On distortions and inaccuracies in publications on inter-religious and inter-church contacts

ON DISTORTIONS AND INACCURACIES IN PUBLICATIONS ON INTER-RELIGIOUS AND INTER-CHURCH CONTACTS

Recently, some mass media, the Metaphrasis agency in particular, have published distorted information and superficial and inaccurate commentaries on the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards the World Council of Churches (WCC), on the work of our Church’s delegation at the 8th WCC Assembly (December 3-14, 1998, Harare, Zimbabwe) and on the talks between delegations the Patriarchates of Moscow and Rumania (January 15, 1999, Kishinev).

The Communication Service of the Department for External Church Relations states that detailed explanations on these subjects were given in the press-releases it issued in December 1998 and January 1999, entitled “At the 8th Assembly of the World Council of Churches”, “The Holy Synod Meeting” and “Delegations of the Russian and Rumanian Orthodox Churches met in Kishinev”.

The Communication Service asks journalists who cover these subjects to pay attentions to these press-releases. They are available in the Internet under the following addresses respectively: <www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru./nr812281.htm>, <www.russian- orthodox-church.org.ru./nr812291.htm> and <www.russian- orthodox-church.org.ru./nr901211.htm.

Copies of these press-releases can be also sent to journalists by fax or e-mail at their first request.