More on the Pan-Orthodox Synod of 2016
More details have surfaced on the long awaited synod we briefly talked about in a previous post. The most important of all is probably the word “unanimous”!
“According to some reports, the great Synod of the Orthodox Churches will be attended by 20 bishops from each Church (if each church has that many), every church will have a single vote during the final voting , decisions will be taken by consensus (ie, by the unanimous vote of the Fathers present).”
http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/03/great-and-holy-pan-orthodox-synod-to.html
“The objections mainly came from Moscow who demanded better preparation, a preparatory committee, and a decision by consensus. The Great and Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church will therefore take place in two years in Constantinople (Istanbul) in the historic Church of Hagia Irene, and, according to sources, from each Church 20 Hierarchs will participate instead of 13 which was the original plan. They will each have one vote and decisions will be made by a unanimous vote. The Ecumenical Patriarch will preside over this Synod.”
A couple of key points being made are, firstly that Moscow demanded “better preparation”. This is very vague. It sounds like the world is not ready yet, but it may be by 2016?
Secondly, the decisions will have to be adopted by unanimity. This is essential. The key to understanding what this means may be found in Blessed Seraphim Roses’ Orthodox Survival Course (you can still download on our website).
Page 74 (on Dostoyevsky’s Grand Inquisitor): “So that, in truth, Thou didst Thyself lay the foundation for the destruction of Thy kingdom, and no one is more to blame for it. Yet what was offered Thee? [Fr. S’s notes continue:] There are three powers, three powers alone, able to conquer and to hold captive for ever the conscience of these impotent rebels for their happiness — those forces are miracle, mystery and authority. [not in Fr. S’s notes:] Thou hast rejected all three and hast set the example for doing so. When the wise and dread spirit set Thee on the pinnacle of the temple and said to Thee, “If Thou wouldst know whether Thou art [end of p. 264, but Fr. S’s Anarchism notes continue:] Man seeks not so much God as the miraculous. And as man cannot bear to be without the miraculous, he will create new miracles of his own for himself, and will worship deeds of sorcery and witchcraft, though he might be a hundred times a rebel, heretic and infidel…. Thou wouldst not enslave man by a miracle, and didst crave faith given freely, not based on miracle…. Man is weaker and baser by nature than Thou hast believed him!… By showing him so much respect, Thou didst, as it were, cease to feel for him, for Thou didst ask far too much from him — Thou who hast loved him more than Thyself! Respecting him less, Thou wouldst have asked less of him. That would have been more like love, for his burden would have been lighter…. Canst Thou have simply come to the elect and for the elect? But if so, it is a mystery and we cannot understand it…. We have corrected Thy work and have founded it upon miracle, mystery and authority…. Did we not love mankind, so meekly acknowledging their feebleness, lovingly lightening their burden, and permitting their weak nature even sin with our sanction? …we took from him what Thou didst reject in scorn, that last gift he offered Thee, showing Thee all the kingdoms of the earth. We took from him Rome and the sword of Caesar, and proclaimed ourselves sole rulers of the earth,… but we shall triumph and shall be Caesars, and then we shall plan the universal happiness of man…. all that man seeks on earth — that is, someone to worship, someone to keep his conscience, and some means of uniting all in one unanimous ant-heap, for the craving for universal unity is the third and last anguish of men. Mankind as a whole has always striven to organize a universal state…. Oh, the ages are yet to come of the confusion of free thought, of their science and cannibalism. For having begun to build their tower of Babel without us, they will end, of course, with cannibalism. But then the beast will crawl to us and lick our feet…. And we shall sit upon the beast and raise the cup, and on it will be written, ‘Mystery’ But then, and only then, the reign of peace and happiness will come for men. Thou art proud of Thine elect, while we give rest to all. And besides, how many of those elect, those mighty ones who could become elect, have grown weary waiting for Thee, and have transferred and will transfer the powers of their spirit and the warmth of their heart to the other camp, and end by raising their free banner against Thee…. Freedom, free thought, and science will lead them into such straights and will bring them face to face with such marvels and insoluble mysteries, that some of them, the fierce and rebellious, will destroy themselves, others, rebellious but weak, will destroy one another, while the rest, weak and unhappy, will crawl fawning to our feet and whine to us: ‘Yes, you were right, you alone possess His mystery, and we come back to you, save us from ourselves!’ …And all will be happy, all the millions of creatures except the hundred thousand who rule over them. For only we, we who guard the mystery, shall be unhappy…. Peacefully they will die, peacefully they will expire in Thy name, and beyond the grave they will find nothing but death. But we shall keep the secret, and for their happiness we shall allure them with the reward of heaven and eternity.” [The Grand Inquisitor will] lead men consciously to death and destruction, and yet deceive them all the way so that they may not notice where they are being led, that the poor blind creatures may at least on the way think themselves happy. [Continued from Nietzsche lecture tape:] The Grand Inquisitor says, how can you love humanity? It‟s just awful, or, loathsome kind of creature, this fallen creature? You can take care of them and give them everything they need, but how can you love them? And Christ is the one who loves humanity.
And on page 130 (About the Antichrist): “The emperor, pale but calm, addressed the assembly: „You have seen God‟s judgment. I did not wish for anyone‟s death, but my heavenly Father avenges his beloved son. The case is settled. Who would dare to oppose the Almighty? Secretaries! write: “The ecumenical council of all Christians, when the fire from heaven had struck the insane opponent of the divine majesty, unanimously recognized the mighty emperor of Rome and the world as their supreme leader and lord.”‟”
Unanimity is essential for the arrival of the Antichrist. So how is this unanimity going to be achieved? Firstly we can see that there is a limit on the number of bishops attending from each country. They will be “cherry-picked”. Secondly, those who understand what this unity will be about may not want to participate in the first place.
Ok, but will there not be just one Bishop who will vote no? Well, if they are keeping silent today, they will be silent then. Right now we only know of one Bishop in the “canonical” Churches world that speaks the truth – His Eminence Bishop Seraphim of Piraeus. Others have already been deposed – like Bishop Artemie in Serbia.
But how are the Greek / Russian differences going to be reconciled? Let’s say the Greeks will owe the Russians a favor? Elder Paisios of Mount Athos once said:
“The English and the Americans will give us Constantinopole, not because they love us but because this will be consistent with their interests … Greece won’t play a leading role in that war, but they’ll (the Russians) give her back Constantinople. Not because the Russians adore the Greeks, but because no better solution will be found. The city will be handed over to the Greek Army even before it has a chance to get there”
