Interesting questions about the orthodox mission to the nations
Can a local Orthodox Church possibly wish to have an active role in the ecumenical mission of the Church to the nations if:
1. it behaves chauvinistically (e.g. “Turkey should be left out of the European Union”)
2. it does not respect the canonical consensus in the relations with the other local churches and the Patriarchates
3. it supposes that an apostolic testimony in collaboration with heretical confessions is possible
4. it gags the free and profound theological speech of some of its most worthy and venerable priests (e.g. Fr. G.M. and Fr. Th.Z.)
5. it decides unilaterally on dogmatic issues, ignoring the panorthodox way of decision-making on issues of a similar context (e.g. the issue of organ donation)
6. it self-advertises all its good deeds
7. it causes ecclesiological fragmentation, allowing the uncontrollable operation of numerous ecclesiologically independent organizations and associations
8. it uses communication specialists in the only place where they are not useful, since the Church teaches the concept of communion as experienced in Church life in accordance with its primary Triadological character?
(Panta ta Ethni (All Nations). A quarterly missionary periodical of the Foreign Mission Office of Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece. Year 24, No 94, April – May – June 2005, page 15)
(Source: www.floga.gr [1])