Плоды экуменического древа. Экуменическое движение в экклезиологическом аспекте

«Papism is a heresy, which having enveloped the West, — St. Ignatius wrote, — like a tree to branches gave rise to different protestant teachings»⁴⁴. If Catholicism is a heresy connected with adding to the truth, i.e. papism, which, having added to the Symbol of Faith «and from Son» (filioque) and a heretic dogma about godlike nature of their pope, and a new style of Easter dates, and the teaching about the purgatory and indulgence, and lots of other innovations, was led aside from the truth; then Protestantism is a heresy connected with belittling of truth. For instance, the founder of this heresy, a catholic monk Martin Luther, having decided to reform papism, once noticed modestly: «We ought to be hercules and atlants, for we carry the world on our shoulders... We'll do everything to reform the Church» But reforming Catholicism, Luther ran into another extreme: he denied the Holy Tradition of Church, abandoned the reverence of the Mother of God and the saints, eliminated the canons and the Sacraments of Church. Being obsessed with the spirit of struggle with papism, he resulted in madness, being a monk and getting married in 1525. «I got married, — he wrote, — and married a nun. Though there was no need in that and I could have refrained, I did it to tease the devil...»⁴⁶

Catholic reforms could not but touch England as well. If in Germany and in France they were introduced from the grass-root level, in England they were carried out due to the political needs of the nobility. The English king Henry VIII (1509-1547) — the founder of heretic Anglican Church — proclaimed himself «head of the Church». At first, being a true admirer of papism, then he failed to find understanding on the part of Pope Clement VII in the matter of his dissolution of marriage with Catherine of Aragon, the former wife of his brother. Having fallen in love with the maid of honor of his wife Anna Bolein, he began to insist on his 17 years long marriage with Katherine being illegal. Pope denied him of the dissolution of marriage, but Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Kranmer annulled it and acknowledged legal his marriage with Anna. Henry VIII had no intention of reforming Catholic rules, he was only preoccupied with establishing his power. The basics of Anglican dogmas were thoroughly expounded in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the XVI century. In the sphere of dogmas Anglicanism separated into two domains: High Church, in its teaching close to Catholicism, and Low Church, confessing Protestantism. Later the Anglicans introduced an innovation accountable for in common sense — women were allowed to be ordained priests.

In the interview to the Anglican newspaper «Church Times»⁴⁷ The Most Reverend Anthony was asked: «Your Eminence, as a result of communicating with us, what can you say about the spirituality of our [Anglican] Church?» ⁴⁸

And the Orthodox metropolitan answers: «If to define spirituality as breathing, as the effect of Holy Spirit in people, in the communities, large or small, then I can say that in the Anglican denomination (in Roman Catholicism, as well as in nonconformist communities) I was deeply impressed by strong desire of people to be closer to God, to listen to Him, to try to understand His ways without distorting them according to their own ideas». But this is evident lie. Aren't those the Catholics who distorted Christ's teaching, stating their pope being sinless? Aren't those the dissenters ⁴⁹ who denied the Sacraments established in Church by Christ?

His Eminence Anthony does not stop at the cited heretics, in search for «praying» he turns to Islam. Thus, reproducing an extract from a story by Al Absyh about a Muslim, His Eminence admires the ability of the man to pray. The Muslim prayed in such a way, «that he even was not distracted by the fire in his house», there were his small children⁵⁰. Really, all the symptoms of insanity are clearly displayed.

At the same time a Christian should remember that if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel⁵¹. In the Ancient Patristic there is a story about abba Typhoe who when praying alone had his mind go up in the Skies. But when he prayed with the brothers, he immediately put down his hands for his mind not to go up and himself not to seem some special prayer in front of the brothers⁵². What a perfect example of humbleness to please God.

Throughout their existence the Muslims are preoccupied with the search of proofs that the Bible supposedly foretold about Mahomet. For instance, they assure that when Christ told His disciples to wait for the Helper, He meant Mahomet, but everyone who has read the Gospel knows that those words are said about Holy Spirit.