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Published by the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America,
January 17, 2005
WCC UPDATE:
Orthodox Pre-assembly Meeting Affirms Need
for Spiritual Transformation |
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The spiritual
dimensions of transformation underlie its social
dimensions, observed participants at an
international pre-assembly meeting of WCC Orthodox
member churches which completed its work on the
island of Rhodes, Greece, yesterday.
In a comprehensive report produced by participants
coming from nearly all of the WCC's Eastern
Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox member churches,
the group outlined its theological contribution
and hopes for the WCC's ninth assembly, which will
be held in Brazil in February 2006 under the theme
"God, in your grace, transform the world".
The gathering, which was attended by more than
fifty hierarchs and theologians as well as
participants from other WCC member churches, was
hosted by Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes on
behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, 10-17
January 2005. Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima
(Ecumenical Patriarchate) and Metropolitan Bishoy
of Damiette (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of
Alexandria) co-chaired the event. Along with the
presentation of a series of theological papers,
the programme included prayer, meditations and
visits to local communities and monasteries.
The pre-assembly of the Eastern Orthodox and
Oriental Orthodox churches is traditionally held
prior to the WCC's assemblies which meet every
seven years. There are twenty-two Eastern Orthodox
and Oriental Orthodox member churches of WCC,
whose combined membership makes up almost half of
the Council's total constituency.
Transformation and transfiguration
For the Orthodox, grace is associated with the
transforming action of the Holy Spirit in
creation. "God's divine unconditional graceful
love draws us to Him (Rom. 5,15), because humans
are not only created by God but they are created
for God. In God we entirely find the purpose of
our lives restored and transformed." The
transfiguration of Christ reveals God's ultimate
intention for humanity and creation. "Christ
gathers all things in Him, and the whole of
creation is transformed into a new heaven and a
new earth."
Spiritual and social transformation are
interrelated, the report emphasizes. "The process
of the transfiguration of our socio-economic order
(...) involves our personal and communal
commitment" and the struggle to forge a "chain of
good" affecting all aspects of human life.
Recognizing the suffering, violence, injustice and
immorality so evident in the world, the
participants expressed their conviction that the
task of Christians is to call on the action of the
Holy Spirit and to act as "fellow-workers" in
restoring the "true humanity created in God's
image."
A renewed council, a renewed commitment
The pre-assembly re-articulated the principles
undergirding a continued Orthodox commitment to
Christian unity. Referring to ongoing discussions
about possible new forms of international
ecumenical work, the report affirms that "the
world will continue to need a council of churches
(...) an instrument to serve the churches by
bringing them into a space for dialogue, shared
work, for the mutual exchange of gifts and
insights from our traditions, for prayer
together."
Participants recognized that "ecclesiology is
central to the different understandings of
Christian division and Christian unity, and
therefore the key to our different approaches to
the WCC." The status of other churches in Orthodox
self-understanding remains one of the most
delicate issues affecting Orthodox participation
in the ecumenical movement, and the pre-assembly
appealed for further serious study in this area.
The Special Commission - a "great promise" for
the fellowship
The pre-assembly reviewed the results of the
Special Commission on Orthodox participation in
the WCC, established by the eighth assembly in
1998 to address Orthodox grievances with the
direction and priorities of the Council. It
underlined the central importance of the Special
Commission's findings which bear "great promise
for the whole fellowship," and urged WCC member
churches to continue to work on receiving the
report, which proposes a series of key reforms to
the Council to be presented to the next assembly.
In February 2005, the WCC central committee will
consider adopting a new method of consensus
decision-making as an alternative to the current
majority-vote system. "Introduction of consensus
(...) offers the Council a way to reflect the
centrality of Holy Scripture in its life and
engage the work of the Council in an atmosphere of
openness, trust and humility [and] will enhance
the potential for the Council to find its true
prophetic voice," the report stated.
But the pre-assembly report acknowledged that the
Orthodox churches are faced both with a moment of
opportunity and of particular responsibility as a
result of the Special Commission, and calls on the
Orthodox churches "to continue to make credible
expressions of [their] commitment in the character
of [their] participation at every level."
A prayerful contribution
The report culminates in the form of a meditation,
which is inspired by the theme of the WCC ninth
assembly. The text, drafted as a contribution to
the assembly, explores the themes of grace and
transformation, and concludes on a note of hope in
God "in your grace, you have given us a glorious
world - in us it has fallen, in us let it be
raised again."
The text of the report of the Rhodes meeting is
available at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/press_corner/rhodesreport.html
A print-ready photo from the meeting is also
available at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/press_corner/rhodespic.html
More information on the WCC ninth assembly is
available at
http://www.wcc-assembly.info
More information on the Special Commission on
Orthodox Participation in the WCC is available at
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/press_corner/index-e.html
Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791
6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of
churches, now 342, in more than 120 countries in
all continents from virtually all Christian
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a
member church but works cooperatively with the WCC.
The highest governing body is the assembly, which
meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was
formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam,
Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church
in Kenya.
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