Church of God News

Partial view of the Orthodox Academy of Crete (Photo from http://www.oac.gr/en/)

COGwriter

Leaders of the Eastern Orthodox are close to begin what is being called “a Great and Holy Council”:

The heads of most of the world’s Orthodox churches have called a Great and Holy Council of the Orthodox Church to be held in the month of June in Crete that will be a first. . .

The Council will be held at the Orthodox Academy of Crete from 16 to 27 June 2016.

“The items officially approved for referral to and adoption by the Holy and Great Council are: the mission of the Orthodox Church in the contemporary world, the Orthodox diaspora, autonomy and its manner of proclamation, the sacrament of marriage and its impediments, the significance of fasting and its application today, and relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world,” the patriarchs said in their statement..

FIRST MEETING OF 14 CHURCHES

John Chryssavgis, an archdeacon and theological advisor to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, wrote, “The council of 2016, which has been on the table for discussion and preparation since at least 1961 (although there were earlier proposals for such a council in the 1920s and 1930s), will for the first time ever gather representatives from all 14 independent Orthodox Churches.

“The very conception, let alone the convocation of such a great or general council, is entirely unprecedented.

“It will be attended by patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops from the fourteen autocephalous Orthodox Churches, including those from all of the ancient patriarchates, with the exception of Rome,” …

The following primates attended the January meeting in Switzerland:

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria
Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow
Patriarch Irinej of Serbia
Patriarch Daniel of Romania
Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria
Patriarch Ilia of Georgia
Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Archbishop Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/worlds-orthodox-patriarchs-prepare-for-june-gathering-of-great-and-holy-council-in-crete/37950.htm

The Pan-Orthodox Council, or the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church as it is officially referred to, will be held in Crete on June 17-27. The first Pan-Orthodox Council is highly anticipated, as it has been planned ever since 1961.

The Patriarch explained that the last equivalent of such a Council, the “Ecumenical Council,” was held in Nicaea (İznik in today’s Turkey) in the year 787, centuries before the Eastern and Western Churches were split in the Schism of 1054.

“Then there were only four churches. Now in Orthodoxy we have 14 churches, led by us in Istanbul. This is going to be their first joint meeting,” Patriarch Bartholomew said. Other Churches from east and west, including the Catholic Church in the Vatican, will be sending observers to the Crete Council. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/orthodox-council-moved-from–turkey-to-greece-over-russia-crisis.aspx?PageID=238&NID=97985&NewsCatID=409

While Crete is in Greece, the announcement above did not include the Greek Archbishop. But it is possible that he may attend as he is ecumenical himself as the following shows:

April 16, 2016

We, Pope Francis, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, have met on the Greek island of Lesvos …For our part, in obedience to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, we firmly and wholeheartedly resolve to intensify our efforts to promote the full unity of all Christians. We reaffirm our conviction that reconciliation [among Christians] involves promoting social justice within and among all peoples …

Lesvos, 16 April 2016

Ieronymos II Francis Bartholomew

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/04/16/pope_francis_signs_joint_declaration/1223313

Now, originally this was supposed to be the ‘8th ecumenical council’ and held at the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (ancient Constantinople). But supposedly because of issues with the Russians and Turkey, this changed..

If Rome had been formally invited as a member, this could be possibly considered as the eighth ecumenical council by the Eastern Orthodox and is supposedly the first ecumenical council in about 1200 years. To put this into historical perspective, the first so-called ‘ecumenical council’ was the Council of Nicea convened by Emperor Constantine in 325, the second was the Council of Constantinople convened by Emperor Theodosius which came up with the modern ‘trinity‘ in 381, and the seventh was the Second Council of Nicaea, which the Orthodox claim had two parts, the first in 787 and the second in 843. Many of the Orthodox call the 843 agreement ‘the triumph of Orthodoxy’ as that is when they officially got idols and icons accepted by the Church of Rome (see also Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God). These councils defined much of the Greco-Roman faiths, and those in the Church of God were condemned for not agreeing with many of the results of the councils (see also Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes?).

Having an eighth ‘ecumenical council’ is significant, though this one is a bit different.

Why?

One reason to mention is that the Eastern Orthodox define themselves by the seven previous ecumenical councils. Actually, they refer to themselves as the ‘church of the seven councils’:

“Constantine summoned the first General or Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church at Nicea in 325… Orthodox often call themselves ‘the Church of the Seven Councils’…Nicea was the first of the seven general councils; and these…occupy a central position in the history of Orthodoxy…next to the Bible, it is the seven councils which the Orthodox Church takes as its standard and guide” (Ware T. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, London, 1997, pp.19,35).

“Why are the Seven Ecumenical Councils so important? Because they point out what the Church universally held to be the true teaching concerning the Person of of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity” (Gillquist PE. Becoming Orthodox. Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Brentwood (TN), 1989, p. 102).

Another reason to mention is that Patriarch Bartholomew has said that a synod/ecumenical council would be necessary before the Eastern Orthodox could come into a more full communion, ecumenical unity, with the Church of Rome. Notice something I reported here years ago:

Patriarch of Constantinople’s new encyclical defends Catholic-Orthodox dialogue

Istanbul, Turkey, Feb 20, 2010 / 06:14 pm (CNA).- Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are “unacceptably fanatical” in challenging such dialogue…“They disseminate false rumors that union between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches is imminent, while they know well that the differences discussed in these theological dialogues remain numerous and require lengthy debate; moreover, union is not decided by theological commissions but by Church Synods,” Bartholomew wrotehttp://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/patriarch_of_constantinoples_new_encyclical_defends_catholic-orthodox_dialogue/

COGwriter has been one of the few non-Roman, non-Orthodox sites to warn against the coming unity for years. However, since the Bishop of Rome is not listed as coming to this particular council in June 2016, it may mainly set the stage for what could be really called the “eighth ecumenical council.”

Notice something from March 10, 2014:

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Patriarchs of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians ended a rare summit in Istanbul on Sunday…

Twelve heads of autonomous Orthodox churches, the second-largest family of Christian churches, also agreed to hold a summit of bishops, or ecumenical council, in 2016, which will be the first in over 1,200 years…

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will meet Roman Catholicism’s Pope Francis in Jerusalem in May, is the senior-most Orthodox leader, but his Istanbul-based church is tiny, with none of the resources the large Russian church enjoys.

Despite the prestige of his post, he has no authority over other churches, unlike the power the pope has in Catholicism, the world’s largest church with 1.2 billion members.

The communique stressed that all decisions at the council would be taken by consensus, a position the Russians strongly defended in preparations for the meeting.

The 2016 council will be held in Hagia Irene, a Byzantine church building in the outer courtyard of the Ottoman sultans’ Topkapi Palace. Now a museum, it has not been used as a church since the Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

Orthodox Christianity links 14 independent churches, based in Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East. (Afanasieva D, Heneghan T. Orthodox Patriarchs urge peace in Ukraine, agree on council! Ecumenical News, March 10, 2014. http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/orthodox-patriarchs-urge-peace-in-ukraine-agree-on-council-22801)

The fact that not all 14 are attending, Rome is not invited, and that it is not to be at the Hagia Sophia, but instead in Crete, suggests that this council will mainly be used to unify mainly the Eastern Orthodox, so that they may pursue other unity later.

Pope Francis is an ecumenically-oriented pontiff, and Bartholomew is perhaps the most ecumenically-oriented top Eastern Orthodox patriarch in centuries. They get along well and seem to have similar objectives.

The Bible and Roman Catholic writings warn against the type of ecumenical unity that Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis want. The Orthodox actually look forward to a time of a new Babylon:

Monk Leontios (died 543): Rejoice, oh most unhappy one, oh New Babylon!…You, who are the New Babylon rejoice now on behalf of Zion! New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes what a Grace you have received. Because that peace which was yours to enjoy in times past, and which God has deprived you of in course of battles, receive it once more from the hand of an Angel…oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. 82-83).

This is something that the Bible and at least one Catholic priest have warned against:

2…Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Revelation 18:2-5)

6 “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. 7 “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” (Zechariah 2:6-7)

Priest H. Kramer (20th century): In the vision of the Seer now appears a second beast rising out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon…In other places he is called the false prophet…This prophet may re-establish the pagan Roman Empire and build the “Great Harlot”, Babylon… The False Prophet…will persuade all infidels, apostates and apostate nations to worship and adore him…Antichrist “sitteth in the temple of God” (I Thes. II. 4). This is not the ancient Temple in Jerusalem…this temple is shown to be a Catholic Church…The False Prophet will proclaim the resurrection of the Roman Empire. (Kramer H., p. 318,320-323)

Despite biblical and other warnings, Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew seem determined to help fulfill prophecies that warn against what they are trying to do. Such unity will be dangerous for both the Church of Rome and the Eastern Orthodox. Signs and lying wonders may be a deceptive factor in this occurrence (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

Some Eastern Orthodox leaders, especially in Greece (which was conspicuously absent from the list reported at the beginning of this article), oppose all the attempts at unity with Rome (see Greek Orthodox Bishops denounce Pope Francis, Church of Rome, and Ecumenism as Antichrist Plan of Freemasons as well as Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox?).

Now I actually agree with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew that the Orthodox will likely need to have a church synod for unity and the one in Crete could possibly be that one if there is sufficient Greek support.

Interestingly, the Eastern/Greek Orthodox prophets have expected such a meeting to take place and result in unity. Notice one of their predictions from centuries ago:

Saint Nelios the Myrrh-Gusher (died 1592): During that time the Eighth and last Ecumenical Synod will take place, which will satisfy the contentions of the heretics…(Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, p. 111).

By satisfying “heretics,” clearly this council compromises and changes the religion, which will be called “Catholic.” The originally proposed  meeting for June was supposed to be an “ecumenical council,” not a “holy synod” (see Orthodox agree to eighth ecumenical council: If Orthodox prophecy is correct on it, this council marks a major step towards the end!). If the proposed 2016 council does this, the end is nearer than most people think that it is. However, since Pope Francis is not currently scheduled to be there, this meeting may not be the “eighth ecumenical council” (and he probably will not be there).

Some Orthodox look forward to this “eighth ecumenical council,” but also expect an antipope near then:

Helen Tzima Otto (20th century): We have been told time and time again through the prophets that the Great Monarch and Papa Angelorum…will convene the 8th Ecumenical Council, which will reunify all Christians…The Emperor will spend three years waging wars against the non-Christian nations…{later will be} the end time schism of the Roman Catholic Church of the End Times and the rise of an antipope. (Tzima Otto, pp. xxv, 103, 122)

Apparently the “non-Christian nations” will be those that do not desire to be part of the ecumenical church that is to form.

The reality is that the drive towards ecumenical unity between the Catholics of Rome, the Greek/Eastern Orthodox, and various Protestants is happening. The pace seems to be picking up.

Tweet

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Prophecy, Religious News.

• Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Russia to Meet
• Eastern Orthodox Visiting Vatican
• Pope and Patriarch Meet: Unity at “Crucial Stage”
• Cardinal Kasper Sends Birthday Wish to Patriarch Bartholomew I
• Eastern Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew responds to Rome
• Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Williams to Attend Vatican II Celebration
• Pope Trying to Appease the Orthodox and the Lutherans
• More Efforts Towards Catholic-Orthodox Unity
• Ukrainian Orthodox Officially Ask to be Independent of Russia
• Pope Calls for Solidarity in a Letter to Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew