The Impending Ruin Of The Ecumenical Patriarchate

The Ecumenical Patriarchate for me was always worthy of admiration and reverence as an ecclesiastical institution. I am reminded of Steven Runciman’s classic “The Great Church in Captivity” about the Patriarchate’s history under the rule of the Ottoman Empire from the fall of Constantinople to the Greek War of Independence. Runciman, a legendary historian of Byzantium wrote about the Patriarchate with a good deal of sympathy.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate survived the fall of Byzantium and the Ottoman Empire. It has appeared to have survived the demise of the Turkish Republic which was a greater threat to its existence than the Ottoman Empire ever was. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has survived much political hardship and persecution but its demise appears to be on the horizon as a result of the policies of its current Patriarch rather than as a result of Turkish oppression and brutality.

This is a profound shame. The Eastern Orthodox Church recognizes the Ecumenical Patriarch as “first among equals” and considers the Patriarchate to have a “primacy of honor”. This is not an insignificant status. Indeed, Constantinople could have done much good for the whole of Orthodoxy had its leadership been content with the recognized status that it holds.

The primary focus of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been itself rather than the interests of Orthodoxy in general. The Ecumenical Patriarch could have been the statesman of Orthodoxy but chose instead to become a partisan figure putting forward claims on the territorial rights of autocephalous Churches that are not substantiated by canon law or Orthodox ecclesiology. The present Ecumenical Patriarch in the early years of his Patriarchy achieved some good things.

In March 1992, he convened a historic synaxis or gathering of Orthodox Patriarchs and primates at the Ecumenical Patriarchate that was truly historic. Less than a year after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Patriarchs worked together to produce a statement criticizing the Vatican for its missionary activities in Russia and other freed Orthodox countries and for supporting the Unia in Ukraine and Rumania.

The statement released stated that Orthodox dialogue with the Vatican was being limited strictly to discussions over the Uniates that were seen by Orthodoxy as a threat. It was a wonderful statement achieved through the traditional method of conciliarity. This Patriarchal reign that started with promise appears to eventually in tragedy.

Patriarch Bartholomew’s goal was to secure the existence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate after its near extinction as a result of the Turkish sponsored genocide and ethnic cleansing of the twentieth century. Patriarch Bartholomew’s primary achievement has been to upgrade the status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from a nearly forgotten ancient Church facing severe restrictions to an internationally recognized Church that enjoys diplomatic status and protection.

This remains an impressive accomplishment. The problem regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been that it thinks only in terms of itself. For example, the Patriarchate believes its interests are the interests of Orthodoxy and vice versa when this is clearly not the case. Each autocephalous Orthodox Church is inseparable from the rest and must act in accordance with the tradition of conciliarity and not independently or above the desired will of the body of local Churches.

Constantinople has adopted an authoritarian streak that is not compatible with Orthodox tradition. This ethos has led Constantinople to make fatal errors in its relations with the Russian Orthodox Church which it sees as a rival rather than as a sister Church. While the Ecumenical Patriarchate has achieved diplomatic recognition from the western world as a counter to Turkish oppression and discrimination, this has led Constantinople to align itself with extremist political interests in Washington that are anti Russian.

This collusion with the west against the Russians has tragically placed the Ecumenical Patriarchate against the greater interests of Orthodoxy. Russia is the largest Orthodox country in the world that has been targeted by western liberals and others because it is a Christian country that espouses sacred values. Constantinople should have praised the miraculous building of Churches and Cathedrals throughout Russia and should have recognized that contemporary Russia is the carrier of the great spiritual tradition of Constantinople.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s intervention in Ukraine has done enormous damage to Orthodox unity. The damage was not limited to Ukraine but was carried over into the Churches of Greece and Alexandria which have become severely compromised, and onto Mount Athos itself which has become divided. Constantinople’s actions are truly lamentable.

The Ukrainian crisis has been recounted in greater depth on this blog. Needless to say, the longer this crisis continues the less likely that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will recover its reputation and prestige. The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s disastrous handling of affairs in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has further damaged its reputation and prestige.

There are certain Greek elements that have endorsed each and every disastrous decision made by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. These cheerleaders are contributing to the eventual ruin of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.