Oblivious, or Lying

Russian president Vladamir Putin chanted praises for the Russian Orthodox church, this time for promoting interreligious dialog:

"We attach serious importance to the efforts being made by the Russian Orthodox Church to promote interreligious dialogue and cooperation, and to assert religious tolerance," Putin told the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kremlin on Monday.

That's pretty interesting, considering that the Russian Orthodox delegation huffily left the recent interreligious dialog meeting in Ravenna. Maybe Vlad is referring to Patriarch Alexy II's assertion of authority over the orthodox in Estonia. The Russian Orthodox church is just continuing the Russian tradition of asserting authority over an unwilling group. It must have made Putin proud.

h/t CWNews

Autocephalous Hypocrisy

I saw this news Item earlier in the week, a meeting in Ravenna, Italy, turns sour:

A delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate led by Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria walked out of a meeting of the joint commission on the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue in the Italian city of Ravenna on Tuesday,

Not surprising, given the chilly relations between the two. As much as the Russian Orthodox fuss about Catholic proselytizing in Russia, at least Rome isn't leaning on the Italian government to expel foreign-born clergy.

But alas, the bug in Russia's bonnet is different this time:

During the Orthodox meeting, Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria told the other Orthodox participants that his delegation would abandon the meeting if they did not ask the Estonian Orthodox delegation to leave.

well, that's not a very prime example of christian love for our brothers, is it? What resentment could lead to such uncharitable behaviour?

The Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize the Estonian Apostolic Church, which is tied to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, said a statement by the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Orthodox Church believes the Orthodox in Estonia fall under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, not the ecumenical patriarchate.

Hmm, okay, lemme see if I've got this right: Russia refuses to entertain the notion of the authority of Rome, but expects to wield authority over others. I see. Russia can be autocephalous, but christians in their territory, and neighboring areas, cannot be trusted to make their own religious decisions? They need to get over themselves.

I wouldn't be surprised if Estonians, tired of Russian political and military hegemony, aren't excited by the imposition of russian religious hegemony.

Turf War...er, Catfight

From CWNews

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II has renewed his frequent complaint that the Catholic Church is engaged in “proselytism” in Russia and other traditionally Orthodox countries of Eastern Europe.

The Russian prelate told the RIA-Novosti news service that the “extremely unfriendly policy” of the Catholic Church is straining relations between the Moscow patriarchate and the Holy See.

I cannot imagine that Catholics living their vocations in Russia are any less friendly than the Russian officials that harass Catholic clergy or deny them entry into the country. I'd hate for this situation to escalate, as russians settle their scores in nasty ways, like poisoning people with Polonium 210.

It seems that the national, autocephalus Orthodox churches' ecumenical attitudes border on xenophobic in their relations with the Catholic Church and protestant denominations. By their reactions, you'd think Catholics were Operating Thetans looking to spread the Word of Hubbard. The Prosperity Gospel is making ground in eastern Europe as it is in South America, so the good patriarch should worry more about Benny Hinn than Pope Benedict XVI.