ECUMENISM AND ETHOPHYLISM THE VIEW OF ORTODOX CHRISTIANS

Abstract

Despite being obviously contradictory to each other, a common question is spelled by both ecumenism and ethnophilysm. How the unity is to be achieved by Christian people? How one could come to lifetime friendship with all those having diff erent beliefs or with those not having any belief at all? That very unity means togetherness in God, and not an agreement based on minimum concordance. Thus, such unity is to be realized in respective church’s community where all nations and all people are called up. In that sense, ecumenism merits its full sense within church’s authenticity of dialogue between diff erent ones, as well as within creative communication of all those who would like to achieve and edify themselves through church. However, there are certain obstrictions and drawbacks which could be superseded only when we all become part of togetherness in beatifi c love of God, which is fully come out as Blessed Empire of Father and Son and Holly Spirit, with “no Greeks, neither Jews, but Christ is all in everything”. In this way, we are all winning and nobody is defeated or dismissed – we are all materialized as “one man in Christ”. An undeniable rule here is that “higher” should serve “lower”, and that implies disposition and order. Therefore, Orthodox Christians are the most responsible side in ecumenical dialogue in which all participants should be welcomed witnessing salutary joyfulness. Thus, all nations and all people are jointly realized in Christ’s love. The diff erences are clear and they are not inessential – but, such diff erences should not be the reason unnegotiable confl icts. Here, the tolerance is just the beginning of realization, while all is replenished in vivid and living love.