I'm so torn on these issues. Reunificaiton with the MP, how to accept converts, good and bad ecumenism, etc. I'm not qualified to give more than my own, most likely uninformed opinions and try to do what the Church and my conscience dictate.
Lately what I've been thinking about though is how quickly people these days throw around words like "heretic", and how quick people are to find these heretics and break communion with them. The fact of the matter is this: there have been much worse heresies throughout the history of the Church than the "heresies" people in some of the more extreme groups call "heresy". The classic example is Arianism! Did Arianism cause a huge break in communion? Where the ex-Arians looked at with scorn for years after they rejected their misguided heresy?
Were some of the Bishops of ROCOR also heretics in the 1930's for remembering Patriarch Sergius in the liturgy? Was Metropolitan Philaret of ROCOR a heretic while in the MP? Was his father?
The Russian revolution and its effects caused a terrible, terrible tragedy- a tragedy whose results cannot be looked upon strictly from a legalistic point of view. So to paraphrase Father Seraphim Rose in this matter "We have to be open rather than closed in regards to the Moscow Patriarchate".
Despite differences in opinions, despite what may appear as large differences in ecclesiology, all of the Orthodox jurisdictions of the world(I think all!) hold onto the same doctrinal truths. Sure, some of them are truly "losing their salt", but is this cause to presumptuously say they have no grace? We will be called to face up to such accusations at the great judgement, for our slanders against Christ's Church if we are wrong.
-that's all...just some rambling.
