Patriarch Kirill decries change in protestant doctrine on homosexuality

At a recent meeting between the leadership of the World Council of Churches in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill stated that ecumenical efforts between the Russian Orthodox Church and various protestant sects is becoming increasingly difficult due to recent changes in regard to how these sects view homosexuality, among other moral issues.   While couched in very diplomatic language, the Patriarch challenged the protestants to examine their doctrine with a light to how they could draw closer to Orthodox belief, which mirrors that of the Roman Catholic Church.

Buried in this diplomatic language is something of a warning.  The Orthodox Church, in particular the Russian Orthodox Church, has grown increasingly concerned over the seculariztion of Western and Russian society, and in particular the departure of many protestant sects from traditional Christian moral belief.  This is part of the reason relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church have warmed; Benedict XVI is highly respected among the Orthodox, and there is a sense that the two great sacramental Churches must join together in order to form a united threat against the cold, dead hand of secularism.  The Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church have remained committed to the Truth revealed by Christ, excepting some doctrinal issues on Authority.  Many of the protestant sects have not done so.  In fact, there seems to be a rapid snowballing of rejection of traditional doctrine and concommitant fracturing of the protestant community.  Pope Benedict, through Anglicanorum Coetibus, has created a path toward true ecumenism, the reuniting of the fractured Body of Christ into one whole.  I don’t think the Russian Church is looking for that, but I think they do see in Benedict a true partner and someone they can work with to try to foster a much closer relationship.  Whether the Catholic and Orthodox Churches can ever reunite is up to the working of the Holy Spirit, but I think the trend is going to be for these Churches to draw much closer.

This is something I pray for daily.  Many more prayers can only help.