Questions and Answers on the Proper Response to Heresy and Innovations in Matters of Faith
Video Timeline
A short introduction in English and Greek, followed by questions and answers.
1-14 min: English Introduction
14-21 min: Greek introduction
21:00-33:30: English answer to First Question
33:30-40:00: Greek answer to First Question
40:00-46:03: English answer to Second Question
46:03-49:40: Greek answer to Second Question
49:40-51:58: English answer to Third Question
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QUESTIONS
1. How does the Council of Crete have an impact or affect the "average Orthodox Christian's" life? Many ordinary faithful Orthodox Christians....feel disoriented, disconnected and alienated when hearing about things like : Ecumenism, Baptismal Theology, Ecclesiology, Heresy, False Synods. Their argument (or excuse) is that : "these things simply have no day-to-day practical relevance" in my life as an Orthodox Christian. It's all a whole bunch of terminological, theoretical, irrelevant mumbo jumbo so to speak.....it's irrelevant to the internal, noetic life, spiritual cleansing, prayer, dispassion etc. So hence Orthodox faithful feel that these matters, have no direct relevance to their practical life. If they ever make an attempt to try and read/ understand some of these subjects, they'll quickly say something like : "God expects from me to struggle with my passions, be cleansed of my sin, and look after my personal passions" - "I'm not responsible for Church administrative matters" Can you touch base how all these things relate to our ordinary, average Orthopraxis?
2. If we observe that a priest of a local parish that we regularly attend is a Syncretistic-Ecumenist (in word and deed), should we continue attending that parish? Should we continue receiving spiritual guidance from such a priest, or continue attending spiritual talks (a.k.a. homilies) where this particular priest continues to organize and run these homilies?
3. In relation to Ecumenism & Crete. Can you speak a little bit about your personal experiences on Mt. Athos, over the course of the last year....before you & your family moved to the USA?
4. THREE RELATED QUESTIONS:
A. Mr. John Sanidopoulos wrote an article against Frs. Theodore Zisis and Nicholaos Manolis here: Does Canon 15 of the First-Second Synod of 861 Allow for "Walling-Off" Against Ecumenists? (http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/03/does-canon-15-of-first-second-synod-of.html) in-which Mr. Sanidopoulos accuses the Frs. Theodore Zisis and Nicholaos Manolis and those of like-mind, of schismatic tendencies, or provoking a schism because they have supposedly "walled themselves off" prior to Syncretistic-Ecumenism being officially condemned by a Holy Synod. Can you comment on this and on whether Syncretistic-Ecumenism was officially condemned by a Holy Synod or by the Fathers
B. Many Syncretistic-Ecumenist Hierarchs, Clergy, Theologians and even Laity accuse traditionalists of provoking a schism, being divisive or disrupting the unity of the church, whenever these Syncretistic-Ecumenists' beliefs are challenged or called into question by traditionalists. Can you comment on what exactly is considered a schism and on what is not considered a schism?
C. The last part of Canon 15 of the 8th Oecumenical Syod (a.k.a. Ist-2nd Synod), which says that a priest can cease commemorating their Bishop (a.k.a. President), only if their Bishop preaches "bareheaded" a heresy that was previously condemned either by a Holy Synod or by the Fathers. We already know what is meant by Holy Synod. But what is meant by Fathers? Does Fathers mean individual epistles (e.g. Sts. Justin Popovich and Paisios of Athos epistles against Ecumenism, etc.
5. Jurisdictionally in North America.....what is the stance of all the Orthodox jurisdictions in North America towards the Cretan Synod?
6. What is exact position of the Russian Church Abroad in contrast with Moscow? It seems to me that Moscow is quite ecumenistic, diplomatic and subtly compromising in many ways. Joint prayers of Bishop Hilarion and Latin clergy, gifting the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov to the Pope, The Havana agreement between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kyril. Is it fair to say that ROCOR is much more traditionally-minded than it's Mother Church-Moscow?
7. Can you share with us any news, about the recently announced Synaxis taking place in Greece titled : "Διορθόδοξης Επιστημονικής Ημερίδας για την καταδίκη του Οικουμενισμού και της Ψευδοσυνόδου της Κρήτης"?