Meeting of the Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian) members of the Special Commission for the Orthodox participation in the WCC

MEETING OF THE ORTHODOX AND ORIENTAL ORTHODOX (NON-CHALCEDONIAN) MEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL COMMISSION FOR THE ORTHODOX PARTICIPATION IN THE WCC

The Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox (non-Chalcedonian) members of the Special Commission for the Orthodox participation in the World Council of Churches met on December 2-4, 1999, at the Orthodox Center of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Chambesy, Geneva, Switzerland. The Russian Orthodox Church was represented by hieromonk Hilarion (Alfeyev), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations, and Rev. Mikhail Gundyaev, secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church representation at the World Council of Churches.

The Special Commission was established by the decision of the WCC General Assembly in December 1998 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Its aim is to consider the whole complex of questions involved in the participation of the Orthodox Churches in the WCC and to work out concrete proposals for a radical restructuring of the Council.

The inter-Orthodox meeting was held before the Special Commission will start its work on December 6 at Morge, Switzerland. In the course of the meeting, hieromonk Hilarion presented the position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the questions discussed.