16,951
edits
Changes
m
[[Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church]] VIIth Plenary Session, [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Balamand School of Theology ]] (Lebanon), [[June 17]]-[[June 24 June]], 1993: "Uniatism, method of union of the past, and the present search for full communion."
links
==Text of the Statement==
===Introduction===
8) In the course of the last four centuries, in various parts of the East, initiatives were taken within certain Churches and impelled by outside elements, to restore communion between the Church of the East and the Church of the West. These initiatives led to the union of certain communities with the See of Rome and brought with them, as a consequence, the breaking of communion with their Mother Churches of the East. This took place not without the interference of extra-ecclesial interests. In this way Eastern Catholic Churches came into existence. And so a situation was created which has become a source of conflicts and of suffering in the first instance for the Orthodox but also for Catholics.
9) Whatever may have been the intention and the authenticity of the desire to be faithful to the commandment of Christ: "that all may be one" expressed in these partial unions with the [[See ]] of Rome, it must be recognized that the re-establishment of unity between the Church of the East and the Church of the West was not achieved and that the division remains, embittered by these attempts.
10) The situation thus created resulted in fact in tensions and oppositions.
17) In this atmosphere, the considerations already presented and the practical guidelines which follow, insofar as they will be effectively received and faithfully observed, are such as to lead to a just and definitive solution to the difficulties which these Eastern Catholic Churches present to the Orthodox Church.
18) Towards this end, Pope Paul VI affirmed in his address at the [[Phanar]] in July 1967: "It is on the heads of the Churches, of their hierarchy, that the obligation rests to guide the Churches along the way that leads to finding full communion again. They ought to do this by recognizing and respecting each other as pastors of that part of the flock of Christ entrusted to them, by taking care for the cohesion and growth of the people of God, and avoiding everything that could scatter it or cause confusion in its ranks" (Tomos Agapis, n. 172). In this spirit Pope John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios I together stated clearly: "We reject every form of proselytism, every attitude which would be or could be perceived to be a lack of respect" ([[December 7 December ]], 1987).
===Practical Rules===
26) That is why it is necessary to seek and to engage in an open dialogue, which in the first place should be between those who have responsibilities for the Churches at the local level. Those in charge of the communities concerned should create joint local commissions or make effective those which already exist, for finding solutions to concrete problems and seeing that these solutions are applied in truth and love, in justice and peace. If agreement cannot be reached on the local level, the question should be brought to mixed commissions established by higher authorities.
27) Suspicion would disappear more easily if the two parties were to condemn violence wherever communities of one Church use it against communities of a Sister Church. As requested by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in his letter of [[May 31 May ]], 1991, it is necessary that all violence and every kind of pressure be absolutely avoided in order that freedom of conscience be respected. It is the task of those in charge of communities to assist their faithful to deepen their loyalty towards their own Church and towards its traditions and to teach them to avoid not only violence, be that physical, verbal or moral, but also all that could lead to contempt for other Christians and to a counter-witness, completely ignoring the work of salvation which is reconciliation in Christ.
28) Faith in sacramental reality implies a respect for the liturgical celebrations of the other Church. The use of violence to occupy a place of worship contradicts this conviction. On the contrary, this conviction sometimes requires that the celebration of other Churches should be made easier by putting at their disposal, by common agreement, one’s own church for alternate celebration at different times in the same building. Still more, the evangelical ethos requires that statements or manifestations which are likely to perpetuate a state of conflict and hinder the dialogue be avoided. Does not St. Paul exhort us to welcome one another as Christ welcomed us, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7)?
30) To pave the way for future relations between the two Churches, passing beyond the out-dated ecclesiology of return to the Catholic Church connected with the problem which is the object of this document, special attention will be given to the preparation of future priests and of all those who, in any way, are involved in an apostolic activity carried on in a place where the other Church traditionally has its roots. Their education should be objectively positive with respect to the other Church. First of all, everyone should be informed of the apostolic succession of the other Church and the authenticity of its sacramental life. One should also offer all a correct and comprehensive knowledge of history aiming at a historiography of the two Churches which is in agreement and even may be common. In this way, the dissipation of prejudices will be helped, and the use of history in a polemical manner will be avoided. This presentation will lead to an awareness that faults leading to separation belong to both sides, leaving deep wounds on each side.
31) The admonition of the [[Apostle Paul ]] to the Corinthians (I Corinthians 6:17) will be recalled. It recommends that Christians resolve their differences through fraternal dialogue, thus avoiding recourse to the intervention of the civil authorities for a practical solution to the problems which arise between Churches or local communities. This applies particularly to the possession or return of ecclesiastical property. These solutions should not be based only on past situations or rely solely on general juridical principles, but they must also take into account the complexity of present realities and local circumstances.
32) It is in this spirit that it will be possible to meet in common the task of re-evangelization of our secularized world. Efforts will also be made to give objective news to the mass-media, especially to the religious press, in order to avoid tendentious and misleading information.
35) By excluding for the future all proselytism and all desire for expansion by Catholics at the expense of the Orthodox Church, the commission hopes that it has overcome the obstacles which impelled certain autocephalous Churches to suspend their participation in the theological dialogue and that the Orthodox Church will be able to find itself together again for continuing the theological work already so happily begun.
Balamand (Lebanon), [[June 23 June ]], 1993
===Participants===
:Father Archimandrite Youhanna (Yazigi)
'''[[Church of Russia]]'''
:Father Hegumen Nestor (Zhilyaev)
'''[[Church of Romania]]'''
:His Eminence Metropolitan Antonie of Transylvania<br>
:Father Archpriest Dumitru Radu
'''[[Church of Cyprus]]'''
:His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysanthos of Morphou<br>
:Professor Macarius Papachristophorou
'''[[Church of Poland]]'''
:Father Hieromonk Barsanuphius (Doroszkiewicz)
'''[[Church of Albania]]'''
:Professor Theodoros Papapavli
'''[[Church of Finland]]'''
:His Grace Bishop [[Ambrose (Jaaskelainen) of Helsinki|Ambrosius of Joensocu]]
'''Executive Secretary:'''
