Speaking to the students of the KTA at the student conference, the manager of the UOC, metropolitan Anthony, outlined one of the main reasons for the current crisis in inter-Orthodox relations. This reason, in his opinion, is the doctrine of the Church, which is now actively promoted by the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The hierarch clearly and succinctly singled out the fundamental ecclesiological problem of our days – the problem of primacy in the Church, in relation to which all other issues (autocephaly, diaspora, the right of appeal, etc.) are essentially derivatives.
It was the claims of the Patriarch of Constantinople for a special status in the Church and the assignment of a number of privileges to them that became a stumbling block for the Local Churches, which did not agree with the metamorphosis of the “primacy of honor” into the “primacy of power”.
Let’s briefly analyze the main theses of the report.
The central point of the report, in our opinion, is the analysis of the theological ideas of metropolitan John (Zizioulas). It was Zizioulas and his follower, met. Elpidiphoros (Lambriniadis) – laid the foundation for modern theoretical and theological ideas of the Church of Constantinople about primacy.
In fact, lord Anthony “strikes” the most vulnerable point of the Phanar’s teaching about the Church, drawing attention to the incorrect theological methodology of Zizioulas and Lambriniadis – a schematic transfer of the properties of the diocesan and regional levels of primacy to the universal.
In addition, Elpidiphoros draws an inadmissible, in our opinion, analogy between the relations between the persons of the Holy Trinity and the administrative structure of the Church. In his opinion, the monarchy of God the Father is a prototype of primacy in the Church. Obviously, such analogies lead to a substitution of concepts and a misunderstanding of the sources and nature of primacy at each of its levels.
Much more logical, less “philosophical” and more appealing to the historical and canonical tradition of the Church, is the position of the ROC, expressed in the document of 2013, to which lordAnthony refers.
The fundamental position stated in the document of the Russian Orthodox Church is the assertion of the inadmissibility of the mechanical transfer of primacy from one level of church life to another. The diocesan level is one thing, the regional level is another, and the ecumenical level is the third. There is no direct analogy between them. And the source and nature of the championship at each of the levels are completely different.
In addition, the comparison between the Trinity (or the communion of the properties of two natures in Jesus Christ) and the canonical structure of the Church leads to the fact that primacy in the Universal Church receives “divine sanction.” That is, there is a mixture of the absolute and the relative, the sacred and the profane, etc.
We will not retell the entire argumentation of the report. Definitely, it is worth reading in full.
Let’s just note that holding such conferences is an important step in overcoming the crisis in Orthodoxy. In addition to instilling in future clergymen of the UOC a sound understanding of the nature of the Church and its canonical foundation, such events are an important signal about the direction in which to move in order to get out of the current situation.
Namely, to stimulate theological discussion of the phanariots` concept of primacy. Indeed, even among many Phanar sympathizers, Zizioulas’s ideas cause great skepticism and well-deserved criticism. Therefore, they are the “weak point” that can and should be hit with all the strength. Until the charge of heresy.
We absolutely agree with lord Anthony that at the moment “it is vital” “a dialogue between the Local Churches in order to reach a consensus on these issues.”
As soon as the discussion reaches the pan-Orthodox level, all artificial theological constructions of the Church of Constantinople will crumble due to their obvious inconsistency.