One reason why I was inspired to start this blog was to establish a forum to express dissent for the Church of Constantinople’s actions in Ukraine and throughout Orthodoxy. It is a tragedy that the voices speaking in an official capacity for Constantinople are doing so by ignoring harsh truths regarding that Church’s role in fomenting the schism in Orthodoxy and promoting oppression against Orthodox Ukrainians. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia has said that Orthodoxy could not exist without the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Such exaggerated boasts do not serve the Ecumenical Patriarchate well. It is fact that for three hundred and fifty years the Church did not have an Ecumenical Patriarchate. Furthermore, when the Patriarchate of Constantinople was formally established by the fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council in 381 AD it was second in honor after Rome. In addition, the Patriarchate was established by the authority of the universal Church. It did not establish itself.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate has no right to claim authority over the local Orthodox Churches. Contrary to the Archbishop’s assertion the Orthodox Church can and will function without the Ecumenical Patriarchate as it did when Rome fell into heresy. The Archbishop forgets that Patriarchs once espoused heresies such as Nestorianism (named after the Patriarch who reigned between 427 and 431 AD), Iconoclasm, and supported the Council Of Florence in 1439.
It is a provable fact that the Patriarch is not infallible and has clearly lost his way. The Patriarchate of Constantinople refuses to convene a council or to even discuss the Ukrainian issue. The Archbishop urged the faithful of Australia to be faithful to the Patriarchate and to show their love. Some of us are attempting to show our love by pointing out that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is wrong for espousing a new ecclesiology that is foreign to Orthodoxy.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate is being devoured by those who are indulging and supporting the errors of Patriarch Bartholomew. Those who wish to serve the Ecumenical Patriarchate do so by upholding and espousing the traditional Orthodox faith being upheld by the universal Church of which Constantinople is only one part of. The Church of Constantinople is being damaged the longer it refuses to submit to the demands of the universal Church and fails to comply with the process of conciliarity.
2 replies on “Disservice To the Church Of Constantinople”
I have had great admiration and respect for the Ecumenical Patriarch in the past, it’s very unfortunate he has allowed himself to be dragged into this global powers matter in Ukraine. There is no gain and only loss to be had getting involved in this.
This whole Church crisis could go away if Patriarch Bartholomew actually listened to other points of view. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by yes men and others who only tell him what he wants to hear. I hope at some point he sees the errors of his way.