(21) ECUMENI SM FROM A PERSPECTI VE OF ORTHODOX MONASTIC TRADITION

Sister Theoktisti Emsley

Introduction
It is important to make clear at the beginning that being an Orthodox nun in the Greek tradition, I am not a
specialist but someone who experiences the ecumenical Orthodox monastic tradition. Thus I will talk about
my reections on this subject, pointing out some of the difculties involved. To begin with there is a difculty
in using the term ecumenism- . This refers to something other than the adjective ecumenical -
, or universal, which we should use in order not to be misunderstood:
The adjective is used in a different way as the nouns or :
ecumenical ecumenist ecumenism.
The understanding of is not the same as ; there is a great difference between an
Ecumenical Church and an Ecumenist Church. An ecumenist church understands itself to be a gathering of all
the churches and religions together, choosing which elements they want to keep and which they want to discard. So
for example they might say let us have the liturgy from the Orthodox, the organization from the Roman Catholics
and the emphasis on the Bible from the Protestants, thus we have in todays terms a copy and paste church.
Ecumenismmakes comparisons between traditions, but not for conclusions about the truth of any one tradition,
only for some middle ground between the churches. The ecumenical dialogue on the other hand is a necessary
precondition of mutual understanding, and that mutual understanding is a precondition of mutual trust as well
as providing the condition for all people to cooperate and to coexist Dialogue is the only path pleasing to God.
The Orthodox Church, in all humility, believes itself to be the one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
It is called ecumenical because it unfolds itself in the entire world and contains all of the universal truth, thus
the understanding of ecumenical is linked to the understanding of catholic confessed in the Creed: One,
Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The ecumenical Tradition
In the New Testament we nd the word , having the sense of a noun, denoting the inhabited land.
In Matthew for example, the gospel is for all nations (Matt 24:14), in Luke it is for the world (Luke 21:26),
and in the Acts of the Apostles for the Roman Empire (Acts 19:27). We know that we are all made in the
image of God whether we are Orthodox, Roman Catholics or Protestants. Revelations tells us that God held
out hope and the promise that we should all walk in the light of the city of God and that all the beings of the
earth shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it (cf. Rev. 21:24-26). This is the scriptural basis for
engaging in the ecumenical dialogue.
The Fathers of the Church use to denote the whole world.

An ecumenical attitude can be found
in St. John Climacus in his discourse To the Shepherd when he is talking about: those pastors who are strong
in faith, when they are invited by heretics in a spirit of trust and goodwill, should respond positively.

The rst seven Councils of the undivided Church, which determined and dened Orthodox doctrine, are the
Ecumenical Councils, for the then Christian world. These are accepted by both Eastern and Western churches.
The Patriarch of Constantinople is known as the Ecumenical Patriarch; he furthers the collaboration between
the local autocephalous and autonomous churches of the Orthodox world and offers unfailing ecumenical
charity and courtesy to all, whether they are Orthodox or not.
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Theoktisti Emsley 159
There are those that see ecumenism as the greatest heresy of the 20
th
century, preaching about a dogmatic
and religious syncretism, leading to a kind of pan-religiousness, making equal all Christian denominations and
other religions. Greek theologian Athanasios Frangopoulos for example believes that: Ecumenism is a new
heresy that has appeared in our days we Orthodox must stand far apart. Indeed, we ought to ght against it
by enlightening those Orthodox who are ignorant of ecumenism and what it entails.
Bishop Kallistos Ware, on the other hand, cites the opinions of theologians who see ecumenism not just as
a positive action of the Orthodox Church, but as a necessary response to other Christian groups that do not
share the same environment, the same attitude, the same spiritual identity and intention as Orthodoxy. This
ecumenical attitude does not abandon Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy has no need of fanaticism or bigotry to protect
itself. Orthodoxy is greater than that.
Bishop Anthony Bloom reminds us that: At the beginning, the Ecumenical Movement was the only place
where Christians separated from long ago could meet each other in good will, come to know each other and
share in the experiences of hundreds of years. What would be the outcome of such meetings was not discussed
in advance: there was a belief that Christ would unite us. But the theological commissions began to lose their
way in complicated theological labyrinths, and then got out of them by being satised with insubstantial
agreements. But such agreements devalue the task itself: the search for Truth has already been forgotten.
He continues the Christian world is like a tree: through their roots all Christian communities are in the past,
in the Undivided Church (although there were divisions even at the very beginning, but they were regarded
with wise toleration by Apostle Paul), but to return to those days is impossible. From the depths of the earth
in which we are all rooted, tree trunks have grown, stretching up parallel to each other. The way to unity is to
grow straight upwards until all tops fuse into one. Christians must realize the Gospel in their lives and only then
will the tops fuse into unity. But for this to happen, according to Bishop Anthony Bloom, it is necessary to
take a rm decision; so long as there is no such decision we cannot, as in the past, collaborate in theological
quests, although the Orthodox Church has made a considerable contribution in the area of Trinitarian theology.
We must continue our collaboration, but only after seeking new ways.
The ecumenical discussions today aim at establishing a theological dialogue and an understanding of the
great problem of ecclesiology. Any rapprochement can only come about through prayer, humility, repentance
and forgiveness. Dialogue does not mean arriving at a common acceptance of a minimum standard of com-
mon faith, through a decision to ignore differences and difculties or to embrace all differences as a kind of
acceptable variety. (It) must be pursued within the framework of the undivided Church that is, the Church
before the Schism.
The annulment of the anathemas of 1054 signed by Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI in 1965 meant
that the symbol of division was replaced by a symbol of love and can be seen as the point of departure
for the ecumenical dialogue. The issue is not who erred rst, or whether he erred more or less, that is an
unworthy approach; it is a question of the salvation of the world. The participation of the Orthodox Church
in the ecumenical dialogue is based on the conviction that the Orthodox must contribute to the restoration of
unity, bearing witness to the one undivided Church of the Apostles, the Fathers and the ecumenical councils.
The problem of syncretism however is very real: a mixing of faiths and religions by which elements of differ-
ent world views are assimilated into each other, resulting in a change in the nature of them, and the emergence
of a new and revised set of beliefs. It removes absolutes and works on the assumption that any belief can be
adopted, re-shaped, discarded or denied depending on whether it suits the new environment. It involves adding
other beliefs to Christian doctrine, with the intention of supplementing the salvation provided by J esus and
springs from lack of faith in Christs saving power. Syncretism is not compatible with true Christianity. In fact,
any modication to Biblical law and principle for the sake of a better religion is heresy (Cf. Rev 22:18-19).
It is here that Orthodox monasticism can show a way forward. Monasticism was and is ecumenical, it is not
limited to one nation or race or place; it is not limited in any way. It spread where the spirit called the early
monks and nuns. The historical roots of monasticism lie in Scripture. In the Old Testament Elijah serves as the
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Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
160 Chapter (21)
monastic prototype. In the New Testament, John the Baptist is the model of ascetic life. St. Paul stands as one
of its rst theological exponents of celibacy. Orthodox monastics could be found anywhere in the ,
that is all over the then known world.
The essential and denitive traits which constitute monasticism are the indelible impressions and charac-
teristics of the undivided Church; these are theological - patristic, liturgical, and ecclesiological.
The ecumenical Orthodox Monastic Tradition
As in the parable of the publican who nds favour with God through his prayer for mercy (Luke 18:9-14), the
monk or nun who in prayer has a humble remembrance of sin and repentance, nds the spiritual fruitfulness
of repentant sorrow and so nds favour with God. What characterizes the monk or nun is humble prayer,
repentance, patience, love of neighbor and forgiveness.
This attitude is necessary for our Orthodox Church. Only when we have the courage to recognize our
wounds can we begin the path of healing. At least the term ecumenical dialogue is not unknown, this
is one step on the way, but self-knowledge and self-criticism are a sine qua non for continuation of an ec-
umenical dialogue.
We would do well to keep in mind the advice given by St. Basil to a young man who sought a greater knowl-
edge of God: If you wish to learn, you must rst unlearn. This coupled with the saying from the Book of
Ecclesiastes: For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase in knowledge increase in sorrow
(Eccles. 1:18), provide a sound basis for moving forward. The real work of healing in dialogue takes place
when the issues that divide us are acknowledged and honestly examined with genuine love, patience and pain.
Divisions between churches or in monasteries are a scandal as they imply a division of the body of Christ.
The gospel of John gives us the example of remaining whole and undivided, when the Roman soldiers cast lots
for the tunic of Jesus (J ohn 19: 23b-24) a symbol of the unity of the Church as the undivided body of Christ.
We are all created for fellowship and communion with God. The image of God within us signies not only
relationship with God but also relationship with one another.
Orthodox monasticism provides us with a different set of values, an alternative way of living without compro-
mise. It seeks to change the world with prayer, silence and humility rather than through power and imposition,
in the fear of God, with sincerity and prudence. Monastics play a great role in deepening the understanding of
Orthodoxy and in extending the study and knowledge of Orthodoxy, thus awakening and contributing to the
need of ecumenical dialogue, to share and not to divide. The path of monasticism, that of perfect charity has
not always been obvious when we think of the ecumenical dialogue; it has even been at times a contradiction
on the part of some of its members of hindering any possible reconciliation between Christians and between
churches. The idea of communication and reconciliation was bitterly rejected at various times in our history,
even in some quarters to the present day. Today there is awareness that the ecumenical dialogue needs the
contribution of the monastics.
The monastics renounce themselves for the sake of God and for other people. This is a love which implies a
sacrice: the greater the sacrice, the greater the love. If monasticism is the acceptance of Christ who comes:
I was a stranger and you welcomed me (Matt. 25:35), this means the acceptance and love of whoever arrives,
even the unexpected and the unannounced. This love is lived in obedience to a freely chosen way of life that
is centered on the worship of God and a gradual transformation of the passions into spiritual energy under the
guidance of a spiritual father or mother.
The importance of obedience to a spiritual father or mother is underlined from the rst emergence of
monasticism. This is a theme constantly emphasized in the Apophthegmata or Sayings of the Desert Fathers:
The old Men used to say: if you see a young monk climbing up to heaven by his own will, grasp him by
the feet and throw him down, for this is to his prot ... if a man has faith in another and renders himself up to
him in full submission, he has no need to attend to the commandment of God, but he needs only to entrust his
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Part II: Orthodoxy and Ecumenism- Foundations
Theoktisti Emsley 161
entire will into the hands of his father. Then he will be blameless before God, for God requires nothing from
beginners so much as self-stripping through obedience.
The Desert Fathers speak about the relationship between the spiritual child and the spiritual guide. Abba
Poemen tells his brother that he should not be the legislator for others but rather lead them by example. He
suggests that the brother will teach and guide his disciples through his own actions and how he leads his own
life. This is a model that spiritual guides in society, outside of a monastic setting, could also employ to guide
and teach the faithful, their spiritual children. The spiritual guide should provide discernment and guidance,
not to be a force but to serve as a guide along the Christian journey.
When Christ said to deny oneself, take up ones cross, and follow Him, He meant that one must put aside
ones own will and follow the example of Christs love for others and obedience to the will of His Father in
heaven (Matthew 16:24). Christ emphasizes this even more in Mark (12:30-31), when He reminds us of the
two greatest commandments: to love God and to love ones neighbor (Cf. 1 Cor. 1:17-25). True unity should
be pursued above all in the spiritual life as a path which accepts the weakness of the cross, in which the power
of God can triumph.
Spiritual fathers and mothers are characterized by their wisdom which is manifested through their humil-
ity, generosity, compassion and willingness to accept the imperfections and shortcomings of life. We nd
ourselves attracted by their open-heartedness in giving and receiving love. Their attitude towards others is
marked by compassion, and they are sensitive to those who are in different places on lifes journey. Because
our Scriptures and tradition hold spiritual guides in great respect the Orthodox Church, which has kept alive
the tradition of the spiritual father and mother, is uniquely positioned to reclaim their value. While authentic
spiritual guidance is ultimately achieved through years of discernment, prayer and deep thought about ones
faith, time spent in a monastery can serve a guide on the spiritual journey, particularly important for those
involved in the ecumenical dialogue.
Ecumenical Orthodox Monasticism Today
When we speak about the ecumenical dimension of the monastic tradition and practice we are talking about a
canonical practice in the Orthodox Church everywhere in the . Monks and nuns come from different
cultures and countries, the only real meeting they can have, however, is through prayer. We can fantasize about
a unity as monks and nuns, we can fantasize about a unity of the churches and denominations in that we all go
back to the rst centuries and begin again as one Church. But without prayer and humility this does not lead
us anywhere. We are dreaming of something unrealistic.
Orthodox monasticism is a way to live a real ecumenical life, but truth and freedom have to be the basis of
monastic life. This means that we cannot opt for an articial unity of monks and nuns but that we have to live
out the pain of our division. Monasticism is founded in our churches and has to live out the truth and canonical
practice of our churches; this entails living the continual pain of division and thus making present the need
for humble prayer. Here we all must base our lives on some of the virtues that are particularly cultivated in
monastic life: we need prayer, we need humility, we need patience, and we need to reset ourselves to the
teaching of Jesus Christ. Only something like this will unite us.
The monastic virtue of humility is the key; it teaches us the way forward to nd our mistakes and not to
repeat them again. In order to become one we need repentance (metanoia). What divided us? Egoism, church
politics, historical events and stubbornness divided us. How can we now correct this mess we have made? We
need to change ourselves in order to see our mistakes, not just political and historical but also our personal
mistakes and misunderstandings, which we do not easily get over; and we need to ask for forgiveness, not for
the media or from the balcony, but deep down and in our everyday life. It is here that the monastic tradition,
which carries along with it the same spirit of the rst Church through the centuries, can give an example and
can teach us how to do this with humility and a clean heart.
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We live, however, in the tradition of the Church, we live with our sacraments and all that we have come to
know and love in the Church. How can we approach another when we see for example that the liturgy and the
sacraments look different, that they have developed differently? We need to go back and see how this happened
in order to move forward. Unity does not mean to be under one head and to be all exactly the same, but to
accept each other and be reconciled. This is what the monastics try and do every day.
We need to nd dogmatic reconciliation. This is very specic and we need the specialists and theologians to
discuss and nd a common expression of these dogmatic issues. There has to be some result, something nal,
saying this and this we have in common dogmatically. There will still be differences because of the varying
development of symbolism in the churches, the liturgical, the para-liturgical, the rituals, etc. Here we nd
the role of the spiritual father or mother in the monastery. They are, so to speak, the theologian and specialists
who pray and guide and unite their community in love, compassion and patience despite it being made up of
very varying individuals. With wisdom and discernment they hold fast onto the essentials, but know when and
how to adapt and include different developments.
There must be a space in the Church for each nation and their culture. In the wider ecumenical perspective,
it cannot be right making Africans ignore their own great musical tradition and making them sing Byzantine
music in their church or to celebrate Greek and Russian feasts (at times political ones) rather than their own.
This is a nationalistic rather than an ecumenical approach to the Church. A further mistake is the insistence
on keeping Byzantium alive at all costs. In Greece, Byzantium has its place, through the language, geography
and culture, but this is clearly not the case for the whole ecumenical world. The discernment of the spiritual
father or mother of the monastery gives the right place due to each member of the community. All belong to
the same community all need the love and acceptance of all the community, but this can be expressed in ways
that are specic to the different individuals.
Thirst for Unity
A rst step towards unity is to see if Christians today have a thirst for unity? We need to see if there is a
thirst for ecumenism. If the churches do not wake the Christians for Christian life in general they will have
no understanding for the need for unity. If you have real thirst you are prepared to do anything to quench
this thirst. If you have no thirst, then you probably have no interest. If this is the case then the whole ecumen-
ical dialogue is just a theoretical discussion, abstract and far removed from the reality of the members of the
Church today a waste of time!
The role of the monastic is to pray intensively for this thirst for all Christians and pray for a deeper
interest in Orthodoxy, rst and foremost from our own Orthodox faithful. We must not close our doors to
those Christians who do not know us and to those who show the rst steps of interest, we have to be open and
welcoming. We need a pure ecumenism, that which is not heretical, this can show to the world the truth and
beauty of Orthodoxy and then show the path to unity. This path can only be found through intensive prayer.
Our Church prays every day in the liturgy for unity of the whole world; this does not mean to lose our richness
or something, but to open our heart to the whole world the .
We are made in the image and likeness of God, we are all icons of God; not only does it not help to insult
all other Christian confessions but it is going against the specic teaching of J esus Christ to love one another.
Unfortunately some of our monasteries are selling books which just do that. There are books which pretend
to explain the Orthodox Church but just give misinformation and insult other Christian confessions without
saying anything really concrete, or teaching about Orthodoxy, its beauty and richness. Orthodoxy does not
need to explain itself in term of others and their mistakes, it is more than that, and it is a pity when books
stoop down to that level. Another terrible thing that happens is that people reading these books throw them
away with remarks such as: if this is all the Orthodox Church is, then I am not interested, or: you would
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Part II: Orthodoxy and Ecumenism- Foundations
Theoktisti Emsley 163
think they could get their facts right before writing such nonsense, or even worse: I thought of becoming
Orthodox before reading this, but not now. These are remarks we have heard in our monasteries. Instead of
showing the way to Orthodoxy, we are pushing people off the path to God!!!
Other religions and confessions were a taboo for the Orthodox people for a long time based on fear, wars,
and the crusades etc., inherited from the past experiences. The world where Orthodoxy ourished was histor-
ically closed, these countries were not free and had little or no good contact with other Christians, for them it
was Orthodoxy or hell, and they did not know that there were other Christians other than themselves. This
is now no longer the case and the fear needs to be overcome in order to move on and heal the past wounds.
We need good information available for our own Orthodox faithful (and priests) to deepen our understanding
of our faith and equip us to share this faith with others.
It is here that Orthodox monasticism can help very much with the maxim do not criticize. In humble
recognition of oneself the absurdity of criticism of others becomes apparent. Only those who are closed to the
working of God in their hearts can judge others without compassion. In our monasteries we see the development
of the new-comer, who perhaps at the beginning doesnt suffer fools gladly, who moves then to the ever deeper
insight of their own sinfulness and gradually awakens to a completely new attitude to those who think and act
differently. This is a necessary path for everyone who seriously engages in any kind of ecumenical dialogue.
The Orthodox Church has always accepted, in theory and applied in practice, the principle of tolerance
towards other religious faiths as a corollary of absolute respect towards human freedom which constitutes a
basic element of its faith.
It is clear that every religion asserts that it holds within its belief system the absolute truth concerning God
and the world, the latter of which also incorporates humanity. For the coexistence of all peoples and religions
the realization that we all are Gods creation is essential. Dialogue brings people closer through understanding
of the other. This is because God always, and in many ways, is in dialogue with us. God is seeking the free
offering of our heart.
The reconciliation role of Christianity can only be initiated and sustained by, and through, the voice and ear
of genuine tolerance. The virtues of tolerance, together with the virtue of diversity, reect the divine attributes
of love maintained in the essence of God, perfectly and innitely.
The human person is the main concern of God, and through the dialogue between God and man one arrives
at perfect goodness and love. The human person seeks communion with himself and God but unless one has
communion with others, he will not be able to come to God.
Pentecost: an Ecumenical Message
The message of the Resurrection was: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:19). The
message of Pentecost was to go to preach to all nations, that is why All of them were lled with the Holy
Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability (Acts 2:4). There were to give
light, to give Christianity, give the gospel to the whole world, to those who did not speak their language. This
is the ecumenical message.
Orthodox monasticism has a similar ecumenical message; it is possible to live canonically in all the -
. This can unite everyone. Monastic life is epiclesis in action, invocation of the descent of the Holy Spirit
which at Pentecost was the power of the plural unity, communion in the distinction of gifts (Acts 2: 1-3). A
monastic can be anyone who tries to live according to the same traditional pattern or model, living chastity,
poverty and obedience. This monastic basis is lived out through experience and not through theory; it is made
real and can thus serve as an example for the ecumenical dialogue.
Orthodox monastic life in every age requires a life of conversion, or a return to the sources, to the Gospel.
If the end of the ecumenical dialogue, the pure ecumenical dialogue, is unity then this will have to be pre-
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Orthodox Handbook on Ecumenism
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ceded by an interest in, and a worry for, unity. The virtues cultivated in monasticism can be the basis for this
movement towards unity, especially prayer, humility, reconciliation, forgiveness and respect of the other. The
recognition of ones own mistakes and the forgiveness of other is the last thing a monastic does every evening
after the last community prayer. The monastic asks for forgiveness from the Geronda /Gerondissa (Abbott/
Abbess), who is in the place of Christ for the community. This act has a great symbolic value and plays a
great role in the cohesion of a community. This asking for forgiveness can be the mode for beginning the path
towards understanding, forgiveness and unity.
Orthodox involvement in ecumenism is a missionary responsibility. As in any missionary situation, a per-
sons actual conversion to Orthodoxy is left up to God, but the responsibility lies with Orthodox to be present
and witness to their apostolic faith, to teach, and also to learn from the encounter. This will only succeed if
the missionaries know how to deal sensitively with the experience those interested in Orthodoxy bring with
them. Even many Orthodox Christians are ignorant of the real basis of their own faith and are very confused,
knowing only a few bits about other religions and confessions. This is true everywhere: Asia, Africa, Americas,
and Europe. It is not just a question of education but of spiritual guidance. Our monasteries are doing much in
this area, but much more still needs to be done, especially among our own faithful.
Conclusion
The Patristic revival has been an essential factor in Orthodox involvement in the ecumenical dialogue. If mo-
nastics understand and truly respond to this Patristic revival they can respond to the call of interior unication,
of lived communion, of ever-renewed reconciliation, of continual mercy, then they will be servants of unity of
the ecumenical dialogue. By this we do not mean, or want, or agree with, the idea to create a church by taking
bits from here and there to create a church that has everything. We mean the capacity to go two miles with
those who ask us to go one (Cf. Matt. 5:41) it needs a passion for the body of Christ.
The Ecumenical Patriarch in Speaking the Truth in Love tells us: The bonds of friendship among divided
churches and the bridges by which we can overcome our divisions are indispensable, now more than ever. Love
is essential, so that dialogue between our churches can occur in all freedom and trust.
This is the challenge we all need to face, particularly monastics who can show others the way through their
example of prayer, humility and forgiveness.
A great monastic spiritual guide of our times, Fr. Porphyrios of Kafsokayvia tells us: if we live in unity
we will be happy and we will live in Paradise. Our every neighbor is esh of our esh. This is the great
mystery of our Church: that we all become one in God. There is nothing better than this unity. This is the
Church. This is the Orthodox faith.
Bibliography
Bloom, Anthony, Ecumenism: Orthodox-Roman Catholic Encounters, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate
(London 1997).
Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, Speaking the Truth in Love (New York 2011).
Frangopoulos, Athanasios, Our Orthodox Christian Faith (Athens 2000) [in Greek].
Ware, Timothy (Kallistos), The Orthodox Church (London 1963).
Wounded by Love: The life and wisdomof Elder Porphyrios (Evia, Greece 2005) [in Greek].
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