Archpriest George Primak on Grace in the Moscow Patriarchate

Archpriest George Primak on Grace in the Moscow Patriarchate


Since none of our First Hierarchs and bishops of blessed memory have said that there is no grace in the MP, they [that is, supporters of the ROCOR/MP union talks] want us to believe that this means there is grace in the MP. This is a very strange approach to a very important question. It would be more logical and more convincing to indicate when and where it was said or written that there is complete [полная] grace there. If our hierarchs believed that there was complete grace there, then why did they categorically refuse to have eucharistic communion with the grace-filled Church? Most likely, nowhere was it said or written that there is complete grace there. Moreover, one can find personal statements of our hierarchs indicating the complete opposite.

Our Church does not have prayerful communion with the Churches that have adopted the new calendar, but I don't remember our hierarchs ever calling them graceless. Let’s think: perhaps our First Hierarchs and bishops of blessed memory set us an example of great humility, considering themselves unworthy to decide regarding the grace in the MP? In the same spirit, Metropolitan Cyprian of the Greek Old Calendarist Church expressed himself when asked his opinion on the grace in the new calendar Greek Church. He replied: "Who am I to decide this matter; it will be decided in the future at the Pan-Orthodox council of the true Orthodox Churches; but just in case, we avoid any prayerful communion with them." I invite all those who try to convince us regarding grace in the MP, to take an example from the humility of our hierarchs and ask themselves: am I worthy to decide that it exists, and do I have convincing evidence to fervently persuade my brethren in this matter?


ИГНОРИРОВАНИЕ СЕРЬЕЗНЫХ ДУХОВНЫХ ВОПРОСОВ [Ignoring Serious Spiritual Issues], by Protopriest George Primak, Online: http://www.metanthonymemorial.org/VernostNo40.htm.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Monument to Orthodoxy: The Trial of a Zealot

  Monument to Orthodoxy: The Trial of a Zealot   We present to you the minutes of the trial of the Athonite Zealot Monk Theokletos Germanos (in the world, Thomas Vasileiou), which took place in 1973. The reason for the trial of Fr. Theokletos was his cessation of the commemoration of the name of the then Patriarch of Constantinople Dimitrios. The dialogues are particularly revealing regarding persons and views, and Fr. Theokletos' boldness is most impressive, reminiscent of the ancient Fathers in times of heresy. PATRIARCHAL EXARCHY 1) President: Metropolitan Maximos of Stavroupolis 2) Exarch: Metropolitan Dionysios of Drama 3) Exarch: Metropolitan Titus of Rethymno and Mylopotamos   COMMITTEE 4) Protos : Elder Archimandrite Mitrophanes of Hilandar 5) Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou, Archimandrite Gabriel 6) Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Philotheou, Archimandrite Papa-Ephraim [later Abbot of St. Anthony's Monastery in Arizona] 7) Former Abb...
Read more

On Anti-Ecumenism: Words versus Actions

  On Anti-Ecumenism June 2016 Anti-ecumenism is a movement that opposes ecumenism. Anti-ecumenism employs two strategies of warfare against ecumenism. One group of anti-ecumenists is selected and appointed by ecumenism itself—this speaks volumes. To make it more understandable, it is similar to how one politician might be pro-American, another pro-German, another Anglophile, another Russophile, and so on. The other group of anti-ecumenists consists of the Hellenophiles = those with a Greek spirit, the Christ-minded, the genuine Orthodox. Of course, there are also the counterfeit = false Christians, that is, the hypocrites who deceive the simple faithful because, as the saying goes, they present a good outward appearance = facade, while inwardly they are full of impurity. The pan-heresy of Ecumenism, since the beginning of the previous century, has been attempting by every means to conquer Orthodox Hellenism. Ecumenism has dissolved the boundaries of respect, invaded Orthodoxy, and ...
Read more

Letters to a Troubled Monastic by Archpriest Gregory Williams (+2016)

Letters to a Troubled Monastic: Excerpts From Recent Correspondence Between a Monk and Fr. Gregory Williams  Monk: Christ is risen! Thanks again for your thoughtful and thought-provoking letter, Father. Fr. G: I understand too well the dilemma in which you find yourself, and am quite certain it is one which is widespread. I make no claim to being able to determine whether any hierarchy “has grace” or not. Indeed, I’m quite convinced this is an unanswerable (and perhaps altogether unwise, even false) question. I think we’re assured that the Holy Spirit “bloweth where It listeth”. Does the Holy Spirit watch over and at least in some sense guide my children (and friends) who find themselves on a radically different path from mine (even entirely non-Orthodox)? I certainly hope so. Is He active throughout the world, even in people & places where the true Faith is completely unknown? To say otherwise would, I think, be heresy. So that’s not where the “solution” is to be found. Are ma...
Read more