Greek Church: A dialogue with heterodox involves no compromise in faith issues

The main target of the Holy and Great Council was to strengthen and demonstrate the unity of all Orthodox Churches. It is said in the Address of the Greek Church to the people on the Crete Council, according to Pravoslaviye.RU with reference to the First Greek.

The Address underscores that Local Orthodox Churches do not form a federation of Churches, but constitute One, Holy, Conciliar, and Apostolic Church.

“Regarding an Orthodox Diaspora in various countries, it was decided to continue the work of Episcopal assemblies with the participation of Local Churches’ representatives with a view to ensuring a conciliarity principle till canonical accuracy begins to actualize itself,” writes the Greek Orthodox Church.

The authors of the Address expound that “Orthodox Church views the family as a fruit “in Christ and in the Church” of a mysterious marriage of a man and a woman and forms the only avouchment for giving birth and bringing up children.”

The Address lays an emphasis on the importance of temperance and Christian ascetic: “Christian ascetic does not rip an individual from his life and people near him, but gets him linked to the mysterious Church life.”

The Greek Orthodox Church gave her opinion on the Dialogue with heterodox Christians. “A dialogue with heterodox Christians (other Christian confessions – heresies) is pinned on the Church’s obligation to testify everybody the truth and apostolic faith. Dialogues with the heterodox do not and will never mean any compromise in faith-related matters,” the Address states.

Finally, the authors say that the texts of the Crete Council should be subject to further detailed examination. “A doctrinal dialogue is carried on, its essential prerequisite being, of course, the preservation of the immunity of theological truth.”