Old Believers split over rituals; Old-Calendarists split over calendars. Different props, same play: schism by preference. Why do they think the 1583 Council of Constantinople matters for us today?
John, the question about ecumenism is interesting, and we can discuss that sometime, but that's not what this article is about. The old calendarist GOC-K group claims that ecumenism is not the only reason for the current schism. They say that all the way back in 1583, there was a Council in Constantinople, which anathematized the new Gregorian calendar. The GOC claims that the decisions of this council are still binding upon Orthodox Christians today. So, according to the GOC, even if there weren't any problems with ecumenism, we would still have to stay on the old Julian calendar, simply because this 1583 council said so. As the evidence in the article demonstrates, that is a ridiculous claim. If we accepted that claim, then we would also have to accept the 1551 Stoglav Council, and we would all have to become Old Believers. -- Now, if you agree that the 1583 Council of Constantinople doesn't apply to us today, and you agree that we don't have to follow it, then that's great! We can move on to the next topic, and discuss the question of ecumenism.
The actual schismatics were the ecumenists, not the Old Calendarists, as Metropolitan Philaret of New York wrote in his introduction to the book, The Calendar Question. Separation from heretics is allowed by Cannon 15 of the 1st 2nd Council presided over by St. Photios. If breaking communion due to heresy before an ecumenical council makes you a schismatic then St. Cyril of Alexandria, Pope St. Celestine, St. Maximus the Confessor, and Pope St. Martin were all schismatics.
Father, I haven't received a newsletter since Oct 8th. Saying prayer that all is well with your family and you. Unfortunately, currently I am going through a financial downturn and unable to become a member. However, I do look forward to your letters. May the Lord grant your family and you a blessed Nativity Fast and the glorious birth celebration of our Lord and Savior. Christ is in our midst.
This makes alot of sense now about protestantisms modern place in America. In a way its a short hand, the complexity of history and local custom. Times that by integrating Western, Eastern, and other groups in the America's. This makes alot more sense now.
Studying Orthodoxy I've always said it doesn't make sense in the American context and OCA has not done a good job at marketing the church at all.
The old believers assert the Nikonian reforms are heretical. They’re not. They believe only their customs are the pure and Orthodox one. It isn’t.
The calendar change occurred to push heretical ecumenism (“Unto the churches of Christ everywhere”, 1920). Do you see the difference?
John, the question about ecumenism is interesting, and we can discuss that sometime, but that's not what this article is about. The old calendarist GOC-K group claims that ecumenism is not the only reason for the current schism. They say that all the way back in 1583, there was a Council in Constantinople, which anathematized the new Gregorian calendar. The GOC claims that the decisions of this council are still binding upon Orthodox Christians today. So, according to the GOC, even if there weren't any problems with ecumenism, we would still have to stay on the old Julian calendar, simply because this 1583 council said so. As the evidence in the article demonstrates, that is a ridiculous claim. If we accepted that claim, then we would also have to accept the 1551 Stoglav Council, and we would all have to become Old Believers. -- Now, if you agree that the 1583 Council of Constantinople doesn't apply to us today, and you agree that we don't have to follow it, then that's great! We can move on to the next topic, and discuss the question of ecumenism.
The actual schismatics were the ecumenists, not the Old Calendarists, as Metropolitan Philaret of New York wrote in his introduction to the book, The Calendar Question. Separation from heretics is allowed by Cannon 15 of the 1st 2nd Council presided over by St. Photios. If breaking communion due to heresy before an ecumenical council makes you a schismatic then St. Cyril of Alexandria, Pope St. Celestine, St. Maximus the Confessor, and Pope St. Martin were all schismatics.
The calendar change was always about ecumenism, from the beginning. The reason for the calendar change was ecumenism. You just have to read the Encyclical from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1920 (https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/unto-the-churches-of-christ-everywhere-encyclical-of-the-ecumenical-patriarchate-1920). They weren't hiding it. The Old Calendarists didn't separate until the 30s I believe. In the meantime, they were thrown in jail and banned from using the correct calendar. One young mother was killed by a policeman. The proud and open freemason Ecumenical Patriarch Meletios Metaxakis and his cronies were trying to modernize the Church and bring it into communion with the Catholics and Protestants (https://grandlodge.gr/en/tektones/meletios-iv-ecumenical-patriarch-1921-1923/).
Father, I haven't received a newsletter since Oct 8th. Saying prayer that all is well with your family and you. Unfortunately, currently I am going through a financial downturn and unable to become a member. However, I do look forward to your letters. May the Lord grant your family and you a blessed Nativity Fast and the glorious birth celebration of our Lord and Savior. Christ is in our midst.
This makes alot of sense now about protestantisms modern place in America. In a way its a short hand, the complexity of history and local custom. Times that by integrating Western, Eastern, and other groups in the America's. This makes alot more sense now.
Studying Orthodoxy I've always said it doesn't make sense in the American context and OCA has not done a good job at marketing the church at all.