A Digital Conversational Series Begins. Join this effort to bring digital Orthodox resources to millions of Christians worldwide during this difficult time. https://bit.ly/2DQnp4E For the Life of the World takes on modern-day challenges from the rich Orthodox spiritual tradition and offers ways to navigate and respond to #racism, #poverty, #injustice, #humanrights, reproductive technology, #bioethics, #climatechange.…
A Digital Conversational Series Begins. Join this effort to bring digital Orthodox resources to millions of Christians worldwide during this difficult time. https://bit.ly/2DQnp4E
For the Life of the World takes on modern-day challenges from the rich Orthodox spiritual tradition and offers ways to navigate and respond to #racism, #poverty, #injustice, #humanrights, reproductive technology, #bioethics, #climatechange. #myOCN
Digital series calendar: https://myocn.net/for-the-life-of-the-world/
I don’t see how any of the topics are truly relevant to us Orthodox. Racism has already been addressed in multiple ways. All people are created in the image of God. Therefore, all people are capable of achieving salvation. If that wasn’t enough. Phyletism Was declared a heresy back in the late 1800s.
“Injustice” has been dealt with for two millennia. The early Church martyrs faced terrible persecution by the hands of the Romans. To which we are taught John 15:15-21 that we will be persecuted like Christ for His name’s sake. It also benefits us nothing to receive punishment for our wrongs, but to endure unjust punishment when we have done no wrong.
Human rights? By what doctrine did these human rights stem from? Certainly they were not based on the teachings of the Church or of Christ Himself. Human rights is used by western powers to torment rebellion against established governments and religious authorities. Human rights include feminism, voting, sodomy, rioting in the name of social justice, and violent overthrows of nations. Human rights historically has no basis in Christian thought. Did the early martyrs attempt to overthrow Rome when they were persecuted? No. God forbid we adopt a position of promoting “human rights.”
As for poverty. Christ said Himself that the poor will always be amongst us. If anything, poverty is a form of mercy by God, because if more people had the financial means? They’d commit themselves to even greater sins. Do not place your riches where thieves can break in and steal it. But place your riches in heaven where no thief can enter. We must also remember that it is easier for a camel to pass through the head of a needle. Than it is for a rich man to enter the heavenly kingdom.
All n all I see this as no more than Americans pushing for more antichrist doctrines around the world. We should be careful when we start acknowledging anything from the world. Since it is the devil who is god of this world.
This new document is blatant political activism, anti-spiritual, anti-biblical and starkly contrary to the Orthodox faith.
In the words of Christopher Metropulos "We live in a post-truth era" (maybe a subtle, indirect admission of the real intentions of this document).
§21 "An increasing number of Orthodox marriages today include a spouse who is not an Orthodox Christian."
Since when are mixed faith marriages "canonical"?
§41 "…new economic models—by which it would be possible to achieve a more just distribution of wealth, and thereby a more radical commitment to the common good, of society and of the planet we all must share.”
Sounds more like Marx than Christ… Do I now need to be a socialist to be Christian?
To learn how respond to the contemporary world and contemporary issues, we should read the writings of the Church Fathers and the Holy Scriptures and spend more time with a prayer rope.
May God's grace lead you back to the way, truth and life.
Κύριε Ιησού Χρηστέ Ελέησον Ημάς +