Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Discuss the Canons of the Orthodox Church and the Anathemas, especially those against various heresies that have arisen since the beginning of Christ's Holy Orthodox Church. All Forum Rules Apply. No Polemics. No heated discussions. No name-calling.


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BenjaminMcCraw
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Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by BenjaminMcCraw »

There is a previous post by eish that showed a Canon from Carthage 418 about not having communion with a bishop who is neglecting to properly condemn heretics and convert them to orthodoxy in his jurisdiction which is an interesting topic but not exactly what im asking here since that was a condemnation of negligence not a specifically named heresy.

Of course any and all forms of prayer/concelebration/communion with heretics without their repentance and entering into the Church is Anathema. So this is a historical question not a theological one. Does anyone know of any form of Anathema by any Orthodox Bishop or Synod against any theory of Ecumenism by name before the 1983 Anathema of Ecumenism by ROCOR? Such as any of the following or similar:

Anglican Branch Theory

Papist Degrees of Participation

Calvinist Invisible Church of True Believers

World Orthodox Pluralism (such as the modern "Many Paths up the Mountain"-Elpidophoros Lambriniadis)

Anti-Proselytism

Classical Sycretism

Interpretatio Graeca

Prisca Theologia/Perennialism/Traditionalism (Marsilio Ficino/Giovanni Pico della Mirandola/Agostino Steuco/Aldous Huxley/René Guénon)

Omnism (Philip James Bailey/Edward Herbert/Ramakrishna

Freemasony (specifically mentioning it's universal religion theory?)

Theosophy/Anthroposophy (Helena Blavatsky/Henry Steel Olcott/Rudolf Steiner)

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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by Lemon Schist »

Bumping for more exposure, as I am interested in it as well

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Suaidan
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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by Suaidan »

Fr Joseph Suaidan (Suaiden, same guy)

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Barbara
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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by Barbara »

Just mentioning that Aldous Huxley was WAY worse than even he appeared. I read a good expose of his work, have to check it again for the details so can post somewhere appropriate on the site.
Don't mean to derail here.
Go ahead !

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AustrianAutocrat
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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by AustrianAutocrat »

BenjaminMcCraw wrote: Sun 17 August 2025 4:31 am

There is a previous post by eish that showed a Canon from Carthage 418 about not having communion with a bishop who is neglecting to properly condemn heretics and convert them to orthodoxy in his jurisdiction which is an interesting topic but not exactly what im asking here since that was a condemnation of negligence not a specifically named heresy..

Does anyone know of any form of Anathema by any Orthodox Bishop or Synod against any theory of Ecumenism by name before the 1983 Anathema of Ecumenism by ROCOR? Such as any of the following or similar:

Anglican Branch Theory (Ecumenism), Freemasony, Theosophy/Anthroposophy, Prisca Theologia/Perennialism/Traditionalism (Geunonism), Omnism (Perrenialism), Classical Sycretism, World Orthodox Pluralism (Perrenialism), Papist Degrees of Participation, Calvinist Invisible Church of True Believers, Interpretatio Graeca, Anti-Proselytism,

Can you send me the Canon and say which Canon in the Synod of Carthage of 418 it says not to commune with Bishops who dont properly condemn Heretics? It'd be another great Source to share around and have knowledge of.

As for your other Inquiries, I know the Matthewites anathematized Ecumenism in 1948 (Or in 1957, I cant remember which one), ROCA anathematized Freemasonry and Theosophy at their Synodal Council of 1932, and New Calendar Churches of Greece and Romania would do the same for Freemasonry locally in 1936 (Greece for sure 1936 while for Romania maybe in the same year but could be a few years later). As for the others I'm not as sure (As by invoking those exact names and very exact doctrines by name) however I would say it's not far fetched at all to say the Anathema against Ecumenism also tackles with Perrenialism as they are very similar. I know ROCA under Metropolitan Laurus had rehashed the Anathema of 1983 except they made it very long and listed alot of things condemned like Ecumenism, Perrenialism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, Etc etc though on that rehash list they left out the part from the 1983 Anathema where it says..

"Therefore, to those who knowingly have communion with these aforementioned heretics or who advocate, disseminate, or defend their new heresy of Ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love or the supposed unification of separated Christians, Anathema!"

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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by Lemon Schist »

Has any WO church issued an anathema against anything? I once asked my WO priest about anathemas and he kind of prevaricated about it. He kind of made it sound as though an anathema issued by one church doesn't necessarily need to be acknowledged by another.

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Re: Synodal Condemnation of Ecumenism Pre-1983?

Post by BenjaminMcCraw »

AustrianAutocrat wrote: Sat 23 August 2025 11:10 am

Can you send me the Canon and say which Canon in the Synod of Carthage of 418 it says not to commune with Bishops who dont properly condemn Heretics? It'd be another great Source to share around and have knowledge of.

As for your other Inquiries, I know the Matthewites anathematized Ecumenism in 1948 (Or in 1957, I cant remember which one), ROCA anathematized Freemasonry and Theosophy at their Synodal Council of 1932, and New Calendar Churches of Greece and Romania would do the same for Freemasonry locally in 1936 (Greece for sure 1936 while for Romania maybe in the same year but could be a few years later). As for the others I'm not as sure (As by invoking those exact names and very exact doctrines by name) however I would say it's not far fetched at all to say the Anathema against Ecumenism also tackles with Perrenialism as they are very similar. I know ROCA under Metropolitan Laurus had rehashed the Anathema of 1983 except they made it very long and listed alot of things condemned like Ecumenism, Perrenialism, Freemasonry, Theosophy, Etc etc though on that rehash list they left out the part from the 1983 Anathema where it says..

"Therefore, to those who knowingly have communion with these aforementioned heretics or who advocate, disseminate, or defend their new heresy of Ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love or the supposed unification of separated Christians, Anathema!"

https://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/v ... hp?t=13236

This is the post by eish that I was referring to with the canon of Carthage 418.

I'll start digging to find the text of those Anathema by the Matthewites and of Rocor against Freemasonry and Theosophy, and the 2002 Rocor Anathema i believe youre talking about. If you have the texts on hand or where to find them that would be helpful. Hopefully the Rocor Anathema specifically mentions the Ecumenist theology of Freemasonry. All of the Anathemas I've read against Freemasonry so far are specifically against secret associations which is good but not what im looking for in this question.

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