What would you do if ROCOR and the MP united tomorrow?

[bogoliubtsy]

I just wanted to say how disapointed I was to see such a percentage voteing the options for leaving ROCOR if we joined the MP. The newest vote for the last option is mine. I am equally dissapointed by many who are impatient and want our bishops to join immediatley as I am with those critial of union and would abandon ship if it happened.

Am I misunderstanding you or did you just say: you're unhappy with the people who would leave ROCOR if there was reunion, and at the same time you're one of those people who would leave ?

[尼古拉前执事]

Welcome Nicholas! Thanks for delurking and becoming a poster. we have many visitors to this site from Japan, but too few actually post.

I thin he is saying he is just as unhappy with those that would leave that want it to happen tomorrow. But Nicholas can clarify if I am right.

[Savva24]

Am I misunderstanding you or did you just say: you're unhappy with the people who would leave ROCOR if there was reunion, and at the same time you're one of those people who would leave ?

[Savva24]

Yes, I am being misunderstood. I voted that I would stay with my bishops no matter what, though I don't think it is the right time to join with the MP. Overall, I know they know better than I. The last option I was talking about was the option of being upset but going along with my bishops anyway.

I don't speak as clearly as I used to after living here for two years and not having a chance to speak higher English so please try to bear with me.
Sorry for the confusion.

In Christ,

Nicholas

P.S How do I use spell check on this thing?

[Methodius]

I think there is a more significant problem with the MP. The MP and the Vatican may be in strong disagreement right now, but that disagreement seems mainly over territory and political issues. Ecclesiologically, the MP acknowledges that the Roman Catholic Church has valid mysteries. The MP website states:

"The term "Sister Churches" was introduced in the atheistic manner of the soviet period and without due preliminary study. In this connection, the ecclesiological basis of the Balamand document calls for some clarification, which we offer below. Vatican II called the Orthodox Church a Sister Church, thus recognizing the blessed nature of the Orthodox Church and the salvific nature of her sacraments. The Orthodox Church, in her turn, always recognized the validity of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. The evidence to that is the fact that the Catholic Christians are accepted into the Orthodox Church by the so-called Third Order for joining the Orthodox membership - not through Baptism, as non-Christians or sectarians, nor through Chrismation, like the Protestants, but through repentance, like schismatics. Roman Catholic clergymen are accepted in their existing orders to which they had been ordained by the Roman Catholic Church."
From: http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/ve110771.htm

This IMO departs from the traditional Orthodox view of mysteries outside the Church. Wouldn't/shouldn't this most certainly at least be a major issue or wicket that would need to be seriously discussed before any talk of reconciliation could take place between ROCOR and the MP?

Just thinking out loud...
Stephen

Oh crud. That is very, VERY, VERY bad!

On a side note, welcome Savva24 & gbmtmas!

[gbmtmas]

[Julianna]

bump