Plenary Session of the Synodal Theological Commission

PLENARY SESSION OF THE SYNODAL THEOLOGICAL COMMISSION

The 5th plenary session of the Synodal Theological Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church on the topic of ‘Orthodox Theology on the Turn of the Millennium’ was held in the Moscow Theological Academy on 9-10 March 1999. Taking part in the session were hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, heads and staff members of the Synodal departments, rectors of the theological schools and leading theologians. They gathered, as one of them said, ‘to sum up theological results of the century’, to formulate the main themes and problems of the modern Orthodox theology and to define major directions of its development on the basis of true adherence to the Tradition of the Church and the tradition of the Holy Fathers.

His Eminence Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarch Exarch of all Belarus, made a key report at the session. He said in particular that Russian theology, which has had a difficult history, is deeply rooted in the Tradition of the Church, lives by it and, in the language of its time, witnesses the invariable faith of the Church given in the Divine Revelation. He also spoke about the special fate of the Russian theology, which development brought about a historic encounter with the West and the creative joining of different traditions on the basis of adherence to the tradition of the Holy Fathers. Mentioned in particular were Western influence on the Russian theology and its overcoming and the return to the spirit and theological method of the Holy Fathers. Metropolitan Philaret noted that the turn of the century raises an urgent question about forms of the Orthodox witness in the third millennium.

Nearly all participants in the discussion spoke about the 2000th anniversary of the coming into the world of the Saviour and the end of the 20th century which saw hard trials for the Russian Church and at the same time the flourishing of Russian theology. A task was set to make a critical analysis of the developments in the Orthodox theology of the 20th century and of the tasks of the Orthodox theology at the turn of the century. Professor Archpriest Vassily Stoikov emphasized that the plenary session is only the beginning of the process of studying this theme. The participants suggested some concrete steps for the development of the Orthodox theological science, including scholarly research work, publications, seminars and conferences.

His Grace Yevgeny, Bishop of Vereya, rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and chairman of the Education committee, spoke about the development of national theology. He underlined that it was strongly connected with the work of theological schools and that their current reform must exert a positive influence on enhancing the level of training of the future theologians of the Russian Orthodox Church.

His Eminence John, Archbishop of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, chairman of the Department for Mission, spoke about the connection between the Orthodox theology and mission. The missionary task of the Orthodox Church at present is topical as never before, and its theological analysis will be very important for its development and strengthening. On the other hand, almost all theological problems must be considered in their missiological prospect.

The theme of the development of regular theological discussion in the Russian Orthodox Church was also presented in the report by Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev, rector of St.Tikhon’s theological institute, on scholarly theological work of the institute and theological conferences which are held regularly.

Rev. Vsevolod Chaplin, secretary of the DECR MP for church-society relations, spoke about the theological aspects of the modern social problems and the attitude of the Church to them.

The members of the Theological commission underlined that the theme of the relations and dialogue with non-Orthodoxy was central for the Russian theology which has shown its universal vocation and importance in the 20th century. Therefore, the most important task of the Orthodox theology at present consists in bearing witness before non-Orthodoxy about the Orthodox Church and the treasure of the Tradition of the Church which Orthodoxy has been keeping piously and inviolably from the time of the Apostles. The theme of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and non-Orthodoxy was discussed at a special meeting of the plenum.

Archpriest Valentin Asmus gave a critical analysis of the present state of dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the non-Chalcedonian churches. During the discussion the participants of the plenary session came to the conclusion that theological dialogue of the Orthodox Church with the non-Chalcedonian Churches cannot be regarded as complete. The commission considered it necessary to begin a bilateral dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the non-Chalcedonian churches.
Ye.S.Speranskaya, a staff member of the DECR MP Secretariat for InterChristian Relations spoke about history and the present state of bilateral theological dialogues which the Russian Orthodox Church maintained with the Protestant Churches. After discussion the participants unanimously decided that these theological dialogues should be continued. The Commission made a decision to work out their concept.

V.V.Shmaliy, a staff member of the DECR MP Secretariat for InterChrsitian Relations, informed the participants about the present state of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the World Council of Churches. He underlined that in compliance with the decision of the Inter-Orthodox Conference held in Thessaloniki on the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church from 29 April to 5 May 1998, the Russian Orthodox Church announced that beginning from the 8th WCC Assembly in Harare (3-14 December 1998) it would limit its participation in the WCC activities. This decision was approved by the Holy Synod at its session of 29 December 1998 and will be effective during three years of work of a special commission established on request of the Inter-Orthodox conference in Thessaloniki and composed of representatives of the Orthodox Churches and the WCC. This commission must find ways and means for radical transformations in the WCC. Provided they are implemented, the Orthodox can continue their participation in the WCC. In case the commission fails to find a mutually acceptable decision, the Orthodox Churches, in compliance with the decision of the Thessaloniki meeting, intend to withdraw from the World Council of Churches. The participants approved the establishment of the commission and considered various kinds of the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to the WCC in the period of the commission’s work. Also, they noted that the membership of the Russian Orthodox Church in the WCC has been always regarded as a mission and an Orthodox witness without any ecclesiological meaning and therefore was impeccable dogmatically and canonically. But as Orthodox believers express their concern about the inadmissible for Orthodox consciousness trends in certain non-Orthodox communities – the WCC members, the considerations of pastoral duty and the good of the Church raise the question of the expediency of continuing membership of the Russian Orthodox Church in this organization.

Taking part in the plenary session was Dr.Peter M.Bouteneff from the Orthodox Church of America, executive secretary of the WCC Commission on Faith and Order. He officially asked the Synodal theological commission to make an analysis of the documents prepared by his commission on ‘The Nature and Purpose of the Church’ and ‘Towards Sharing the One Faith’. The theological review of the documents by the Russian Orthodox Church will be very important for a fuller reflection of the Orthodox teaching in multilateral theological dialogue maintained by the ‘Faith and Order’ commission for many years.

The plenary session of the Synodal Theological Commission took the decision to prepare a document on the ‘Main Principles of the Attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church to Non-Orthodoxy’.