Orthodox Ecclesiology Today

Greek source: Η Ἐκκλησιολογία τοῦ Ἁγίου πρ. Φλωρίνης Χρυσοστόμου καὶ ἡ διαστρέβλωσίς της ἀπὸ τοὺς διαδόχους του [The Ecclesiology of Saint Chrysostomos, formerly of Florina, and its Distortion by His Successors], Nikolaos Mannis (Athens: 2013), p. 43.

 

 

Clearly, from the time when the former Metropolitan of Florina fell asleep [1955] until today, the degree of the fall of the New Calendarist hierarchy and others continues to increase. Now, the heresy of Ecumenism is clearly proclaimed and, at the same time, other heresies have arisen.

However, Orthodox ecclesiology, as developed by the ever-memorable Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Florina, remains the same. In particular, it consists of the following points:

1. The True Orthodox are walled-off from the New Calendarist hierarchy in Greece (and on a global scale, from the Ecumenists who have arisen among the Orthodox) for reasons of faith and justice (Canons 31 of the Holy Apostles and 15 of the First-Second Synod).

2. The Church of Greece, and the likewise-innovated Patriarchates and other Churches, and those who commune together and indiscriminately with them, have become liable to judgment for schism and heresy on account of the change of the calendar and Ecumenism, respectively, whereas the walled-off True Orthodox constitute the incorruptible pleroma of the Church, and not a separate Church.

3. The purpose of walling-off is to zealously defend the Church from schisms and divisions (cf. Canon 15 of the First-Second Synod). We await the convening of a Major General Synod, which will pronounce an Orthodox judgment, officially anathematizing the novelty of the new calendar and the newly-appeared pan-heresy of Ecumenism; identify and anathematize the unrepentant heretics; impose penalties, whether according to strictness or according to economy; accept or reject the Mysteries of the Innovators and of those who commune with them; and deal with other related matters.

4. Every deviation from the Patristic understanding of walling-off (e.g., the creation of a separate Church) distracts from its purpose, which is, as has been said, to rescue the Church from division and schisms, and to not become complicit (as commemorators and communicants) with the Innovators and Ecumenists through the unilateral innovation of the new calendar and the heresy of Ecumenism.