Here are two very interesting articles from His Grace, Bishop Hilarion (Alfeyev), Russian Orthodox Bishop of Vienna and representative to the European Institutions.
The first piece is a fantastic address on “liberal Christianity”, given by His Grace to the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches in Geneva, on February 13. I couldn’t agree more that “liberal Christianity” is a “danger” and “will not survive a long time.” So, bravo to Bishop Hilarion for his brave words to the WCC.
The second piece is unfortunate, in my opinion, but not surprising. It’s a short response to the Cardinal Kasper interview I posted yesterday. Basically, more fallout from the Russian-Constantinopolitan row over Estonia which caused Bishop Hilarion and the Russian delegation to boycott the Orthodox-Catholic meeting in Ravenna.
I am especially confused about Bishop Hilarion’s interpretation of the Cardinal words about “a new form of the exercise of the primacy” as a dastardly plan to bring the Orthodox under the yoke of Uniate servitude.
Apparently His Grace passed over the part where Cardinal Kasper says that “the model of the exercise of primacy we have in the Eastern Catholic Churches is not necessarily the model for the future reconciliation with the Orthodox Churches.” And again: “We do not want to impose the system which today is in the Latin Church on the Orthodox Churches” (I would assume that this current system includes Rome’s heavy-handed way of relating to the Eastern Catholic Churches). Thus, I don’t believe that the old model of Uniatism is what the Cardinal refers to when he speaks of “new forms” for the exercise of universal primacy within the Church. I am surprised that the brilliant young Bishop of Vienna would jump to the sloppy conclusion that “the Chairman of the Council for Promoting Christian Unity invites the Orthodox to accept the Uniate understanding of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome.” The Pope and Cardinal Kasper, I’m sure, are well aware that the Uniate model is a no-go with the Orthodox.
I do appreciate, however, His Grace’s willingness to continue on with the dialogue: “I would like to reiterate that good and constructive relations between the Catholics and the Orthodox are crucial for the present and future of Christianity. We need a type of relationship based on the understanding of the fact that we are allies, not adversaries, that we have a common missionary task and face common challenges, to which we can respond together.”
This just in …
Another one from Cardinal Kasper, hailing a “new climate” with the Russian Orthodox Church. Kasper clarifies, by the way, that uniatism, “understood as a method, today and in the future, is no longer a means of achieving Church unity.”
Eirenikon 
I don’t think we should be too hard on Bishop Hilarion. It is a common, understandable mistake to think that a modern Roman Catholic cardinal believes his Church’s historic views on the exclusivity of truth possessed by his Church and the need for conversion of Orthodox Christians to the Uniate model. Due to the massive changes of the Second Vatican Council, these assumptions don’t always hold true. The confusion of Bishop Hilarion seems to have more to do with his difficulty in accepting that any Church could have such a massive shift in ecclesiology as has Roman Catholicism since VCII (and, we must admit, such shifts are very odd even by Roman Catholic standards, which spoke with such triumphalistic security even up to the early sixties), than any refusal to interact with Cardinal Kasper, honestly.
I think that Rome should be more heavy-handed with the Uniate Churches, since some of them hide their “liberal modernism” beneath the cloak of their “oriental” distinctiveness. See http://ruskij-sion.blogspot.com/
As to the ecclesiology of Vat II, the CDF has just issued a helpful set of RESPONSES TO SOME QUESTIONS REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE DOCTRINE ON THE CHURCH.
The First Question: Did the Second Vatican Council change the Catholic doctrine on the Church?
Response: The Second Vatican Council neither changed nor intended to change this doctrine, rather it developed, deepened and more fully explained it…..
Gregorios,
If Vatican II didn’t change Roman Catholic ecclesiology, then conversion of Orthodox Christians to the Uniate model remains normative. Anything short is a sea change of the original teaching that only the Roman Catholic Church contains the fullness of salvation, which all men are called to embrace. One cannot hold this teaching even in the most mitigated form and advocate that Orthodox Christians remain in their [supposedly] defective Churches. However, the head of ecumenism for the RCC, Cardinal Kasper, advocates just this. With the new document from the CDF, Cardinal Kasper’s views are logically rejected. From this it appears that the RCC is unsure as to what ecclesiology her latest Council endorsed. Seeing this, it is logical why Orthodoxy would be leery of what Rome really thinks of her. She is receiving mixed messages and finds it safest to keep her original position until Rome quits being double-minded on her views toward them.
Unia to Koinonia – a speech by the Melkite Catholic Patriarch – 28 May 2002
Click to access patholyapostles.pdf
#4
Stephen,
This is a very interesting speech. I’ve come across it before, and wanted to post it here, though the translation and the formatting make it difficult for me to comprehend a few parts. I suppose I should try again.
Re #3:
See this post of mine.
If you care to comment, please do so here.
Best,
Mike