1973 Pravoslavnaya Rus: A Proposed Joint Russian / Greek Confession of Faith

A Proposed Joint Greek / Russian Confession of Faith from 1973

 

In issue No. 20 of Pravoslavnaya Rus, dated October 15/23, 1973, a note titled "A Much-Needed and Timely Confession of Faith" was published. Among other things, it included the following note:

"The zealous adherents of True Orthodoxy, the [Matthewite] Greek Old Calendarists, have sent us a Confession of Faith composed by them, which we present below. They propose that all who are willing sign it, which is extremely relevant in our days of widespread apostasy from God, a departure from the true Orthodox Christian faith, and all sorts of unacceptable innovations and modernism in matters of faith, tied to a pursuit of some new 'reformation' intended to change and remake everything in Orthodoxy to fit a new mold — keeping up with the times, contrary to the significant affirmation of the Father of Orthodoxy, Saint Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria the Great, who said: 'We must serve not the times, but God.'"

The note was accompanied by a "Confession of Faith," which we present here in full:

CONFESSION OF FAITH AND REQUEST FOR ADMISSION AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER IN THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TRUE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS "FAITH BETRAYED."

My request for admission to the International Brotherhood of True Orthodox Christians presupposes that:

1. I believe and confess the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the Trinity consubstantial and indivisible.

2. I believe and confess that the Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that there is no other church.

3. I submit to the Holy Scripture, the Apostolic Canons, the Seven Ecumenical Councils, the Local Councils, as well as the rules and teachings of the Holy Fathers. To avoid any misunderstanding, I clarify that:

4.a. Based on the words of the Holy Apostle Paul:

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15);

b. Based on Canon 91 of St. Basil the Great:

"Of the dogmas and preachings preserved in the Church, some we have from written instruction, others we have received from the tradition of the Apostles through a mystery. Both have the same force for piety. And this no one will dispute, even if they have but a slight acquaintance with ecclesiastical institutions. For if we venture to disregard unwritten customs as having little force, we imperceptibly damage the Gospel in major matters or, rather, reduce the preaching to a mere name without reality."

c. Based on Canon 7 of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, Canon 3 of the Council of Carthage, and Canon 21 of the Council of Gangra, I declare myself obedient and submissive to all written and unwritten traditions of the Orthodox Church.

4. Based on:

a. The canon of St. Cyprian of Carthage, rejecting any baptism or other sacrament performed outside the True Church;

b. Canon 46 of the Holy Apostles, which states:

"We command that a bishop or presbyter who accepts the baptism or sacrifice of heretics be deposed. For what agreement has Christ with Belial, or what portion has a believer with an unbeliever?"

c. The resolution of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia in 1971 in Montreal, according to which baptism is the correct path for the return of a non-Orthodox person to the bosom of the Orthodox Church—

I confess the exclusivity and catholicity of the Orthodox Church, as has always been proclaimed by the Holy Fathers of Universal Orthodoxy (regardless of era or place of residence), and further confess that outside the Orthodox Church there is neither baptism nor any sacrament.

5. Based on:

a. Canon 10 of the Holy Apostles:

"If anyone prays with one who has been excommunicated from the Church, even in a house, let him also be excommunicated";

b. Canon 45 of the Holy Apostles:

"A bishop or presbyter or deacon who has prayed with heretics shall be excommunicated. If he permits them to act as clerics in any way, he shall be deposed";

c. Canon 65 of the Holy Apostles:

"If any cleric or layman enters a Jewish or heretical synagogue to pray, he shall be both deposed and excommunicated from the Church";

d. Canon 6 of the Council of Laodicea:

"It is not permitted for heretics who persist in their heresy to enter the house of God";

e. Canon 33 of the Council of Laodicea:

"It is not permitted to pray with heretics or schismatics";

f. Canon 37 of the Council of Laodicea:

"It is not proper to accept festive gifts sent by Jews or heretics, nor to celebrate with them";

g. The liturgical texts, which proclaim: "Pray, ye catechumens, to the Lord, ye faithful, let us pray for the catechumens," as well as the priest's prayer which states that the catechumens do not yet glorify "with us," thereby marking, even in prayer, a distinction between the catechumens and the faithful—

I promise that I will not have communion in prayer or sacraments with schismatics or heretics, or with those who pray with or commune with them.

7. Based on:

a) The words of the Holy Apostle Paul:

"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8, 9), for the Holy Apostle, without hesitation, subjects even himself to anathema should he distort the doctrine;

b) The Pan-Orthodox Council of 1848, whose decisions were signed by Anthimus, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Hierotheus, Patriarch of Alexandria, Methodius, Patriarch of Antioch, and Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem:

"Let us hold fast to our Confession of Faith, handed down to us by such men, rejecting all modernism as inspired by the devil. He who accepts modernism reproaches the Orthodox Faith preached to us as incomplete. But our Faith possesses fullness and perfection and tolerates neither addition, subtraction, nor any alteration, so that he who dares to perform, think, or advise such a thing has already renounced the Faith of Christ and has willingly subjected himself to eternal anathema for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, as though he were misinterpreting Scripture or the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils..."

I renounce every modernist attempt at "renewal," "actualization," "aggiornamento," or "revision" of Church Tradition; I renounce any attempt to revise liturgical texts, fasting rules, or to divide the Holy Canons into "dogmatic," "administrative," or "disciplinary"; I renounce any division of elements of Tradition into "essential" and "secondary," any changes in the order of services, in iconography, in sacred music, in architecture, in clergy vestments, in the relationship between priesthood and marriage, and any other proposals that have been made or will be made in the future. Not only do I reject all such attempts, but I also do not commune or pray with those who allow, preach, practice,

8. Based on:

a) The three anathemas proclaimed by the Pan-Orthodox Councils of 1583, 1587, and 1593 by Patriarchs Jeremias of Constantinople, Sylvester and Meletius of Alexandria, Joachim of Antioch, and Sophronius of Jerusalem against the Gregorian calendar;

b) The statement of Metropolitan Philaret dated April 14/27, 1972, that "these condemnations were never revoked by subsequent Councils. They remain valid and binding for all Orthodox Christians. The introduction of the new calendar has brought only schisms to the Churches that adopted it";

c) The statement of Metropolitan Philaret dated September 10/29, 1971, that "the Gregorian calendar is a violation of Orthodox Tradition";

d) The repeated recognition of the Greek Church of True Orthodox Christians by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in 1969 and 1971—

I reject this innovation as well and pledge to fulfill my religious duties and partake of the Holy Mysteries only in churches that, among other things, adhere to the traditional calendar of the Orthodox Church.

9. Based on:

a) The Sorrowful Epistles of Metropolitan Philaret and his protests regarding the Orthodox hierarchy as a whole;

b) The Provemont Message (10th Conference of Clergy and Laity in 1972) and the clear statements of some hierarchs faithful to Holy Tradition;

c) The fact that the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad accepted priests from other jurisdictions who had separated from their bishops who fell into heresy and schism, thereby recognizing the validity of their voice of conscience and their decision to separate;

d) The fact that many non-Russian Orthodox communities seek canonical protection from the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad for reasons of conscience; the fact that this Church recognizes the validity of the objections of these communities and accepts them under the omophorion of its bishops, ordaining non-Russian priests and incorporating them into its clergy—

I pledge to fulfill my religious duties in churches and under the spiritual guidance of bishops and priests who are subject to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad or sister Churches that are in holy communion with it, whose policies and conduct fully conform to the traditional requirements of Conciliar Orthodoxy.

10. Considering:

a) The doctrines, philosophy, and goals pursued by secret and similar societies;

b) The fact that these doctrines, philosophy, and goals contradict the teachings of the Holy Gospel and the entire Church Tradition;

c) The fact that these societies often conceal their goals and carefully hide their doctrines under the guise of "religious" or "charitable" societies and organizations;

d) The fact that these societies often act indirectly through subordinate organizations, exerting a harmful influence on youth or exploiting the need and poverty of people;

e) The warnings, prohibitions, and anathemas periodically pronounced by the Orthodox hierarchy against such secret societies—

I solemnly pledge never to have any relations or dealings with any secret society, regardless of its name or apparent composition, nor with organizations directly or indirectly dependent on such a society.

11. Based on the ancient sayings:

a) Of Saint Vincent of Lérins: "To the Catholic Faith belongs only that which has been believed always, everywhere, and by all";

b) Of the Holy Councils: "According to the Holy Fathers" and "The Fathers have spoken, and we speak";

c) Of the Synodicon, which the Holy Church repeats every year on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy:

"As the prophets have seen, as the apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the Holy Fathers have defined, as the universe has accepted, as Grace has shone forth, as Truth has been revealed, as falsehood has been banished, as Wisdom has been established, as Christ has approved, so do we think, so do we speak, so do we preach... This is the Faith of the apostles, this is the Faith of the fathers, this is the Faith of the Orthodox, this is the Faith that has established the world... All things newly introduced and arising against the Church Tradition and the teachings of the Holy Fathers of blessed memory, let them be thrice anathematized!"

In conclusion of this vow, I confess a personal, free, and conscious faith; I confess my unconditional acceptance and complete unity with the catholic doctrine of the Orthodox Church as it is defined in the first canon of the Seventh Ecumenical Council:

"…The canons and decrees, which we gladly accept, we sing with the eloquent David to the Lord God, saying: 'I have delighted in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.' Likewise: 'Thou hast commanded righteousness, Thy testimonies forever: give me understanding, and I shall live!' And if the prophetic voice commands us to keep God's testimonies forever and live in them, it is clear that they remain indestructible and unshakable. For even Moses, who beheld God, says: 'Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it.' And the divine Apostle Peter, boasting of them, cries: 'Into which things angels desire to look.' Likewise, Paul proclaims: 'Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.'

Since this is true and confirmed to us, I rejoice in it as one who has found much gain. With delight, I receive the divine canons and fully and steadfastly uphold the decree of these canons, established by the six (seven) Holy Ecumenical Councils and the local councils assembled to issue such decrees, as well as by our Holy Fathers. For all of them, being enlightened by one and the same Spirit, have legislated what is beneficial. And those whom they anathematize, we also anathematize; those whom they depose, we also depose; those whom they excommunicate, we also excommunicate; and those whom they subject to penance, we likewise subject to penance..."

Thus, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the Holy Heavenly Bodiless Powers, the prayers of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist, all the prophets, the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Apostles, the victorious martyrs, the Holy Hierarchs and confessors, and all the God-bearing fathers and mothers,

I, unworthy, call upon the protection of God and His Holy Gospel..."

The note concluded with the following words:

"This 'Confession of Faith' is an act of the inner life of the Greek Old Calendarists... For us, it is precious as a vivid testimony of a deep awareness of their confessional essence. And from this perspective, there is nothing to add to this Confession — except perhaps the following! Where it speaks of 'heretics,' in our time, we must understand not only the ancient heretics against whom the canonical rules were formulated, but also all the modern 'super-heretics' — God-fighters, apostates from God, Christ-haters, and Satanists, with whom a True Orthodox Christian must have no relations whatsoever — not only no prayerful relations but also no social interactions, as our late First Hierarch, Blessed Metropolitan Anastassy, instructed us. All the more so, one must not maintain friendly relations with them, accept gifts from them, receive financial assistance, and so on. While some ancient heretics were at times heretics only due to misunderstanding, thoughtlessness, or ignorance, modern God-fighters, apostates from God, Christ-haters, and Satanists become such through a particularly malicious disposition, a determined effort of will directed toward evil. To have any interaction with them is criminal, entirely impermissible, and cannot be justified by any means."

 

Russian source: https://fgtr18.livejournal.com/7673.html