity also the theological aspects of the topic under discussion.
The planned theological discussion next October in Cyprus on the primacy of the
Bishop of Rome "in greater depth" is methologically untimely and substantially flawed.
And this is because according to the theological and accepted principle, it is
essential that the theological discussion be preceded by a discussion on our
fundamental differences with the Roman Catholics in dogma and specifically on
the "filioque", the infallibility and the created divine Grace, who continue
falsely to maintain such dogmatic fallacies which act in defining the
characteristic identity of the Roman Catholic and theological purges of its
Ecclesiology and Mysteriology, namely, it substantially purged the accepted
character of the Church as a "communion of theosis" of man.
Only after the immutability of our dogma is
identified, can the discussion continue on the manner of governing of the
Church. Our differences in dogma according to the letter and spirit of the
Ecumenical Synods that clearly follow from their proceedings, places the Roman
Catholics outside the Church, a fact that is confirmed even empirically from a
millennium of separation in the sacramental communion between us.
Reasonably, therefore the theological
question arises: How could we discuss rationally at the imminent Theological
Dialogue with the Roman Catholics on the institutional-hierarchic position of a
person (namely of the Pope) within the Church, as long as this person is still
practically but also typically outside the Church?
If, despite these, the primacy of the
Bishop of Rome is discussed theoretically, permit me here again, to remind you
of the indisputable truth, that at no time during the first millennium did the
Church recognize in the person of the Bishop of Rome the primacy of authority
and power on a global level. The supreme authority over the Ecumenical Church
(the whole Church) was always and only exercised by the Ecumenical Synods.
Furthermore, never has the Orthodox Church
accepted the papist primacy as it was understood and interpreted by the 1st
Vatican Council, which declared the Pope infallible pronouncer of the
conscience of the Church with the capacity to oppose even the decision of the
Ecumenical Synods. In other words, the Pope in the Latin West - through the
dogmatically fortified by the 2nd Vatican Council of his
"infallibility" and the contested primacy of authority over the whole Church -
has assumed arbitrarily the position of the Spirit of Truth in the global
Church.
As a consequence with the above
understanding of the ecclesiastic character of the papist primacy of authority,
not only is the Synodic system of the governing of the Church voided, but
substantially even the presence of the Holy Spirit in her is also voided.
With what I wrote briefly, I address to you
...... so that I present to you the character of my ecclesiastic uneasiness and in
parallel to make you aware of the theological assessment synopsis on the
methodology and content of the actual two day Theological Dialogue within the
framework of the Joint International conference.
I hope that the Grace of the Holy Spirit
will enlighten you to consider the testimony of the Holy Mountain on this
serious matter.
With profound respect,
I kiss your right hand.
Demetrios Tseleggidis
Professor of the Theological School
Of the Aristotelian University of
Thessaloniki.
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