Video Report #1
From Ecumenism to the "New Age" Vision of a World Religion and the Responsibility of the Orthodox
Part I
I will describe here only a very small portion of Part I, over 20
minutes of actual video footage from the Seventh General Assembly of the World Council of
Churches in Canberra, Australia, 1991. The footage was supplied by the WCC. Please forgive
the misspelling of any names or places. They were not printed on screen, only spoken.
The scene begins with footage from the opening ceremony. On stage and
under a huge tent, with literally hundreds of people in attendance, the opening
"worship service" is beginning, led by Aborigines. They are half-naked and full
of mud, dancing about the stage in what clearly looks like a pagan ritual while others
make hideous growling noises with blowpipes. This goes on for a few minutes. Then the
"Orthodox" arrive: Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Myra and Metropolitan
Bartholomew of Chalcedon (which the commentator states became the Patriarch of
Constantinople!). The latter is leading a procession of eighteen delegates from the
Patriarchate of Constantinople. Representatives from all the local Orthodox churches in
Australia are participating in the assembly. The Church of Greece has twelve delegates led
by two metropolitans. There is also a delegation of forty, the largest at this WCC
Assembly, from the Patriarchate of Moscow, led by Metropolitan Kyril of Smolensk.
After the procession Metropolitans Chrysostomos and Bartholomew appear
on stage along with the Aborigines and other "worshippers" and continue singing
"Hallelujah songs." The Archbishop of Australia, Stylianos (representing the
Patriarchate of Constantinople), then led heretics from all over the world in reciting the
Creed. Between him and Metropolitan Chrysostomos, at center stage, stands a Protestant
clergywoman named Lois, in full vestments.
I can't stress enough that these were official WCC worship services and
expressions of an already assumed unity in spirit. In fact, the service is called the
"Lima Liturgy," which has been described by Met. Chrysostomos as "sacred,
with a divine majesty" (according to the commentator). The same Metropolitan then led
the "worshippers" in the Lord's Prayer. This was followed by the kiss of peace,
which, as the commentator stated, "expresses complete ideological unity and agreement
of faith." You will undoubtedly note that many parts of the Orthodox liturgy have
been included in this "Lima Liturgy." A Serbian Orthodox priest then led an
eighty-person ecumenical choir in further singing . . .of the Trisagion!
After the gospel reading a black feminist clergywoman preached the
"sermon." It was a joke. Throughout the service Protestant clergywomen took
leading roles, and often beside Aborigines. In the concluding ceremony of the multi-day
convocation, special place was given to eastern mysticism. During all these events the
"Orthodox" delegates were present, often playing a prominent role. During the
procession out of the tent at the last "worship service" the Orthodox bishops
were seen at the front of the procession, behind the aforementioned clergywoman named
Lois.
One thing the video does not show, but states is that all the participants
walked through Aboriginal ceremonial smoke prior to entering the tent at Canberra. There are Orthodox martyrs who were martyred
precisely because they refused to walk through the purification smoke of the Khan.
After watching this I sat there in shock. It was completely obvious to
me that the WCC has strayed greatly from its Pan-Christian goals for [largely Protestant]
unity, now having an agenda that is fixed upon unity of world religions (there were
official representatives from thirteen world religions at this convocation). This is
satanic syncretism.
Part II
December 6, 1987: Vatican
Pope John Paul II celebrates mass and
Patriarch Dimitrius of Constantinople participates in full vestments in an official way
(though not behind the altar). Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (then, the Metropolitan
of Chalcedon), headed the Orthodox delegation of clergy who participated in the common
prayers.
During the liturgy the Pope and Patriarch
Dimitrius sat on equal sides of the altar, in identical chairs. They would also do many
things in unison, including the recitation of the Creed in Greek (without the filioque)
and blessing the people. On more than one occasion they exchanged mutual liturgical
kisses, an act that has deep significance and traditionally connotes a common bond in
faith and in peace. A Greek deacon (Dimitrios) also participated and did many of the
readings. Shortly after this joint service he was promoted to the episcopal rank of
Metropolitan of the Titular See of Sebaste.
None of the Orthodox received communion.
However, their presence there, and joint participation, was a complete violation of Holy
Tradition (see Canons Related to Ecumenism).
August 22, 1993: Uppsala, Sweden
(400th Anniversary of the adoption of the Lutheran Confession)
In 1593, at a council in Uppsala, the
Swedes adopted the Lutheran Confession. In 1993 they celebrated the 400th anniversary of
this event. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I was officially invited. He attended with
Metropolitan Constantine from Constantinople, Metropolitan Irenaeus from Crete, and
Metropolitan Paul from the Exarchate of Constantinople in Sweden. It should be noted that
this Lutheran confession is very similar to the one that was soundly refuted by Patriarch
Jeremiah II in his "Three Answers" to the Tubingen
scholars.
During the elaborate service in the
Cathedral of Uppsala, the Orthodox fully participated, beginning with the entrance of the
Gospel. Patriarch Bartholomew led the Orthodox bishops in the entrance procession. The
first of three sermons was given by Patriarch Bartholomew in English. He spoke about the
Church as containing all divided Christians (as the WCC speaks of it), and called all in
attendance "brothers and sisters in Christ." He was followed by Cardinal Edward
Cassidy, who gave the second sermon. The third was given by the Lutheran
"Archbishop" of Uppsala.
Patriarch Bartholomew then presented the
Lutheran "Archbishop" with a silver chalice, which was to be used for worship in
the Lutheran Cathedral. Kind words were exchanged about the coming hopeful reunion between
the two "churches." They then gave each other liturgical kisses. The chalice was
immediately used in worship by the "Archbishop." During the
"anaphora", the Lutheran celebrant (no Orthodox were behind the altar) came down
from the altar, and together with all the other Lutherans and Roman Catholics, exchanged
the kiss of peace with the Orthodox. After communion, the Cardinal, Patriarch Bartholomew,
the Lutheran "Archbishop" and another Lutheran clergyman stood together in front
of the altar. Patriarch Bartholomew gave the standard liturgical blessing in Greek and
then all four in unison made the sign of the cross and blessed the congregation.
There were many other things on this video
which I will not report here (esp. the expose on Dr. Hiung Kiung Chang, the Korean
Presbyterian theologian who called down eighteen evil spirits during a talk at the WCC
convocation in Canberra in 1991). The Orthodox commentator on this video made these
important observations (among other things):
All of these decisions [referring to
high-level theological agreements (e.g., Balamand)] were
made by Orthodox ecumenists at so-called "pre-conciliar consultations". No
subsequent counsel has been called to discuss them, or make decisions concerning them.
Orthodox ecumenists have systematically put their decisions into practice. This is a
typical tactic of Orthodox ecumenists. They work out projects which are supposedly to be
put before a future council; but these projects totally ignore a basic principle of the
Orthodox Church—that no conciliar decision is adopted simply in and of itself. Everything
must be in harmony with the Church and must express the Church's divinely revealed
conciliar Faith. Orthodox ecumenists choose to ignore this and generate theological
monstrosities that are completely heretical.
Furthermore, it should be noted, Orthodox
ecumenists vigorously carry out "dialogues of love" with the heterodox, but
refuse to talk with those in the Church who disagree with their subversive and innovative
activities. They "love" the heterodox with a false love (because they do not
speak the truth), and show disdain for their own brothers and sisters who disagree with
their actions and attempt to call them to account for their violations of Holy Tradition.
Let us who are aware of what is going on
not be silent. Constantine Cavarnos concluded his monograph "Orthodox Tradition and
Modernism" (p. 37) with this quote from St. John of Damascus: "Brethren, let us
stand on the rock of faith and the Tradition of the Church, not removing the landmarks
which our holy Fathers set, nor giving any place to those who want to innovate and destroy
the structure of the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of God." (from Concerning
Images, 3.41; PG 94:1356C).
To order this video contact The
Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies. For further reading, I cannot
too highly recommend Fr. Seraphim Rose's Orthodoxy
and the Religion of the Future (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996).
This profound and prophetic book is in its seventh printing (fourth edition)
and is one of Fr. Seraphim's most important and popular books, esp. in Russia.
In the preface we read, "The present book is about the 'spirituality' of
Ecumenism, the chief heresy of the 20th century." A very important work
for our times and directly related to this video report.
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