Theological Conference with the theme: "Walling-Off Orthodoxy: Eight Years Later" (Opinions – comments) (FINAL)

July 12, 2025

 

Previous parts (in Greek):

Part 1: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/07/28-2025.html

Part 2: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-post_11.html

Part 3: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-post_33.html

 

Final conclusions

Summarizing the conclusions related to the conference in Thessaloniki, we note the following:

1. The first key characteristic of the conference was the absence of other walled-off clergy, apart from those associated with the group of Fr. Theodoros Zisis This occurred because the entire organization aimed to present that specific group as the sole outlet in walling-off, eight years later. This is also proven by the fact that all the speakers assumed the role of praising the person and the practice taught by Fr. Theodoros regarding the “cessation of commemoration,” without a cessation of ecclesiastical communion, while simultaneously forgetting the following.

"The cessation of commemoration is the tool primarily used by clergy—and I say primarily because laity or monks also follow them—for the realization of Walling-Off. However, if the cessation of commemoration takes place without the actual raising of a wall of separation from the heretics—and this happens when, alongside the cessation of commemoration, there is indirect Communion (through concelebrations with commemorators or commemoration of hierarchs who commemorate)—then this, in essence, is not truly Walling-Off, but something else, though not Walling Off from the heretics." In other words, all the speakers forgot that the mere cessation of commemoration without cessation of communion contradicts the Canon "he who communes with the non-communed becomes non-communed himself," which refers also to uncondemned heretics (non-communed). Fr. Theodore applies a concept of his own invention, foreign to Orthodoxy.

2. None of the speakers referred to the obligatory nature of Canon 15 of the First-Second Council, resulting in the continued cultivation of the view of Potentialism.

"Potentialism teaches that it is not necessary for someone to separate from ecumenist bishops or priests in order to be saved. One may commune with them if they wish, without salvific consequences. This pseudo-teaching thus teaches the opposite of the words of Jesus. It says: 'If the sheep hear the voice of a strange shepherd (i.e., heretical, heterodox), they may, if they wish, remain with him, and if they wish, they may leave. It is not mandatory for them to leave.' Thus, they give them a 'blessing' (permission) to commune with the local representative of heresy… in their parish, practicing so-called economy." (A relevant recent article is available at the link: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/01/blog-post_32.html – "The Defilement of the Mysteries and the Obligation of Walling-Off")

3. The abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi in Milochori was also present at the conference. In this specific monastery, we have a characteristic expression of the practice of Potentialism. As a related article informs us: “There, then, the priest does not commemorate the local bishop, yet he distributes Holy Communion to people who are ecumenists, as well as to those who are not. Thus, the ridiculous—rather, the blasphemous—occurs: everyone approaches the common Chalice of the Faith! Regardless of what each one believes! And what else is this but a degradation of the Faith?”

(https://paterikiparadosi.blogspot.com/2019/07/blog-post_107.html)

4. The presentation of his own written and anti-ecumenist work by Fr. Theodoros Zisis himself constitutes yet another proof of a publicly expressed egotism, a fundamental characteristic of academics, who proclaim themselves authorities. We remind everyone that very good and informative anti-ecumenist books have previously been published by the Holy Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina (G.O.C.) and later by Fr. Euthymios Trikaminas (Orthodoxy and Ecumenism, a book on the obligatoriness of the 15th Canon of the First-Second Council, The Confrontation of the Heresy of Ecumenism according to St. Theodore the Studite), by Mr. Ioannis Rizos (The Robbers of Divine Justice), by Hieromonk Eugenios (The Concept of Defilement), while a large number of noteworthy anti-ecumenist articles circulate online from other authors as well.

5. The presentation of the Cypriot bishop as a Symbol of Orthodoxy (without commenting on the use of ekkliton) proves the distortion of the concept of the Orthodox Bishop and of walling off. A related article was published on the blog OMOLOGIA at:

https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/05/blog-post_39.html

(“Do bishops with Orthodox mindsets depose confessing priests?”)

6. We expected at this particular conference—and on the occasion of the subtitle (“have the red lines been crossed”)—that Fr. Theodoros Zisis would announce the end of economy and of Potentialism, but we were disappointed. Economy, now that the pan-heresy has grown rampant, is unacceptable. The Patristic path is the only way of Exactness.

7. Unfortunately, Fr. Theodoros and his group were content with self-praise. Eight years later, they continue to maintain a presbyterian church structure. Why did they not come into contact with anti-ecumenist and walled-off bishops, so that the formation of an anti-ecumenist Synod for the condemnation of the heretics might gradually begin to be set in motion? Could it be that such bishops do not exist? Or perhaps Fr. Theodoros fears losing his primacy? Why did they not organize a gathering of all the groups of the walled-off, in order to discuss the existing problems and to begin, little by little, to make unity in the anti-ecumenist struggle faintly visible?

In the end, we observe with great sorrow the following:

"Nine years have already passed since the pseudo-council of Kolymbari, which not only confirmed the heretical doctrines of the ecumenists—doctrines we had known for many years—but unfortunately also revealed the heresy that was hidden on the side of the anti-ecumenist leaders, which we neither knew nor could have imagined in our worst nightmares. 'For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.' That is, now is the time for judgment and sorting to begin from the faithful who constitute the house of God. Their positions have now been clarified, positions which distort and skillfully reject the teachings of the holy Fathers, hindering every sincere soul from beginning and completing the salvific struggle of Walling Off. As for their violation of the patristic teaching and the invention of a new teaching of their own concerning so-called Walling Off, they are identical with the ecumenists." (Ioannis Rizos)

Today, unfortunately, there has appeared the group of those clergy whose conscience "successfully" survives both in an environment of heresy and in an environment of Orthodoxy.

 

Greek source: https://apotixisi.blogspot.com/2025/07/blog-post_12.html