Russian Church ends talks with Germans
The Russian Orthodox Church has decided to end 50 years of dialogue with the Lutheran Church in Germany as a result of the Lutherans electing Margot Käßmann as their leader for the next six years.
"[I]t appears to be the fact of her being a woman, rather than a divorcee, that the Russians object to.The leader of the Russian church’s foreign office, Hilarion Alfeyev, Archbishop of Volokolamsk, said the planned celebration of 50 years of dialogue between the two churches, scheduled for late November, would be the last contact between them, according to the Russian daily, Kommersant.
[...]Many conservative Protestants in Russia also supported the decision [of the Russian Orthodox Church]. Alexander Prilutski, the leader of the Protestant church of Ingria – a Christian denomination based around St Petersburg – called Käßmann’s election a ‘sign of crisis in Western society.'"
Read the news here.
It's an ironic decision in someways for the Russian Orthodox Church. Just this past February their new Patriarch was being warmly welcomed because of his strong ecumenical background. Though it appears that his primary interest at the moment is in developing more formal relations with the Roman Catholic Church.
The Russian Orthodox Church broke off any relations with the Episcopal Church in 2003 because of the election of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire. Women's ordination in the seventies presented difficulties but relations continued until 2003.
I'm all for ecumenism. One can't reason with people who aren't willing to come to the table.
Posted by Bill Carroll![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 16, 2009 9:17 AM
Imagine if we stopped talking to everyone we didn't agree with. This is not a good idea for people who are trying to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ, unless "being right" is the point. I don't think it is.
Posted by Peter Pearson![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 16, 2009 9:30 AM
What makes me sad about this is that I'm pretty sure we contributed to it. When I was in seminary in the late 60's and 70's there were fascinating wonderful conversations happening among Orthodox and Anglicans (U.S. and U.K.). Robert Terwilliger of Trinity Institute was among those really helping those conversations go forward, gathering people, helping people listen to one another, and then, after he was elected Suffragan Bishop of Dallas and decided that ordaining women priests would unmake the church, he used his extensive Orthodox contacts to lobby for the Orthodox to take a strong stand against the ordination of women. Shortly before I remember hearing Orthodox theologians and clergy saying, 'There's no theological reason not to ordain women, but it will take us a very long time to make that change.' Terwilliger was convinced that if the Orthodox took a strong theological stand AGAINST ordaining women that it could tip the balance, moving ecumenically-minded Episcopalians to back off for the sake of church unity. It's only one piece in the history, but I do find it amazing how much moves like his (and probably how much history moving on as well including reactionary post-Vatican II reversals in Roman Catholicism) shifted the ground away from ecumenical conversation and Christians' willingness to learn from one another.
Posted by Donald Schell![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 16, 2009 9:54 AM
What's sad is that the Russian Church used to be more open, and more interested in dialogue and ecumenism, but once the Iron Curtain fell and they're back on top again, well they're up to their old shenanigans again. Like chasing gay cruise ships down a river, hurling holy water and exorcisms. Classy. This move doesn't surprise me one bit.
Posted by Clint Davis![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 16, 2009 2:28 PM
As W.E.B. DuBois said the problem of the 20th century is "The Problem of the Color-Line", I'm more and more convinced that the problem of the 21st century is the problem of the reactionary religious fundamentalism. Lord have mercy!
JC Fisher
Posted by tgflux![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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November 16, 2009 3:52 PM