Delegation of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA visits the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA

On 21 March 2006, delegation of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA headed by its General Secretary Dr. R. Edgar visited the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA.

Bishop Mercury of Zaraisk, administrator of the patriarchal parishes in the USA, received the delegation. He stated how the Russian Church saw objectives and prospects of its participation in interchristian relations on global and national levels. ‘Our participation in Christian cooperation does not mean our willingness to agree to rash washing out foundations of dialogue, liberalization of theological approach and practice, which we regret to witness to in many protestant denominations of the United States. The Russian Orthodox Church is ready to work together for promoting values shared by Orthodoxy, without which, we believe, there is no Christianity’, Bishop Mercury noted.

The participants also discussed the ways to renew the agenda of the dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA and concrete programs of mutual cooperation between the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate and this organization. The participants agreed to organize special seminars where NCCC members could receive detailed information on the Russian Church and her views on any question of church life.

Bishop Mercury and Dr. R. Edgar also discussed NCCC participation in the World Summit of Religious Leaders, which is to be held in Moscow in summer 2006.

Also participating were: T. Kireopulos, deputy of the NCCC general secretary for international relations, Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, assistant of the administrator of the patriarchal parishes in the USA for external affairs and interchurch relations, Rev. Alexander Abramov, secretary of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA.