Catholic/Orthodox: Ecumenicalism Required
Born as Dimitrios Arhondonis, he has been known as the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople since 1991
The path towards Greco-Roman unity continues to become more of a goal for certain Orthodox and Roman leaders:
Orthodox patriarch, Vatican cardinal agree that ecumenism is a duty
December 02, 2008
At an ecumenical celebration for the feast of St. Andrew, the patron of Constantinople, Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I devoted his homily to ecumenical affairs, noting that St. Andrew and St. Peter were brothers “in the flesh” whose bonds grew even deeper as they became brothers in Christ. The Ecumenical Patriarch remarked that Rome and Constantinople have grown steadily closer since the historic meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras in 1964. He said that both parties are fully committed to the path of ecumenism– to pursue it until restoring full communion.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, attended the celebration as the Pope’s representative, and preached at the same service. Underlining the Patriarch’s message, Cardinal Kasper said that ecumenical work is not an option but a requirement for Christian leaders, because it is the Lord’s command. http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=1293
While I do have a certain respect for Cardinal Walter Casper (e.g. his quote in the article Apostolic Succession is true), I believe that he and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I are in error in the type of ecumenical unity that they are seeking.
They need to encourage their churches to return to the teachings of the true Church of God as found in the Bible and NOT prefer traditions of men in preference to them.
The Bible warns that those who prefer an ecumenical unity of humans are destined to destruction when Christ returns (Revelation 18:1-4). (Even some Catholics have warned against it, see Orthodox Getting Closer to Unity with Catholics).
The true Church should not change basic doctrines as:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
Yet the Catholics and Orthodox have made many changes.
Those interested in learning various doctrines that the Greco-Romans changed from those originally held by the true Church of God, and still held by the Living Church of God are found in the following articles:
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Churches of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics The Bible warns the Orthodox against this unity as do some Catholic prophecies. The Orthodox need to heed these warnings now.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
Those who want to better understand what happened to the true Church should read the following articles:
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 Do they matter? Most say they must, but act like they do not. This article contains some history about the Church of God (sometimes referred to as the continuation of Primitive Christianity) over the past 2000 years.
What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History? Although most believe that the Roman Catholic Church history teaches an unbroken line of succession of bishops beginning with Peter, with stories about most of them, Roman Catholic scholars know the truth of this matter. This eye-opening article is a must-read for any who really wants to know what Roman Catholic history actually admits about the early church.
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view? Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches? Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!
 |
Tweet |
|