A (Small Yet) Bold Step Against Ecumenism (2006)

May every Orthodox jurisdiction follow the OCA Diocese of the Midwest’s lead and withdraw their participation, affiliation and any type of dialogue with the National Council of Churches (NCC) & World Council of Churches (WCC).

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Diocese of the Midwest
Orthodox Church in America
45th Diocesan Assembly, October 10-12, 2006-09-23
Resolution Form

Title of Resolution: Leaving the NCC & WCC
Origin of Resolution: Reverend Bartholomew Wojcik

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WHEREAS, the World Council of Churches affirms a heretical ecclesiology which states that, “Each church is the Church catholic and not simply a part of it. Each church is the Church catholic, but not the whole of it. Each church fulfils its catholicity when it is in communion with the other churches” (source: Called to be the One Church statement adopted at the Ninth WCC Assembly, February, 2006, Porto Alegre, Brazil); and

WHEREAS, the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, have confused liberal political ideology and sexual immorality with the truth of the Gospel and freedom in Christ; and

WHEREAS, V. Rev. Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky, as the Orthodox Church in America’s representative to the NCC & WCC has participated in, and promoted, this supplanting of the Orthodox Faith with political disputes, particularly through his formal reading of the letter from the US Conference for the WCC to the 9th Assembly, Porto Alegre, Brazil; and

WHEREAS, the Bible directs us to “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things” (Romans 14:1); and

WHEREAS, these repeated and ongoing public confusions and misrepresentations of the Orthodox Faith and Church has scandalized and offended numerous God-fearing Orthodox Christians; and

WHEREAS, this mis-characterization has led the Church to be falsely perceived as being a politically oriented denomination rather than the holy, sacramental Body of Christ whose faith and morals remain changeless; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Diocese of the Midwest calls upon His Beatitude, Metropolitan HERMAN to recall Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky as representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the NCC and WCC; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Diocese of the Midwest calls upon the Orthodox Church in America to withdraw from formal membership, and active participation, in the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches forthwith.

 

Source: Orthodox Heritage, Brotherhood of St. Poimen, Vol. 04, Issue 12, December 2006, p. 13.